699PROFESSORIAL WORK AND PAY IN EDINBURGH.

The discussion as to the choice of an operation for children,or when from any circumstance a small stone in the adult

has to be removed, is by no means closed. Much can be

urged on both sides. For such cases the perineal operationis simple and safe, whereas our modern experience of the"high" operation is but slight, and mainly gained under thecondition of a very large stone to be removed. But lookingto the danger and inconvenience resulting from any injuryto the neck of the bladder, and the proved safety of thesupra-pubic operation, it is probable that it offers us the

best means of removing even small calculi. This is particu-larly the case in children in whom the bladder is an

abdominal rather than a pelvic organ.To sum up, then, the position would seem to be fairly

stated as follows. For the removal of very large stones,such as are now generally reserved by lithotomy in adults,the supra-pubic operation is distinctly superior to the

perineal, being both safer and offering greater facilities forthe extraction of very large stones. For small stones which

are not removed by lithotrity the line of practice is lessclearly defined; but the "high" operation should be

thoroughly tested, as it appears to possess distinct advan-

tages over the "low." Distension of the rectum is useful

both in supporting and raising the bladder and in separatingthe peritoneum from the pubes, but care must be taken notto injure the bowel by too great distension.

DISCUSSIONS on medical education and legislation havemore than once exhibited our brethren north of the Tweed

in a very susceptible mood. If they have not exactlyresented criticism, they certainly have not courted it ;and anyone who has ventured to call in question theeconomical and scientific organisation of the Medical

Faculty in Edinburgh has not had an easy time of it. But

Scotch criticism of Edinburgh doinga must be free fromthe suspicion of jealous inspiration, and its accuracy cannotbe at fault for lack of local information. To such a criti-

cism on professorial work and professorial pay in Edin-burgh, the Scotsman of Friday, the 2nd inst., devoted noless than three columns and a half. Their perusal gives arude shock to the prevalent notions that science does notpay, and that scientific men are not good men of business.The times are admittedly hard, but if the Scotch professorshave ever heard of shrinkage of income, they certainly havenot realised it, if we are to judge from the Scotsman’s

ngnres. The clear income of the fortunate incumbent of

the Anatomy chair is in round numbers £3400, and his

physiological colleague nets about .62100. The summaryis very remarkable -Total income of chairs in medical

faculty, £26,628 ; total expenditure of chairs in medicalfaculty, £5180 ; total clear income of chairs in medical faculty,.621,330. Average clearincome—(1) Of five professors with-out practice £2200; (2) of seven professors with practice,.E1460. "Universities exist, not for the professors, but forthe public; and in the public interest it is desirable that theUniversity revenues should be employed in the way mostadvantageous to the students and to the community.Surely a gross income of .626,600 ought to maintain morethan twelve professors, no matter how eminent. If thatsum were paid into a common University chest, as has beenproposed, there is no doubt that wise and careful adminis-

trators could equip with it a medical faculty, not of twelve,but of twenty chairs at least, with the necessary comple-ment of assistants to each. There would also be in that

case an increase in the amount of research work done in

the University, which is at present shamefully small. The

shortcoming is due partly to the lack of research endow-ments, partly to the fact that the professors are too well off,and have a tendency-with a few notable exceptions-torest with their laurels, and to become indifferent to the

progress of science." These are not the expressions of anEnglish critic, but the ipsissima verba of the Scotsman.

Annotations." Ne quid nimis."

THE ELECTION OF PRESIDENT OF THEROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

IN answer to many inquiries respecting the forthcomingelection to the presidency of the Royal College of Physicians,we may repeat the statement we made last week, that wehave no doubt that Sir William Jenner, if elected, wouldconsent to serve for another year. There can be no questionthat at present, when important matters affecting the vitalinterests of the profession are pressing for solution, theoccupancy of the presidential chair by Sir William Jennerfor another year would be of the greatest advantage, notonly to the College of Physicians itself but to the whole

profession. -

"REST AND REPAIR IN LONDON LIFE.’

DR. ROBSON RoosB has followed up his article on " TheWear and Tear of London Life," which appeared in the

Fortnightly of February, with a paper on "Rest and Repairin London Life " in the number for April. The supplementis a pleasantly gossiping discourse on the best method ofself-management in view of the worry and waste which life.in society entails. There is much to interest the reader, andlikely to prove useful, in the advice offered. On one pointwhich may be specially noted Dr. Roose’s counsel is of greatimportance. Treating of the difficulties of digestion whichso commonly embarrass brain-workers, he directs attentionto the great need there is of recognising the absolute re-quirement of power to digest when food is taken. Thus:"Take the case of a man who, after a hard day’s work, sitsdown to dinner at eight or half-past, having taken a hastyand scanty lunch some hours previously. His sensationstell him that he is terribly in want of food, but they do notwarn him that he has little or no power of digestion left.He eats freely and rapidly, and one form of discomfort issoon exchanged for another. Digestion goes on very slowlyand the process is far from complete when bedtime comes.The sufferer is weary, but sleep is unrefreshing, and pro-bably broken by dreams or nightmare. He begins the suc-ceeding day weighted with the burdens of its predecessor."This is a true picture. The " power of digestion " is a neces-sity, and it is quite possible to be too much exhausted to takeadvantage of nutriment which has been too long withheld.The energy of recuperation may be itself impaired by whateverunduly exhausts the organism, and when this is at a low ebbthere will be difficulty in the process of recovery by digestionand assimilation. Dr. Roose thinks seven o’clock is quite lateenough for the dinner hour, and he would make the luncheona fixed meal. He also recommends half an hour’s rest beforedinner. This he believes would avert many of the troubleswhich are caused by taking food when the stock of nervousenergy necessary for digestion has been well-nigh exhausted."

