The Brecon County Times Neath Gazette and General Advertiser for the Counties of Brecon Carmarthen Radnor Monmouth Glamorgan Cardigan Montgomery Hereford

BRECONSHIRE INSURANCE COM- T MITTEE. Review of a Year's Work. At the Breconshire Insurance Committee, en Wednesday in last week, the Clerk (Mr Edwin Davies) made the following interest- i* statement with regard to the work of tlfe Breconehire Insurance Committee for the year 1914. MEDICAL BENEFIT. The year 1914 opened with arrangements for placing in the hands of every insured person a medical card, and this work was completed by your committee before the end of March. As was perhaps to be expected, large numbers of these cards were returned to the office undelivered, in consequence of ehangea of address and removals from the area. But as the success of the whole medical card scheme depended upon these cards getting into the possession of the insured, the cards in your area were posted and re-posted with that object. It is important that an insured person should possess a medical card, and there is no reason now why the insured should not be in full possession of the facts relating to the use of this card, which acts not only as a passport for medical benefit in the area in which they live, but are to be used as a transfer card when removing, and, also, as a warrant under which temporary treatment may be obtained in any district for a period not exceeding three months. There would appear to be some miscon- ception as to the uses of the medical card, but if every insured person would read the instructions, as given on page 2, many of the difficulties and misunderstandings which arise would disappear. It is a frequent occurence for an insured person to call upon a doctor and ask for temporary treatment as an insured person, and fail to present a medical card. The doctor may, perhaps, give treatment as a private patient and make a charge, or he may refuse to treat the person altogether. The insured feels that an injustice has been done, in either case, and generally blames the doctor or the Insurance Committee. The fault is entirely the insured person's own, because if the medical card were produced BO such trouble would be experienced. Then attention has been called to another matter in relation to removals. The hiring fairs in Breconshire account for a great many changes, and insured who reside in one part of the county one half-year may remove to other parts in the next. In hardly any of the cases are changes of address notified to anybody administering the insurance benefits, and very often inconvenience occur. For instance, a man resides above Brecon and is on the panel of a Brecon doctor. Without giving notice, the man removes to a farm below the town, and a message comes to the doctor that this man is ill. The doctor consults his records, and firirja t.hfi man livpd at a certain farm in the parish of Llanddew, and proceeds to visit the man. When the doctor reaches the farm in Llanddew he finds the man removed last fair to a farm in the parish of Llanfrynach. This is given as an instance of what has actually occurred. It should be the duty of the insured person to give immediate notice of change of address, and if this were done much inconvenience to doctors, secretaries of approved societies, and insurance committees would be saved, and would also ensure to the insured prompt treatment. In connection with the issue of medical cards and the efforts to adjust removals from one county to another, your committee has dealt with 7,687 forms Med. 50 during 1914. A great deal of this expensive work would be avoided if the medical card were used in the way intended. There are placed before you certain tabulated forms relating to the payment made under the head of medical benefit. For the year 1914 there were 45 medical practioners on the panel, but, in consequence of deaths and the outbreak of war, the panel before the end of the year was reduced to 39. The total on the panel for the first quarter of 1914 was 13,938, in the second 14,221, in the third 15,511, and in the fourth 15,019. The largest single panel was in the last quarter-1453. One firm of two doctors had a panel of 1418, and another doctor bad a total of nearly 1000. One had a panel of just over 800, four just over 600, five over 500, three over 400, four over 300, five over 200, eight over 100. and the lowest panel numbered 1. Drs. J. S. Townley, Richardson-White, T. P. Thomas, Bickerton Edwards, and F. W. Mathieson, were. almost immediately war was declared, called up for military service. Dr. Coltson Williams also joined the Army for medical purposes. As to payments made for medical service, the totals for the year 1914 amount to £4,822 17s 3d, as follows:—1st quarter, £1,216 6s 9d 2nd quarter, £ 1,241 19s 6d 3rd quarter, £1,345--0s 6d; 4th quarter, £1,008 10s 6d. In the last quarter a sum of 25 per cent. was deducted pending the receipt of medical credit for 1914. In addition to these sums payments, have been made in settlement of temporary residents, the mileage grant for 1913, and the unaasigned residue for the same period. These figures have already been placed before you in detail, but the totals amount to nearly £1,500. The chemists accounts for the year 1914 were paid in full less the sums deducted on checking. The total prescriptions issued for the year was 23,921, and the cost after checking X782. As your committee will have noticed, a sub-committee is now sitting on the scrutiny and checking of prescrip- tions, and when this work is completed, comparative tables will be submitted for your information and consideration. SANATORIUM BENEFIT. There were 72 applications for treatment in 1914-38 men and 32 women. Of these, 9 were certified by Dr. Johnson as showing no signs of active disease, and of the remain- ing 61, 30 were treated in Hospitals and Sanatoria, and 22 at Dispensaries, and 9 as domiciliary patients. But it would be correct also to say that the whole of these cases came under the notice of Dr Johnson and his staff, fur treatment at the institutes at some time or other. It is to be noted that the application for treatment are increasing in number, and it would appear that if any suspicion of the existence of tuberculosis arises, the cases go forward to Dr. Johnson, and many cases recently treated have been returned as showing no sign of active disease. But the

