The Glasgow Southern Medical Society

We're on Twitter

2012-01-18T20:41:00.003Z

As you may have noticed on the righthand panel, we now have a Twitter feed to complement the main website.Follow @GSMedSoc

Notice of meeting: 9th February 2012

2012-01-18T19:23:00.000Z

We are delighted to announce that Dr Matthew Dunnigan has stepped in at short notice to speak at our February meeting.It promises to be a very interesting and provocative evening - definitely not one to be missed!

February meeting

2012-01-09T18:34:00.002Z

Kindly note that our speaker for the February meeting is unable to attend. We are currently looking for an alternative speaker and more details will be posted.

Notice of meeting: 12th January 2012

2012-01-09T18:27:00.002Z

One hundred years ago

2011-10-05T22:05:00.001+01:00

1911 address by Sir William Osler:

Session 1911-12 LXIX
Meeting No.1.

The Society met in the Faculty Hall, 242 St. Vincent St. on Thurs. Oct. 5th at 8.30p.m., the President in the chair.

Business
Sir William Osler, Baronet, the Honorary President, delivered a most instructive address on "The advantages and disadvantages of a High Blood Pressure". In his opening remarks he referred in detail to the similarity between the various facts of the circulation of the blood and the various facts on the irrigation by the hills of the surrounding country. He then divided into three groups patients with high blood pressure - viz: firstly, those with high blood pressure, no arterio-sclerosis, no renal changes; secondly, those with high blood pressure, arterio-sclerosis and no renal disease; thirdly those with all three. These groups were illustrated by typical cases. The address, which was not only most instructive but also very interesting, was listened to by a large audience of nearly 200,including several ladies. After Dr TK Munro had avowed a vote of thanks the lecturer gave as his parting word the advice "Don't have your blood pressure taken!" This was all the business.
HENRY L.G. LEASK

1. Transcript.
The above transcript was taken from the seventh minute book of the society, covering the period from 1910 to 1923.
In 1911 William Osler was Regius Professor of Medicine at Oxford, a post he had held since 1905. In the year he gave this talk, he founded the Postgraduate Medical Association, of which he was the first president, and was made a baronet in the Coronation Honours List for his contributions to the field of medicine.
Dr Henry Leask was president of the society from 1911-12. He had previously been auditor (1906-7), member of council (1909-10), and vice-president (1910-11).

Notes on transcription
To create this transcript, the original minute book was scanned, and the scans were then uploaded to the Internet Archive, and thence to Wikisource. Wikisource is part of the Wikimedia Foundation, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to the spread of knowledge. The book’s contents will be held safely on their servers in perpetuity. On the Wikisource site it is possible to see the scan in closeup next to a text box, making the process of transcription easier and obviating the need to handle the books themselves. This particular page has been transcribed, but many more have not. Why not try it for yourself and help to archive our heritage? Go to www.wikisource.org. You will then be able to transcribe/proofread pages from our minute books.

Notice of meeting: Celebrating the 100th Anniversary of Sir William Osler's Address to the Society

2011-09-13T21:11:00.001+01:00

Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow syllabus 2011-12

2011-08-31T20:57:00.002+01:00

From the archive: Minute Book 4 1890 - 1895

2011-05-13T20:32:00.001+01:00

Book 4 covering the years 1890 to 1895 of the Society's Minutes is now available:

Minute Book 4

This is part of the scanning project to digitise the entire collection of Minute Books of the Society.

Scanned by Dr John Glen, processed and uploaded to the Internet Archive by Dr Jonathan Oates.

From the archive: Minute Book 1

2011-05-13T20:30:00.001+01:00

A typewritten transcript of the first minutes of the Society covering the foundation and years 1844-1845 is now available:

Minute Book 1

This is part of the scanning project to digitise the entire collection of Minute Books of the Society.

Scanned by Dr John Glen, processed and uploaded to the Internet Archive by Dr Jonathan Oates.

From the archives: Minute Book 1 1844 - 1845

2011-05-12T19:19:00.000+01:00

We are delighted to announce that Minute Book 1 in the form of a typewritten transcript has been digitised and is now available on the Internet Archive:

Minute Book 1

The book was scanned by Dr John Glen, and processed and uploaded by Dr Jonathan Oates. This forms part of our major project to scan and digitise the complete minute book archive of the Society.

We hope these will be of interest to members of the Society and to others with a penchant for medical history.

High resolution images are available to bona fide medical historians on application to the Secretary.

The Minute Book scanning project

2011-03-12T17:01:00.000Z

Members who regularly attend our meetings will know that we have embarked on a project to digitise the Society's minute books. The paper volumes are currently archived at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow and are only available for reading by special request. The scanning project will make our minute books available for anyone to read online or by download to a PC or mobile device.

In a future post, we will outline the technical details of the project. For now, however, we are pleased to release the first volume to be scanned.

Minute Book Volume 7 (1910-1923) - view online

or download a copy for viewing on your computer or mobile device. If you are not reading the book online, you will need to install a DjVu player to read the book.

Suitable DjVu players for:
iPhone/iPod Touch
PC/Mac

The reason for choosing the DjVu format rather than pdf is that it offers the best balance of image quality vs file size. To give an example, the full set of image files for Book 7 takes up around 11GB. This is compressed to 55MB using DjVu with minimal loss in quality. The equivalent pdf file would be about 700MB. We feel that this significantly reduced file size is sufficient justification for using a relatively uncommon format. DjVu is an open standard and will, we hope, stand the test of time. We plan to maintain copies of the minute books in other file formats (including pdf) just in case, but because of bandwidth constraints, may not make them available on the web.

Inebriated Scotland - listen to the lecture

2011-02-12T19:42:00.001Z

Why has Scotland experienced such a profound growth in alcohol-related harm since 1991? The trend line is extraordinary and, Prof. Hanlon argues, must reflect broader societal issues.

This lecture was given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society on Thursday 10th February 2011 at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Glasgow.

Flying the flag for Scotland - General Practitioners at the Deep End - listen again

2011-01-17T15:33:00.002Z

Listen to the lecture given by Professor Graham Watt to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Glasgow on Thursday 13th January 2011. Prof Watt discusses the work of Dr Julian Tudor Hart, and the importance of continuity of care and longterm relationships in primary care. The Deep End project involved the 100 most deprived practices in Scotland. Prof Graham Watt is Professor of General Practice at the University of Glasgow.

Presidential address flyer

2010-09-29T19:46:00.000+01:00

Lecture syllabus: 2010-11

2010-09-14T18:31:00.000+01:00

Click on the link below to view the syllabus:

Glasgow Southern Medical Society

Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow

Notice of meeting: Presidential Address

2010-09-10T09:53:00.000+01:00

‘BOMAD’

Speaker
Dr Gordon Weetch
Consultant Anaesthetist, Hairmyres Hospital

Date and time
Thursday October 7th 2010, 7pm
Buffet meal available from 6.15

Venue
The Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary,
Langside, Glasgow

Future meeting
Thursday, 11th November 2010: Prof Miles Fisher - Diabetes in Scotland 2010 - new
SIGN guideline and new Action Plan

Listen to the lecture: Malaria - is eradication a realistic aim?

2010-02-14T18:37:00.005Z

A thin-film Giemsa stained micrograph of ring-forms, and gametocytes of Plasmodium falciparum
Image: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Plasmodium.jpg

Dr Heather Ferguson is one of the team at the University of Glasgow parasitology department. Her work both in Glasgow and Tanzania involves laboratory, field and theoretical investigation of malaria and the plasmodium life cycle.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Notice of meeting: Malaria - is eradication a realistic aim?

2010-01-23T09:19:00.004Z

Malaria - is eradication a realistic aim?
Dr Heather Ferguson

Image source under Creative Commons Attribution 2.5 licence: http://www.plosbiology.org/article/browseIssue.action?issue=info:doi/10.1371/issue.pbio.v03.i06

Dr Ferguson is one of the team at Glasgow University's parasitology department. Her work in both Glasgow and Tanzania involves laboratory, field and theoretical investigation of the plasmodium life cycle. She is ideally placed to update us on current management of malaria and to consider what the future might hold.

Thursday 11th February at 7pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary
A buffet supper is available from 6.15pm

Guests are welcome to attend our meetings.

Notes from Dr MacIntyre on the meeting held on 26th November 2009

2010-01-19T20:17:00.000Z

The 2nd Ordinary Meeting of the session was held in the Walton Suite at the Southern General Hospital. Perhaps partly for this reason and because of inclement weather, the attendance was very poor – only 10 members. The catering was not of the standard generally provided by the Catering Department at the Victoria. Despite this, those present enjoyed an informative evening with much discussion.

The President introduced three speakers contributing to a seminar on “Understanding Children’s Well-being”. Professor Charlotte Wright based at Yorkhill has been Project Lead in the UK for introduction of new WHO growth charts for children up to the age of four. These are to be introduced in January. They are based on growth patterns of healthy breast-fed children in non-smoking and non-deprived backgrounds in six different venues covering North and South America, Europe, Africa and Asia. Intriguingly the range of birth weights and the growth patterns of these children are identical in terms of height, though in the UK babies show a tendency to weight gain so that 6% are above the 98th centile at the end of the first year. Introduction of the charts includes detail for pre term infants and associated gestational adjustment, charts for parents allowing estimation of eventual height, and detail on measurement and use of the charts for health professionals.

Dr Helen Minnis is also based in Child Psychiatry at Yorkhill. The underlying theme of the whole evening was the importance of the first year of life and Dr Minnis started by pointing out the extent to which brain development takes place during that year and can therefore be susceptible to damage. Three identified mechanisms of this are simple delay in normal development, change in susceptibility to stress (particularly gluco-corticoid receptors), and influences on new neuronal development. This can affect different parts of the brain – thus for example the corpus callosum which probably has a role in integrating logical activity in the left hemisphere with perception and intuition on the right. Measurements of cortisol levels can be used as a marker of HPA axis activity. Studies have shown that the normal diurnal variation was lost in Romanian orphanage children and in maltreated children – with cortisol levels particularly suppressed in the latter. Intervention with improved individual child care during the first year reversed this biochemical pattern. It is thought that care and support which eases times of distress is particularly important. The term “reactive attachment disorder” was coined to describe characteristics of the children who have suffered this pattern of neglect. Some of these children are inhibited in all relationships. Others showed disinhibition in reaction to strangers, becoming over-friendly. Work currently underway in Glasgow is aimed at identifying at an early stage children at risk of this type of neglect and attempting close intervention through the usual agencies such as health visiting.

Dr Kerry Milligan’s background is in General Practice but particularly working with homeless and at risk families and in the area of child protection. Recent publicity over cases such as Victoria Climbie and Baby P have made this a difficult area of work with heavy workloads for staff, exacerbated by recruitment problems. Inevitably most of the attention in child protection work is directed at these high profile or crisis situations. Reporting on child protection is dominated by disasters or examples of bad practice. There has been a gradual increase in child protection registrations, particularly in relation to emotional abuse and physical neglect. Against this background there is a need for much more attention to the more general area of child protection. Risk factors can be identified – families where there is substance abuse, homelessness or poverty, young carers, asylum seekers. Early signs of behavioural disturbance are often present, both before and at school age. These can be picked up particularly if there is regular contact with families. Dr Milligan quoted an individual case report from 1945 which illustrated how little change there may have been in the problems and issues of child protection. However the opportunity is there through early identification and intervention with at risk families to improve outcomes.

Following a period of discussion Dr Kennedy Roberts thanked the speakers for their contributions to a small but clearly interested audience.

Programme 2009-10, Session 165

2009-08-30T09:42:00.006+01:00

Friday September 4th from 1.45pm
Golf outing - Whitecraigs Golf Club.

Thursday October 8th
Presidential address - Dr Saket Priyadarshi
'From malaria to methadone. Treatment works!'

Thursday October 29th
Annual dinner. Roma Mia restaurant, Pollokshields.

Thursday November 5th
Joint meeting with Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow.
'Preparing tomorrow's doctors for practice' Prof Jill Morrison.
7 for 7.30pm RCPSG 242 St Vincent St.

Thursday November 26th (date and venue to be confirmed)
Symposium – 'Health, happiness and protection - understanding childrens' well-being' Prof Charlotte Wright, Dr Kerry Milligan, Dr Helen Minnis.

Thursday January 14th
'Just a little prick with a needle - treating macular degeneration' Dr William Wykes.

Thursday February 11th
'Malaria - is eradication a realistic aim?' Dr Heather Ferguson.

Thursday March (date to be confirmed)
Honorary Presidential address - Dr Kennedy Roberts OBE
'Prisoners, drug users, homeless people and medicine'

Thursday April 22nd, 7pm
Annual General Meeting - Conference room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

GSMS Office bearers 2009/10
Honorary President - Dr Kennedy Roberts OBE
President - Dr Saket Priyadarshi
Past President - Dr Douglas McLellan
Vice President - Dr Gordon Weech
Honorary Treasurer - Dr Liam McKean
Secretary - Dr Duncan MacIntyre
Duncan.MacIntyre@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Victoria Infirmary

Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow
Members are welcome to attend meetings of our sister society held at 7 for 7.30pm in the Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons.
View the syllabus of the 196th session here.

Listen to the Lecture: Honorary Presidential Address - Joseph Lister

2009-08-22T10:19:00.009+01:00

Photo: wikimedia.org

Honorary President of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society and speaker for the evening, Professor Sir Roddy MacSween, relates the life and work of Joseph Lister.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Librivox recording of On the Antiseptic Principle of the Practice of Surgery by Joseph Lister.
Read by Martin Clifton

Books:
Lord Lister - Rickman John Godlee
Lord Lister, his life and work (1913) - Guy Theodore Wrench
The collected papers of Joseph baron Lister (1909) Vol 1
The collected papers of Joseph baron Lister (1909) Vol 2
The Edinburgh School of Surgery before Lister (1918) - Alexander Miles
The autobiography of Joseph Lister of Bradford in Yorkshire, to which is added a contemporary account of the defence of the Defence of Bradford and the Capture of Leeds by the Parliamentarians in 1642 - Thomas Wright

From the minutes: Dr MacIntyre's report on our March 2009 meeting

2009-05-01T18:36:00.000+01:00

HONORARY PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

THURSDAY, 26TH MARCH 2009

Our Honorary President and Speaker for the evening, Professor Sir Roddy MacSween, was introduced by the President. Professor MacSween has been President of the Royal College of Pathologists and Chairman of the Joint Academy and is responsible for the standard textbook “MacSween’s Pathology of the Liver” – a distinguished career in both pathology and post-graduate training.

His interest in Lister as pathologist as well as surgeon was stimulated by the finding of a microscope with some pathological slides amongst Lister memorabilia dating from Lister’s Edinburgh period from 1853 to 1860. In fact review of the history of microscope and staining technique developments indicated that these could not have been the surgeons own work. Lister’s contact with the development of pathology went back to his father who had been responsible for developing achromatic lenses for microscopy in the 1820’s. As a student Lister had made microscopic examination of specimens. He continued this work in his early years in the College of Surgeons. However staining techniques and then paraffin embedding only developed respectively in the 1860’s and 1890’s.

Lister belonged to a Yorkshire Quaker family who moved to Essex where he had his upbringing. He trained in London at University College and the College of Surgeons before a move to Edinburgh initially for a brief clinical attachment which however led to a permanent post and marriage to the daughter of the then Professor of Surgery, Professor Syme. His work on antisepsis developed during Professorships in Glasgow during the 1860’s and Edinburgh the following decade. He then returned to London as Professor at King’s leading to Presidency of the British Association of Science and the Royal Society, knighthood and peerage. London surgeons were initially sceptical of his views sepsis prevention. It took a few years for him to be fully accepted.