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We allude to this point only, but Dr. Roose discusses with number of these ill-defined fever deaths in London in 1885much ability and in a practical sense most of the matters of were 82, against numbers declining steadily from 312 inmoment relating to the subject he has taken in hand. 1875 to 78 in 1884. Of these 82 deaths, 25 were merely

___. described as " continued fever," giving no assurance thatsome of them were not really cases of scarlet fever or even

HOSPITAL ISOLATION OF SCARLET FEVER IN of small-pox; only 13 were described as "simple continuedLONDON. fever"; 13 merely as "fever"; 7 as "febricula"; 9 as "low

IN the Reaistrar-Genera,l’s Annual Summnry of the vital fever"; 2 as " eruptive fever"; 2 as " simple fever"; and

statistics of London and other large English towns in 1885, 2 as "suppressed fever." The remaining 9 cases were

which has just been issu3d, attention is called to the fact described in as many different ways, such as infantilethat the mortality from scarlet fever in London has fever, exhaustive fever, acute specific febrile disorder, &c.

during the last fifteen year, been constantly below the There is no reason to doubt that the gradual decline in themean mortality in the whole country, while the London proportion of these ill-defined cases of "fever" will con-mortality from both maasles and whooping-cough has tinue, but in the meantime due account must be taken ofshown an excess almost as constant. Moreover, it is pointed this disturbing element when comparing the death-rateout that prior to 1871 London did not enjoy such comparative from enteric fever in recent years, as the registered numbersimmunity from epidemic scarlet fever, the mortality from of deaths from this disease are being constantly increasedthis disease being higher than the mean rate in the whole by the transference of deaths from ill-defined forms of

country. It is suggested that this recent markei decline in fever; while, on the other hand, the number of deaths

the mortality from scarlet fever in London may be to some incorrectly referred to typhus is as constantly decreasing.extent due to the increasing use of public hospitals for the -

isolation of cases of this disease. In support of this sugges- FOOD PRESERVATIVES.tion it is stated that 5 per cent. of all the deaths from scarlet FOOD PRESERVATIVES.

fever in London in 1878 were recorded in the fever hos- AN interesting paper was recently read by Messrs. Sulmanpitals under the control of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. and Berry before the Chemical and Physical Society of Uni-In the next three years, 1879-81, the proportion ranged versity College ; it was important also from its practicalbetween 7 and 8 per cent., in 1832 the percentage rose to 9 3, bearings on the preservation of foods, and especiallyin 1833 to 114, in 1831 to 16’4, and during last year 19.3 per milk. Their investigation, limited to the boracic, salicylic,cent. of the deaths from scarlet fever occurred in these hos- and benzoic compounds, proved that such substances as

pitals. This suggestion as to the cause of the persistently aseptin, glacialine, and boroglyceride owed their preservativelow death-rate from scarlet fever in London in recent years qualities almost exclusively to the free acid contained indeserves, as the Registrar-General remarks, the serious them. Boroglyceride contained 25 per cent. of the genuineattention of those engaged in the sanita.ry administration of boracic ether of glycerine, and 75 per cent. of free acid andour large towns. - glycerine in equivalent proportions. The true compound,

the ice-like solid, is immediately resolved into free acid andILL-DEFINED FEVER. glycerine by the addition of water, and this reaction probably

ATTENTION was recently called to the fact that during takes place when the true compound comes into contactthe ten years 1871-SO there were 25,643 deaths registered in with aqueous liquid or animal tissue. We agree with the

England and Wales from " simple continued fever," and that authors of the paper that the use of so much free boracic

under this heading are doubtlessly classed more than one acid is undesirable and injurious, especially as a preservativedisease. It may be useful to refer to this subject in order, of milk for children. Salicylic acid and salicylates are notif possible, to throw some light upon the true signification substances that can be used with impunity, and as theyof this heading. Prior to 1869 the certification of deaths appear to be useless as preservative agents, their rejectionfrom "fever" was so unsatisfactory that no attempt was is doubly necessary. Again benz)ic acid precipitates themade in the Ragistrar-Ganeral’s reports to separate even casein of milk. The best agent appears to be benzoate of

typhus from enteric or typhoid fever. The report for 1869 soda, which is tasteless when pure, is one-third more

gives 4231 deaths from typhus, 8659 from enteric fever, and powerful than boracic acid, and innocuous when taken in5310 under the heading then called "simple continued small quantities for prolonged periods.fever," which included all deaths from "fever" which could ———

not be placed under the other two headings. The "fever" LATE CLOSING IN WHOLESALE HOUSES.

heading in the Registrar-General’s reports prior to 1869 was LATE CLOSING IN WHOLESALE HOUSES.

