The last apothecary: Eric Knott (1896-1993) and 20th-century pharmacy in Scotland.

Eric Knott was the last Apothecary at the Royal Public Dispensary and the last Principal of the Duncan School of Pharmacy. He linked pre-war apothecary practice to post-war chemist dispensing. This paper tracks his career from the Duncan School of Pharmacy, transfer to Heriot-Watt College in 1936, to the close of the Royal Public Dispensary in 1963, when the premises were transferred to the University of Edinburgh. It draws on unpublished archival material and long unseen collections from National Museums Scotland to explore what Knott's career can tell us about the impact of new legislation and the introduction of the NHS on pharmacy in Scotland.

How many Epley manoeuvres are required to treat benign paroxysmal positional vertigo?

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the total number of Epley manoeuvres required to provide symptomatic relief to patients newly diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo. METHODS: This retrospective audit assessed every patient referred to the audiology department for investigations of their symptoms over a period of one year. Only patients diagnosed with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo confirmed via a positive Dix-Hallpike test result, with no suggestion of dual pathology, were included. RESULTS: Seventy patients with a positive Dix-Hallpike test result were identified. The total number of Epley manoeuvres required ranged from one to five. Thirty-three patients (47 per cent) were asymptomatic following one Epley manoeuvre. Eleven patients (16 per cent) needed 2 manoeuvres and 15 patients (21 per cent) required 3 manoeuvres for symptomatic control. CONCLUSION: Symptomatic control of benign paroxysmal positional vertigo was obtained following a single Epley manoeuvre for 47 per cent of patients. The majority of patients (84 per cent) experienced symptomatic improvement following three Epley manoeuvres.