1. Memoranda on the protection of hospital staff against tuberculosis issued by the Ministry of Health have been updated by the Department of Health and Social Security (DHSS).1'7 In October 1983 the Joint Tuberculosis Committee of the British Thoracic Society published its code of practice'9 on the control and prevention of tuberculosis, incorporating advice given in the DHSS health circular HC(78)3.'8 This is an important and welcome document which has been compiled with great care. The code recommends that staff at (©) BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL 1984. All reproduction rights reserved
2. Tuberculosis-epidemiology in England and Wales;V'H, Springett;BrMedJ,1972
3. The changing tubercle;Grange, J.M.;BrJf Hosp Med,1979
4. Asian immigrant tuberculosis-the effect of visiting Asia;McCarthy, O.R.;BrJ Dis Chest,1984
5. Alcoholism and tuberculosis;Caplin, M.; Rehahn, M.;Tubercle; Topics in Therapeutics No 4.) 6 British Thoracic and Tuberculosis Association. A survey of tuberculosis mortalits in England and Wales in 1968,1978