somewhat unfortunately called " typhus," and there is no WHOLESALE traders have all along been the most steadyreason to doubt that the word "typhus" continued long opponents of the measure for reducing the working hours ofafter that date to be loosely used in medical certificates as a shopmen. They endeavour to defend their position by ageneric term for "fever." Medical certificates have, how- double argument. On the one hand, they seek to convinceever, much improved in this as in other respects in recent us that an occasional sudden influx of custom demands,years, and on reference to the last published annual report while it lasts, a prolongation of the period of daily work inwe find that only 963 deaths were referrad to the heading order to meet it, and that this cannot be obviated; on thenow called "simple and ill-defined fever," to which, as in 1869, other they would have us believe that, slack and busywhen the distinction was first introduced, all deaths from seasons taken together, the average duration of work bears"fever" are referred which cannot be classed either as typhus very lightly on the employed. With the former contentionor enteric fever. Thus, in 1869, 29 per cent. of all the deaths we do not now concern ourselves, though it must be obviousfrom "fever" were referred to "simple and ill-defined fever" that more men working within an allotted time will dofor want of definite description in the medical certificates; as much as fewer working overtime. With regard to thewhereas in 1883 the proportion of these ill-defined " fever" question of average daily occupation, there is apparentlydeaths had fallen to 12 per cent. It is not without interest much variation in the evidence of statistics. Some of ourto inquire how these fatal cases of ill-defined fever are readers have doubtless been struck with the announcement

described, and the Registrar-General’s weekly returns of Mr. Alderman Evans that seven and a half hours repre-throw some light upon this question, as cases of ill-defined sented the mean working day in most of the large warehousesfever in London are there referred to in detail. The in the City of London throughout the year. The statement is

701

a remarkable one. It may, as Mr. Evans maintains, find some of micro-organism. Other experiments to induce endocar-confirmation in the usage of the firm with which he is ditis after inhalation and subcutaneous injection of strepto-connected. We cannot accept it as generally applicable. cocci yielded negative results; but it was found that theIt is exceedingly difficult of reconciliation with the noto- rabbit can only bear inhalation of very small quantities,riously long working time in many similar establishments and it was doubtful if the micro-organism entered the bloodin seasons of pressing business, except on the supposition stream at all. Professor Orth, under whose direction thisthat for a great part of each year trade of a given research was undertaken at Gottingen, comments in anotherkind can hardly be said to exist. Callings which admit article upon the results obtained; they prove, he thinks,of so much leisure are fortunately few. Their influence that the term "disposition" is no empty one, the mechanicalcannot seriously affect the general course of corrective injury of the tissue laying it open to the attacks of thelegislation. Facts have, on the other hand, been adduced micrococcus which is deposited in the clots. The experi-by a writer in opposition to the above statement, which ments show also how slight may be the amount of injury.show that in certain large wholesale establishments young required to so lower the vital resistance of the tissue.boys are worked for five or six months a year from 7 or 8 A.M. -

till 10 P.m., and even till after midnight, during five days VACCINATION AND THE HOUSE OF COMMONS.an the week. Are we to understand that in houses of this kind no work at all, or next to none, is carried on during EXTRACTS from the 1884 Report by Dr. Buchanan, F.R.S.,the rest of the year? On no other theory can these con- to the Local Government Board on the subject of the

flicting facts be made to agree, and ordinary commercial Relation of Small-pox to Vaccination are being distributedpractice forbids this supposition. Should we even go so far by that Board to members of Parliament and others. The

as to admit that a low average may thus be attained, the convincing proofs which those extracts afford of the immenseproof in favour of late closing is still imperfect. It by no benefits conferred by primary vaccination on the infantilemeans follows that the stamina of youths, however robust, population, and by efficient revaccination on those of a moreshould be put to so severe a test as a strain of labour mature age, will, we trust, come with new force at a timecontinued for several months, and occupying every hour when the list of notices of motions in the House of Com-

during which recreation is ordinarily possible, save perhaps mons contain indications of attempts, more or less direct, tothose devoted to meals. deprive that class of our population which is alone unable

- -

to take care of itself of the greatest protective againstMYCOTIC ENDOCARDITIS. preventable disease which has ever been discovered. It

DR. WYSSKOWITSCH details the particulars of an experi- would be well for all who have the welfare of their fellow-

mental inquiry into the nature of ulcerative endocarditis men at heart to urge members of the House of Commons

(Virchow’s Archiv, 103, Heft 2), to which is prefixed an carefully to study these extracts before recording any vote

account of the histological examination of twelve cases of - on the vaccination question.- endocarditis in the human subject. Four of these cases

THE LEA AND RIVER POLLUTION.were chronic valvular thickening with calcification and THE LEA AND RIVER POLLUTION.

necrotic areas, surmounted by warty deposits of fibrin; in THE Parliamentary Committee appointed to inquire intofour others the vegetations were more or less vascularised the state of the River Lea sat again last week, and receivedat their union with proliferated endothelial layers (thrombo- the evidence of Major Flowers, the engineer of the Lea

’endocarditis); the ninth case appeared to be a chronic Conservancy Board, who gave an account of the steps takencondition of the preceding; the tenth and eleventh showed to abate nuisance. Major Flowers is reported to havepost-mortem oedema after chronic endocarditis, with, in one stated in the course of his evidence that he was of opinioncase, bacteria (undoubtedly saprophytes). Lastly, there that " no chemical process was of itself sufficient to bringwas a recent case of ulcerative endocarditis, which yielded sewage water up to a point of purity at which it mightabundance of micrococci on the valves, in the spleen and safely be restored to a state that would allow of drinking-,kidneys; on cultivation the micro-organisms had the cha- water to be drawn from it, or the state in which the riverracters of staphylococcus pyoDenes aureus. The experiments should be for the purposes of recreation." The Lutonwhich form the second part of his paper consisted in in- sewage, he said, had proved a difficulty, and at his suggestionflicting on rabbits an injury of the aortic valve by means had been dealt with by means of a sewage farm, but theof an instrument passed down the carotid artery; then effluent was impure, as it could not be freed from all the

injecting into a vein a few hours later cultures of various chemicals which were mixed with it. Major Flowers’

micro-organisms. It was shown that the operation of evidence as to the -general condition of the Lea in its

piercing the valve was well borne, and not per se followed several parts will be read with interest at a time like

by any pathological consequences; but that the inocula- the present, when there is indication of the reappear-tion was often productive of a malignant mycotic endo- ance of cholera in France. Above the first intake of

carditis upon the injured valve, with secondary metastasis, the New River Company the water was good-as far