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Rheumatism and Kidney Trouble. FREE TREATMENT. Kbearaatism is due to ario acid crystals in the joints and mnscles, the result of exsessive ario acid in the system that the kidneys failed to remove as nature intended, and this acid is mostly the caose of backache, lumbago, sciatica, gout, urinary trouble, etone, gravel, and dropsy. The success of Estora Tablets, for the treatment of rheumatism and other forms of kidney trouble, is dae to the fact that they restore the kidneys to healthy action and thereby remove the cause of the trouble, which necessarily removes the iil-effecis that spring from it, and bve cared nataberlesa cases after tbe failure of oUicr remedies, which accounts for them faBi superseding out-of-date medicines that aro sold at a price beyond oli bat the wealthy aiid so ofteo fall hort of the wonderful claims made that confidence has been lost in them. To prove Estora Tablets fully warrant their description-an honest remedy at an honest price-one foil box of 40 tablets will be aenfc to readers of the Brecon Connty Times" as a free sample on reoeipt of this notice and 3d in stamps to cover postage, packing, etc. Sold by chemists, 1/li per box of 40 tablets or 6 boxes for 6/ For fall box sample address Estora Co., 132, Charing Cross Road, London, W.C.

MAJOR SIDNEY W. PUGH. Rapid Promotion to Second-in Command. A striking instance of rapid promotion is seen in the case of Mr Sidney W. Pugh, of Adrian Court, Usk, who has just become major, and been appointed second in com- mand of the 18th Service (2nd Glamorgan Bantam) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. It was only in December last that Major Pugh received his first commission as second- lieutenant in the 16th Service (Cardiff City) Battalion of the Welsh Regiment. With his commercial training and his previous experi- ence as a commissioned officer in the 90th Winnipeg Rifles, Lieutenant Pugh soon demonstrated his abilities, and when Lieu- tenant-Colonel H. R. Homfray, V.D J.P., of Penllyne Castle, Cowbridge, set out to raise a second battalion of Bantams for the Welsh Army Corps, he selected him as his adjutant. In February last Lieutenant Pugh was given the temporary rank of Captain. A native of Talgarth, Breconshire, Major Pugh is in civil life the Canadian Government special representative for Wales, and also European Inspector of Canadian Government agents, his two brothers (Messrs T. E. Pugh and D. W. Pugh), together with his private secretary (Mr D. P. Davies, B.A.), are at present serving in the ranks of the Breck- nock Battalion of the South Wales Borderers, with Colonel Lord Glanusk. It is a coinci- dence that Saturday (the day on which he wag gazetted major) is Major Pugh's birth- day.

Soldier Patients' Drink. NO INTOXICANTS TO BE SUPPLIED IN WESTERN DIVISION. Sir Henry Mackinnon, commanding the Western Division, which includes South Wales, issued an order closing all licensed premises in his area on and after August 28 for the sale, supply, and consumption of in- toxicating liquor to any non-commissioned officer or soldier who is a patient of any military hospital in the Western Command.

£ MOTHER i: i Seigel's Syrup ij + For weak and ailing II Thousands have <► ♦ stomachs, a sluttish § proved that its < ► X H*er. or inactive | i t ♦ txttcr Ionic and cor B reitarci ton. Ind < ▲ recttve than Mother I vitality to tha vUh i ► ♦ Sdfel's Syrup. | digestive srtfem. < > t IS AN EXCELLENT < j | DIGESTIVE TONlo. <

