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General PractitionerBorn in Manchester in 1922.
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Overview:
: Dr. Joe Needoff was a GP in an old-established Black Country practice from 1951 to 1989. He had a few, mainly elderly, patients with diabetes, but issued very few prescriptions for insulin and never saw a young person with diabetes. At first he had no nurse to help him, so did urine tests himself and, when he needed a chaperone, he called on his wife or another patient. The waiting-room was often crowded, as there was no appointment system. He saw no increase in diabetes throughout his career and had no diabetic clinic: ‘there was no necessity for it.`
There is also an interview with another Black Country GP, from one generation later, Dr. Richard Gee.
Please note that Overview relates to date of recording Thursday, October 18, 2007
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1 Joe Needoff trained at Manchester University Medical School from 1940 to 1946. His clinical training included ward rounds at Manchester Royal Infirmary led by consultants known as ‘honoraries’. [ 61 secs ] |  | 2 Patients with both Type 1 and Type 2 diabetes received all their treatment at the local hospital, but would come to him for prescriptions and for urine testing. [ 60 secs ] | |
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| 01 Salford. Father tailor, then owned factory & shops. Elementary school. Manchester Grammar. Manchester University Medical School 1940-46. | |
| | 02 Clinical at Infirmary – medical, surgery, midwifery – confinements in slums. Ward rounds led by ‘honoraries’ – unpaid consultants. Nightingale wards. Infection treated strictly. | |
| 03 Consultants had private practices. Pre-NHS, hospitals funded by voluntary contributions. Bandages re-used. Hospitals clean.
Physician treated adult diabetics only. Diabetes mentioned in lectures. Article in BMJ in mid-40s classified Type 1 & Type 2. | |
| | 04 House surgeon at Infirmary. National Service. Locum GP in Blackpool & Rochdale – no diabetes. 1951 - assistant to Black Country GP, Dr. Millington. Practice established 1896. | |
| | 05 Increased patients 5000 to 6000. No appointment system. Saturday surgeries. Alternated night duties. Less expertise, fewer drugs than now. Treated blood pressure with ‘red medicine’ & Phenobarbitone. | |
| | 06 20 to 40 visits per day – once 60. Never saw diabetic hypo or coma. Elderly patients’ urine tests – I boiled urine with reagent. No nurse – only district nurse. After Millington retired, new partner & I got part-time secretary & part-time nurse. | |
| | 07 Diabetics elderly. One man among first to have insulin. Woman’s urine tested red, but managed for years. Recommended diabetics to cut sugar. Scrounged slips from local hospital. Never saw young diabetic. Treatment at hospital – GP just for drugs. 1951 – no tablets, just diet or insulin. No increase in diabetes 1951-1989. | |
| | 08 Patients worked in mines, refineries (foundries), factories. Ate lots of carbohydrate. No malnutrition. | |
| | 09 Diphtheria in early years. Scarlet fever, measles. Miners had bronchitis. | |
| | 10 Miners had lung disease. Also worked as factory doctor – tested for lead & chrome poisoning. | |
| | 11 At first treated patients with diet, insulin, urine tests. Urine test strips replaced boiling. With ketones, sent to hospital. Occasional eye problems, rarely artery complications, no gangrene. Didn’t test eyes. | |
| | 12 At first, surgery building same as for years. Dispensary from pre-NHS time. A few private patients continued after NHS. Millington didn’t charge during Depression. Asked patient to chaperone – no nurse. | |
| | 13 Early 1950s, patients died of TB. Heart problem would now be cured by operation. Houses well-kept. I helped clear slums when on local council. | |
| | 14 After Millington retired, new partner & I divided consulting room in two. Later, wife & I moved out & surgery built round corner. Later newer surgery built. Wife acted as unpaid secretary, chaperone & telephone adviser. 3rd partner joined mid-60s. Never saw child with diabetes. | |
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-t.jpg "Manchester University 1945-6 (front centre)")
 Practice founder, Dr Baker-t.jpg)
 Doctor`s carriage outside what became Joe Needoff`s surgery-t.jpg)
