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In view of the development of well-organized and effectively conducted junior and senior clerkships in the majority of medical schools throughout the country and the marked expansion of the residency program, both in medical school-connected and nonaffiliated hospitals, the concept of the internship as a separate and distinct phase in medical education is difficult to justify, except perhaps as a matter of tradition. There is little question that responsibilities and duties formerly those of the intern have been increasingly delegated, on the one hand, to medical clerks and, on the other, to residents in the university hospitals and to the resident staff in nonaffiliated institutions. There are still some areas that have been and remain the traditional province of the internship. These include indoctrination in the less technical yet highly important human relations aspects of the practice of medicine, as well as instruction in certain techniques and procedures ordinarily taught

Considering present world-wide birth rates and figures relative to the incidence of congenital heart disease, fewer children are given the opportunity for corrective surgery within a year with present facilities than are born eligible within a given day. This fact does not take into consideration surgical candidates with acquired heart disease. Open heart operations are feasible within hospitals at the community level. The equipment needed is not as complicated as so often anticipated, and the chances for success are good if the proper personnel equip themselves with certain unpurchasable principles and if confusing, complicating, and obstructing attitudes and gadgets are kept out of the operating room. Particular emphasis is placed on thorough indoctrination of the entire team in the laboratory. The necessary personnel can usually be found, and the equipment acquired, by smaller communities as well as by larger ones, leaving only certain intangible personal traits to decide success or failure.

The saying that "one picture is worth more than ten thousand words" is usually attributed to Confucius. During World War II, the U. S. armed forces demonstrated brilliantly the advantage of using visual education for rapid indoctrination of inexperienced recruits into the intricacies of modern warfare. It was found that even a mediocre student could be taught complicated subjects easily and efficiently. This same system can be utilized by the physician in his office to facilitate and emphasize discussions with patients. With some patients a picture often will convey the point where detailed verbalization only confuses them. In this day of high-tempo life and large, busy medical practices, some form of rapid communication with patients is essential. Pictorial education is one means of achieving this objective. During the past few years in medical periodicals and texts there have appeared numerous excellent illustrations, many semidiagrammatic and easily interpreted, elucidating various points

To the Editor:— It is apparent that, with the present aggressive drive for social legislation which is now being carried on, it is necessary for every state and county medical society to have informed public speakers on this subject. The number of physicians who are available for this work is very small and for obvious reasons: either these men are too busy to inform themselves on the subject of socialization of medicine as far as factual information is concerned or they do not have the time required to accept speaking engagements. For these reasons I should like to suggest that the American Medical Association provide, at some central point such as Chicago or Washington, D. C., a briefing course of three or four days for indoctrination and presentation of factual information as well as any other information which may be useful for speakers who meet the public, particularly the executive

To the Editor:— It was my privilege recently to visit one of the Navy preflight schools in which the emphasis is on indoctrination, certain phases of technical training, and physical fitness. At this school they have, in addition to the regular Navy line officers and a specially commissioned staff of physical education and athletic leaders, a remarkably fine medical and dental staff organization. These physicians and dentists are doing a splendid job in examination, surgery, care of injuries and illness, and guidance, as far as excuse from regular activity and class work for medical reasons is concerned. Infirmary and hospital facilities of an outstanding type are available and are being well used. In addition to the usual entrance medical examination, this medical group is administering a mass x-ray examination of the lungs by use of a 35 mm. film unit. The program at this preflight school at one time involved

The industrial physician occupies a key position in the civil defense preparations for the personnel of his company. On his shoulders rests the grave responsibility of planning for the emergency treatment of large numbers of casualties and their efficient evacuation from the plant. It must be anticipated that, with the possible exception of fire-fighting equipment and personnel, no immediate assistance can be expected from outside sources in event of enemy attack. The industrial physician must, therefore outline in advance a plan through which his plant can, as far as possible, become self-sufficient in the hours immediately following a major catastrophe. Since in any struck plant there will obviously be many more casualties than can be handled by the physician personally, it is essential that he build up a corps of assistants among the lay employees of the company and supervise their indoctrination in medical rescue work. The object of this

It is difficult to obtain expert medical testimony from physicians in personal injury cases. This is not due to unwillingness to cooperate with the law but rather to the fact that the physician is cast into an atmosphere foreign to his training and philosophy. A plan has been formulated to make available a panel of physicians for consultation with attorneys of the local or neighboring bar associations for presuit expert opinion and, where suit is instituted, for testimony as an expert witness. The education of physicians to serve on these professional liability medical panels is considered of paramount importance. This is accomplished through a thorough indoctrination by a joint committee of the local medical and bar associations, with or without the assistance of special statewide indoctrination committees where such assistance is considered desirable and necessary by the local working units. The success of these panels will depend on the professional qualifications and impartiality of the panel physicians and the willingness and readiness of attorneys to accept a neutral and unbiased opinion.