;as in human ulcerative endocarditis. These positive results as river water could be good. Between Hertford and Ware,occurred when the inoculation was made with either of where the Manifold Ditch fell into one of the affluentsthe following micro-organisms : Streptococcus pyogenes, of the river, the appearance of the ditch-water was black

staphylococcus pyogenes aureus, and coccus sepsis (Nicolaier) ; and slimy; the black slime could be seen lying on bothbut the injection of micrococcus tetragonus and bacillus banks of the river, and a nasty smell was present. At

pneumoniœ had no such sequel. It was also found that the Cheshunt, above the East London Water Company’s intake,staphylococcus produced much inflammatory reaction and there was a great deal of pollution from sewage beingsuppuration, whereas the streptococcus, although causing pumped into the river. Sir Frank Bolton stated that hemuch more valvular deposit and more numerous infarctions, had analysed the water at the East London Water Company’shad no such severe action. The changes in the heart and works, and found but few traces of pollution; this hevesselswerenotlimited to thevalvespiercedbythe stylet; the attributed to the great volume of water; but the Eastmicrococci growing also on the mitral valve and aortic wall, London intake compared unfavourably with that of thewhich happened to be eroded by the passage of the instru- New River Company. Concerning the general questionment. It is therefore suggested that mycotic endocarditis of river pollution, we are informed that the Riversmay be of various forms depending upon different varieties Pollution Bill did not meet in the House of Commons with

702

the consideration that was expected, very much because patients was exceptionally large; it was brought about byMr. Hastings, who had charge of the Bill, was unavoidably an importation of small-pox, and it necessitated the pro-absent on the night it came up for the second reading. The vision of temporary buildings. Many authorities havestatements of the Attorney-General at the Mansion House objected that compulsion would be necessary to the propermeeting on the 10th ult. had led the Society which was use of such a hospital. This has been conclusively shown topromoting the Bill to assume that it had the approval of the be an erroneous view in the Official Report on the Use ofGovernment, and they were therefore much taken by Infectious Hospitals; and Dr. Alford’s testimony is in thesurprise at the course the Government subsequently adopted. same direction, for he states that he has not had occasion inIt was certainly unfortunate, under these circumstances, any case to resort to compulsory powers in order to securethat Mr. Hastings, who could have explained all its details, removal to the hospital. He admits what is well known-was not present.

- namely, that it is amongst the most ignorant and the

poorest that the greatest objection is found to accept theFORMATION OF MARSH GAS AND CARBONIC ACID means of isolation afforded by such a hospital. There is,

FROM CELLULOSE. however, no more powerful method of removing the igno-HoPPE-SEYLER has come to the conclusion that the rance which leads to this feeling than the provision of a

production of marsh gas is the result of a process of fer- hospital, every separate use of which has its educationalmentation of a very general character. He has examined a effect on the classes benefited by it. In Taunton some

large number of gaseous discharges taken from places where people use the building who desire to pay for the privilege,the water was pure but the soil contained several kinds of and X54 were thus reimbursed to the authority; but this

vegetable matter. It was found that marsh gas preponde- is only an incidental feature in the finances of the district,rated under such circumstances, more than half the volume the main point being that a vast sum in excess of the costof gas collected being composed of it; the remainder con- of isolating 205 cases of infectious disease was saved, whichsisting of nitrogen, hydrogen, and sometimes oxygen and would have been incurred if these cases had been left to dis-

carbonic acid. Warm weather increases the emanation of tribute infection in all directions.

gas from waterlogged soils. Observations on Lake Constance -

showed that temperature has far more influence than thecomposition of soil in the production of gas. The next step THE ISOLATION OF DIPHTHERIA IN THE

in the process of discovery is the source of the gas-the kind METROPOLIS.

of organic matter. There seems to be but little doubt that WE are informed that the managers of the Asylums Board,the cellulose of vegetables is the material source of the having been requested to receive cases of diphtheria intogases; vegetable remains anywhere deposited become humus their hospitals, and being precluded from doing so by thesubstances. If a glass flask, with drawn-out neck dipping orders under which their institutions are regulated, haveunder mercury, be filled with mud containing vegetable communicated with the Local Government Board on theremains and water, a mixture of gases may be obtained con- subject. Every year makes it more and more evident thatsisting of marsh gas, a large proportion of carbonic acid, the Metropolitan Asylums Board must become the principaland a little nitrogen, that soon disappears. This development Isolation Authority for London, and it must be clear to allof gas may go on for months, the quantity evolved varying who know how largely prevalences of diphtheria are duewith variations of temperature, though the total discharge to the spread of infection from person to person, that no,differs but little. In nature the carbonic acid diffuses rapidly such authority can fully perform the duties required of it,into the surrounding w’1ter, by which it may be dissolved, which does not arrange for the isolation of cases of that,or where the water is shallow, elaborated by plants, so that disease. The large amount of accommodation hitherto heldthe tension of carbonic acid on the surface of mud is always in readiness in London for the reception of cases of small-kept low. In spring, with its low temperature, the soil pox could easily be devoted to other infectious diseases,becomes coated with diatoms, decomposing the carbonic including diphtheria, now that small-pox is, with certainacid and favouring diffusion by their movements. Low forms exceptions only, to be at once removed to floating and landof plants displace the diatoms in the summer time. The establishments down the river.influences of this general process of gaseous evolution upon -

the life of organisms and on geological strata and lodes mustbe great indeed, and Hoppe-Seyler promises further infor- MEDICAL ORDINANCE, CANADA.mation from future investigations. THE following regulations relating to medical practice in

