Medical Students and the Teaching of Midwifery

LADIES AND GENTLEMEN, As a member of the Honorary Medical Staff it is mv pleasant privilege to welcome you at the opening of the winter session. I regret that for the fourth year in succession the orator has to address you with the country still at wvar. It is the hope and prayer of all that my successor can speak to xou with a world at peace. You are studenits of a hospital which, while young in years, is old in traditions of work and achievement, and it is for you to add to those traditions. It has been said that history, which appears to be the story of great men and famous occasions, would have only chaos to chronicle were it not for the fidelity and good work of multitudes of men and women wrhose name no man remembers. The history of a teaching-school probably depends on the great men of that school, but its dailN reputation depends on the hundreds who work within its walls and leave its precincts with their services unrecognised. The reputation of this hospital is always in your hands, not only as students in your daily contact with the sick in the wards and out-patients, but also as house surgeons and house physicians, and later when you leave us to go into whatever branch of medicine you select. Mlany of our past students are serving with His Majesty's Forces, and we are justly prou(d of their achievements. Some of them have lost their lives in the country's service. \V e honour them, mourn them, and sympathise with those who have been bereaved. Others would have been preparing for higher degrees to qualify themselves for hospital appointments. For them also the sacrifice is great. The Honorary Medical Staff is still under strength as the result of the absence on active service of four members-Lieutenant-Colonel J. T. Lewis, who, unfortunately, is a prisoner of war; Surgeon-Commander R. S. Allison, SurgeonCommander F. A. MIaclaughlin, and Mlajor C. A. Calvert. In addition, the following members of the auxiliary staff are also serving: ILieutenant-Colonel HowN,ard Crozier, Lieutenant-Colonel Ian Fraser, Surgeon-Commander H. E. Hall, Mlajor J. C. Davison, Major J. Houston, Major David Craig, Surgeon-Lieutenant WV. Lennon, Major Eric MIc'Mechan, Major R. WV. Strain, and Captain D. J. C. Dawson. Their absence has naturallv increased the difficulties of clinical teaching, and we hope that circumstances will soon permit of their return. In the past year death has deprived us of two colleagues. Dr. J. S. Morrow, a member of the active and consultant staff since 1903, died in April of this year. As a physician on the active staff for twenty years, he gave of his best to the hospital. During the last wsar he served in the R.A.M.C. on the hospital ship Britannic, and during this war, in spite of failing health, he rarely failed to fulfil his duty as