Throughout his career he maintained an interest in pathology which was illustrated by remarkable detail in both drawing and clinical and pathological description of specimens – the latter neatly handwritten on foolscap sheets. Professor MacSween showed a number of examples of Lister’s drawings. These were largely done with aid of the camera lucida, a technique allowing superimposition of the image onto a drawing block to allow copying. Inevitably a lot of the early work prior to the advent of anaesthesia was of skin lesions – psoriasis, icthiosis, scurvy and melanoma. The illustrations covered both macroscopic appearance and cellular microscopy. With the development of anaesthesia more substantial specimens became available – examples included sarcoma and more uncertain cystic bone tumour. Most of these drawings and associated descriptions are housed in the Royal College of Surgeons. The overall impression was of the immense amount of work covered by Lord Lister and the remarkable detail of observation which characterised his approach – an impressive insight into an impressive figure.

Dr Philip Wilson, in proposing a vote of thanks, said he had struggled initially to find common points of interest with Lister but related readily to his non-conformist background and approach to work and teaching, and the remarkable detail of his observations. The President closed the evening by echoing our thanks to Professor MacSween and announcing the date of the Society’s Annual General Meeting – 23rd April.

From the minutes: Dr MacIntyre's report on our February 2009 meeting

2009-03-12T15:31:00.000Z

The President welcomed around 50 members and guests and introduced the speaker, Professor Thomas Bourgeron from the Department of Human Genetics and Cognitive Science at Institut Pasteur in Paris. His title of “How far do genes contribute to behaviour” reflects his work in the genetics of neurodevelopment, particularly in relation to autism.

Is there a genetic influence on cognitive function? – yes. The more detailed questions are whether specific genes can be identified influencing specific functions such as language or social interaction, and whether differences in these genes explain behavioural differences. He thought the answer to both questions probably yes. The background to his work is the increasing understanding of the human genome with around 22,000 genes and associated “junk” DNA, the transcription from DNA to protein, and the variable expression of this DNA in different cells in the body. Variations in the DNA are mainly related to Single Nucleotide Polymorphism (SNP) or Copy Number Variation (CNV) where a larger section of DNA is duplicated or deleted. In humans the bulk of the genome is constant – one SNP variability in between 300 and 1200 base pairs. Primates exhibit much more polymorphism. This perhaps reflects the relatively “recent” move of homo sapiens out of Africa with a limited gene pool. One aspect of this work allows identification of which common gene mutations are relatively recent and which date further back in the evolutionary timescale. Some mutations are very common in the population and some much less so. In general the former probably represent low risk mutation and the latter more likely to have high risk to the individual.

Work on autism recognises that it is a spectrum ranging from individual characteristic to full blown disease – we can assess ourselves by looking up the autism spectrum quotient. The work of Professor Bourgeron and his colleagues is exploring the genetic variability that underlies this, looking at CNVs and SNPs in patient groups, mainly from Sweden and France. This work has resulted in identification of many candidate genes and polymorphisms for autism risk. This highlights the general danger of extrapolating predictions from specific gene findings as can occur with the availability of personal genome mapping. He identified five questions which should be applied to any genetic finding – mouse or man?, pilot study or replicated?, frequency and therefore likely impact?, disease specific or found in a range of conditions?, and is it supported by clinical or functional findings?

There is however a developing understanding of what might be going on in autism. Synaptogenesis is the gradual development of neuronal connections increasing from birth through childhood with a decline in adolescence and stability thereafter. Work arising from a number of family groups with autism spectrum has shown defects in proteins involved in creating or stabilising these synaptic connections – specifically neurolipin 4 and neurexan. A mouse model has been created – knock out for neurolipin 4. They appear normal in all respects other than aspects of social interaction. We were persuaded that this included their singing performance with a reduced motivation to vocalise! This may therefore represent a general mechanism for the development of autism influenced by different genetic defects.

Another area of genetic interest relates sleep pattern to autism. Melatonin levels are known to be diminished and it transpires that some autistic patients are deficient in an enzyme involved in melatonin synthesis from serotonin. Melatonin treatment can restore normal sleep patterns in some situations. All this work begins to allow models of understanding of the possible sequences from genetics through biochemistry to functional state. More work is probably needed in identifying different phenotypes in a condition such as autism before trying to link these to particular genetic susceptibilities. The picture is complex, the possible interpretations multiple, and prospects of specific therapies still distant. However Professor Bourgeron is one of an international group of enthusiasts producing rapid progress in this area.

Following a period of question and discussion, Dr MacIntyre expressed the thanks of the Society to Professor Bourgeron for a talk which had covered a complex subject in such a fascinating and stimulating way.

From the minutes: Dr MacIntyre's report on our January 2009 meeting

2009-03-12T15:28:00.002Z

The joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society was attended by around 50 members and guests. The President introduced Professor Sir Kenneth Calman who addressed us on Scottish literature and medicine. He was accompanied by Rhona Brown, a colleague from the English Faculty at Glasgow University who illustrated the talk with quotations from the wide range of writers discussed by Professor Calman. It was not an evening to be encapsulated in a brief summary – better to access the Society’s website to appreciate the broad range of literary references. Professor Calman used his study of Scottish literature to comment on a number of health related themes over several centuries – the people of Scotland and their lifestyle, health and health related behaviour, the role and public perception of doctors, description of diseases, and medicines and healing. His authors and poets covered some 600 years – from “the Bruce of the 14th Century” to “Irvine Welsh’s Trainspotting”. This breadth of Scottish reading was clearly well beyond that of most of his audience but he asked us to help him in this continuing study – any new discovery linking literature to medicine would be welcome.

Dr Hazel Scott in giving the vote of thanks reflected on Professor’s Calman’s broad career and range of interests and thanked him for sharing his insight into Scottish literature.

Listen to the lecture: How far do our genes contribute to behaviour?

2009-02-28T10:55:00.005Z

Professor Bourgeron is a world authority on the genetics of neuro-developmental disorders. He discusses the extent to which our genes are known to determine our behaviour, and how modern techniques in this field are advancing our knowledge with particular reference to autism and autism spectrum disorder.

The lecture was given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society at the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Glasgow UK on Thursday 26th February 2009.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Listen to the lecture: Scottish literature and medicine

2009-01-16T12:23:00.002Z

Lecture given to the joint meeting of Glasgow Southern Medical Society with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow by Prof Sir Kenneth Calman, Chancellor of the University of Glasgow and Dr Rhona Brown, lecturer in Scottish Literature at the University of Glasgow, on Thursday 15th January 2009.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Notice of meeting: Scottish Literature and Medicine

2009-01-12T18:04:00.001Z

Professor Sir Kenneth Calman, Chancellor of University of Glasgow
Thursday 15th January 2009

Joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow
Meetings are at 7pm in the Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Langside Road, Glasgow.

A buffet supper is available for members from 6.15pm
Guests are welcome to our meetings.

Future Meetings:
Thursday 5th February, 7.30pm.
'Experiences in Iraq'
Dr Duncan Gray, Royal Alexndra Hospital, Paisley
Note: This meeting will be held at The Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow, Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, St Vincent Street, Glasgow

Listen to the lecture: Sleeping matters - snoring

2008-12-07T17:41:00.000Z

Lecture given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society by Mr Brian Bingham on Thursday 13th November 2008 as part of an evening symposium on sleep disorders. Related lectures include sleep breathing disorders and insomnia.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Listen to the lecture: Sleeping matters - insomnia

2008-12-07T11:21:00.001Z

Lecture given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society by Prof Colin Espie on Thursday 13th November 2008 as part of an evening symposium on sleep disorders. Related lectures include sleep breathing disorders and snoring.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Listen to the lecture: Sleeping matters - sleep breathing disorders

2008-12-07T10:57:00.001Z

Lecture given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society by Dr Steve Banham on Thursday 13th November 2008 as part of an evening symposium on sleep disorders. Dr Banham is introduced by the President of the Society Dr Douglas McLellan. Related lectures include insomnia and snoring.

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Minute of the Symposium

2008-11-30T17:16:00.000Z

SYMPOSIUM

13TH NOVEMBER 2008

SLEEP MATTERS

Dr Douglas McLellan, President, welcomed members of the Society, guests and our guest speakers. Dr Steve Banham, based at Gartnavel General Hospital runs the Assisted Ventilation Service for the West of Scotland and is Respiratory Specialty Adviser to Greater Glasgow Health Board. Professor Colin Espie established the Glasgow Sleep Research Centre based at the Southern General Hospital. Mr Brian Bingham is an ENT Surgeon with a long interest in, and experience of, management of snoring.

Sleep Breathing Disorders and Treatments That Can Transform Lives – Dr Banham

Dr Banham briefly reviewed the physiology of breathing at night – reduced ventilation during non-REM sleep and basic patterns of change in ventilation and arterial gases seen in obstructive sleep apnoea and in hypoventilation. Obstructive sleep apnoea is common affecting perhaps 4% of men and 2% of women. The clinical problem it presents is of daytime sleepiness rather than the actual nocturnal events. There is also an association with hypertension and cardiovascular disease. The Epworth sleepiness scale is a useful screening tool. Diagnosis is by overnight sleep study with limited home studies being generally adequate – full polysomnography unnecessary. Management with CPAP overnight ventilation is very effective and successfully tolerated in upwards of 70% of appropriate patients.

He went on to describe the principles of bi-level non-invasive assisted ventilation. Unlike CPAP which overcomes upper airway obstruction, bi-level ventilation increases breath by breath ventilation and hence improves gas exchange in a situation of failing respiration. He explained the use of this support in mechanical Chest Bellows disease, neuromuscular diseases, and some patients with chronic respiratory failure. This treatment has given some patients with chest wall deformity a normal life expectancy and has increased survival in Duchenne muscular dystrophy by around 10 years. Appreciation of the effectiveness of treatment has led to elective monitoring of patients at risk of drifting into respiratory failure.

These forms of overnight ventilatory support can genuinely transform the lives of both patients and families.

Practical Interventions for Insomnia in Primary Care – Professor Espie

Insomnia is common though precisely how common depends on definition. Simple primary insomnia is defined as poor sleep with daytime distress lasting for over a month. If it lasts for six months with the patient increasingly focused on the problem, it is described as psychophysiological insomnia. Around 10% of adults probably have insomnia severe enough to result in daytime consequences. The frequency and importance of insomnia is mirrored in various surveys. Sleep problems closely followed by the commonly associated fatigue are the commonest form of psychological morbidity in general surveys. There is an association between insomnia and depression with the former seeming to pre-date and perhaps predispose to the latter. This observation includes children. Insomnia and fatigue are similarly very common problems following treatment for cancer.

Management options include sleeping tablets and sleep hygiene advice but both approaches are of limited value. Cognitive behavioural therapy techniques have increasingly been developed to manage insomnia and are now of proven success. They underlie the approach of Professor Espie's work at the Sleep Centre. His research activities have now developed to having nurses from General Practice and Cancer Support working as CBT therapists giving a programme for insomnia of five, hour-long, sessions. These programmes improve sleep pattern and symptoms of fatigue, anxiety and depression. At their core is a change in the attitude of the patient to sleep and sleep problems. There may be future drug developments in insomnia management – Circadin which is fairly new can alter the timing of sleep cycles. However he felt that CBT is proven and should be promoted. The problem is how to achieve this with no Health Service funding currently available. His hope is that opportunities for training in this approach might increasingly be taken up.

A History of Surgery and Other Techniques to Resolve Snoring – Mr Bingham

Mr Bingham reviewed the animal kingdom, variations in nasal anatomy and Bernoulli principal in discussing the question of why we snore – the latter explains the flutter mechanism which creates noise from the floppy soft palate. Nasal obstruction, whether anatomical or temporary, increases snoring by change in airflow. Alcohol and sedatives do so by reducing muscle tone and hence increasing narrowing. Is it possible that exercise could reduce snoring by improving tone in neck muscles rather than simply by weight loss?

The other side of the problem is the snoree – why does this noise disturb us when the hearing mechanism is capable of shutting off background noise such as traffic. Perhaps it is the irregularity of the noise. His approach to snoring management started with simple measures such as nasal treatment, exercise and diet. Some of his patients benefited substantially from a simple CPAP type positive pressure mask. Dental splints – mandibular advancement devices – probably only help one third of those who try them. Surgery to the soft palate in appropriate patients is successful at the expense of two weeks of pain. It is important to exclude sleep apnoea first.

The evening was closed by Dr McKean offering a vote of thanks to all three speakers and the President presenting them with the Society's engraved glasses.

D. Macintyre

Minute of the Presidential Address

2008-11-30T17:10:00.000Z

PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS

16TH OCTOBER 2008

Dr Douglas McLellan was introduced by last year's President Dr Watson. His address on 'Pathological Pursuits' was subtitled 'The Psychopathology of Collectomania'.

Dr McLellan did not intend describing his own collecting interests or specifically looking at particular collecting habits – books, stamps, coins, etc. He wanted to look at the characteristics which defined or were common to the habit of collecting. He provided a definition – a pursuit followed actively, selectively and passionately involving the removal from normal use into the collection of a set of non-identical objects or experiences. At times the behaviour might be seen as addictive or even manic – hence terms such as bibliomania. Often the process of acquisition was more attractive than ownership itself with collectors using any variety of excuse to pursue an object. The rarity of the object might well increase the challenge of the pursuit. Inevitably the collection or its acquisition can become a controlling factor in the collector's life.

Dr McLellan identified various characteristics driving the collecting impulse by illustration from various historical figures. Alexander the Great collected historical artefacts, apparently through longing or nostalgia for a bygone era. In Sigmund Freud's case the loss of his father seemed to trigger his drive to acquisition of around 3000 objects from antiquity. These crowded his desk and as may often be the case perhaps said a fair amount about the collector. Sir Thomas Phillips, described as a vellomaniac Victorian, was initially driven by a desire to rescue manuscripts which might otherwise have been destroyed but ended up living in what others described as uninhabitable squalor with every room in his mansion house crowded with papers of all sorts.

Perhaps in general collecting tends to be a male trait with women investing more in relationships. However the foremost collector of modern art was Peggy Guggenheim. Again loss may have been a factor – the death of her father in the Titanic. She appeared to collect not only art but men – famous for her sequence of affairs. One possible analysis is that collecting takes over when the individual cannot find what he or she is looking for – and transfers attention to something else.

Perhaps the most striking of the list was Cardinal Mazarin at the Court of Louis XIV. It was said that his collecting formed an attempt to improve his rather cold and calculating external character. He amassed a huge collection of art and books including 660 paintings. The most morbid example was the 15th Century Cardinal Albrecht von Hohenzollern, a collector of religious relics and indulgences. The former amounted to over 20,000 with 42 intact bodies among them – an observation of some passing interest given Dr McLellan’s profession. 'Indulgences' from the church authorities gave the prospect of remission from purgatory and the cardinal amassed 39 million years' worth. He funded his collecting by selling indulgences – one of the abuses of church authority which led to Martin Luther's revolt.

Dr McLellan had given us an interesting insight into patterns and examples of collecting without hinting at, or explaining, his own habits. It was left to Mr George Gray, his neighbour, in proposing a vote of thanks to comment that Mrs McLellan was probably grateful that her husband did not follow some of the excesses he had described.

D. Macintyre

Listen to the lecture: 2008 Presidential Address - A pathological pursuit

2008-10-19T12:13:00.000+01:00

Download the lecture to your mp3 player or listen online:

Notice of meeting: Presidential Address

2008-10-12T17:42:00.000+01:00

Thursday 16th October 2008 at 7.00pm

'A pathological pursuit' - Dr Douglas McLellan

Dr McLellan is a longstanding servant of the Victoria Infirmary pathology department recently translated to the Southern General - and bibliophile. In his address he will use this interest to focus his analytical skills on the psychopathology of collectomania. Whether you are afflicted or not, it promises to be an intriguing evening.

A buffet supper is available for members from 6.15pm. Guests are welcome to our meetings.