- the North-West Territories, Canada, were passed at the closeof last year by the North-West Council. The Ordinance

THE TAUNTON SANITARY HOSPITAL. No. 11, relating to medical practitioners, provides that anyTHE so-called Taunton Sanitary Hospital affords an person not registered according to the ordinance who prac-

example of the great utility of establishments provided by tises or professes to practise physic, surgery, or midwiferysanitary authorities for the isolation of cases of infectious in the North-West Territories for hire, gain, or hope ofdiseases. It was the result of joint action between the reward, or who advertises to give advice on these subjects,urban and rural districts of Taunton, and was ready for use shall upon summary conviction before a justice of the peacein 1879; accommodation being provided for the immediate be liable to a fine not exceeding$100; and any such personand simultaneous isolation of first attacks of at least two who takes or uses any name, title, addition, or descriptiondifferent infectious fevers in both sexes by means of twenty- implying or calculated to lead people to infer that he isfour beds, each having 144 feet of floor space and 2000 cubic recognised by law as a physician, surgeon, accoucheur, orfeet of air, together with ample means of ventilation. Each licentiate in medicine, surgery, or midwifery shall also beyear Dr. Alford issues a special report of the proceedings of liable to a similar fine, the burden of proof in such cases to,this institution, and he has been able to show, over and be upon the person charged. These penalties are recover-over again, how wise has been the expenditure which was able from March 1st. The following persons are allowed tooriginally incurred in erecting the buildings, as also that register under the ordinance :-(a) Persons residing andstill devoted to the maintenance of the hospital. During practising medicine &c. in the territories on December 18th

1885 no less than 205 cases were admitted, 166 coming from last who hold a medical degree, diploma, or licence from anythe urban and 39 from the rural district. The number of university, college, or corporate body in Her Majesty’s

703

dominions empowered by law to grant such degrees or colour of the surface over these nodes undergoes no change.licence, on payment of a fee of$5. (b) British subjects They are looked upon by the natives as pathognomonic ofresident in the territories who have been practising medicine the disease. The larger glands were not swollen in anytherein for one year previous to December 18th, 1885, who of the cases under observation. The sores secreted a con-

hold a medical degree, diploma, or licence from any univer- siderable quantity of pus. 3. The healing process commencessity or college in the United States whose curriculum after the sores have been open for some time, and it nearlydemands two years’ attendance at medical and surgical always begins at the spot which was first attacked. Granu-

lectures, which is authorised by law to grant such degree or lations arise having a papilliform appearance, and reach thediploma, on payment of a fee of$5. (c) Persons residing level of the skin or sometimes rise above it. These cica-and practising medicine in the territories for one year pre- trise usually under scabs, and if the latter are carefullyvious to December 18th last, who shall before December 18th, removed the cicatrices themselves are seen to have a papilli-1886, pass an examination before any two medical practi- form appearance. Between the healing points small dark-tioners, registered under the ordinance, appointed by the grey scabs appear, consisting of dust and dried pus, as mayLieutenant-Governor, on the subjects of anatomy, chemistry, be seen with the aid of a lens if they are treated withphysiology and materia medica, the principles and practice alcohol and water. These little scabs are so closely adherentof medicine, surgery, and midwifery, paying such examiners to the papillae of the healing sore, that even when verya fee of$10 each, receiving from them a certificate, and carefully removed with forceps the apices of the papillae arepaying a registration fee of$25. (<f) Persons who shall torn off and haemorrhage occurs to such an extent sometimeshereafter become residents of the North-West Territories as to require to be arrested. As the cicatrices harden the

possessing the qualifications set forth in sub-section a, on papillae become atrophied. The cicatrix is depressed, andpayment of a registration fee of$50. Fees payable under in the course of time becomes of a whitish appearance. Thethe ordinance go to the general revenue fund of the author believes that all the sores are developed from hairterritories.

___ follicles, their favourite seats being the wrists, the ankles,

-

the waist, the abdomen at the level of the waist, the fore-HOSPITALS AND THEIR CLAIMS. head, the neck, and the face; more rarely the supra-

WE are glad to see the Duke of Westminster and others, clavicular regions, the legs, the hands, the thorax, the backwho have it in their power to give great help to hospitals, and the shoulders. With regard to the causes of the disease,expressing themselves publicly in support of these institu- he thinks they are to be found in the all-pervading powderytions, which are places of hospitality and help to all-even sand, the heat, which throws a great deal of work on theto the rich when overtaken with accident, but mainly to cutaneous glands, the bites of insects, and the sudden varia-the poor. The public little know what generous service is tions between day and night. The treatment found by Dr.

given gratuitously and secretly to the poor by the members Suski to be most advantageous was to wash the sores with aof our profession, or they would be eager to share the service solution of corrosive sublimate of the strength of 1 to 1000,by such gifts as they can bestow. We quite casually heard and dressing them with a mercurial ointment. At a sub-

the other day of a senior physician of a northern metropolitan sequent stage a mixture of icdoform and alum was employed,hospital being consulted in the middle of the night by a careful and finally cauterisation with nitrate of silver.

house-physician about two urgent cases of poor children who -

had been brought in. With true humanity, the physician THE H JMES OF THE WINDSOR POOR.lef this bed and home and went to see the cases for himself.

