Mountain accidents and mountain rescue in Great Britain.

The Hospital had hardly been opened when the second world war began. During this period the building, though struck by bombs on two occasions in 1940 and heavily blasted by a land mine in April 1941, continued to serve its functions throughout. So, too, the School functioned vigorously during the war, even though the preclinical students had been evacuated in the early years, at first to Glasgow and later to Birmingham. Westminster's postwar history continued steadily until 1948, when, after the inauguration of the National Health Act, certain hospitals were " designated " to form part of the West-the Group, which now comprises 1,090 beds-a far cry from the original 12. A most poignant moment in the history of the Hospital occurred in late 1951. This was the operation on the Hospital Patron, George VI, which was carried out by Sir Clement Price Thomas and a team of surgeons, anaesthetists, and nurses from the Hospital. The beautiful memorial window to His Majesty's memory in the Hospital Chapel bears their names. In 1958 the Wolfson Trust advanced £250,000 to build a Nurses' Training School in Vincent Square, and this magnificent building was opened on 23 March 1960 by the Queen Mother. A feature of this building is the beautiful library named in memory of the late Edwina Lady Mountbatten, who had served as a V.A.D. nurse in the Hospital during the war. At the present time the completion of a new wing to be linked to the main Hospital by a multi-story bridge is eagerly awaited. This building will contain space for the professorial units of medicine, surgery, chemical pathology, anaesthesia, and the projected unit in obstetrics and gynaecology. There will also be housed there certain special departments. It is felt that completion of this building will enable the Hospital and School to maintain their place in the forefront as a centre for research, the teaching of students and nurses, and last, but not least, the purpose for which it was founded-the treatment of patients. The author wishes to acknowledge most gratefully the assistance he has received throughout from Dr. Peter Hansell and the devoted staff of his Department of Medical Photography and Illustration. In these days of increasing leisure many more people than formerly are going to the hills for recreation and exercise. This is especially true of the young. Courses and expeditions organized by schools, climbing schools, Outward Bound …