Council Meeting - 28th August, 7pm

2008-08-06T20:03:00.001+01:00

To be held in Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary (Top Entrance to Hospital)

Agenda
1. Apologies for absence.
2. Minutes of AGM/Council Meeting from 24th April.
3. Treasurer's Report - held over from AGM.
4. Matters Arising from Treasurer's Report - including review of donations to charities
5. Website and Recording of Meetings - report from Dr Oates
6. Programme for Session 164
7. Detail of Annual Dinner
8. Publicity - new members/circulation of meeting detail
9. Membership of Council
10. Any Other Business

Provisional programme for 2008-9

2008-07-29T20:23:00.000+01:00

Thursday Aug 28th, 7pm
Council meeting. Conference room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Friday September 12th from 2pm
Golf outing - Cathcart Castle golf course

Thursday October 16th
Presidential address - Dr Douglas McLellan

Thursday October 30th, 7 for 7.30pm
Annual dinner. L'Aragosta restaurant, Pollokshields.

Thursday November 13th
Symposium – 'Sleeping matters' Prof Colin Espie, Dr Steve Banham, Mr Brian Bingham

Friday December 5th
Annual dinner of Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Invitations will be circulated.

Thursday January 15th
Joint meeting with Medico-Chirurgical society.
'Scottish literature and medicine' Prof Kenneth Calman.

Thursday February 26th
'How far do our genes contribute to behaviour?' Prof Thomas Bourgeron, Institut Pasteur.

Thursday March 26th
Honorary Presidential address - Prof Roddy McSween

Thursday April 23th, 7pm
Annual General Meeting - Conference room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

GSMS Office bearers 2008/9
Honorary President - Prof Sir Roderick McSween
President - Dr Douglas McLellan
Past President - Dr Richard Watson
Vice President
Honorary Treasurer - Dr Liam McKean
Secretary - Dr Duncan MacIntyre
Duncan.MacIntyre@ggc.scot.nhs.uk
Dept of Respiratory Medicine, Victoria Infirmary

Notice of AGM - Thursday 24th April

2008-04-04T19:18:00.000+01:00

A non-expert witness - lecture recording

2008-03-15T08:37:00.000Z

Torture takes many forms. It is estimated that up to one half of all refugees have been tortured. In his Honorary Presidential Address, Dr Phil Cotton explores some of the challenges and stories of caring for torture survivors.

Please note that the subject matter of this talk is emotive and might be deemed unsuitable for younger listeners.

Listen again:
Download mp3 of lecture 24.0Mb

Further reading:

The Medical Foundation

The good listener : Helen Bamber, a life against cruelty

Notice of meeting: A non-expert witness - 13th March

2008-03-06T19:02:00.000Z

The Wine Diet - slides

2008-02-16T08:44:00.002Z

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The Wine Diet - lecture recording

2008-02-15T10:32:00.003Z

Prof Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, University of Glasgow speaks to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society on the benefits of a diet rich in phytoantioxidants. Slides coming soon.

Listen again:
Download mp3 of lecture 22.0Mb

Notice of meeting: The Wine Diet

2008-02-10T15:40:00.000Z

The Society does not wish to promote bad habits amongst its members but the idea that wine might, in some circumstances, be good for health will not go away!
Professor Crozier has contributed to the literature on this topic and will present the evidence. One of our members, Dr John Larkin, will offer some practical examples with limited wine tasting to accompany a light meal both before and after the talk.

Speaker: Prof Alan Crozier, Professor of Plant Biochemistry and Human Nutrition, University of Glasgow.

Date and time: Thursday, February 14th 2008, with starters at 6.30pm, talk at 7pm and main course thereafter.

Venue: The Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary.

Notice of meeting: Influenza - past, present and future

2007-12-30T13:19:00.000Z

A joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow. Professor Oxford is not only an expert on this topic - Britain's 'flu-guru' - but also an excellent speaker. The evening promises to be informative and stimulating.

Speaker:
Prof. John Oxford Professor of Virology, St Bartholomew's Hospital

Please note altered time and venue

Date and time:
Thursday 17th January 2008, 7 for 7.30pm

Venue:
Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, 234-242 St Vincent Street, Glasgow

Molecules - slides

2007-12-06T21:08:00.000Z

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Wine diet

2007-11-30T13:29:00.000Z

Looking forward to our meeting on 14th February with Professor Alan Crozier talking about the benefits of wine, you might like to have a taster courtesy of Scientific American:
http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?id=forget-resveratrol-tannin

Photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/mcmichelclair/

Meaning - slides

2007-11-25T13:37:00.000Z

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Magnitude - slides

2007-11-25T13:35:00.000Z

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Chronic pain after surgery - meaning

2007-11-25T09:24:00.000Z

Chronic pain after surgery. More than just a nuisance?

Chronic pain can complicate a third of even relatively minor surgical procedures with far-reaching consequences for patient and family. Why does it happen? What can be done to mitigate the problem?

A seminar in three movements held jointly with the Glasgow Southern Medical Society:
'Magnitude' Dr William Macrae, Dundee
'Molecules' Dr Mick Serpell, Glasgow
'Meaning' Dr David Craig, Glasgow

In this lecture we hear Dr David Craig discuss the meaning to patients of chronic pain. This is followed by audience discussion.

Listen again:
Download mp3 of lecture 20.3Mb Duration: 42:13
Listen to lo-fi stream

Chronic pain after surgery - molecules

2007-11-25T09:17:00.000Z

Chronic pain after surgery. More than just a nuisance?

Chronic pain can complicate a third of even relatively minor surgical procedures with far-reaching consequences for patient and family. Why does it happen? What can be done to mitigate the problem?

A seminar in three movements held jointly with the Glasgow Southern Medical Society:
'Magnitude' Dr William Macrae, Dundee
'Molecules' Dr Mick Serpell, Glasgow
'Meaning' Dr David Craig, Glasgow

In this lecture we hear Dr Mick Serpell discuss the drug treatment of neuropathic pain.

Listen again:
Download mp3 of lecture 13.4Mb Duration: 27:54
Listen to lo-fi stream

Chronic pain after surgery - magnitude

2007-11-25T09:12:00.000Z

Chronic pain after surgery. More than just a nuisance?

Chronic pain can complicate a third of even relatively minor surgical procedures with far-reaching consequences for patient and family. Why does it happen? What can be done to mitigate the problem?

A seminar in three movements held jointly with the Glasgow Southern Medical Society:
'Magnitude' Dr William Macrae, Dundee
'Molecules' Dr Mick Serpell, Glasgow
'Meaning' Dr David Craig, Glasgow

In this lecture we hear Dr Bill Macrae discuss the magnitude of the problem.

Listen again:
Download mp3 of lecture 16.7Mb Duration: 34:53
Listen to lo-fi stream

Notice of meeting: Chronic pain after surgery—More than just a nuisance?

2007-11-14T20:28:00.000Z

Chronic pain after surgery—
More than just a nuisance?

Chronic pain can complicate a third of even relatively minor surgical procedures with far-reaching consequences for patient and family. Why does it happen? What can be done to mitigate the problem?

A seminar in three movements held jointly with the West of Scotland Pain Group:
'Magnitude' Dr William Macrae, Dundee
'Molecules' Dr Mick Serpell, Glasgow
'Meaning' Dr David Craig, Glasgow

Date and time:
Thursday, November 22nd 2007, 6.15 for 7.00pm
Buffet available from 6.15pm

Venue:
Ebenezer Duncan Centre
Victoria Infirmary, Langside, Glasgow

Presidential Address: Slideshow

2007-10-19T17:07:00.000+01:00

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Presidential Address: Helping drug misusers - Dr Richard Watson

2007-10-19T09:07:00.000+01:00

2007 Presidential Address given to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society by Dr Richard Watson.

Dr Watson describes his work as a newly qualified doctor in Nicaragua, political activities, the misuse of illicit drugs by leading figures in literature and popular culture, and experiences of prescribing harm reduction regimens for his patients.

The meeting is introduced by Past President, Mr David Ritchie, and the vote of thanks is proposed by Dr Duncan MacIntyre.

Listen again:
Download [ mp3] 28.4MB
Listen to [streaming audio]

Further reading:

Notice of meeting: Presidential Address - Helping drug misusers without getting struck off

2007-10-09T22:03:00.000+01:00

You are cordially invited to attend the meeting:
Presidential Address - 'Helping drug misusers without getting struck off'

Dr Watson reflects on his practice, and on Bob Dylan, Saddam Hussein, Anna Karenina and other matters.

Speaker: Dr Richard Watson
Date and time: Thursday, October 11th 2007, 6.15 for 7.00pm
Buffet meal available from 6.15pm

Venue:
Ebenezer Duncan Centre
Victoria Infirmary, Langside, Glasgow

Programme for Session 163 – 2007/8

2007-06-23T21:48:00.000+01:00

All meetings in the Ebenezer Duncan Centre at 7pm with members' buffet supper from 6.15 unless otherwise stated.

Thursday August 30th - Council meeting. Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Tuesday September 11th - Golf outing. Williamwood golf course from 2.30pm

Thursday October 11th - Presidential address. Dr Richard Watson. 'Helping drug misusers – without getting struck off'

Thursday October 25th - Annual dinner

Thursday November 22nd - Symposium. 'Chronic pain after surgery – more than just a nuisance?'

Magnitude - Dr William Macrae, Consultant Anaesthetist, Dundee
Molecules - Dr Mick Serpell, Consultant Anaesthetist, Glasgow
Meaning - Dr David Craig, Consultant Clinical Psychologist, Glasgow

Thursday January 17th 7.30pm - Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons. Joint meeting with Medico-Chirurgical Society. 'Influenza past, present and future' Professor John Oxford, St Barts and Royal London Hospital

Thursday February 14th - 'The Wine Diet' Professor Alan Crozier, Institute of Biomedical and Life Sciences, University of Glasgow
Followed by wine tasting

Thursday March 13th - Honorary Presidential address. 'A non-expert witness' Dr Philip Cotton, Department of General Practice, University of Glasgow

Thursday April 24th - Annual General Meeting. Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Honorary Presidential Address - Summary of the meeting by Dr MacIntyre

2007-03-23T13:04:00.000Z

THURSDAY MARCH 8th 2007

The Society was addressed by its Honorary President, Dr John Clark. He reflected on a career in forensic medicine in and beyond Glasgow starting with a look at the image of the forensic pathologist and then making a series of observations arising from work elsewhere and comparison with Glasgow.

The media focus on high profile cases and television image of drama belie the more mundane causes of sudden or unexplained death - coronary disease, alcohol and drugs, suicide rather than homicide. It remains a busy job with around 2,000 post mortems a year.

He described work providing a forensic service to the Falkland Islands where sudden deaths tended to occur in a younger group – often related to the fishing industry. He followed this up with reflection on the epidemiology of sudden death under the age of 30 with almost half involving the illicit use of drugs.

Experience in Korea had included contact with an unusual case of neonaticide – the death of newborn either by immediate neglect or active killing. This unfortunate area of work involved the important distinction between a stillborn baby and live birth.

Dr Clark had played a substantial role in forensic work following the Balkan conflict – particular in relation to the massacre at Srebrenica. After describing some of the background to this episode he described some of the process of identification and establishing precise cause of death which could lead to prosecution in this ongoing criminal investigation. One unusual set of findings was explained by the use of captive bolt devices, general available in farming communities, as a weapon of injury and perhaps murder. There had been one such case in Glasgow.

Finally he compared experiences of forensic investigation in Yorkshire with Glasgow. His striking observation had been the extent which alcohol is involved in episodes in Glasgow - marked intoxication in 58% of those killed in fires for example (15% in Yorkshire). This was a personal observation but a consistent one highlighting the role of alcohol abuse in the work in which he is involved.

Following a period of discussion Dr Weetch thanked Dr Clark for his address. The meeting was brought to a close with intimation of the Annual General Meeting in April by Mr Ritchie.

A recording of the meeting is available to members on request from Dr J Oates.

Glasgow's health priorities – where now?

2007-03-06T18:37:00.000Z

Glasgow’s health priorities – where now?
A summary of the meeting - by Dr Duncan MacIntyre

Dr Burns, once consultant surgeon and Director of Public Health in Glasgow, now Chief Medical Officer at the Scottish Office was introduced by the President, Mr David Ritchie. He started by looking at life expectancy changes over the 20th century in Western Europe – rapid and then slower improvement but with Scotland being overtaken in that process. In 1900 it had better than average life expectancy. The problems in the west of Scotland and in particular in deprived areas of Glasgow are well documented. Standardised mortality rate for Glasgow are approximately twice the English average and significantly worse than other "post industrial" UK cities. There is a fourteen year difference in life expectancy between deprived and affluent areas of the west of Scotland. The traditional killers such as coronary disease and cancer are diminishing in importance with increased death rates from violence, drugs and alcohol effects. Once again the new killers are most obvious in those population groups with a highest depcat scores.

The challenge is to understand the underlying reasons and intervene appropriately. There are obvious major social issues. In a general sense the fabric of Glasgow remained poor while other cities were improving. However, relying on change in social environment to produce health returns is a long term and uncertain policy. Similarly changing personal habits is slow. The Health Service can have a more immediate role in ensuring access to currently available care.

Dr Burns then developed his thesis that deprivation itself contributes to poor health outcomes. Analysis of traditional risk factors and intervention approaches shows that they do not provide all the answers. The increasing health risk of smoking is uniform in most studies but the risk is multiplied for each level of tobacco consumption in the west of Scotland. Dietary interventions in Finland correlated with changes in coronary heart disease but these changes were mirrored in Scotland where there were no such interventions. The initial clue to other factors came from detailed investigation in Finland at the time of these interventions. It was found that psychological profiling or the feeling of hopelessness correlated with mortality risks and interestingly with more aggressive carotid atheroma (Doppler assessment). The conclusion was that a chronic low grade stress might contribute to physical illness. There is good evidence that stress hormone levels are increased with deprivation. From the WOSCOPS study came data correlating CRP with deprivation and showing that both smoking and obesity further increased CRP levels. CRP in turn correlates with risk of myocardial infarction and of development of diabetes. Interestingly the statins have an anti inflammatory effect – perhaps a mechanism of disease reduction. Another interesting recent observation looking at telomere levels as a correlate of DNA repair activity indicates that this marker of stress at the molecular biology level also reflects measures of individual stress – findings replicated in twin studies. This gives rise to the concept of molecular biological age as opposed to chronological age.

What can we do about all this? Dr Burns used the example of Dr Tudor-Hart in Wales and his groundbreaking work in general practice in taking care to individuals in activities such as blood pressure control. This produced locally improved life expectancy and has been an example of how the application of proven medical interventions can be effective. Such an approach is effectively applying the founding principles of the NHS and filled Harry Burns with enthusiasm that Scotland could address its medical problems.

There followed half an hour of stimulating debate around the reasons for the west of Scotland’s problem, what possible interventions could be considered, and how these might be achieved. Dr Keith Beard who had been a medical and rugby playing colleague of Dr Burns at university expressed the audience's considerable thanks for a fascinating evening.

Glasgow's Health Priorities

2007-02-27T19:32:00.000Z

In his lecture to the joint meeting of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society, Chief Medical Officer for Scotland, Dr Harry Burns, discusses the origins of Glasgow's poor health.

The meeting is introduced by Mr David Ritchie, President of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society and the vote of thanks is proposed by Dr Keith Beard.

Listen again:
Download [ mp3] 42.3MB
Listen to [streaming audio]

Further reading:

Notice of meeting: Honorary Presidential Address 'Forensics'

2007-02-20T19:15:00.000Z

Thursday 8th March, 2007
"Forensics"
Dr John Clark will reflect on a varied and wide experience of forensic pathology around the globe.

