Hereditary (primary) haemochromatosis.

(now increased to over 100 home members) who spend a substantial part of their time with neonates, infants, and young children. It was recognised from the outset that there were also many anaesthetists who spend some time in paediatric anaesthesia often for children over the age of 3. In an annual scientific meeting of one and a half days it is not possible to provide a forum for the first group and an educational programme for the last. For that reason, after much deliberation, it was decided that members of the association should spend roughly halfoftheir time in paediatric anaesthesia. This is interpreted to include anaesthesia, paediatric intensive care, and a heavy on call paediatric commitment, and all these activities can be aggregated. To meet the educational need of anaesthetists with a lesser paediatric commitment the association has held two day seminars on paediatric anaesthesia in alternate years. These were initially highly successful, but the seminar for 1989 was cancelled owing to insufficient numbers. It probably indicates that the demand has been met by the welcome upsurge in seminars and similar teaching programmes in paediatric anaesthesia organised by the College of Anaesthetists, the Association of Anaesthetists, and the section of anaesthetics of the Royal Society ofMedicine. Members of the Association of Paediatric Anaesthetists have made large contributions at these and other specialist meetings. The association is now considering a more flexible educational programme to replace the two day seminar. It may be a "refresher" day open to non-members preceding the annual scientific meeting. The association has also been invited to hold a session on paediatric anaesthesia at the winter meeting of the Association of Anaesthetists in January 1991, which will be for the anaesthetist who may only occasionally anaesthetise children. Postgraduate education in paediatric anaesthesia is being catered for by several organisations and is all the richer for that. WILLIAM J GLOVER