895

Georgia, on March 30th, 1842. Mr. L. B. Wevill,F.R.C.S.E., who was introduced by the presidentof the College, pointed out that this remarkablediscovery was made by an unknown young generalpractitioner working in a small country town. Theeffect of inhaling nitrous oxide or ether was at thetime used by itinerant chemists to cause amusement.Long observed that during these frolics the subjectsof the experiment did not complain of pain whenthey injured themselves. He therefore proposedto a certain Mr. Venable, one of his patients, whorequired to have a wen removed, that here mightbe a way to have the operation done painlessly.On March 30th, 1842, this experiment was carriedout with complete success.

POST-GRADUATE TEACHING

The syllabus for post-graduate teaching in Edin-burgh has just been published. Apart from the usualsummer courses, arrangements are being made foran intensive eight weeks’ medical course to be heldnext autumn. There will be four hours of coordinated

teaching each day during the course and specialfacilities for the study of clinical methods and wardwork.

IRELAND(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT)

MEDICAL ATTENDANCE ON THE CIVIC GUARD

A FEW weeks ago Mr. Ruttledge, Minister for Justice,received a deputation from the Council of the Irish

Free State Medical Union to hear their views on themethod ordinarily employed, for the appointmentand remuneration of medical attendants to the GardaSiochana in country districts. It was pointed out tothe Minister that when a vacancy occurred in the

position of medical attendant to the Garda it hadbecome the custom for an officer of the Force toinvite the medical practitioners in the neighbourhoodto tender for the post, stating the fees they would bewilling to accept for the several services rendered.The practitioner who was willing to accept thesmallest fees was usually appointed. The Minister,without admitting that the deciding point was thesize of the fees demanded, recognised that the presentmethod was unsatisfactory, and promised to endeavourto alter it. The matter was raised again in the Daillast week in the debate on the estimates by Dr.R. J. Rowlette, who had called attention to it

previously two years ago. He also commented onthe fact that the State did not supply a full medicalattendance to members of the Garda, but only whatmight be called a " general practitioner " service.If a guard had to seek the advice of a specialist orto enter hospital he must do so at his own expense.He suggested that a guard should not be in a worseposition than a soldier as regards the care of hishealth by the State. There should be an efficientmedical service provided by the State for its servants.The Minister, in reply, stated that the question ofremuneration was the subject of communicationbetween his Department and the Department of

Finance, and he hoped for a satisfactory result.

THE SERVICES

ROYAL NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE

Surg. Comdr. R. L. G. Proctor to President for course.Surg. Comdrs. J. S. Elliot and L. S. Goss, O.B.E.,

retire at own request with rank of Surg. Capts.Surg. Lt.-Comdrs. T. W. Froggatt to St. Angelo for

R.N. Hosp., Malta; J. J. Keevil to Leander and lent toN.Z. Division for three years; and E. J. Mockler toGanges.

Surg. Lts. W. W. Simkins to Furious ; and T. McCarthyto Drake for R.N.B., and to Centurion (on commg.).

Surg. Lts. for Short Service : G. L. Hardman (St.George’s Hosp.), J. F. Meynell and W. S. Parker (Man-chester Univ.), and W. B. Teasey (Queen’s Univ., Belfast).

Surg. Lts. (D) H. Bradley-Watson to Pembroke forR.M. Infirmary, Deal; and S. R. Wallis to Royal Sovereign.W. G. Smith and E. B. Mackenzie to be Surg. Lts. (D).

ROYAL NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE

Surg. Lts. F. T. Land, promoted to Surg. Lt.-Comdr.,and G. C. Martin, transferred from List 1 of the MerseyDivision to List 2 of the London Division.

Proby. Surg. Lt. J. K. Sargentson to Ramillies.

ARMY MEDICAL SERVICES

The War Office announces that Col. G. G. Tabuteau,D.S.O., late R.A.M.C., has been promoted to the rank ofMajor-General with effect from April 1st, and will continuein his present appointment as Deputy Director of MedicalServices, Northern Command.Major-General Tabuteau received his medical education at

the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Dublin, andentered the R.A.M.C. in 1905. He was promoted Lt.-Col.in 1928, Brevet.-Col. in 1932, and Col. in 1934. He served inFrance and Belgium during the Great War, and in addition toreceiving the D.S.O. was twice mentioned in dispatches. Healso served in Waziristan (1921-24) and in Burma (1930-32),being mentioned in dispatches for the latter service and receivingthe brevet rank of Col.

Maj.-Gen. FitzG. G. FitzGerald, C.B., D.S.O., K.H.S.,late R.A.M.C., is placed on half-pay under the provisionsof Art. 500, Royal Warrant for Pay and Promotion, 1931.

Col. A. Dawson, O.B.E., late R.A.M.C., retires on

ret. pay.

Lt.-Col. H. Gall, from R.A.M.C., to be Col.Lt.-Col. A. N. R. McNeill, D.S.O., from R.A.M.C., to

be Col.ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS

Majs. to be Lt.-Cols. : R. H. Alexander, M.C., R. W.Galloway, D.S.O., W. Frier, and F. G. Flood, M.C.

REGULAR ARMY RESERVE OF OFFICERS

Maj. C. M. Rigby, having attained the age-limit of

liability to recall, ceases to belong to the Res. of Off.SUPPLEMENTARY RESERVE OF OFFICERS

Lt. R. L. Walmsley to be Capt.ARMY DENTAL CORPS

Maj. J. H. W. Fitzgerald, having attained the age forretirement, is placed on ret. pay.

Short Service Commissions.-Lts. to be Capts. :R. Walker, D. V. Taylor, and D. S. Wilson.

ROYAL AIR FORCE

Wing Comdr. B. F. Haythornthwaite to R.A.F. Station,Calshot, for duty as Medical Officer.Squadron Leader C. G. J. Nicolls to R.A.F. Station,

Gosport, for duty as Medical Officer.Flight Lt. 0. S. M. Williams to Princess Mary’s R.A.F.

Hosp., Halton.Flying Offr. R. F. Courtin to R.A.F. Depot, Uxbridge.

DEATHS IN THE SERVICES

The death occurred on March 14th at Southsea ofLieut.-Colonel ROBERT GALE, D.S.O., R.A.M.C., retired.Born in August, 1887, he was a son of the late Mr. ParnellGale and was educated at Glasgow University andgraduated M.B., Ch.B. Glasg. in 1909. He entered theR.A.M.C. in the same year, became captain in 1913, andmajor in 1921. From 1911 to 1914 he was in civil employ-ment in Egypt, and then served during the European warto 1918, being mentioned thrice in dispatches and createdD.S.O. in 1915. In 1934 he was Deputy Assistant Directorof Medical Services, Northern Command, at York. In1915 he married Lora, daughter of the late Mr. R. F.Alexander of Glasgow, and leaves a son and daughter.