Speaker: Dr John Clark
Consultant in Forensic Pathology, University of Glasgow

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Notice of meeting: 'Glasgow's health priorities - where now?'

2007-02-20T19:07:00.000Z

Thursday 22nd February, 2007
"Glasgow's health priorities - where now?"
Dr Burns has long been an advocate for addressing the particular health problems and disparities of the Glasgow population. He has taken these concerns with him in his translation from Glasgow to the Scottish Executive Health Department.

Speaker: Dr Harry Burns
Chief Medical Officer for Scotland

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Does everyone have an autistic syndrome? - notes

2007-02-09T18:34:00.001Z

Comments from Dr D MacIntyre

Professor Gillberg gave a fascinating review of the patterns and aetiology of autistic syndromes, a lot of it based on his own work in the field over a 30 year period. He described four main variants. Classical autistic syndrome is apparent before the age of three. Occasionally there is initial normal development in the infant and then regression but that is the exception. The dominant feature is a lack of reciprocal interaction with others in both social activity and communication. Any interaction with others is on the individual's own terms. This is associated with a restricted development of imagination.

The definition of Asperger's Syndrome seemed a little more difficult. The ICD10 classification requires normal development for the first three years which doesn’t always happen, and requires only three separate symptoms which could lead to a very broad inclusion within the diagnosis. Chris Gillberg following Asperger's original description suggested five of six separate features were required – social impairment e.g. lack of empathy or no friends; a narrow all absorbing specific interest; habits or behaviours which become an abnormal routine or ritual; a speech or language peculiarity e.g. delayed or pedantic speech or poor comprehension of normal conversation implying a lack of awareness of the mental prospective of others – "concrete conversation"; poor non verbal communication; motor clumsiness.

Two other groups – atypical autism or autistic like condition where individuals don’t fill the full criteria for diagnosis; and childhood disintegrative disorder – a condition which appears after three years of age and may be associated with provocative factors.

Recent publicity has suggested an increase in autistic syndromes however Professor Gillberg quoted his own survey from Gothenberg in 1977 which suggested prevalence figures similar to now at 0.7%. Some surveys using a less rigid diagnosis suggest higher prevalence but this may simply reflect a distribution of some features of autism as a continuum within society. This raised the question of whether autism is simply one end of a spectrum of behavioural characteristics – a disorder of empathy. Professor Gillberg preferred to see a variety of different syndromes which have autism as a cardinal feature. In many of these syndromes other developmental or psychiatric features are prominent – mental retardation, epilepsy and other aspects of visual hearing or sensory impairment. This co-morbidity is an important general issue – in the past autism was under diagnosed; now there can be a risk of missing other conditions in the presence of autism – attention deficit, depression, eating or sleep disorders for example. It is likely that the apparent increased prevalence of autism is due to increase awareness and diagnostic substitution.

There is a clear genetic link. Between 10 and 20% of siblings of a proband with classic autism exhibit features of the autistic spectrum – in identical twins this rises to between 60 and 90%. In general first degree relatives have an increase incidence of assorted social or functional disorders. There is some evidence pointing to specific genetic involvement in neurological development. Studies of histological changes in the brain have shown a number of different patterns of damage – varying from specific brain stem and cerebellar or frontal / temporal damage in classic autism to more widespread damage in patients with associated mental retardation. The general concept of aetiology is therefore of genetic predisposition possibly with an environmental insult during development leading to neurochemical damage which results in impaired social and neurocognitive functions leading in turn to the full blown syndrome.

The outcome in autistic syndromes is very variable depending on initial features but in at least 50% there remains major disability. Nonetheless more detailed and early diagnosis does allow interventions giving prospect of improvement. A high rate of secondary psychological problems is a major complicating factor. In future more detailed knowledge of specific subgroups might allow more effective management or treatment options. Greater awareness on the problem and better acceptance of people with autism might also improve their prospects.

In discussion Professor Gillberg was asked about the male preponderance (3:1). He wondered about the normal range of male and female behaviour, about the possibility of some testosterone effect, and about whether certain behaviours might be regarded more readily as abnormal in a boy. In further discussion of prognosis he suggested that very few with classic autism managed gainful employment. In Asperger’s Syndrome this figure might be around 50%. There is no currently useful specific drug treatment though treatment of identified complicating psychological factors is important.

In thanking Professor Gillberg for his address Dr Elaine Morrison, President of the Medical Chirurgical Society reflected the views of the audience that we had heard a fascinating and informative review of the subject from someone who is clearly a world expert speaking from a background of major clinical and research experience.

Does everyone have an autistic syndrome?

2007-01-20T14:34:00.001Z

In the introduction to his book, Mirror Mind, Eric Chen wrote 'How can a non-autistic hear the heart of an autistic child?'

Of course we can't. But one person who approaches closer than most is Christopher Gillberg, Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at the Universities of Gothenburg and London, and Visiting Professor to the University of Strathclyde.

In his lecture to the joint meeting of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society and Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow, Chris Gillberg poses the question 'Autism – epidemic, endemic or just there?'

The meeting is introduced by Mr David Ritchie, President of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society and vote of thanks proposed by Dr Elaine Morrison, President of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow.

Listen again:
Download [ mp3] 45.9Mb
Listen to [streaming audio]

Further reading:

Autistic Spectrum Disorder

2006-12-19T18:50:00.000Z

On Thursday 18th January, Professor Christopher Gillberg addresses the Society on the subject Autism and Asperger's Syndrome.

In the meantime, you can hear the BBC programme on what it is like to be a person with Asperger's, or to live with a child with Autism in the "Am I Normal?" series here ...

Pandemic Influenza - Part 2: The public health doctor and the government planner

2006-12-05T07:22:00.000Z

Listen to Part 2 of the Pandemic Flu symposium on your mp3 player or computer.

Listen again:
Download [ mp3] 40.0Mb
Listen to [streaming audio]

Further reading:

Pandemic Flu symposium - reflections on the meeting by Dr McIntyre

2006-12-04T07:54:00.000Z

Session 162
November 23rd 2006

Some 40 members of the Society met in the Ebenezer Duncan Centre with the President, Mr David Ritchie, in the chair. The main business of the evening was a
symposium on Pandemic Flu addressed by Dr Graeme O’May of the Regional Virus Laboratory, Dr Mark Cotton, Respiratory Physician, Dr Helene Irvine of the Public Health Department and Dr Colin Robertson currently working with the Scottish Office on Pandemic Flu planning.

Dr O’May described the mechanisms of genetic change in the flu virus - genetic drift by gradual mutation over time or shift by a reassortment of gene segment between avian and human viruses. These changes could produce increased pathogenicity or transmissibility. If both occurred a pandemic flu could arise. He emphasised that the current H5N1 avian virus was indeed bad news for birds but not for humans. He went onto explain laboratory identification of influenza and how this might respond to pandemic flu. PCR on throat and nose swabs can produce a result in a matter of hours. Laboratory resources would be focused on influenza with working arrangements changed to allow continuous testing. If there seemed a risk of pandemic flu spreading there would be particular attention to viral testing in children where flu tends to appear first. Finally he addressed the difficult issue of vaccination – if vaccines are prepared too early the strain may be wrong, if too late vaccine would be ineffective. The current H5 vaccine is in fact not sufficiently immunogenic to be effective.

Dr Cotton gave an overview of the clinical features of influenza and highlighted some of the differences between epidemic and pandemic flu with the varying virulence of different strains. The 1918 pandemic seemed particularly virulent with the feature found also in other pandemics of a peak of mortality in young adults – 20 times that of epidemic flu. This is likely to be related to primary influenza pneumonia, a disease of rapid onset and progression. The other major distinction from epidemic flu is timing – pandemic could occur at any time of year and seemed to follow a 3 phase pattern over the course of up to a year. However, the severity of the disease could be locally variable. A 1951 epidemic flu outbreak in Liverpool produced a local death rate greater than that of 1918. Dr Cotton emphasised the broad range of non respiratory illness caused by influenza and in particular increased mortality from coronary artery and other vascular disease. There is therefore a inevitable degree of uncertainty of predicting the clinical features of pandemic flu from what we know about epidemic flu and for example recent human cases of H5N1. At one end of the spectrum there is the acute lung injury of influenza pneumonia – at the other end a variety of clinical presentations in the first few days of illness though with a tendency to sudden onset. This led to debate with general practitioners in the audience over the difficulty of initial distinction of influenza from other viral illnesses. Dr Cotton commented that in the context of an influenza outbreak such an illness probably was influenza – in the absence of an outbreak probably not. Assessment of patients at home would usefully use the CURB 65 approach using confusion, high respiratory rate, low blood pressure and aged over 65 as severity markers. In addition availability of pulse oximetry might identify the younger patient progressing to viral pneumonia.

Dr Irvine explained the work in which she had been involved over the previous 6 years in planning for possible scenarios of pandemic flu. This involved a comprehensive structure of groups and committees covering various aspects of medical and social services within the Greater Glasgow area. She was an enthusiastic proponent of planning to improve the effectiveness of response should a pandemic occur. She outlined 3 separate planning scenarios which represented moderate, severe and worst case pandemic events. The moderate corresponded approximately to the 1957 and 1968 pandemics and the severe with 25% of the population affected and 1.5% case fatality ratio was approximately equivalent to 1918. She was dubious about the benefit of planning for the worst case scenario with a 50% incidence and a 2.5% case fatality and perhaps implied that discussions of such scenarios might risk an element of scare mongering. A severe pandemic would mean for Greater Glasgow and Clyde at the peak of infection a weekly toll of 65,000 cases and 970 deaths. The pressure on the Health Service is inevitably increased by an estimate of 2.500 cases and 37 deaths being in Health Service staff leading to a minimum of 12% staff absence. The increased workload applies to both primary care with a doubling of GP consultations and hospital work with a 50% increase in admissions. Discussions of the sort of scenario included comment on differing possible responses from medical staff – those who would find extra work time impossible and others who would rise to the challenge presented by the workload. Dr Irvine also touched on the problem of Tamiflu and the potential difficulties of deciding how a stockpile of antiviral therapy might effectively be used and whether it would in fact make a difference to outcomes.

Finally Dr Robertson addressed broader issues arising from influenza planning. His background is as a Consultant in Emergency Medicine. He had been seconded for a period of some months to work on influenza planning and had been impressed by the extensive work already done in government to look at the implications of a pandemic across various aspects of public life – not just health and social services but maintenance of other services, provision of goods, and law and order. Much of his own work involved raising awareness of the issue particularly in medical groups around the country. There are examples of detailed planning at both international and national level. The global surveillance of influenza viruses is comprehensive and allows the possibility of vaccine development. The response in the Far East with the cull of poultry when H5N1 first arose was impressive. Local responses can be adjusted according to the characteristics of a pandemic outbreak e.g. whether young adults are substantially affected. There was particular planning to deal with young children who are super spreaders of infection presumably because of close contact. Issues of the benefit and drawbacks for example, of school closure arise. Ethical issues which may be posed by pandemic flu are being addressed by a national working party. This already has papers from the WHO addressing ethical challenges for individuals, health service groups and governments. There are inevitably huge uncertainties. In the Health Service these apply to the availability of primary care cover, the capacity of emergency departments, and the availability of High Dependency or Intensive Care facilities. However, there is the possibility of new treatments becoming available, and biological techniques in this area are advancing steadily – the characterisation of the SARS vaccine took 48 days compared to around 8 years for HIV. His final comment was an observation on excellent working relationships within the different health service and government departments involved in this planning.

Mr Ritchie in concluding the evening commented on the range of pessimism and optimism encompassed in this topic and thanked the speakers warmly for contributing to an informative and stimulating evening.

Pandemic Influenza - Part 1: The virologist and the physician

2006-12-03T19:23:00.000Z

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Minutes of Glasgow Southern Medical Society - Presidential Address on 12 October 2006

2006-10-25T15:42:00.000+01:00

Minutes of Glasgow Southern Medical Society
Presidential Address on 12th October 2006

Dr David Ritchie, Consultant in Accident & Emergency Medicine presented his Presidential Address to 31 members of the audience. He described the situation in Glasgow around 1870s when there were various hospitals in Glasgow for Specialist Problems but no general hospital in the South Side and for that reason Ebenezer Duncan and other members of the society worked to establish a hospital in the Victoria Infirmary site. At that time there were 250,000 people living in the area around the hospital. In the 1800s 30% of deaths were due to infectious diseases such as tuberculosis and there were 170 infant deaths per 1,000 births.

In 1900 there were 860 patients admitted to the hospital in its first year. The Victoria Infirmary now has 600 beds when the Mansionhouse Unit is included. Now the infant mortality rate is in single figures per 1,000 live births.
In Dr Ritchie's work in Accident & Emergency he has found that he can do all the good things of medicine as described by his first boss:
He can do the best for his patients
He can educate, train and inspire juniors
He can do research.

Emergency care has always been part of medical training for all doctors at some time. In an emergency you do your best. There is a painting in the waiting room in Glasgow Royal Infirmary's Gate House which shows people in period costume waiting around 1910 to be seen. The only change noted is the change in the costume.
Dr Plant in 1970 perfonrmed a pilot study of how to look after a "Casualty Department". He suggested different levels of departments run by Casualty Surgeons, Senior Doctors or even single handed casualty departments. Casualty was always the poor relation.

Departments have increased in numbers over the years. Originally Medical Students learned to suture in the departments and this clearly did not give patients the best deal. Accident & Emergency does not only deal with trauma. GP, Hospitals and Accident & Emergency Departments often share the same patients. Accident & Emergency is also used for training Paramedics, Nurses and Doctors. Trainees still need to be supervised.

In USA the ATLS system was introduced dealing with advanced trauma and life support. This was started following an air crash in Wyoming where a doctor looked after his family who were passengers in crash and were severely injured. He was concerned about the poor quality at the local hospital and he produced the ATLS system which is now run by the American College of Surgeons. This gives structure to dealing with training in life support courses with training and accreditation.

There is no shortage of people wanting to go into Accident & Emergency Medicine. Dr Ritchie attended a career meeting where the Anaesthetic Department managed to attract two people to their stand and Accident & Emergency attracted forty.
Accident & Emergency is also associated with long hard shifts and there is an early learning curve with structured teaching programmes. Shift work appeals at first and "doing things for people".

Imaging has improved dramatically over the years and thrombolysis if necessary has to be given within 30 mintues and this is only possible in A&E. This may be necessary in the future dealing with strokes. The Victoria A&E already has its blood gas analyser, machines for measuring U+E's and lactate.

In the future there may be a large number of Community Casualty Units for what is described as "minor" cases. Clearly the definition of minor is important and quite difficult.

In the Accident & Emergency Dept 80% of patients are seen by Juniors. In General Practice 80% of patients are seen by fully qualified GP's. The future plan would be for 80% of patients in A&E Departments to be seen by trained doctors.

The Victoria Infirmary looks after 250,000 patients the same number as when the
Victoria Infirmary was started. The Victoria Infirmary is about to to be closed.
The meeting was then laid open to questions. The first question was about how many A&E Depts are needed in Glasgow. In reply Dr Ritchie told us that in USA a trauma centre is based in an area where there are 5,000,000 patients. In Scotland the only area good enough to have a trauma centre is Aberdeen which has all specialites including Surgery, Orthopaedics, Intensive Therapy, Anaesthetics and Accident & Emergency all in the one area. He suggested that three A&E Depts would be necessary in Glasgow, although there are clearly going to be two A&E Depts.

Dr Prakash gave an excellent vote of thanks summarising some of the salient parts of the speech.

The meeting was very well appreciated by the members.

Dr William P McKean

Presidential Address - Mr David Ritchie

2006-10-23T20:34:00.000+01:00

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Notice of meeting: Presidential Address - 'Casualty to Accident and Emergency'

2006-10-05T08:46:00.000+01:00

Thursday 12th October, 2006
"Casualty to Accident and Emergency"
David Ritchie reflects on the raw reality of A&E life and on how on earth he got there. How did Casualty develop from a Cinderella extra into Accident and Emergency as the central focus of the acute sector?

