J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-109-01-46 on 1 January 1963. Downloaded from

193 NOTES FROM B.A.O.R. EXCHANGE OF PERSONNEL: BRITISH AND GERMAN MILITARY

IN November 1962, Colonel G. LL. HUMPHREYS (OC BMH ) and Ober­ feld arzt Dr. K. H. FLOHR of the Bundeswehr Lazarett, Bad Zwischenahn, arranged an exchange between personnel of the two hospitals. Captain G. BROCKLEHURST, F.R.C.S., Staff Sergeant McGILL, Staff Sergeant WINTRINGHAM, Sergeant BRAYSHAW, Corporal FYNN and Corporal BASTION, all of the R.A.M.C., went from BMH HANOVER and spent a fortnight working and living in the German Military . Captain Brocklehurst worked in the surgical department, Staff Sergeant McGill and Sergeant Brayshaw in the dispensary and medical stores; Staff Sergeant Wintringham assisted in the Physiotherapy department, and Corporals Fynn and Bastion worked on the wards and in the documentation office. The Bunqeswehr Lazarett is situated on the shore of the Zwischenahn inland lake by guest. Protected copyright. in the Ammerland region of Northern Germany, and occupies the buildings of what was originally the RAF hospital, Rostrup. and staff come from the Army, Navy, and Air Force, and this hospital also provides the staff and equipment for a mobile , which is similar in function to a c.C.S. with F.S.T. attached. Clinical, military and administrative problems similar to our own were managed in ways which were found to be interestingly different. The medical and surgical in-patients departments were independent of out-p!ltient· departments, with entirely different medical artd nursing staffs, so that patients sent by unit officers were either already destined for admission under the in- doctor or for diagnosis and opinion by the out-patient doctor. After in-patient treatment patients were returned to unit M.O.s for aftercare, and were not followed-up as out-patients, which meant that patients left hospital more or less entirely fit (e.g. not in a walking plaster). A medical supply depot serving a large area was run ill conjunction with the hos­ pital dispensary, and there supplies were the responsibility of the officer dispenser (stabsapotheke), who thus had a quartermaster role. On the other hand, hospital http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/ patient and staff. feeding, besides many other executive and administrative duties, were carried out by 'civilian personnel. Hospital timetable and diets reflected clearly the national differences in these matters, and the visitors became well acquainted with the varieties of local Wurst. The nursing staff consisted of civilian nursing sisters, employed on' contracts which in some cases had continued for four or five years (giving considerable per­ manency among ward and departmental sisters), who were assisted by trained Sani­ Hitsoldaten (medical assistants). A training school for the latter was run by one of

the medical officers in the hospital. on September 25, 2021 The aims of the German Military Medical Service, in which we had this privilege of working, were identical with our own, and this exchange was both valuable and interesting, providing an extremely friendly basis upon which further such ex­ changes can be founded. J R Army Med Corps: first published as 10.1136/jramc-109-01-46 on 1 January 1963. Downloaded from

194 Notesfrom B.A.O.R.

MEETING OF THE ANGLO-GERMAN MEDICAL SOCIETY CAPTAIN G. BROCKLEHURST, F.R.C.S., R.A.M.C., of BMH HANOVER, a member of the above Society, had the enjoyable privilege of attending this meeting at Tiibin­ gen, 27-29 September, 1962. It took place in the Universitat Medizinsche Klinik (a magnificent 600-bedded hospital built in 1961) and the host was Professor Dr. M. Bennhold, the German president of the Society. The ancient university town was an attractive environment for such a gathering, and the friendly hospitality of the Biirgomeister and our German colleagues was delightful. For a medical officer who has worked in Germany, and has experienced passing contacts with German medi­ cine, such opportunities of hearing authoritative views exchanged and making professional acquaintances are invaluable. The programme consisted of a symposium and a business meeting. The sym­ posium covered poisoning and suicide on the first day imd shock and collapse on the second day. Among the outstandingly good papers given on the first day were those by Professor Stengel (Sheffield), Rev. Chad Varah (St. Stephen's, Walbrook, London), Professor W. Maresch (University of Graz) , and Dozent Dr. G. Neuhaus (Free

University of ); and on the second day, Professor Schlapp (Manchester), by guest. Protected copyright. Dozent Dr. E. Zeh (Ttibingen), Dr. Bull (Birmingham), Dozent Dr. O. Just (Heidel­ berg) , Dr. Joekes (London), and Mr. A. J. Evans (Roehampton). Simultaneous translations of papers were provided and the discussions were stimulat~ng. Details of these papers will be published in the next issue of the Anglo-German Medical . Review, copies of which can be obtained from the Hon. Secretary, Dr. E. Kawerau, Department of Chemical Pathology, st. James' Hospital, Balham, London, who will also provide details of the Society's activities. The 1963 meeting of the Society is scheduled to be held in Cambridge, with Pro­ fessor J. S. Mitchell, F.R.S., the English president of the Society, as host.

Captain G. Brocklehurst, F.R.C.S., R.A.M.C. http://militaryhealth.bmj.com/

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF EDINBURGH COLONEL J. P. BAIRD, M.D., F.R.C.P.(Edin. and Lond.), late R.A.M.C., has

been appointed Examiner for the Membership of the Royal College of Physicians of on September 25, 2021 Edinburg~.