| Description Of Item | Each return lists the doctors for that division, both members and non-members. The returns record their name and address; age; marital status; kind of practice previous to the war (whole time public appointment or other); whether on service whole time or part time; offers of whole time and whether home or abroad; offers of part time and whether specialist, surgeon, physician or general practice; hours (morning, afternoon or evening); physically unfit for whole time service either home or abroad; and remarks. The majority of the dates are from the BMA Medical Department stamps on the documents.
The returns were sent in by divisions of the Scottish Committee of the British Medical Association in response to a request sent on 21st May 1915 and an effort to recruit another 400 medical men. When the Scottish Committee and the Emergency Committee realised that there may be a conflict of interests between recruiting doctors and ensuring civilian cover, the Scottish Committee handed over its information to the Emergency Committee (see Currie p27). |