THE steps which are being taken to improve the sanitaryIt is facts of this sort that we commend to the consideration condition of those parts of Windsor which were described0 those W h o-no t f rom want t 0 heart, but t f rom want t 0 f con 1 IOn 0 loSe par s 0 . m i w IC were escrl , eof those who-not from want of heart, but from want of 1 last year at much length in our columns are necessarilythought-leave the problem of hospital support to hospital slow, but we have reason to believe the diffi3alties are not

physicians and committees, as if some secret manna and corn- slow, but we have reason "’" to believe the dIffillltles are notinsurmountable. Two distinct lines of action are required :Portable beds fell down from heaven into these institutions, the first 1 the demolition of the unhealthy houses andwhere the poor have the advice and i -n they cannot t- the first involves the demolition of the unhealthy houses andwhere the poor have the advice and skill they cannot buy. the clearing of the site ; the second, the reconstruction r

were the e poor have th e ad vice and sk ill they cannot buy the clearing of the site; the second, the reconstruction ot&mdash;&mdash;&mdash; proper homes for the working classes. To attempt to erect

THE PEND-JEH SORE. these on the site of those which are demolished would pro-bably involve a larger expenditure than would make a

DR. SUSKI, while on duty with his regiment in the neigh- reasonable pecuniary return; but money invested in thisbourhood of Merv, describes in the Vrach (No. 9, 1886) what manner gives to a town an improved healthiness, diminishesis known in that locality as the Pend-jeh sore, which, he sickness amongst those who at such times become a chargesays, attacks nearly all persons who live or stay in the upon the ratepayers, and therefore it is unfair to look forneighbourhood of Pend-jeh. His description is unfortu- more than a small rate of pecuniary interest on the moneynately limited to the naked-eye appearances, as he was un- invested. There is, however, no reason why the schemeprovided with microscopical apparatus. He divides the for improving Windsor should necessitate the erectiondisease into three stages. 1. A red spot appears, about the of houses in the immediate locality of Bier-lane ; Windsorsize of a millet-seed, which gradually increases to that of a is not so large that it would inflict a hardship on thepea or larger, in the centre of which a hard papule de- residents of that part of the town if they were expectedvelops, which suppurates, bursts, and forms a primary to occupy houses a short distance away, and where landsore, affecting the whole thickness of the skin, of a circular for building could be had at a much lower cost than theshape, about the size of a hemp-seed, with a dirty base and site which is cleared. We understand that the Corpora-precipitous edges. 2. The sore enlarges, and close to it a tion would not be unwilling to entertain a scheme for layingsecond develops in the same way as the first, which, in its out a road which would pass right through the unhealthyturn, is succeeded by others; these run together in groups, area, and which would lead to the demolition of some offorming compound sores of the size of a five-kopeck-piece- the worst buildings; but if the Corporation were to adopti.e., of a penny-or even larger still. These affect the whole this course, there is no reason why the duty of buildingthickness of the skin, and have vertical edges and swollen suitable houses for the inhabitants who are displacedcircumferences, and are of a red colour. In addition to the should not be undertaken as a matter of private enter-sores, small enlargements appear in the thickness of the skin of prise by those who wish Windsor well. We do notthe limbs, having the general direction of the lymphatics. The think there would be any lack of funds for this purpose

704

if the Queen were to give expression of approval to this and to send the quondam cripple on his way rejoicing. The

plan. We are convinced that any measure which promises General’s mathematical proficiency has here stood him inbenefit to Her Majesty’s poorest subjects will have the excellent stead, with results that, gratifying as they emi-Queen’s sympathy, and nothing but her great influence is nently are, must be more than needed to sustain him in facerequired to set in motion those who would gladly devote of the mitrailleuse of mendicancy with which the charitabletheir efforts to carrying out her wishes. Englishman is in Latin countries assailed. A narrative of

&mdash;&mdash;&mdash; the consequences he has incurred by his " craze for cripples,"ALLEGED DEATH FROM HYDROPHOBIA. and of the experience he is -daily acquiring in turning the...

flank of the begging-letter writer, concludes in a vein of’AN inquest was held on April 3rd by Mr. Braxton Ilicks, humorous melancholy his seventh year’s record of assist-

at the Parish Offices, Putney, touching the death of Hannah ance in setting lame Italy on its legs.Phillips, aged fifty-five. The deceased seemed in good healthuntil March 27th, but then complained of faintness and a

&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;

choking sensation. On the following day she seemed to ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.have " hysterics," which came on "whenever a drinking ON April 3rd tha annual festival dinner in aid of the fundsvessel was shown to her." Death occurred on March 30th, of St. Mary’s Hospital was held at the Albion Tavern, theafter paralysis had set in. At the post-mortem examina- - Right Hon. the Lord Mayor presiding. From the report oftion the pharynx and spinal cord were found much con- the Secretary it appeared that the working of the past.gested, the blood fluid, and inside the lower lip were some financial year had left a deficit of &pound;6380, which was ac-abrasions, which, on the evidence of Dr. Walker, were of counted for partly by increased expenditure incurred by the"uncertain age. Now the deceased had a pet dog with one opening of new wards, and partly by a falling off intooth, and it was suggested to her that she might have been legacies. From want of funds the authorities of the hospitalbitten by the dog, but this she denied. In consequence of were unable to open the large accident ward of the newthis suggestion, probably, she seems to have taken a dis- Mary Stanford wing. Owing, however, to the public spiritlike to her old companion and bedfellow, the said dog. and munificence of Mr. J. D. Allcroft, the governors hadDr. Walker was of opinion that the cause of death was

been enabled temporarily to overcome the latter difficulty.hydrophobia, but as there was some doubt on this head

