Points: Induced abortions after the Chernobyl accident

p 1411), recalling feelings of "too little, too late" at the King's Cross Station tragedy. This inadequacy is shared by many doctors when they are called to cope with incidents away from the bright lights and comfortable surroundings of the surgery or hospital. The British Association for Immediate Care (BASICS) was formed in an attempt to improve prehospital care for victims of road accidents and other disasters. It provides a forum and training for doctors interested in immediate care. In recognition of this need, par- ticularly for general practitioners, the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh has agreed to establish a diploma in prehospital care. BASICS doctors trained in the use of breathing apparatus were present at King's Cross but because of the inevitable delay in appreciating the size of the incident they were called some time later. They provided on site care and a site medical officer and subsequently searched the station with fire crews and helped certify and identify the dead. They too shared the feeling of grief but perhaps less the inadequacy. New members are always wel- come. At present there are only 2000 doctors in 70 immediate care schemes covering about one third ofthe United Kingdom.