Mr David Ritchie
Consultant in Accident and Emergency, Victoria Infirmary

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Connections

2006-09-23T20:39:00.000+01:00

In his 2005 Presidential Address "The First Year of Life", Dr Phil Wilson discussed social development and the importance of attachment. Later in this session of the Society, we will hear Professor Christopher Gillberg describe work on autistic spectrum disorders.

Members of the Society might be interested in hearing a programme that brings these threads together. In Unconditional Love, This American Life host Ira Glass introduces two stories of parental love: the first for an adopted Romanian orphan and the second for an autistic son.

To listen to the programme in streaming audio, follow the link above, then click on the blue loudspeaker symbol.

Council Meeting - agenda

2006-09-05T13:44:00.000+01:00

Thursday 14th September 2006 at 7.30pm
Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

1. Apologies for absence
2. Minutes of meeting of 27.4.06
3. Matters arising
4. Membership of Council: position of secretary and extra council members
5. Programme detail: Dinner, Other meetings
6. Links with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society

Council members 2006-7

2006-08-30T09:44:00.000+01:00

Honorary President - Dr John Clark
President - Mr David Ritchie
Past President - Dr Philip Wilson
Senior Vice President - Dr Richard Watson
Honorary Treasurer - Dr Liam McKean
Honorary Secretary - Dr Duncan MacIntyre
Editorial Secretary - Dr Jonathan Oates

Syllabus 2006-7: Session 162

2006-08-30T09:08:00.000+01:00

Thursday September 14th, 2006 7.30pm (note change of date and time)
Council meeting
Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Friday September 8th, 2006 from 2pm
Golf Outing - Bonnyton Golf Club

Thursday October 12th, 2006
Presidential Address 'Casualty to Emergency Medicine'
Mr David Ritchie

Thursday October 26th, 2006
Annual dinner
Sherbrooke Castle Hotel, Pollokshields

Thursday November 23rd, 2006
Symposium Pandemic flu – what would it mean for you?

Friday December 1st, 2006
Members of the society are invited to the Annual Christmas Dinner of the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society – details to follow.

Thursday January 18th, 2007
'Does everyone have an autistic syndrome?'
Professor Christopher Gillberg

Christopher Gillberg, (b. 1950) is Professor of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry at Gothenburg University in Gothenburg, Sweden, and at the medical college of St George's, University of London in Tooting in south London. He has also been a visiting professor at the universities of Bergen, New York, Odense, and San Fransisco
Gillberg is known for his research of autism in children, Asperger syndrome. ADHD and anorexia nervosa. He is the founding editor of the journal European Child & Adolescent Psychiatry, and is the author and editor of many scientific and educational books. He is the recipient of several scientific awards, including the Philips Nordic Prize 2004 for neurological research, and he has more than 300 scientific papers listed in Medline. more...

Thursday February 22nd, 2007
'Glasgow's health priorities – where now?'
Dr Harry Burns

Harry Burns graduated in medicine from the University of Glasgow in 1974. Over the next 15 years he worked as a general surgeon and for the last six years of his surgical career was a consultant surgeon at the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow.
He entered health care management and was, for a time, Medical Director of the Royal Infirmary in Glasgow. Since 1993 he has been Director of Public Health for Greater Glasgow Health Board which is responsible for organising health care and maintaining the health of one million people in the West of Scotland. In 1999 he was awarded a Visiting Professorship in Public Health Medicine, University of Glasgow and is a Senior Research Fellow in the School of Business and Management in the University.
He took up post as Chief Medical Officer for Scotland on 5 September 2005.

Thursday March 8th, 2007
Honorary Presidential Address 'Forensics'
Dr John Clark

Thursday April 26th, 2007
Annual General Meeting
Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Autumn events - advance notice

2006-08-05T11:25:00.000+01:00

Friday 8th September - Golf outing
Starts at 2pm at Bonnyton Golf Club. The usual trophies are to be won, but the important thing is to come and enjoy the afternoon. Booked for 16 only. £42 includes the round and high tea afterwards.

Thursday 12th October - Presidential Address
Our President this year is Mr David Ritchie, Consultant in Accident & Emergency.

Thursday 26th October - Annual Dinner
Again at the Sherbrooke Hotel. The recent tradition of musical entertainment to enhance the evening will continue.

Notice of meeting: Clinical trials in the 21st Century

2006-03-07T18:28:00.000Z

Thursday 23rd March, 2006
"Clinical trials in the 21st Century"
Clinical trials are the foundation of evidence-based medicine but trialists, particularly those conducting non-commercial trials, face many challenges today.

Professor Janet Darbyshire
Director, MRC Clinical Trials Unit

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Family Research Matters - audience discussion

2006-02-28T22:08:00.000Z

Part 2 of Family Research Matters. This recording is of the audience discussion following Prof Graham Watt's lecture given to The Glasgow Southern Medical Society on Thursday 23rd February 2006.

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Family Research Matters

2006-02-26T11:35:00.000Z

Will new developments in genetics render more traditional population studies redundant? How do disease patterns in the West of Scotland differ from those in other developed nations? Why do health behaviour patterns of your parents influence your health later in life? These and other questions are addressed by Prof Graham Watt, Professor of General Practice in his Honorary Presidential Lecture to The Glasgow Southern Medical Society.

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Further reading:

Midspan Studies

Notice of meeting: Honorary Presidential Address 'Family matters'

2006-02-10T15:22:00.000Z

You are cordially invited to attend the meeting:

'Family matters' - the new genetics

Speaker: Prof Graham Watt, University of Glasgow

Date and time: Thursday 23rd February 2006 at 7.00pm

Venue: Ebenezer Duncan Centre, The Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

This meeting is open to all medical, nursing and paramedical staff.

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Please note that the lecture and subsequent discussion will be recorded for later publication on the Society's website.

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting VIII - The surgical treatment of Senile Hypertrophy of the Prostate

2006-02-09T08:29:00.000Z

The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club, 22 Carlton Place on Thursday 25th January 1906 at 9pm.

Sederunt
In the absence of the President, Dr T.K. Monro (Vice-President) took the chair and in all 16 gentlemen were present.

Minutes
The minutes of the last meeting were read and approved of.

Correspondence
Three letters were read. 1st from the Secretary of the Eastern Medical Society inviting members to be present at their dance on Feb 8th - In reply to this it was stated that the Smoking Concert of this Society fell on the same evening & therefore this invitation could not be accepted.
2nd from Dr Stockman (President) calling an extraordinary meeting of the Society for Thursday Feb 1st to hear a paper by Dr Mason. This was on the requisition of 3 members viz. Dr Richmond, T.K. Monro & R.W. Forrest.
3rd a letter from Mr W.B. Taylor representing Messers Burroughs Welcome & Co promising to give a display of their products on Feb 22nd.

New Members
On the motion of the Chairman the Standing orders were suspended and Dr Farquhar MacRae 256 Bath St was admitted a member.

Death of Dr Duncan McGilvray
The chairman then referred to the death of Dr Duncan McGilvray, a former president of this Society, and said that the Society had sustained a very great loss. He had been for long a prominent member of the Society and his connection with all the social functions of the Society and of the Medical Club were always of a most genial & generous nature. He also reported that at a special joint meeting of the Council of the Society and of the Committee of the Medical Club which was held on the 23rd January a deputation consisting of Dr T.K. Monro (vice president) with the Secretary & Treasurer had been appointed to attend the funeral as representatives of the Society. This was done by the deputation on the 24th January. It was then agreed that the President and Secretary be asked to communicate the sympathy felt by the Society to Dr McGilvray's mother.

Dr J.H. Nicoll's Paper
Dr James H. Nicoll then read a paper on:
"The surgical treatment of Senile Hypertrophy of the Prostate", and showed some instruments, pathological specimens, and lantern slides in illustration of his remarks. The paper was enlivened by a vigorously stated protest against the claims advanced by Mr Freyer of London that he had devised an original operation for enucleation of the prostate. At the Close of the paper Drs T.K. Monro, Richmond, Stewart, Peden, James Russell & J.P. Duncan took part in a short discussion mainly of a complimentary nature on the paper and a few questions were asked. Dr Nicoll then replied very briefly and was awarded hearty applause.

This was all the business.

Precis of Dr Nicoll's paper
He states that:
Senile hypertrophy is an adenoma or adeno-myoma & affects a large proportion of men over fifty, but only in a comparatively small number calls for treatment. The treatment is medicinal, mechanical or operative. Despite all that has recently been said by Freyer & others no new facts have been added to our knowledge of the treatment of senile prostate within the past decade.
But with a mortality of 5% still falling, prostatectomy is gradually relegating the catheter to the role of the truss in hernia, viz. the relief of inoperable cases.
So far as the technique of prostatectomy goes, the operation is an enucleation of the prostate from its capsule by use of the finger. This is the modern operation & is the same operation exactly at the present date as was in the early nineties.
Ralph Stockman.

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting VII - The Treatment of Gonorrhoea and its Complications

2006-01-11T08:12:00.000Z

The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club 22 Carlton Place on Thursday 11th January 1906 at 9pm.

Sederunt
The President (Dr Stockman) was in the chair, and in all 15 gentlemen were present.

Minutes
In the absence of the Secretary, who was ill, the Treasurer Dr R. W. Forrest read the minutes of last meeting & these were approved.

New Members
The Standing orders were suspended & Dr Robert Taylor Beechwood, Dalkeith Avenue, Dumbreck was admitted a member. The name of Dr Farquhar MacRae, 256 Bath St, was proposed for membership by Dr R. T. Halliday & seconded by Dr J. P. Duncan.

Professional Conversation
A professional conversation on the subject: "The treatment of Gonorrhoea and its complications" then took place. Dr James Weir opened the discussion and confined his remarks to Specific Urethritis. Cases got in the early stage with a watery discharge, and treated with injections of solution of 20 grains of silver nitrate to the ounce were frequently aborted.

Dr Achd Young advocated the use of Salol & 10gr doses of Urotropine. Dr Halliday used Urotropine & Methylene Blue. Dr Wauchope after a general statement of his views on the pathology of the disease recommended rest in bed & barley water as a suitable treatment. These views did not seem to be generally acceptable to the members present.

Dr C. E. Robertson gave a clear exposition of the methods of treatment he adopted in his own practice and advocated the use of Hewlets mixture of cubebs & Santal oil. Dr W. K. Peden advocated the use of urotropine and of lavage of the distal 6 inches of the urethra several times a day & cited cases in which it had worked well & said that in later stages 4grs to the ounce of Silver nitrate solution was to be used.

The President then made some remarks & summed up the matter gone over in a general way.

Dr C. E. Robertson on the political question
Dr C. E. Robertson then introduced an informal discussion on the attitude of members of the Society with regard to medical matters in the present political campaign and suggested that questions to be put to the candidates might be formulated. However after some discussion it was pointed out that notice of motion should have been given & the matter dropped.

This was all the business.
T. K. Monro

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Further reading
Salol
Grains (measure)
Urotropine
Cubebs
Santal oil
UK general election 1906

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting VI - Uterine myoma

2005-12-24T20:07:00.000Z

The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club, 22 Carlton Place on Thursday 14th December 1905 at 9pm.

Sederunt
Dr T. K. Monro (Vice-President) in the chair: in all 18 Gentlemen were present.

Minutes
The minutes of last meeting were read and approved.

New Member
The name of Dr Robert Taylor, Beechwood, Dalkeith Avenue Dumbreck, was proposed for membership by Dr James Hamilton & seconded by Dr J. P. Duncan.

Dr J. K. Kelly's paper
Dr J. K. Kelly then read a most interesting paper on "Uterine Myoma" & this was followed by a lantern demonstration of various pathological specimens in connection with the subject. A precis of Dr Kelly's Paper follows this minute.

A discussion followed in which Drs T. K. Monro, Stark, James Weir, Miller, Hamilton & Wauchope took part, asking for further information on several points and Dr Hamilton stated that he could not see why oophorectomy for the treatment of myomata should be condemned. Dr Kelly replied that he was of the opinion that it was better to remove the disease than to remove the ovaries alone then wait for a somewhat doubtful cure.

Dr Kelly was accorded a very hearty vote of thanks for his paper.
This was all the business.

Precis of Dr J. K. Kelly's paper
Dr Kelly referred first to the question of the division of tumours into Benign & Malignant & went on to state that some "benign" tumours can destroy life just as surely as Malignant ones, and Uterine myomata were one of this serious nature in many cases. The ordinary Symptomatology of the disease was then given, & it was insisted strongly that Uterine Myomata sometimes produced no symptoms except that of haemorrhage: & that even when a large tumour was present the patient had not noticed it. Pain in the case of this disease is a very variable symptom. The case of a woman 5 months pregnant was then cited in which a myoma as large as a small cocoa-nut was removed from the Uterine wall: cessaton of pain followed & the gestation & delivery were normal.

The dangers associated with Uterine Myomata were stated as follows:
1. Haemorrhage, producing syncope, anaemia & its consequences
2. Certain Cardiac conditions are induced in bad cases.
3. Renal disease from 1. Retention of urine followed by cystitis & 2. obstruction to Ureters.
4. Adhesions especially when Salpingitis is also present.
5. In Pregnancy 1. may necessitate Craniotomy or Caesarian Section 2. May induce rupture of Uterus 3. May induce post partum haemorrhage 4. May contribute to sepsis.

If Operation be called for from the interference from pressure effects on abdominal, thoracic, or pelvic structures Dr Kelly is of opinion that hysterectomy is as a rule safer than the induction of labour. With regard to the coincidence of pregnancy & myomata the remarkable crushing & moulding of tumour or foetus that is sometimes met with was referred to, & in such cases delivery sometimes takes place naturally in spite of the obstruction.

The comparative safety of Caesarian Section & Hysterectomy nowadays, has, however, altered the position of the Gynaecologist with regard to the treatment of such cases; and indeed now-a-days there are few myomata that cannot be treated with success if treatment be demanded. Dr Kelly then stated three typical cases of women with Uterine Myomata at various stages of development & stated the case for & against operation in each case, & then proceeded to state the principles that guided him in his own practice, viz: He advocates removal of the Myomata if
1. It causes Haemorrhage 2. if it be large even if symptoms are slight 3. if it be degenerated in any way or if disease of the adnexa are present, 4. If it is injuring the health of the patient in any way even if the menopause is not far off.

A proviso is made that the earlier the tumour can be removed the safer is the operation & the better is the condition of the patient afterwards.

The operative measures that may be adopted were dealt with.
1. Myomectomy is the ideal operation especially if it may be done per vaginam.
2. Hysterectomy is necessary when myomectomy is not practical.
3. Oophorectomy is to be reserved for cases where the number & size of the adhesions present contraindicate either of the first two methods.
If operation is refused palliative measures must be adopted eg haemorrhage & pressure symptoms must be treated.
Ralph Stockman

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting V - Some intestinal lesions

2005-12-24T18:42:00.000Z

The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club, 22 Carlton Place on the evening of Thursday 30th November 1905 at 9 o'clock.
The President, Professor Stockman, was in the chair and in all 22 Gentlemen were present.

Minutes
The minutes of last meeting were read and approved.

Correspondence
The secretary read a letter from the representative of Messers Burroughs Welcome & Co asking if he might arrange a display of the latest products of the firm at some meeting of the Society. It was agreed that the Secretary should arrange that he be permitted to do so on some suitable evening.

New Members
The following two gentlemen were ballotted and duly elected members viz. 1. Dr Wm Barr Inglis Pollock 2. Dr John Paton.