This gentleman has endowed the new wing for two years.the inquest was adiourned in order ta enable the police.... r &pound;2000 per annum. We sincerely trust that thethe inquest was adjourned in order to enable the police, at cost of &pound;2000 per annum. We sincerely trust that theunder whose care the dog had been placed, to report on the step taken by Mr Allcroft will be followed in regardi state of its health. We must confess we are sceptical on the e to other charities by the possessors of wealth in the matter. Some of the symptoms of the deceased read un- metropolis. There is

.

no reason why any one of ourcommonly like those of angina pectoris&mdash;a condition, by the general hospitals should be crippled in its usefulnessway, rare in the female sex. To our minds the post-mortem for want of supplies. We maintain that money spent signs are too equivocal to form a reliable basis for a conclusion on our public medical institutions is well laid out, foras to the real cause of death. We shall look forward with

it gives to the suffering poor such aid in their affliction and curiosity and interest to the fate reserved for the dog, whose infirmities as can be obtained in no other way. More. .. -.,.,. infirmities as can be obtained in no other way. Morereputation may be considered to be under a cloud." than this, it decreases the rates by checking the influx uponreputation may be considered to be " under a cloud."

than this, it d ecreases the rates b y checking the influx upon-

workhouses and workhouse infirmaries. Dean Swift, whenTHE BEAUFORT LIM3 ABROAD. preaching on behalf of a charity, found, to his chagrin, that the,

"THERE will come a time," says General H. H. Maxwell morning’s collection fell short of the anticipated and desiredn his Seventh Report on Arms and Legs in Rome, " when total. On being informed that it would be advisable to

the peg-leg will be as dead as the dodo," and the rapidity was long enough to weary his hearers the one in the morningwith which the Beaufort limb is finding favour in Europe waa long enough to weary his hearers and tighten theirpurse-more than justifies the prediction. The last Bulletin strings, the celebrated divine decided to act on the the poorTrimestriel, the organ of the Count’s own charity, " L’As- He took for the text the and with characteristic piquancysistance aux Mutil&eacute;s pauvres," teems with evidence of the lendeth to the Lord, and know characteristic you likegood effected by the rehabilitating invention-of bread- added, " Now, my friends, you know the terms-it you like

winners saved to themselves and their families, of the dread the security, down with the dust. We heartily recommendof amputation minimised, and of the army of labour re- to our altering the study of Dean Swift’s racy address.

inforced. Science is thus made to walk hand in hand with Slightly altering a saying of Mr. C. H. Spurgeon, embodyingbenevolence, and the almsgiving public, in subscribing to a proposItIon and an appeal, we would venture to remark tothe charity, have the comforting assurance that here at the affluent, " The poor are your children; you will not letthe charity, have the comforting assurance that here at them starve."least their bounty is not wasted. From France the limb them starve.

&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;

has won its way to Holland, where General de Stuers, ably THE PREPARATION OF WHEAT FLOUR.seconded by Count de Limbourg Stirum, has founded a THE PREPARATION OF WHEAT FLOUR.

society for providing it to all deserving applicants. Of all ANY reform which aims at improving the quality ofCount Beaufort’s lieutenants, however, the earliest in the bread must be of general and professional interest. Latefield and the most successful in action has been General years have seen considerable changes in this direction.

Maxwell, whose annual reports of the charity in Italy are They have witnessed the reduction to something like itslooked forward to, not only for their record of substantial true place in public esteem of mere colour as a test ofservice done, but for the dramatic interest of their details and nutritive value. People think less of the white loaf thantheir pleasant vein of style. The report just issued-the of yore; it is not now the unique model of perfection inseventh-is, except perhaps the first, the most interesting he bakery that it was once too readily taken to be. There ishas put forth, as showing, inter alia, how effectively he has more respect for its brown wheaten fellow; and while weovercome the crucial difficulty of securing perfect coinci- are not prepared to admit without reserve all the excel-dence between the joint of the artificial and the joint of the lencies which have been claimed for the latter, we maynatural leg. He can thus from Rome, with absolute cer- fairly allow that it deserves to rank as a food of highlytainty that there will be no misfit, supply M. Werber in nutritive efficacy. The principle which preserves in the

Paris with measurements which enable that accomplished bran, with its nitrogenous, fatty, and saline constituents,

mechanician to furnish the required limb in a few weeki’1, some of the best constituents of wheat, is on the whole a.

705

sound one. Its one objection is the inseparable association these columns must be repeated. No practitioner shouldof irritating siliceous matter, which often precludes its free sign a certificate unless he be compelled by the strongestuse among the sick, and in any case requires that the grain force of circumstances to do so, and in the doing of this actshould be ground with more than usual care. This fact also he should bear in mind that he exposes himself to peril ofplaces somewhat of a restraint upon the consumption of such annoyance, if not of injury, and should make his arrange-bread even by the healthy. Among various methods which ments accordingly. ___

have been devised in order to meet this difficulty, ourhave been recall in order to meet this difficulty, our DRAINAGE OF IDIOPATHIC INTRA-CRANIALreaders will recall that of D&eacute;ge-Mouri&egrave;s, which, by pre- ABSCESSES.serving the inner envelope while removing the outer ABSCESSES.

coverings of the grain, succeeded in retaining most of what THE evacuation of traumatic abscesses of the brain has’was nutritious in the bran with comparatively little long been a recognised procedure, and has met with a fairindigestible or irritant matter. A revival of this mode of measure of success. Recently Mr. Hulke has endeavouredpreparation has lately been described by Mrs. K. J. Dance to extend this practice to idiopathic abscesses within thein a little paper on bread-making. The authoress claims for cranium. A few months ago a man was admitted into the-her system that it is both more efficient and more expedi- Middlesex Hospital, under Dr. Cayley, suffering from coma,tious than other processes now in use. Respecting its which had supervened upon a long-standing purulentproper place among such we need not now express an discharge from the ear. There were no localising symptoms.opinion, but the soundness of the theory on which it is Mr. Hulke trephined the skull in the lower part of thebased at all events j ustines the claim put forward that it temporal fossa, and by means of a director explored the’should be fairly tested as to its practical value. temporo-sphenoidal lobe, without result. The operation

