13 JANUARY 1967, Page 14

Which Doctor?

SIR.—'Have a chat with the vicar and the chemist' used to be my advice when a patient, who was about to leave the district, consulted me about the choice of a new doctor. We would then thumb the leaves of the Medical Directory to find something about the age, education, experience and even—between the lines—the personality of potential candidates.

I must confess that I never checked up on the vicar in Crockford.

46 Rosemount Road, Richmond. Surrey

J. R. ODDIE