31 Years ago
Canada to spurn foreign MDs
OTTAWA — Each year Canada opens its doors to 1,200 foreign doctors, a large proportion of them British. However, plans are afoot in the federal health ministry to slash the annual allotment to 200. Deputy Minister of Health Jean Lupien claimed Canada is "now self-sufficient in medical man-power." Ontario's health minister, Frank Miller, told the Toronto Star that he had floated the idea of stemming the tide of foreign-trained doctors to the feds earlier this year. Mr Miller argued that while Ontario currently takes in about 500 international doctors per annum, it only really needs about 70 of them. Sources: The Toronto Star 5 June 1975; The Times of London 19 June 1975.

39 Years ago
FDA probes banana peel 'high'
ATLANTA — Smoking banana peels has, almost overnight, become all the rage for beatniks, burnouts and college students. At least that's what the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) fears. The agency has responded to this curious fad by launching a federal investigation. Dr James L Goddard, the FDA Commissioner, fears that the skins may contain a "methylated form of serotonin" which leads to the smoker's 'trip' on banana peels. Enthusiasts describe the banana peel 'high' as mildly hallucinogenic and somewhat similar to marijuana. Source: The New York Times 5 April 1967.