Dr Wm Watson's paper
Dr Wm Watson then read a paper entitled "Some Intestinal lesions" a precis of which follows this minute. A discussion of the paper followed in which Drs Hamilton, Paton , Stockman & Leask took part. These gentlemen all dissented very largely from the conclusions drawn by Dr Watson and then Dr Watson replied in a few words & stated that he based his opinions on the evidence he had collected from the many post mortem examinations which he had conducted in cases dying from infectious diseases. Dr Watson was accorded a hearty vote of thanks for his paper.

Dr James Weir's paper
Dr James Weir was to have read a paper on "Notes on some dislocations" but he was unwell & could not attend the meeting & the paper was read by the Secretary, and suffered a good deal from this official's lack of knowledge of the subject and inability to read Dr Weir's manuscript.
Drs Stockman & Wauchope made a few brief but humorous remarks and as this was all the business the meeting terminated.

Precis of Dr Wm Watson's paper
It was stated that in certain acute and sub-acute diseases the symptoms are so similar that the causes of these may be closely allied and that the regions attacked may be the same. Certain conditions of the alimentary canal were brought under review with the view of associating certain diseases with lesions in that region viz.
1. Scarlet Fever 2. Certain forms of influenza 3. Rheumatism 4. German Measles 5. Early stages of Diphtheria 6. Early stages of Enteric fever 7. Catarrh in a. teething b. simple form from cold or injury c. food poisoning.

In Scarlet fever a streptococcus acting on the lymphoid tissue of the gastro-intestinal tract and its mucous membrane was cited as the causal agent. The following reasons were given:
1. In Malignant Scarlet fever, typical abdominal symptoms of severe type were stated to be present before sore throat or rash appeared
2. Vomiting & congested tongue generally appear before sore throat or swollen glands in ordinary cases
3. Stools in majority of cases are those of a gastro intestinal catarrh
4. In catarrh induced eg by the administration of an enema, deeply congested sore throat & rash are present
5. A condition clinically identical with Scarlet fever is produced by the drinking of milk from cows with pustular teats
6. In the later stage of Scarlet fever there is often an ulceration of peyers patches & solitary follicles simulating Enteric fever.
7. It is practically impossible to diagnose an acute gastro-intestinal catarrh from Scarlet fever until the appearance of the typical Scarlet fever rash.

These reasons were supported by the appearance of somewhat similar rashes & sequelae in cases when there is no doubt of the presence of a gastro-intestinal catarrh eg 1. Enteric fever 2. Influenza 3. Food poisoning 4. teething of childhood 5. Simple or traumatic catarrh of the bowel 6. Diphtheria.

Certain other considerations lend colour to the theory viz.
1. The infrequency with which large epidemics of Scarlet fever occur in schools & the frequency of great milk epidemics.
2. The frequency of return contact cases, aiding the presumption that it is from the intestinal discharges that the poison is spread.
3. That it is a filth disease & in character of distribution and surroundings it closely resembles Enteric fever.

The sequelae of these diseases were then dealt with & were stated to be intimately connected. Rheumatism or painful joints was said to be the commonest of these and to occur in 1. Scarlet fever 2. Catarrh of the bowel in teething 3. Influenza. The resemblance between Scarlet fever & Rheumatism was insisted on & it was stated that in each there were frequently present the following conditions viz.
1. Pain & swelling of the joints 2. Nephritis 3. Endocarditis 4. Pericarditis 5. Sore throat 6. Rashes (in Scarlet fever a typical one, in Rheumatism one varying in frequency & nature).

Another consideration cited in support was that when mucous surfaces are attacked with septic germs there are inflammatory conditions of the joints viz. 1. Gonorrhoea 2. Navel-ill in Calves

In summing up all these considerations were held to prove that the Scarlet fever poison entered the body mainly through the bowel and not mainly by the throat, that it was probably due to a streptococcus, and that from the similarity of its symptoms to those of Rheumatic fever they may have a closely allied origin.

Precis of Dr Weir's Paper
The dislocations treated were those of the meta-carpo-phalangeal joints and those of the shoulder joint.

With regard to those of the meta-carpo-phalangeal joint, the variously stated views as to the causes & varieties of the obstructions to easy reduction were cited, and the anatomical relationships of these joints were discussed in their bearings on these. The facts relating to a case recently treated by Dr Weir were then given. In this case there was a dislocation of the metacarpo-phalangeal joint of the forefinger and after efforts to reduce it by manipulation had failed, the joint was operated on and it was found that the lateral ligaments embraced the dislocated ends of the bones and formed the obstruction to reduction. The ligament on the radial side of the joint was divided and reduction was then accomplished with ease.

With regard to dislocations of the shoulder joint, the various methods which have been advocated for their reduction were discussed in detail viz. 1. Cole's method 2. the foot in the axilla 3. the knee in the axilla 4. Kocher's method 5. Huguier's method 6. & lastly the method described by White of Manchester. It is this last method that is recommended by Dr Weir in the treatment of dislocation at the shoulder joint and it consists in simple elevation of the limb combined with gentle extension.
T K Monro

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Further reading:
Scarlet Fever
Diphtheria
Cole's method
Theodor Kocher

Notice of meeting: 'Clinical trials - do they always give the right answer?'

2005-12-16T15:19:00.000Z

You are cordially invited to attend the meeting:

'Clinical trials - do they always give the right answer?'
Joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society

Speaker: Professor Alan Silman, ARC Professor of Rheumatic Disease Epidemiology and Director of the ARC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Manchester.

Date and time: Thursday 12th January 2006 at 7.00pm for 7.30pm

Venue: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow.

This meeting is open to all medical, nursing and paramedical staff.

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Tsunami - after the wave. Session 161 2005-6: Meeting II

2005-11-25T08:12:00.000Z

The Society met in the Ebenezer Duncan Centre at The Victoria Infirmary on Thursday 24th November 2005 at 7pm. The President, Dr Philip Wilson, was in the chair.

Sederunt 35
I Apologies
Apologies were received from Dr David Kidd.

II Minutes
The minutes of the meeting of 13th October were accepted. Dr Wilson reminded members that minutes are published on the Society's website in addition to the written minute in the Society's minute book.

III Christie Cup
Dr Wilson presented the Christie Cup to Dr Ewing Forrester for winning the Bogey Competition at the Society's golf outing on 6th September.

IV Next meeting
Dr Wilson announced that the next meeting of the Society will be a joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society on Thursday 12th January 2006 at the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow at 7.00 for 7.30pm. The lecture will be given by Prof Alan Silman, ARC Professor of Rheumatic Disease Epidemiology and Director of the ARC Epidemiology Unit at the University of Manchester. His talk will be entitled 'Clinical trials – do they always give the right answer?'

V Dr Willox's lecture
The President then invited Dr David Willox to give his lecture to the Society recounting his experiences as medical officer for the charity Glasgow the Caring City in the aftermath of the Asian tsunami. A précis of the paper follows this minute.

At the close of Dr Willox's talk, and following interesting discussion, the President called upon Dr Duncan Macintyre to move a vote of thanks to Dr Willox. This was most heartily responded to by members of the Society.

This was all the business and Dr Wilson closed the meeting.

Tsunami – after the wave
Dr Willox described Sri Lanka as a beautiful land populated by beautiful people. The warm currents of the Indian Ocean lap on sandy beaches. Along the coast, fishermen and their families live in small villages beside the shore. You might be forgiven for thinking that this is paradise. This is the picture you might have imagined on 25th December, 2004. Within 24 hours, all this changed. The Asian tsunami on Boxing Day killed a quarter of a million people, of whom 40,000 died in Sri Lanka.

As soon as reports of the tsunami reached the UK, local charity Glasgow the Caring City mobilised support and began collecting donations. Through the involvement of his wife Morag, Dr Willox volunteered to drive a van round Glasgow to uplift bags of clothes and other gifts. He soon found himself acting as medical officer to help sift through donations of medical items. It was a natural next step to join the small team of volunteers and fly out to Sri Lanka to begin the long process of supporting relief and regeneration.

Dr Willox described the destructive power of the waves. He showed photographs of shattered buildings, dead animals and birds, and the massive human toll. He showed how the scale of the debris was overwhelming. On closer inspection, what appeared to be small mounds of wood and masonry were, in fact, the bodies of men, women and children. In temperatures of 42°C and oppressive humidity, the smell was unbearable.

In March 2005, three months after the tsunami struck the coast of Sri Lanka, a team of volunteers from Glasgow the Caring City flew out to the Hikkaduwa region. Dr Willox and the rest of the team spent two weeks assessing needs and setting up projects. The only forensic pathologist in the area, Dr Clifford Perera, had been faced with the task of managing 6500 bodies. To put that in perspective, relief workers from Leicester indicated that 200 bodies over two weeks would be enough to strain local services in the UK. In spite of this, Dr Perera remained remarkably positive and the relief team were able to help him with donations of computer equipment and fund travel to a conference in Thailand on disaster victim identification and management.

After the terrorist attack on the twin towers in New York on September 11th 2001, people posted photographs of their missing relatives on a wall. In contrast, Dr Perera was only able to create a 'wall of the dead' – photographs of the dead bodies yet to be identified. In the scramble to recover and identify bodies, villagers claimed that a team of scientists from Interpol investigating the deaths of foreign nationals had shown callous disrespect in their handling of the bodies of local people.

Dr Willox went on to show photographs of the Galle to Colombo train which was partially derailed at Peralyia by the first tsunami wave. As the water withdrew, people sought refuge in the railway carriages, only to be caught by the second wave. There were stories of people lying injured and dying three days later when the press and news media arrived. Government rescue teams are said to have taken a further seven days to reach the scene. The official death toll was given as 1500, though the true figure is certainly much greater. In spite of this, Dr Willox was reluctant to criticise the Sri Lankan government given the scale of the disaster. A permanent memorial of three railway carriages has been created on the site.

It is easy to underestimate the difficulty of conducting worthwhile work in the aftermath of such a large disaster. The Disasters Emergency Committee had received donations amounting to £300 million, but the Sri Lankan government had been slow to identify priorties. In Peralyia there was an urgent need to provide shelter before the arrival of the monsoon season. Charities had built terraces of wooden huts. Unfortunately the local practice of using open fires for cooking had led to some shelters catching fire and being destroyed. Dr Willox alluded to conflicts of interest between fishermen who lived beside the sea for access to their boats, and corporate plans to build luxury hotels on the beaches. The 100 metre rule instituted after the tsunami prevented villagers from rebuilding their dwellings within 100m of the high tide mark. A model village had been built 10 kilometres inland, an impractical proposition for the fishermen. Other examples of poor relief work included the rebuilding of an obstetric ward in a hospital run by Dr Weerasinghe in Arachikanda at a time when delivery rates were falling as more women were going to a local consultant unit. Dr Weerasinghe dealt with up to 150 patients a day with very limited resources, and it was felt that the money might have been better spent.

On a smaller scale, there were some valuable charitable projects. With the rainy season about to start, the medical officers were concerned about the spread of infectious disease, particularly Dengue Fever and Japanese B Encephalitis. The tsunami had destroyed refrigerators in local hospitals resulting in the inability to store vaccines. This meant that children were no longer being immunized against infectious diseases. Glasgow the Caring City was able to help by donating fridges.

The library at Peralyia had survived the flood and had been transformed into a makeshift medical centre. Instrumental in this was a remarkable American nurse, Alison Thompson. Also here were Dr Shouren Datta and Dr Carolyn Datta who had been working in Chennai. On receiving news of the tsunami, they had moved to Sri Lanka to help with the relief work. Both were well known to members of the Society as Dr Shouren Datta had worked in gastroenterology at the Victoria Infirmary.

A principal aim of the charity was to engage in projects that were sustainable. An 82 year old rice farmer had had his paddy fields inundated by salt water. The charity was able to supply him with rice seed for replanting once the monsoon had washed the salt from the soil. This will enable him to feed himself and five other families. The Raka Institutional Complex provided respite care for the victims of abuse. With help to improve the rooms and by training more teachers it would be able to cater for an influx of 800 orphans.

Dr Willox accepted that much of the work amounted to applying a sticking plaster on a gaping wound, but through small acts, Glasgow the Caring City was able to make a material difference to the lives of ordinary people. He spoke briefly of some future plans to arrange surgery for two deaf twin boys. Dr Willox encouraged members of the Society to support the work of Glasgow the Caring City as it continues to provide help in Sri Lanka and other areas of the World.

Listen again:
Download hi-fi mp3 78.0Mb
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Listen to lo-fi stream

Further reading:
Glasgow the Caring City
Sri Lanka Report
After the Tsunami: Legal Implications of Mass Burials of Unidentified Victims in Sri Lanka
Revisiting the Tsunami: Health Consequences of Flooding
Alison Thompson's diary
The Waste Land
TS Eliot
Maslow's hierarchy of needs

tags: tsunami sri lanka

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting IV - Sleeping Sickness

2005-11-16T07:30:00.000Z

Sederunt 35
The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club 22 Carlton Place on Thursday 16th November 1905 at 9 p.m.
The President, Professor Stockman, was in the chair, and in all 35 gentlemen were present.

I Minutes
The minutes of last meeting were read and approved.

II New Members
1. On the motion of the Chairman the ballot was dispensed with and Dr Edward J. Primrose was declared elected a member of the Society.
2. The Secretary read two proposals for membership viz.
Dr Wm. Barr Inglis Pollock 13 Belgrave Terrace
Proposed by Dr Alexander Morton.
Seconded by Dr John P. Duncan.
Dr John Paton, 21 Moray Place
Proposed by Dr James Hamilton.
Seconded by Dr James Weir.

III Captain Greig's paper
Captain Greig I.M.S. then gave a most interesting & full account of the researches on "Sleeping Sickness", conducted by the Royal Society's Commission in Uganda and the Nile Valley, and showed many lantern slides illustrative of his remarks.
A precis of the paper follows this minute.

At the close of Captain Greig's account the President moved a hearty vote of thanks to Captain Greig & this was at once heartily responded to. Professor Stockman also made some remarks on paracytic diseases carried by means of flies, and on the action of arsenic in improving and alleviating the condition of the patient in many diseases without actually bringing about a permanent cure.

Professor Muir then made a few remarks anent the absence of immunity even after the long course pursued by the disease; & in this connection said he thought innoculation would probably be useless. He then referred to Ehrlich's work on the aniline dyes and their action on paracytic diseases.

Drs McGilvray, Reid, Halliday, Burgess & Dunlop also took part in the discussion & asked various questions.

Captain Greig then replied to the questions and explained some points he had omitted to refer to in his account.
This was all the business.

Precis of Captain Greig's paper
The serious nature of the disease was first referred to. It is estimated that there have been 100,000 deaths from it since the outbreak of the epidemic in 1900, and there is the possibility of it spreading widely along trade routes. The geographical distribution of the disease was then spoken of. In the Uganda district it is found mainly on the shore and islands at the northern end of Victoria nyanza & affects a belt measuring from 10 to 15 miles from the shore. Until 5 or 6 years ago this was practically a closed district but since then caravans have opened it up & no doubt these serve to carry infection along the trade routes.

The symptomatology of the disease was next discussed. It may be divided into 3 stages, 1st onset with few or no symptoms 2nd stage of sleepiness & emaciation 3rd stage of sleep ending in death with extreme emaciation.

Temperature
Stage 1. may be normal for 2 or 3 years.
Stage 2. Slight irregularity with slight fever.
Stage 3. Markedly subnormal for a week or two before death & may fall to the temperature of the surrounding air viz about 93° F.

Enlarged glands are present all over the body in the 2nd stage, & these are full of the paracyte of the disease.

The sleepy look appears on the face during the 2nd stage.
Emaciation always appears during the second stage & sometimes marked nervous symptoms also come on e.g. acute mania.
Profound sleep, from which however the patient may be roused by vigorous measures appears in the third stage & this is accompanied by extreme emaciation & always ends in death.