HINTS FOR THE HOMW. KEEP FIT DON'TS. Those desirous of health and a slender form iknU note the following don'ts: Don't overeat. Don't eat unless you are hungry. Don't drink any liquid with your meals. Don't drink stimulants at any time. Don't eat bread unless it is toasted, and then only in moderation. Don't ride-but walk all possilble. VALUE OF A SMILE. When in doubt-smile. It may disarm the other person. If it does not, you have not 14mi anything, because you never could have dis- armed with a sharp word. And, especially, smile on little children and on the very old. They believe in you; they depend upon you; they look to you for joy in living. You can give it with a smile; you withhold it with a rrown. When a man and woman have learnt to smile on each other at the end of the day's work, and to postpone the discussion of domestic problems until after supper and the children have gone to bed, they have laid firmly the cornerstone for family happiness. It is cheaper to smile and prevent a misunder- standing than to wipe it out. SUNSHINE IN THE HOME. A sunbeam is a small thing, yet it has a power to fade the carpets and curtains, to rot the blinds, and for this reason some folk carefully exclude the sunshine. What is the result? The family is always ailing; the young girls have a waxen white skin and a weary, pinched expression of countenance. Their appetites fail; they fall into such a bad state of health that the doctor is called in. In olden days he would have shaken his head, perhaps, and friends would have whispered that dreaded word "decline"! Nowadays he notes the pale gums and waxen skin, and says "anaemia"; prescribes iron and milk, fresh air and exercise, and often a change. If he knows nothing about, the darkened roome he will be puzzled as to why no permanent im- provement manifests itself, amd possibly tha patient will seek other advice. TO FIREPROOF CLOTHES. There is an easy and efficient method of fireproofing the clothing of children which everyone, should know. Many tragedies can be averted by fireproofing the children's play suits, as well as lace curtains and such other art of an inflammable nature as may easily ootme into contact with fire, and so cause sprious accidents. A solution of am- monia phosphate is used for this purpose, and can be made quickly and easily. Dissolve one pound of ammonium phosphate in one gallon of cold water, and a clear solution is formal ia which the fabric to be fireproofed I shoflM be soaked for five minutes. The gannnttfc can then be taken out and allowed to. dry, after which it may be worn with per- fect flitfety. as it is absolutely fireproof. The solution, produces JO more harm to the material than would the samp Quantity of ordirtary water. It wiH keep indefinitely, is non«^flieonons, and can he used for several stii,te, Any article fireproofed by this method will remain non-inflammable until washed) or clreQlilJed wiih rain. The records show that bnrnfcig aeei;Vi>t; occur both t& the children of the rich the offspring of the poor. Victfcw of the open grate have been plentiful I in the past. nnd doubtless will continue unless the proper safeguard is adopted. The foflMter is at, preventive, but unfortunately many fewnee are acrfi provided w^jrh. these, and eveaa H one's heaife is protected with! a fender tSe child may perhaps visit the home of a neifiBhoar wbism such 1 a f<-guard is not pcovidfeft, and that tfrsit mav prove the fatal one. ,J,

BUSINESS MEN ARE STUDYING ECONOMY. The War compels them to watch every item of Expenditure. most carefully. Some things they are able to dispense with altogether. PRINTING IS INDISPENSABLE. And the only question to be decided is—"Where can one get 1# "Quality and Cheapness? GIVE THE BRECON County Times OFFICE A TRIAL. IT WILL PAY TOO. Every description of Printing from a Post Card to Illustrated Book Work. Exclusive Designs. Excellent Workmanship. Prices Right. Estimates by Return. EMPLOYERS AND SERVANTS are having Gratifying Results from "Wants" Advertisements in the Brecon County Times." We are constantly receiving letters gratefully acknowledging! the success of these advertisements. We attribute this success to the Genuine Character of the "Wants section of the "County Times." Time expired notices are regularly withdrawn, and in this way a great deal of disappointment and incon- venience is prevented. Brecon County Times, LTD., Bulwark & Lion St., BRECON. Telegrams: Times, Brecon. Telephone No. 12, Brecon. THE SECRET OF VICTORY. 0 UR SOLDIERS and SAILORS are the lightest- hearted as well as the stoutest-hearted set of fellows in the world; they think it no harm to laugh and joke and sing, so why should we ? They derive the utmost benefit, comfort, and solace from Music; they rarely have anything but the humble Mouth Organ, but that is every-. thing to them now. Let us at home, therefore, follow their example and keep smiling; let everyone have as much Music in their homes as possible, and instead of being a miserable pessimist, everything going wrong, you will see things in a totally different light, and become a confident optimist. A merry heart goes all the day, Your sad tires in a mile-a. Messrs. HEINS & Co., Brecon, have a beautiful selection of MUSICAL INSTRUMENTS, PIANOS, ORGANS, GRAMOPHONES, Etc., at most Reasonable Prices, for cash or three years' system. Do Your Pari 10 Promote Victory! T H E I %E P S A 1, A I SSSJlL We understand the position exactly We want to help. We have the car that e t{>J. helps. Consider the new prices. Consider also the fact that you spend money [in buying a Ford only to save it. The proof HHX of the pudding- rA low Runabouts £us. Five-passenger Touring Car _r125- Town Car 175. 20 h.p. efficiently equipped. All Prices at Works, Manchester. Full particulars from- RICH & SONS, MOTOR ENGINEERS, BRECON. } Telephone 23. Telegrams Rich, Brecon. CHANGE YOUR OLD BATH FOR A PORCELAIN ENAMELLED ONE. SEVERAL IN STOCK. A. H. TYLER & SON, Builders, Decorators, PI urn bers, Etc., BULWARK AND LION STREET, BRECON. ALLOWANCES MADE FOR OLD BATHS. COUPON INSURANCE TICKET Applicable oaly within the United Kingdom. GENERAL I ACCIDENT FIRE AND LIFE ASSURANCE CORPORATION, LIMITED. CHIEF OFFICES- General Buildings, Perth, Scotland. General Buildings, Aldwych, London, W.C. F. NORIE-MILLER, J.P., General Manager, To whom Notice of Claims under the following conditions must be sent within seven days of accident. 0<4 AA ONE HUNDRED POUNDS will be paid by the above Corporation I (|U to the legal'personal representatives of any person who is killed by an accident censing material damage to the passenger train in which the deceased was travelling as a ticket bearing or paying passenger, or who shall have been fatally injured i hereby, should death result within one calendar month after such accident. trovided that the person so killed or injured had upon bis or her person or nad left at home this coupon, with his or her usual signature, written prior to tl: accident, in cbe space provided below, which, together with the giving of "otioe within seven days to the above Corporation is the essence of this conti act. This Insurance only applies to per ons over 14 and nnder 65 yeirj of age, is subject to the conditions stated abovi- and contained in the General Accident Fire and Life Assurance (Corporation Act, 1907, and holds good for carrent saue only. No person can recover under more than one Coupon Ticket in respect of the same risk. Signature This Coupon must not be cut out, but left intact in the "Brecon County Times," as that, being dated, forms the only evidence of its currency. f 1 1

