November 8, 191 /] 



NATURE 



187 



Mr. Street's statement that an infinite number of 

 laws could be found that would satisfy the conditions 

 is obviously true, but any of them, by what has been 

 said above, would necessarily bear a strong re- 

 semblance to the firmo-viscous law, and the simplest 

 hypothesis that is acceptable on physical grounds is 

 that of firmo-viscosity near the centre. 



I am unaware of having modified my views on this 

 question in any vital matter save by addition ; in any 

 case, I fail to see that such modification would afford 

 anv argument against my present position. 



Harold Jeffreys. 



St. John's Cohege, Cambridge. 



THE PROPOSED MINISTRY OF HEALTH. 



WHEN Lord Rhondda some months ago 

 declared that there was a great deal of 

 overlapping in connection with the work of public 

 health administration, and that a separate Minis- 

 try was urgently required, of the many who 

 agreed with him few, if any, seemed to be pre- 

 pared to tell him in detail how he might set about 

 abolishing the overlapping and constructing the 

 Ministry. The faults of the system under which 

 health service was given to the public were plain 

 to see. The reason for their existence was also 

 obvious. 



Thefe was no real planning when the scheme 

 was initiated ; no one grasped the importance of 

 health work or foresaw that it would and must 

 .grow. Even the enthusiasts underestimated the 

 importance of the cause they had at heart, and 

 the persons they induced or comf)elled to listen 

 to them and to take action naturally also under- 

 estimated it. Both parties builded worse than 

 they knew. They did, indeed, the worst thing 

 possible : they chose the wrong foundations, and 

 they did not look ahead and plan for future 

 extensions. 



Imbued with the dread, so common in relation 

 to central administration in this country, that 

 trouble would follow if there was any suggestion 

 to form a new department ; believing that, so far 

 as Government work is concerned, the safest plan 

 IS "more men and fewer of them," they canvassed 

 the existing departments for one or more upon 

 which the new duties might be placed. Not 

 unnaturally, they eventually found a department. 

 That concerning itself with Poor Law adminis- 

 tration, now known as the Local Government 

 Board, was obviously the proper one to take on 

 the new work. As organisation went, it was fairly 

 well organised. It had some doctors and a number 

 of lawyers attached to it, and through its oflficials 

 of a lower grade it was in touch with the class 

 of person whose health required most looking 

 after. 



The easy and pleasant task of placing new work 



^11 old departments, once commenced, was con- 



■ tinued. As new lines of work were found and 



>e necessity for doing something along these 



ines was recognised, it became essential once 



lore to look round for departments to which the 



luty of doing what was reqiiired might be en- 



isted. 



In some cases the Local Government Board felt 

 unable or disinclined to undertake it, and it was 

 taken round until another department more suit- 

 able or complaisant was found. There came at 

 length a time when health work was regarded as 

 the most important of all the public works, and 

 the necessity for seeking departments to accept 

 fresh work in this field ceased. Actually the 

 departments began to compete for it, and it was 

 counted as essential by each that it should have 

 part of the nation's health work to do. 



It was regarded as nothing that there should be 

 absolute lack of uniformity and co-ordination ; 

 that work on behalf of the public health was so 

 organised that one part, the largest perhaps, was 

 at the Local Government Board with Poor Law 

 administration, another part at the Board of 

 Education, and portions more or less important 

 at the Home Office, the Insurance Commission, 

 the Board of Agriculture, the Board of Trade, 

 the Admiralty, and the Ministry of Munitions. 



Recognition of the fact that such a. distribution 

 of important work is undesirable and likely to 

 lead to inefficiency, overlapping, and waste of 

 money is easy. Those who recognised it, how- 

 ever, did little more Ihan this. If they had any- 

 thing to offer in the way of suggestions as to 

 how the existing difficulties might be overcome 

 and the Ministry of Health that was considered 

 so indispensable formed, they did not advertise 

 the fact very widely. 



The one scheme that has been given publicity 

 was drafted by certain persons interested mainly, 

 apparently, in State insurance and bodies con- 

 cerned with its administration. Quite obviously 

 this scheme had for its chief intention the belittling 

 of the importance of the work done by other 

 departments, and particularly that of the Local 

 Government Board, the body at present regarded 

 as the central health department. This scheme 

 i and a Bill founded upon it the Prime Minister 

 was asked to bless by a deputation that waited 

 upon him on October 11. Wisely he refused to 

 do so, pointing out that the matter bristled with 

 difficulties, and hinting that consideration, in- 

 volving a vast amount of time and trouble, would 

 have to be given to it. 



It is certain that long and serious consideration 

 will be necessary. The drafting of a scheme is 

 not the work of half a dozen persons known only 

 to one class of the population and knowing but 

 one side of health work. To suggest that a Com- 

 mission would be the best body to deal with the 

 subject is ajmost to ask to be regarded as 

 ridiculous. Nevertheless, there is something to 

 be said in favour of a suggestion that a Commis- 

 sion should be appointed, with the proviso that it 

 must be something more than the ordinary body 

 that meets and reports and rests. 



The Ministry of Health Commission must con- 

 sist of individuals possessing business ability and 

 capable of taking a broad view, if the very best 

 is to be done for the health of all the public. 

 Further, it must be given a clear reference and 

 a free hand ; the right even to embody its recom- 



NO. 2506, VOL. 100] 