The blood contains the paracyte in the early stages of the disease and it is also present in the cerebrospinal fluid in the later stages.

Pathology of the disease.
The lymph glands both superficial & deep are enlarged & full of the paracyte. The Brain presents no special features macroscopically but microscopically there are crowds of leucocytes round the vessels & in the last stages streptococci are present. In both blood & cerebrospinal fluid there is a marked increase of mono-nucleated white cells. The stomach presents numerous small ulcers due to the digestion of submucous petechiae and in the heart numerous petechiae are also present.

Experimental work was carried out in a woodlined-iron laboratory. Monkeys were largely used for experiment.

Characteristics of the Paracyte.
It is a trypanosome & belongs to the flagellata. It reproduces itself by fission & sometimes it may divide more than once without separation of the new individuals from each other so that a rosette is formed.
It is an elongated fusiform body possessing nucleus, micro nucleus, a thin vibratory fin extending along its whole length and terminating in a simple flagellum the micro nucleus being at the opposite pole to the attachment of the flagellum. Vacuoles & what seem to be food particles are usually present & the organism is about 3 times the length of the diametre of a red blood corpuscle. Similar forms of trypanosomata are also found in various forms of cattle disease in Uganda & Abyssinia.

Large numbers of natives in the infected area and also in non infected areas were examined. The blood cerebrospinal fluid & gland juices were investigated. The details of the methods adopted in such examinations were discussed. It was found that from 50 to 70 % of the population in the affected area was infected & in the early stage of the disease, while in a large number of diseased & healthy natives examined in non infected areas no trypanosomata were found. A number of the infected cases were followed out. Some died in the 3rd Stage: some died of pneumonia: some are fairly well still, & some may recover, but no case of recovery from the 3rd Stage is known. The exact area of distribution of sleeping sickness was mapped out and in these areas a fly (Glossina Palpalis) was found to be abundant, while in the free areas it was absent. Imported cases dying in a fly-free area do not spread the disease for other biting flies cannot carry the paracyte & infect man. If one Glossina Palpalis bite an infected subject and take up from his blood a single Trypanosome the paracyte proliferates enormously in the stomach & the next man punctured by the fly's proboscis becomes infected. This fly does not flourish in the open but prefers the cooler & shadier forrest. Many of these flies were captured & after being fed on an infected subject were caused to bite a healthy monkey at varying periods after ingestion of the infective meal. It was found that 48 hours seemed to be the limit of infectivity of a fly after infection, but that the monkey bitten within that period always developed the disease. Flies freshly caught in the sleeping sickness area were proved to be infective.

Treatment.
Arsenic & aniline dyes in combination were used & have an effect in reducing the numbers of paracytes present in the body & no doubt prolong life, but relapses constantly occur. This part of the investigation is still being vigorously worked at. Many interesting slides were then shown to illustrate the type of country and mode of life there of natives & whites & finally it was explained with reference to animal trypansomiasis that wild animals, themselves immune, might contain in their blood thousands of trypanosomata and thus act as reservoirs of the disease.

In reply to the remarks made by various gentlemen it was explained that no doubt the greater care exercised by the whites, their greater resistance, and the wearing of clothes, were factors in the prevention of the disease in their case; but one white man, a gardener, had been infected & is at present in this country ill with the disease. The incubation period seems to be from 8 days to 3 weeks. Wild monkeys do not permit the fly to bite them & so escape the disease.
Ralph Stockman

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Further reading
Paul Ehrlich
Uganda
Nyanza
Abyssinia
Sleeping sickness
Glossina palpalis

Notice of meeting: 'Tsunami - after the wave'

2005-11-14T07:26:00.000Z

You are cordially invited to attend the meeting:

'Tsunami - after the wave'
Medical charity work in Sri Lanka

Speaker: Dr David Willox
Southside GP

Date and time: Thursday 24th November 2005 at 7.00pm

Venue: Ebenezer Duncan Centre, The Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

This meeting is open to all medical, nursing and paramedical staff.

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Please note that the lecture and subsequent discussion will be recorded for later publication on the Society's website.

Photo credit: oregongirl! published here under a non-commercial Creative Commons licence.

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting III - The use of the Cystoscope

2005-11-02T09:00:00.000Z

Sederunt 34
The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club, 22 Carlton Place on the evening of Thursday 2nd November 1905 at 9pm.
The President, Professor Stockman, was in the chair and in all 34 gentlemen were present.

I Minutes
The minutes of the last two meetings were read and approved of.

II Correspondence
The secretary read a letter from the Medico-Chirurgical Society, Glasgow, in which members of the Society were invited to be present at an address, to be given, on Nov. 3rd by Mr W. Sampson Handley F.R.C.S. & Hunterian Professor, Royal College of Surgeons England, Subject: "On the mode of spread of Breast Cancer: with special reference to operative treatment."

III New Members
The secretary read a proposal for membership viz.
Dr Edward J. Primrose 551 Dumbarton Rd. Partick
Proposed by John P. Duncan
Seconded by R. Wardrop Forrest

IV Dr Newman's demonstration
Dr David Newman then gave a most interesting and instructive demonstration on "The use of the Cystosope" & illustrated his remarks by means of an opaque projector.
A precis of the demonstration follows this minute. The Chairman at the conclusion of the demonstration made a few remarks on the subject and moved a vote of thanks to Dr Newman. This was most cordially responded to, and then Dr Newman replied in a few words.

V Tariff of Fees
The Secretary moved as follows:
"That, as recommended by the Council of the Society, the Tariff of Fees printed at the end of the book of laws be adopted by the Society".
He explained that the Tariff had not been readopted for several years, and that it was of some importance, in the case of legal proceedings being taken by a member of the Society for recovery of fees, that the tariff should be formally readopted by the Society from time to time.
This was carried [...]

VI Dr J. C. MacEwen's statement
Dr J. C. MacEwen intimated that he had been requested to ascertain the views of the Society on the proposal brought forward by the Eastern Medical Society that a dance be held this winter under the auspices of the Southern, Eastern & Northern Medical Societies. After some discussion, on the suggestion of Dr McGilvray, it was agreed that the matter came within the province of the Amusements Committee of the Medical Club & that Dr MacEwen should approach this committee.
This was all the Business.

Precis of Dr Newman's Demonstration
Dr David Newman demonstrated by means of an opaque projector the cystoscopic appearances of the urinary bladder as presented by the mucous membrane of the trigone and the orifices of the ureters in certain diseases of the kidney. He described his first electric cystoscope (January 1883) still armed with the first electric lamp introduced into a human bladder, and then showed his present cystoscope, which fulfilled the following requirements:–
1. Comparatively small lumen of stem to avoid injury to the urethra or neck of bladder.
2. Large field of vision and a clear view.
3. Easy means of clearing the [...] , should it become obscured, without [...] stem of instrument from bladder
4. Good illumination without danger of scalding the mucous membrane of the bladder.
5. Ease in sterilizing the instrument
6. Facility in emptying the bladder should it be necessary without removing the cystoscope.
7. Ability to demonstrate to a second observer the object seen
8. Means of steadying the instrument during [...] of fixing prism cystoscope at any point, and of defining clearly position of a lesion.

He then demonstrated, by means of a special opaque projector the appearances seen through the cystoscope, so arranged that only a portion of the diagram was illustrated at one time upon the screen: by moving the diagram the appearance of the mucous membrane was seen, bit by bit, as in an inspection with the cystoscope. He first illustrated some easily recognised lesions of the viscal mucous membrane, such as hyperaemia of the bladder in a case of injury to the medulla oblongata, and then an extensive series of morbid conditions, such as ulcers, encysted and other calculi, new growths, ascending and descending urethritis, shoots of blood from the ureters. The last named condition was demonstrated by means of a most impressive working model.

Finally he drew the following conclusions:-
I. When one ureter orifice is altered, the other normal, the renal lesion is on the side of the [...] ureter.
II. When the urinary shoots are more frequent on one side than on the other
a. greater functional activity is indicated by the shoots being uniform in size and regular in rhythm.
b. undue irritation of the kidney is inferred when the shoots, while frequent are irregular in rhythm, unequal, and small in size.
c. Stricture, stone, or chronic ureteritis is suspected when the shoots are distorted in form or irregular in amount.
III. When the urine does not escape in distinct jets
a. dilatation of ureter without paralysis of sphincter is indicated when the urine dribbles into the bladder at intervals.
b. paralysis of sphincter is shown by urine flowing into bladder almost continuously.
IV. The character of morbid fluids escaping from the ureter, or of clots of blood &c, occupying its opening, denotes the changes taking place in the corresponding kidney.
V. The deformity of the orifice also indicates the character of the renal disease
a. Pin-head contraction (chronic inflammation, or impacted calculus)
b. elongated and distorted (distension of renal pelvis or infected nephritis)
c. swollen or pouting (prolonged but not acute inflammation of the renal parenchyma)
d. dilated (advanced tuberculous or calculous pyonephrosis)
e. U shaped (significance doubtful – usually denotes prolonged irritation of renal pelvis).
Ralph Stockman

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

2005-10-26T09:04:00.000+01:00

"Group of Gentlemen present at the Luss Pic-nic June 1873"

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1 Minute Book No. 2

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting II

2005-10-23T13:44:00.000+01:00

Sederunt 47
The Annual Dinner of the Society was held in the Grosvenor Restaurant Gordon Street, Glasgow on Thursday 19th October 1905.

Dinner was served about 7pm.

The President was in the chair and Sir Wm Taylor KCB the honorary president of the Society was present as guest of the society. In all 47 gentlemen were present.

The dinner was excellent and well served.

The usual toasts were proposed & responded to heartily, and many interesting and amusing after dinner speeches were evolved in this connection.

During dinner music was provided by members of the Grosvenor Restaurant band and after dinner a varied programme of songs, recitations, picolo & piano selections was gone through by members & their guests the names of the performers being Drs Gunn, Wright Thomson, Wauchope, Bruce, T.K. Monro, Lang, Richmond & R.T. Halliday & Messers [...] White & MacCallum.

During the course of the evening the names of the following 3 gentlemen were proposed for membership
1. Alexander McWilliam Watson, MB ChB.
Proposed by D. Johnston Fletcher
Seconded by John P. Duncan
2. A. Whyte Cassie 3 Clelland Place Ibrox
Proposed by R.T. Halliday
Seconded by A. Brown Kelly.
3. David Newman 28 Woodside Place
Proposed by John P. Duncan
Seconded by R. Wardrop Forrest

The President proposed that these gentlemen be forthwith elected & this was carried unanimously.

After a most enjoyable evening the dinner party broke up shortly after 11pm.
Ralph Stockman

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Session 161 2005-6: Presidential Address - What's so special about the first year of life?

2005-10-19T08:07:00.000+01:00

Presidential address given to The Society on Thursday 13th October 2005 by Dr Philip Wilson.

What's so special about the first year of life?
How do the experiences of babies shape their destiny?

The meeting was chaired by Dr David Vernon, President for the 160th session. The minutes of the previous meeting were approved. Dr Vernon informed members of the death of Dr Gerry Creane but also of the recovery from prolonged serious illness of Dr Stephan Slater who remains a strong supporter of the Society. Dr Jonathan Oates was introducing an innovation of recording the meeting to be available via the Society’s new web site—www.gsms.org.uk.

Dr Vernon then introduced our President for the session, Dr Philip Wilson, a man like himself with Manx connections, whose work is split between a local surgery and the University department of General Practice.

Phil gave a fascinating insight into evidence for first year influences in later social development. Brain development continues after birth – to a much greater extent in humans than other species – and this development is influenced by external factors. Thus physiological evidence indicates the influence of visual input on visual cortical connections during the first year of life. This plasticity of the brain seems to last longer in some other brain areas such as the pre-frontal cortex with potential influence on behaviour patterns. Different patterns of response in babies to strange situations are seen in what might be regarded as different levels of security of parental care. Is it possible that such early influences determine behaviour patterns followed in later life?

Dr Wilson’s talk concentrated on disruptive behaviour in young adults – a range of identified conduct disorders. An unattractive series of studies in monkeys demonstrates continued behaviour effects of a period of social deprivation in early months. Observations in Romanian orphans who suffered effectively similar isolation support these conclusions with identification of a reactive attachment disorder where individuals can be abnormally inhibited or disinhibited in forming relationships. Harsh and inconsistent parenting has similarly been related to future conduct disorders. Intriguingly the strength of these levels becomes much clearer when a potential genetic effect is taken into account – a New Zealand study shows evidence of genetic linkage and protection from raised levels of MAO. Increasingly there is evidence in study of various behaviour disorders of substantial genetic factors modified by early life experiences. These disorders cost society – a group of London 10 year olds with conduct disorders cost 10 times their peers in care and support by age 28.

Can we intervene? We were treated to a video demonstration of one area where parenting can be insensitive or unresponsive – post-natal depression. Intervention with a 'mellow parenting' package dramatically altered the obvious shared communication between mother and child. A New York randomized study of regular health visitor type intervention up to the age of 2 years substantially reduced various behaviour problems at age 15. Such clearcut evidence will be difficult to obtain. However, there is now sufficient evidence of the long term improvement of these first year experiences to justify an emphasis on good support for parenting when potential problems are apparent.

After considerable discussion of Dr Wilson’s paper, Dr Douglas Mack gave a vote of thanks, reminding the audience of the challenging breath of fresh thinking felt by many when Phil first arrived on the scene as a local GP. Dr Vernon reminded members of the forthcoming dinner and closed the meeting.
35 members had been in attendance.

Listen again
Download slides

tags: primary care child development deprivation psychology epidemiology

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Presidential Address

2005-10-05T18:52:00.000+01:00

Dr Stockman began his address with a few remarks on the probable primitive views of man on the Creation, and then went on to state the theory of evolution of Lamarck viz:– that evolution was due to the influences of external agencies.

After discussing this theory and stating some objections to it he dwelt for a time on Darwin's views on the origin of species and on natural selection and contrasted these with the views of Lamarck. Then after discussing the phenomena of fertilization he defined and explained the continuity of the Germ Plasm and proceeded to discuss variation as exhibited by individuals in a species. He explained the two views as to variation viz:– that it might be inborn or contained & transmitted by the continuity of the Germ Plasm or that in the second place it might be acquired or impressed on the Germ Plasm. In this connection Dr. Stockman described Darwin's theory of Pan Genesis and alluded to his belief in the heredity of acquired variations. Weismann's theory, that tho' variation & natural selection were the main forces concerned in the survival of the fittest, yet no acquired variation could be transmitted from parent to offspring, was mentioned and then Dr Stockman proceeded to sum up these theories as follows.

1st. If Darwin & Lamarck are right, then the offspring must inherit the acquired variations of the parent e.g. disease
2nd. If on the other hand all variations are inborn then disease cannot be hereditary.

The distinction between the terms Congenital and Hereditary was strongly insisted on and views as to the heredity of immunity were then discussed.

Proceeding to the more practical aspects of his subject Dr Stockman pointed out that most diseases were the direct or indirect sequelae of infections and that selection was going on continuously in relation to disease i.e. those with the greatest resistance to disease survive. He mentioned that there were 3 main ways in which resistance to disease was strengthened viz:– by

1. Destruction of Germs
2. Avoidance of Germs
These two are due to Climatic, Geographical, Sanitary or Quarantine conditions.
3. Undergoing evolution against them.

Of these three the third seems to him to be the strongest and it has been going on unceasingly throughout the ages.
Then three possible fates under infection were mentioned viz:–

1. Entire escape
2. Recovery – almost unhurt – or more or less damaged
3. Death

After this certain diseases were discussed in detail as to their behaviour in regard to immunity; Scarlet fever was taken as a type of a disease producing immunity in the individual attacked and Tuberculosis as a type of one which conferred no immunity. At the same time Dr Stockman insisted that in his opinion immunity was inborn i.e. that the Germ Plasm is resistant to disease in certain people and they survive and beget offspring with a like resistance while the weaker variations die off; and further that as almost all our pathological conditions are consequences of infection, therefore they are not transmissible and that it is only the tendency of the Germplasm to resist or succumb to infection that is transmitted.

