Shadow Over the BMA Dr. C. G. Elliott Steel Nationalisation
Sir Henry d'A vigdor-Goldsmid, MP Mathematics of Southern Rhodesia Barney Hayhoe The Bells of Hell R. W. J. Hooper. George Sheriff Apartheid Rev. A. J. Bamford, Henry Adler The Press Council R. T. Oerton Holy Warfare Rev. G. B. Timms The Party of Jefferson M. A. Faraday Aztecs and Incas John Lovering English Crossword J. Steel Maitland Bed-Sitter-Land A. Georges and C. Donson SHADOW OVER THE BMA Stn.—Dr. Annis Gillie is right to say that there is a shadow over the BMA, but this is not so much the crisis of the shortage of GPs as the question as to What results will come from the talks on expenses, the review body claim and the working party on the report of Dr. Annis Gillie herself.
The BMA and the GPs, particularly the younger ones, look to the result of these negotiations for a complete overhaul of general practice, something that was omitted in 1948.
If, as many observers believe, these negotiations result in merely a few concessions, it seems likely that a revolt will occur amongst the GPs, who will split off from the consultants after abandoning the hope of ever getting the chance to practice modern family doctoring through patient negotiation. This will mean the end of the BMA as at present consti- tuted and the start of a bitter struggle, which will be painful for all concerned.
Not until the public and both political parties learn that to get £40 worth of medicine per head for £20, and £3 worth of family doctoring for 27s., is, in antly aware of the fact that anything the Aus- tralians can do we can do slower. Dexter proved that when it is necessary—and it WAS necessary— he can be as bloody-minded as the enemy. Splen- did—except, of course, for the cash customers. But no one has cared about them . .
I have never realised before that cricket was played for the benefit of 'cash customers.' I thought that the idea was to find out which was the better team. I wasn't a 'cash customer,' but I watched some of it on television. I think now with more comprehension of the young married French woman who is reputed to have said :
'Mon marl est tres sportif; if fail du Kodak.'
The moral would seem to be that uncompetitive sports are less bloody and odious and reveal national characteristics less odiously than do competitive sports as reported in irresponsible newspapers. Even in sport the baser newspapers seek to drag out from the British public all that is most ignoble in their character. 'Vine le sport.'
PS.—By the time the game was over and Eng- land had taken 3.7 hours more to score 45 runs less than Australia, the cricket commentators had also decided to call it a draw. Just as well, for their great hero Barrington scored at exactly the same rate as Simpson (22.4 runs per hour) while Parks, the bold stroke-maker, was confined to 18 runs per hour.
the long run, impossible, and destructive to any settled medical service, will there be any peace
in the NHS. C. 0. El.1.1011-
East Hoathly, near Lewes, Sussex
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