Test of Death

SIR,-Two years ago, in the early spring of 1946, 1 attended a meeting of practitioners of the Birmingham area at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital; there were about 600 present, and Dr. Dain was in the chair. I painted a picture of the political career of Aneurin Bevan, and I put forward a resolution worded thus, ' That in the opinion of this meeting negotiations with the present Minister of Health are not possible." Dr. Dain was on his feet immediately ; he remonstrated with me for proposing this, and he pointed out that if this resolution was carried it would embarrass him and other members of the Negotiating Committee who were on the platform. He moved that we pass on to the next business, and this was done. I am not writing this to prove how right I was in 1946 but because I feel very strongly that Dr. Dain's action that night gives the lie to the accusations that the Minister made about the B.M.A. " clique " in the Commons on Feb. 9.-I am, etc.,