With regard to Tuberculosis, Dr Stockman stated that our attitude should be 1st to stamp out the bacilli as far as possible & 2nd to prevent people from marrying if in both male & female the Germplasm seems weak in its resistance to the disease.

Then the gradual immunization produced in a species by the dying out (without reproduction) of the weaker individuals was pointed out and Malarial, Syphilitic and the Tse-Tse fly infections were cited.

Finally Dr Stockman referred shortly to the recent Commission on Physical Degeneration which answered NO to the question "Do Alcoholism & disease in individuals give rise to degenerate offspring"; and then after some remarks to the effect that anatomical malformations are inborn and therefore truly hereditary he brought his most interesting address to a close.
Ralph Stockman

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Further reading
Jean-Baptiste Lamarck
Charles Darwin
Germplasm
Pangenesis
August Weismann

100 years ago: Session 1905-06; Meeting I

2005-10-05T08:00:00.000+01:00

Sederunt 46
The Society met in the rooms of the Medical Club, 22 Carlton Place on the evening of Thursday 5th October at 9pm. The president, Professor Stockman was in the Chair, and 46 gentlemen were present.

I Minutes
The minutes of last meeting were read & approved.

II Resignations
The secretary read letters of resignation of membership from
1. Dr D. Young, Linton Villa Parkhead Glasgow dated Oct 2nd 1905
2. Dr G. Scott McGregor, 2 Burnbank Terrace Glasgow — Oct 3rd 1905
3. Dr Wm Carr, 46 Norfolk Street Glasgow — Oct 3rd 1905
These were accepted

III Dr J. Wallace Anderson's letter
A letter was read from Dr J. Wallace Anderson 23 Woodside Place dated 30th May 1905 in which he withdrew his resignation of membership

IV President's Address
Professor Stockman then proceeded to deliver his presidential address on the subject of "Heredity in Disease"
A precis of this address follows this minute.

V Vote of thanks
At the close of the address Dr Napier moved a vote of thanks to Dr Stockman for his most interesting address. This was heartily given and then Dr Stockman replied in a few words.

VI Election of Governor of Victoria Infirmary
The President then called for nominations for the post of Governor of the Victoria Infirmary, but Dr McGilvray suggested that in the first place Dr C. E. Robertson should give a few remarks on the work of the Governors during the past year. This met with the approval of the meeting & Dr Robertson in a few remarks spoke of the various points of interest which had been dealt with by the board of Governors during the past year.

Dr Stockman then moved a vote of thanks to Dr Robertson for his services and this was heartily responded to.

Dr Richmond then wished to discuss the tenure of office of the representative, but Dr Stockman stated that this was a matter which was to be considered by the Council in the near future and the matter then dropped.

On nominations being again called for the following two names were proposed.
1. Dr Forrest (Senior) Proposed by Dr D. McGilvray & seconded by Dr Alexr Napier.
2. Dr C. E. Robertson proposed by Dr Campbell Highet & seconded by Dr Fletcher.

On a vote being taken 23 votes were given to Dr Robertson & 21 to Dr Forrest. Dr Robertson was then declared duly elected.

VII Election of member
The standing orders were suspended and Dr Wm Adam Burns 147 Greenhead Street, Bridgeton was elected a member.
Dr Burn's name should have appeared on the billet but the secretary had overlooked the matter.

VIII Arrangements for Annual Dinner
The Secretary then drew attention to the arrangements for the annual dinner which as stated on the billet, was to be held in the Grosvenor Restaurant Gordon St on Thursday 19th October 1905 at 6.30pm.

This was all the business.

Archive: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
Reference: GB 250 RCPSG 73/1/11 Minute Book No. 6

Laws of the Glasgow Southern Medical Society

2005-10-01T08:19:00.000+01:00

Adopted at Annual General Meeting of 22nd April 1999

Name and Objects of the Society
I
The Society shall be called "THE GLASGOW SOUTHERN MEDICAL SOCIETY"

II
The Objects of the Society shall be:
(A) To encourage a high standard of medical practice in the south of Glasgow by providing a forum for medical education and debate.
(B) To foster good relations between the different branches of the medical profession in the south of Glasgow.

Constitution of the Society
III
The Society shall consist of ordinary members, and an Honorary President.

IV
The management of the Society shall be vested in the Membership of the Society.

V
All decisions pertaining to the running of the Society shall be decided by a majority of votes. The Chairman shall have a deliberative and a casting vote on all questions.

VI
Twelve members shall constitute a quorum.

Council
VII
Council shall consist of the Office Bearers, the Court Medical and up to six elected Ordinary Members. All shall normally be elected at the appropriate Annual General Meeting.

a) Office Bearers
The President shall hold office for one year and shall normally in alternate years be a hospital consultant or a general practitioner.
The Senior and Junior Vice Presidents shall normally succeed in turn to the office of President for one year.
The Honorary Secretary shall hold office for three years.
The Editorial Secretary shall also be the Honorary Secretary-Elect and shall hold office for three years.
The Seal Keeper is the immediate past Honorary Secretary.
The Treasurer shall not have a fixed term of office.

b) Court Medical
This shall consist of the five most recent Past Presidents of the Society. The immediate Past President shall be President of the Court Medical.

c) Elected Members
These shall be members of Council for three years.

Council will arrange the general business of the Society. Six shall form a quorum.

Auditors
VIII
Two auditors shall be appointed annually at the Annual General Meeting. These shall not have a fixed term of office. They may be invited to meetings of Council.

Court Medical
IX
The duties of the different officer bearers shall correspond to the common use and wont.

Ordinary Members
X
Any registered medical practitioner residing in or near Glasgow may apply for membership of the Society.

XI
The applicant will formally be admitted at the first appropriate ordinary meeting of the Society.

XII
On admission, the Honorary Secretary shall send itimation of admission together with a copy of the Laws of the Society.

XIII
The new Member, on paying the subscription for the current session, shall be admitted to all the privileges of membership of the Society.

The Honorary President
XIV
The President will nominate an Honorary President to serve concurrently with his own year of office.

XV
The Honorary President shall have no voting rights and shall not be required to make any payment to the funds of the Society.

Contributions
XVI
The annual subscription shall be agreed each year at the Annual General Meeting.

Arrears
XVII
If any Member neglects to pay his annual subscription for three years he/she shall be suspended from membership until his/her arrears are paid. The Member shall be so informed by the Honorary Secretary.

Meetings
XVIII
The Society shall normally meet twice a month from October to March, when practicable, and on such other occasions as the Society decides. Council may call an Extraordinary Meeting at any time. When requested in writing by six Ordinary Members, the President shall call an Extraordinary Meeting.

XIX
The ordinary meetings shall be devoted to the objects of the Society as defined in Law II and any other competent business.

XX
A member wishing to resign shall send written intimation of this intention to the Honorary Secretary.

Disputes
XXI
Should any disagreement or misunderstanding arise between Members of the Society, they shall be expected to settle matters in a friendly way, failing which the matter in dispute may be referred to the Court Medical.

Alteration to Laws
XXII
Any proposal to alter or abolish a Law, or to establish a new Law, must be placed before the Society at one of its meetings, to be voted on four weeks later. Due intimation of such a proposal must be printed in the billet calling the Meeting at which the matter has to be decided.

XXIII
Should any issue arise which is not provided for in the preceding laws, the matter shall be referred by Council to the Members of the Society at one of its Meetings. Due intimation thereof must be given in the billet calling the Meeting. The decision of the Meeting shall be considered final.

Adopted 13th February 1851
Amended 1869, 1880, 1891 and 1900
With Amendments to 1925
Revised June 1926
Reprinted June 1930
Revised October 1950
Revised June 1972
Revised June 1976
Revised October 1980
Amended 1986
Revised September 1990
Revised August 2002

Syllabus 2005-6, Session 161

2005-09-02T09:44:00.000+01:00

Tuesday 6th September, 2005
Golf outing - East Renfrewshire Golf Course
3pm

Thursday 13th October, 2005
Presidential Address
"What's so special about the first year of life?"
Dr Philip Wilson
Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Thursday 27th October, 2005
Annual Dinner

6.00 for 7.00pm
Venue: Sherbrooke Castle Hotel, Pollokshields, Glasgow

Thursday 24th November, 2005
"Tsunami - after the wave"
Dr David Willox
Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Thursday 12th January, 2006
Joint meeting with the Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society.
"Clinical trials - do they always give the right answer?"

Professor Alan Silman
7.00 for 7.30pm
Venue: Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow

Thursday 16th February, 2006
Council meeting
7.00pm
Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Thursday 23rd February, 2006
Honorary Presidential Address
"Family Matters"

Professor Graham Watt

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Thursday 23rd March, 2006
"Clinical trials in the 21st century"

Professor Janet Darbyshire

Buffet supper 6.15 for 7.00pm
Ebenezer Duncan Centre, Victoria Infirmary, Glasgow

If you are a member of the Society and you would like to book for the pre-meeting buffet, please email 'Buffet' and your name to: Lesley.O'Donnell@gvic.scot.nhs.uk

Thursday 27th April, 2006
Annual General Meeting and first Council meeting
Conference Room, Floor E, Victoria Infirmary

Council members 2005-6

2005-09-02T09:01:00.000+01:00

Honorary President - Professor Graham Watt
President - Dr Philip Wilson
Senior Vice President - Mr David Ritchie
Honorary Treasurer - Dr Liam McKean
Honorary Secretary - Dr Penelope Redding
Editorial Secretary - Dr Jonathan Oates
Court Medical - Dr David Vernon, Dr Duncan Macintyre, Dr David Willox, Dr Fiona Marshall, Dr Iain Wallace
Extra Members of Council - Dr Gordon Weetch, Mr Colin Mackay, Dr Brigid Malloy, Dr Richard Watson

Session 161 2005-6: 2nd Council Meeting, Thursday 1 September 2005

2005-09-01T14:50:00.000+01:00

Present: Dr Wilson, Dr MacIntyre, Prof. Hume Adams, Dr Watson, Dr Willox, Dr McKean, Dr Oates and Dr Redding

Apologies: Dr Vernon, Dr Weetch

Minutes: Accepted and approved.

Matters arising: Stefan Slater – excellent recovery post serious illness was welcomed.
Douglas McLellan – Prof. Hume Adams will chase him up with regard to Presidential Portraits.
David Ritchie has accepted the post of Senior Vice President.
Jonathan Oates has accepted the post of Editorial Secretary.

Auditors: Dr P Wilson accepted the post as second auditor with Prof. Hume Adams.

Minutes of talks/recording: There were discussions about recording talks with or without slides. Dr Watson asked what would happen to recordings. A pilot of recording talks will start with the Presidential Address. Minutes will still be hand written. Dr Oates agreed to investigate a Society website. Dr Willox raised the subject of SMS having its own website where talks could be made widely available. Dr Willox offered to provide a summary of his talk. Dr MacIntyre agreed to take minutes of first meeting (Presidential Address).

Dinner: President – Introduce guests, Professor Sturrock and Professor Watt at beginning of the evening and says grace.
Professor R. Sturrock – 5 minutes – toast Health of Society after meal. (GRI)
Presentation of golf prizes by President
Minutes - Dr Oates will read minutes of 100 years ago.

Catering / Meeting: Order 50% more food than return. Order tea and coffee from hospital for meeting.
Dr Derbyshire’s meeting – promote and send out early warning.
Presidential Address – notice to all Health Visitors. Dr Wilson to provide secretary with details.

Medical Student Prize: To be awarded this year - £100. Secretary to write to Mrs Leila Inglis (Administrator – Division of Community Based Sciences, General Practice, Primary Care).

Questionnaire: Results presented and discussed. Very diverse response to questionnaire, no overwhelming majority for any particular view except content of meetings should be primarily clinical. Summary of questionnaire to be made available at Presidential Address, 13th October 2005.
E-mail reminder Monday before meeting to people with e-mail address.
The letter from John Main (Senior Medical Artist) was discussed. This enthusiasm was commended. Dr Oates suggested putting poster on Intranet – will discuss with Jane Bradley.
List of meetings – Mary Smith in Postgraduate Education to include meetings in postgraduate flyer. The merger with Royal Medico Chirurgical Society as suggested by Dr Martin McIntyre (Secretary Med-Chir) was discussed. The feeling was that this would see the end of the Southern Medical Society and was at present for the
future. This year’s attendance will be monitored and raised at the AGM in 2006.

AOCB: Nil

Date of Next Meeting:
Society Meeting – 13th October 2005
Council Meeting – 6th February 2006

Session 160 2004-5: Annual General Meeting & 1st Council Meeting

2005-05-02T09:00:00.000+01:00

The Society met at 7.30pm in the E Floor Conference Room of the Victoria Infirmary. The President, Dr David Vernon, was in the chair and 7 members attended.

Apologies: Apologies were received from Dr Brigid Malloy, Dr Duncan MacIntyre, Dr Penelope Redding, Mr D Smith and Dr David Willox.

Minutes: Minutes of AGM of 22nd April 2004 and of 3rd Council meeting of 17th February 2005 were accepted as accurate.

Report of Honorary Secretary: The Honorary Secretary indicated that, as always, the meetings of the 160th Session had been of a high standard and appreciated by all attendees. The dinner in the Sherbrooke Castle Hotel was a particular success. Sadly numbers attending remain disappointing with best attendance of 56 being at the meeting entitled “Bioterrorism” when a number of Bacteriology staff was present as special guests.
A representative poll of members at the beginning of the session revealed that members still had an interest in the Society but no time to attend meetings. The impression was that an earlier time for the meeting would be helpful but even this had no impact on attendance. The hospital catering particularly towards the end of the session was very poor.
The Honorary Secretary raised the question again as to how long the Society should continue to function with small numbers attending? Poor attendances are a particular embarrassment when speakers give of their time in preparation and delivery.

Treasurers Report: See attached

Programme for 161st session: In her absence, Dr Redding had requested that members consider carefully the future of the Society. It was suggested that the number of meetings should be reduced. Following a lot of discussion it was agreed that the programme should include Golf Outing, Presidential Address, Annual Dinner, Joint meeting with Royal Medico-Chirurgical Society, Honorary Presidential Address and 2 regular meetings.
Dr Philip Wilson agreed to prepare a letter to be sent to members to alert them to the possibility that this may be the Society’s last session. It was agreed that if attendances do not improve then this would be the last session.
The letter will give notice of the further reduction in the number of meetings, which will commence at 6.15pm for 7pm. Outside caterers will be employed to improve the standard of the hot buffet. Members will be asked to indicate that they wish to attend for the buffet and will be asked for a preferred method of communication i.e. reply slip, phone, e mail.

Election of Office Bearers: Dr Richard Watson was elected as an extra member of Council. It was agreed that a further extra member of Council was unnecessary. It was agreed that the Honorary Secretary does require a substitute in case of work commitments or illness. The Honorary Secretary will approach a member.
The President thanked Dr Christine Penney for all her efforts over the past 3years. Dr Penelope Redding assumes the role of Honorary Secretary.
Dr Vernon will approach a hospital colleague regarding the position of Senior Vice President.
Dr Vernon welcomed Dr Philip Wilson to the presidency of the Society. Dr Wilson thanked Dr Vernon for his successful year as President.

Medical Illustration: A gift of £300 was agreed.

A.O.C.B. A gift of £100 to the catering supervisor was agreed. Dr Penney suggested that the Society might send a well wishing gift to Dr Stefan Slater who has been very seriously ill. This was agreed.
Prof Hume Adams is communicating with Dr McLellan regarding Presidential Portraits.

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