John Bull, M.D.

"From womb to tomb" was the British phrase for it. When Sir William Beveridge (in 1942) put out his famous plan,* its socialistic scheme for insurance and medical care was sponsored by a Conservative-led coalition government. Last week, under the more appropriate aegis of the Labor government, a National Health Service Act initiated by the Beveridge Report went into effect. For every man, woman & child in the United Kingdom, all medical care would be free, in a Socialist sense (paid out of taxes): doctors' and dentists' services, drugs, hospital beds, eyeglasses, artificial legs.

Sign or Starve? Many doctors were unhappy about it. Last February the Brit ish Medical Association had voted 10 to 1 (TIME, March 1) against cooperating with the Act. But 21,341 out of 23,000 general practitioners had eventually signed up. To ease their pain, Health Minister Aneurin ("Nye") Bevan had held out a placebo: his government had no plans to make the doctors full-time civil servants. They would get a "base pay" of about $3.50 a year for each patient on their books. Estimated top income, with all extras, like obstetrics : $20,000. Estimated income for a solo practitioner with the maximum 4,000 patients: $14,000.

Among the rebellious rump of doctors, some were bitter-enders. Said one 63-year-old stalwart: "I'm an individualist. I'd rather cut my throat than sell my free dom." Said a smart practitioner with a large country practice: "I serve both my bank balance and my patients by staying out. There's no call for cheap services here, save for chauffeurs and gardeners."

Many shuffled into Socialism with resigned resentment, considered it a business of "sign or starve." Explained one 40-year-old doctor: "I'm not keen on the service, but I can't afford to lose the capital I've sunk in my practice. I've got two boys to educate."

Six Minutes Each? The patients flocked in to register. Under previous schemes, 22,200,000 low-income people were en titled to free care; they were joined now by 14,500,000 more, a total of 36,700,000 out of a population of 41,460,000 in Eng land and Wales. (Separate but similar schemes started at the same time in Scot land and Northern Ireland.) Said one gleeful patient: "I've been paying my doctor ten shillings sixpence ($2.10) per visit twice a week. Now the fellow has to attend me for 15 bob a year!"

How would the Health Act work for the patients? It was too early to tell. But one doctor, figuring out how often his old patients fell ill, made a guess for those on his new list, decided that he could average six minutes to a patient.

* Titled: Social Insurance and Allied Services.

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