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Health authorities are asked to: review the immunisation status ofchildren starting school through the school health service and tooffer immunisation where necessary; set target uptake rates for alldiseases covered by the childhood immunisation programme;consider the efficacy of their local action to promote rubellaimmunisation for schoolgirls and susceptible women of

childbearing age; start preparatory work to promote an increase inthe uptake of measles immunisation for young children; and initiateaction to increase the uptake of immunisation against whooping-cough.Epidemics of whooping-cough occurred in 1977-79 and in

1981-83, and another is expected to start towards the end of thisyear. The Health Education Council is therefore to launch a

publicity campaign in the autumn. The campaign will includeleaflets for parents, posters, and television advertising. Theliterature for parents will provide important information oncontraindications and explain the risks associated with the diseaseand with immunisation.

MEDICAL OFFICERS OF SCHOOLS ASSOCIATION

LAST year when the Association celebrated one hundred years ofschool health care in Britain, Dr Trevor Hoskins, medical officer toChrist’s Hospital, Horsham, and president of the Association,recalled a letter of great significance which appeared in The Lancetof March 1, 1884.1 Therein Surgeon-Major George Evatt, medicalofficer to the Royal Military Academy, Woolwich, and Dr H.Aldersmith, medical officer to Christ’s Hospital, London,expressed the desire to form a society whereby school medicalofficers could meet and discuss matters arising. Little more than amonth later, on April 13, 1884, the founding meeting of theAssociation was held. Dr Aldersmith was elected honorary secretaryand Surgeon-Major Evatt president.The first book of rules was printed in May of that year and

remains the basis of MOSA rules today. The first rule stated theobjectives of the Association: mutual assistance in promoting schoolhygiene; and the holding of meetings for the consideration of allsubjects connected with the work of medical officers of schools. Thecontainment of infectious diseases and the improvement of badsanitation were the main preoccupations of MOSA in its early years.Papers, such as one entitled Eyesight in Schools, presented in 1885by an ophthalmic surgeon, Mr Robert Brudenell Carter, drewattention to issues which had hitherto received little notice.

Today, when its membership is over 450, MOSA acknowledgesthe efforts of the late Dr R. E. Smith, medical officer (1931-50) andconsultant physician (1950-83) to Rugby School, who made vastcontributions to the advancement of medical care in schools. Withits record of illustrious membership and its imaginative approach toschool medicine, MOSA is set to thrive in its second century..

Exposure and Alprazolam in Agoraphobia and PanicDisorder

Two possible treatments for agoraphobia and panic disorder areexposure (behaviour therapy) and alprazolam. At the MaudsleyHospital, London, Dr Isaac Marks and Dr Paul Lelliott are settingup a placebo controlled study of exposure and alprazolam alone andin combination and invite referral of chronic agoraphobics who arewilling to participate, have an average of one or more panic attacksper week, and live within one hour’s travelling time of the hospital.

Conference on Care for the DyingMr Kenneth Clarke, Minister for Health, announced last week

plans for a conference to discuss the provision of care for the dying.Participants from health authorities and the voluntary sector will beinvited to the conference in Central Hall, Westminster, on Dec 3.Mr Clarke said he would like to see the NHS take on greaterresponsibility for planning and developing services for the dying.The main objective of the conference is to promote cooperationbetween local health authorities and voluntary bodies.

1. Hoskins TW MOSA—the early years. Medical Officers of Schools Association:proceedings and report, no 31, 1984.

University of NottinghamDr E. Idris Williams, senior lecturer in the department of general

practice, University of Manchester, has been appointed foundationprofessor of general practice. He will take up the chair on Oct 4.

Society of Apothecaries of London

Prof J. A. Dudgeon has been elected Master of the Society. MrW. F. W. Southwood is senior warden and Dr J. Fisher juniorwarden for the coming year.

The N uffield Provincial Hospitals Trust essay competition for 1985 hasled to the award of second prize (no first prize was granted) to Mr MarkJackson, a final-year medical student at St Thomas’s Hospital Medical School,London, for an essay on Communication in Medicine. Miss Jennifer Sizer, amedical student at Bristol Medical School, won the third prize.

A symposium on Zoonoses in the ’80s-New Developments andProspects for Control has been arranged at the Zoological Society ofLondon, Regent’s Park, London NWI on Oct 31: British Small AnimalVeterinary Association, 5 St George’s Terrace, Cheltenham, Glos GL50 3PT.

A meeting on Urological Cancer will be held at Imperial College, London,on Friday, Nov 8: Miss Christine Warman, Institute of Oncology, Marie CurieMemorial Foundation, 28 Belgrave Square, London SW1X 8QG (01-2351323).

A course in clinical oncology, entitled the Scientific Basis of Oncology,will be held at the Institute of Cancer Research and Royal Marsden Hospital,London, on Nov 11-15: Dean’s Office, Institute of Cancer Research, CliftonAvenue, Sutton, Surrey SM2 5PX (tel: 01-643 8901, ext 296).

International Diary

1985

2nd national conference on Diet, Nutrition and Cancer: Houston, Texas,Sept 5-7 (Office of International Activities, American Cancer Society, 90 ParkAvenue, New York, NY 10016, USA).

Symposium on Fundamental Problems in Breast Cancer: Alberta,Canada, Sept 5-7 (A. Paterson, Department of Medicine, Cross CancerInstitute, 11560 University Avenue, Edmonton, Alberta, Canada T6G 1Z2).

Consensus development conference on Adjuvant Chemotherapy forBreast Cancer: Rockville, USA, Sept 9-11 (P. Murphy, ProspectAssociations, Suite 401, 2115 East Jefferson Street, Rockville, MD 20852).

3rd biannual UCSF symposium on Noninvasive Cardiac Imaging-ADisease-Related Approach: San Francisco, USA, Oct 3-5 (RadiologyPostgraduate Education, University of California, San Francisco, California94143).

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7th international symposium on Atherosclerosis: Melbourne, Australia,Oct 6-10 (Dr P. J. Nestel, Baker Medical Research Institute, Unit of CVMetabolism and Nutrition Research, Commercial Road, Prahan, Victoria3184, Australia).

3rd world conference on Cardiac Rehabilitation: Caracus, Venezuela,Oct 6-11 (Dr E. Hirschhaut, Calle Tucupido, Quinta Fida, San Roman,Caracus).

13th international congress of Psychotherapy: Opatija, Yuogslavla, Oct6-12 (Dr Branko Lang, University Department of Neurology, Vmogradska29, 41000 Zagreb, Yugoslavia).

6th congress of the International Society for Laser Surgery: Jerusalem,Israel, Oct 13-18 (Prof Isaac Kaplan, c/o Kenes, PO Box 50006, Tel AVIV61500, Israel).

Conference on Rabies and Brucellosis: Montpellier, France, Nov 4-6(Fondation Marcel Meneux, Colloque Rage-Brucellose Montpelher 85, 17Rue Bourgelat, BP 2021, 69227 Lyon Cedex 02, France).

1986

3rd international symposium on Spinal Cord Monitoring: Annapolis,USA, Oct 21-24 (Dr T. B. Ducker, 100 Cathedral Street, Annapolis,Maryland 21401).