Haemophilus endometritis in woman fitted with Lippes loop.

Correspondence MEDICAL JOUiRNAL activity fell (P = <0 05), suggesting that the raised plasma renin activity in these patients was probably the result and not the cause of the initial renal vasoconstriction. This fall in plasma renin activity could not be attributed to a change in arterial blood pressure.-I am, etc., rather resigned comment in "Personal View" on communications between the medical and social work professions (7 February, p. 361) to go unanswered. She says that even the contributions from social workers in medical journals "seems unable to arouse much interest or to stimulate correspondence." She has stimulated mine. I agree heartily with the sentiments which she expresses concerning the gap between doctors and social workers. In Scotland. of course, we are a step ahead in that the Social Work (Scotland) Act 1968 (see Supplement , 22 November, 1969, p. 43) is at present being implemented and creating many of the situations recommended in the See-bohm Report which she discusses. Those of us who were apprehensive about these plans felt much as she did. "It is not, of course, so easy to separate social problems from medical problems, and there is a whole range of emotional reactions to ill-health and social malfunctioning which interests both doctors and social-workers"-and, may I add, is the responsibility of doctors as well as social workers. It seemed to us that to establish separate departments to administer social work was likely to aggravate rather than decrease the difficulties of communication arising in this large area of care in the community where social aetiology and therapy play a part in the diagnosis and treatment of "dis-ease." It is difficult to say at this early stage whether this fear is going to be realized, but it is interesting to note that in one area a health visi-tor's assessment for the need for home help has been said to be inappropriate by those administering the services, and that in other areas the liaison committees for mental health services have ceased to invite any medical members to take part in their deliberations. It becomes more and more clear that positive action must be continually in the minds of those concerned, which will keep each profession informed about the work of the other and allow the members of both to cooperate closely. It is, I believe, in the sphere of general practice, where the doctor is dealing with family ill-health …