cases are noted in the records, and are under observation. As to domiciliary treatment, the actual cases treated as such, after recommendation by the doctor on the panel, number 9. But in this particular, it may be pointed out that in a recent analysis of prescriptions for six months in the Breconshire area, it has been found that 161 prescriptions were given to 95 persons, which prescriptions were for preparations appropriate to domiciliary treat- ment. Of these cases, 24 were in Brecon, 56 in Brynmawr, and the other 15 were scattered over the whole area. Not one of these persons appears to have been recom- mended for Sanatorium benefit, and it will be for the Sanatorium Sub-Committee, if they so desire, to inquire into these cases, in co-operation with the Panel Committee, and to ascertain if they are cases which ought to have been more properly dealt with under Sanatorium benefit. There has been a commendable promptitude on the part of the Welsh National Memorial Association, and its local officer, Dr Johnson, in giving attention to the recommendations of your committee, and cases intended for residential institutions have been admitted without undue delay. And no complaints have reached your committee either as to delay, or lack of treatment and proper attention. The Association has recently issued a report of its work and a copy of this important publication has been posted to every member of your committee. As to the payments made to the Welsh National Memorial Association, a reference to the report of the Sanatorium Sub-Com- mittee will supply the details. For the year 1914 the advised credit was LI,038 4s 9d. Of this the Association was paid f584 Os 2d; the balance was transferred to the medical benefit fund, and formed part of the pay- ments to the doctors on the panel for domiciliary treatment on the capitation basis of 6d per insured person under the regula- tions and the medical agreement. In conclusion, a reference should be made to those members of this committee who are serving in the war, viz., Lord Glanusk and Mr E. Cockcroft; and to express a hope that they may safely return to take part in the future deliberations of this committee. The attendance of members at all committees has been exceedingly satisfactory. It should also be noted that the Panel Committee for the county is taking the keenest interest in the working of the Act as relating to medical benefit. The practi- tioners have recently passed resolutions calling upon all the practitioners on the panel to give medical attendance to every insured person who may present a card for signature, and have resolved that everything they can do shall be done to effect smooth working of the medical benefit machinery. As to the administrative work of your com- mittee, it is being carried out with the minimum of inconvenience to any person Certain inquiries, which occasion delay, are necessary before issuing medical cards, but in any case of urgency a medical card is issued and the inquiries completed after- wards. The working of the arrangements, as between the practitioners on the panel and your staff, has been very cordial, and it is a pleasure to report that the practitioners have expressed themselves as satisfied that the Commissioners and the Breconshire Insurance Committee, have kept faith with the practitioners and that the elemeat of suspicion which prevailed at the outset of the working of medical benefit has now given place to a perfect understanding, and a correct realisation of many difficulties which are unavoidable in carrying out so large an undertaking. The Chairman said he personally felt the Act was working smoothly in Breconshire, and they could congratulate themselves upon being able to pay all their bills, includ- ing the chemists' accounts. That was what every committee throughout Wales had not been able to do. Mr W. R. Price proposed a vote of thanks to the Clerk for his statement given a summary of the work. Mr R. Lewis seconded, and it was agreed to.