- was unattended with ill-results, but after the patient’s.THE GENERAL HOSPITAL JERSEY. death, a few days later, an abscess was found in the cere-

’ ’

bellum. Quite recently a woman was under Dr. Cayley’sTHE lamented death of Mr. Godfray of Jersey leaves a care with similar history and symptoms, and intra-cranial

vacancy in the General Hospital. This hospital is an im- suppuration was diagnosed. Mr. Hulke determined to

portant institution, being the hospital for all Jersey, which explore the brain. In this instance he made an aperture inhas a population of 60,000. Hitherto all the work has been the cerebellar fossa of the occipital bone, and through adone by only one officer. It is felt almost universally by small incision in the dura mater he passed a directormembers of the profession in the island that this arrange- through the cerebellum in all directions, but withoutment is indefensible. It is not in the interest of the poor striking an abscess. Finding that the symptoms werethat one man should be responsible for so much medical, unrelieved, he subsequently trephined the temporal fossa,surgical, ophthalmic, and other special work as is implied ; and opened an abscess in the temporo-sphenoidal lobe. Westill less is such an arrangement in the interest of medical believe these cases will be duly reported to one of thescience and art. Accordingly a petition has been forwarder Medical Societies. They mark an important advance into the States, and a letter to the Jersey Hospital Committee, cerebral surgery, but further comments upon them must beon behalf of nearly all the registered practitioners of the deferred until all the facts are before us.island, praying that hereafter the hospital should be officered, -

as are all similar institutions in England and on the Con- THE BELGIAN MINERS.tinent, by a staff composed of two physicians, two surgeons, .

one physician for the treatment of women and children, AT the first International Congress of Hygiene held inand one for ophthalmic and aural cases. We do not doubt Brussels, under the Presidency of the King of the Belgians, inthat the States and Hospital Committee will agree to some 1876, the condition of the men, women, and children whosuch arrangement as this. The public as well as the poor work in the coal-mines of the Low Countries was denouncedhave a direct interest in making the work of the hospital as as opposed to the claims of humanity, the laws of health,.efficient as it can be made. By enlarging the staff the work and the general security of the community ; the Belgianwill be better done, and all the advantages of a higher culti- Academy of Medicine fifteen years ago pleaded the cause ofvation of hospital work will accrue to the general population. the mining population; and medical men and sanitary

- reformers generally have pointed out the irreparable moral

WILMER v. AYLWARD AND OTHERS. and physical injury done by allowing children of both.sexes to work promiscuously in coal-mines. In spite, how-

NOTHING of interest to members of the medical profession, ever, of all these earnest protestations, the Legislature ofas such, arises out of this suit, beyond what may attach to Belgium has done little or nothing to protect those who bythe proof that the question of b(Jnafirles, while all-important, hard necessity were compelled to sacrifice every considera-is not in itself sufficient to protect any person acting under tion for the sake of a slight addition in the weekly wages..the provisions of the Lunacy Acts. It is true that the earned by miners’ families. Up to the year 18S4 the workquestion left to the jury was whether the medical men had in mines was regulated by an old law dating back to 1813,given their certificates "falsely and negligently," and, inas- which only stipulated that no children under ten yearsmuch as they did neither, they escaped censure; but the should be allowed to work underground. In April, 1884,.relieving officer, who admittedly acted in good faith, was however, a police regulation, which received Royal ap-mulcted in a comparatively heavy sum for damages because proval, was issued forbidding boys under twelve years andhe caused the patient to be removed to the workhouse, girls under fourteen years from working in mines. This of’either negligently or under a wrong impression. No increased course is an improvement, though still an insufficient pro-sense of security, or perhaps we ought to say diminished tection. The present adult population, however, has worked,sense of insecurity, can result from the decision in this under the old law, and consequently experienced all itscase The fact remains that medical men sign certificates degrading, moral, and physical influences. The men andat their peril, and until the law is changed they must women are inevitably brutalised by unceasing toil, varied’continue to do so. Whether the Bill now before the Lords, by the hardships of the semi-starvation that denotes periods- if by any strange freak of fortune it should pass the of depression. The day’s work varies from ten to fifteen,Commons and become law-will &deg;place matters in a more hours ; the wages, never high, have now fallen to at mostsatisfactory condition remains to be seen. We heartily 2s. 6d. a day for the fully qualified adult miner; but workhope it may, but meanwhile the counsel so often given in is at present rarely obtained for more than four days in

706

seven, so that the head of the family only earns about 10s. any but the smallest duties. The vestry are themselvesa week ; he is therefore anxious that his wife and children responsible for the removal of house refuse; they are

should increase this amount, and, though the youngest may permitted by law to depute the duty to other people,not go down in the mine, they can work on the surface even but they cannot acquit themselves of the responsibility, andat the tender age of seven. Living is cheaper in Belgium the law which permits the scavenger to be fined for neglectthan in England, but the difference is not sufficient to should also make the vestry liable to penalty if they in theirenable the miners to live decently on such meagre wages. turn omit to exercise due supervision over his actions. TheThe women and children very generally work for 5d. a day, householder is absolutely in the power of this incapableso that the financial advantage which is supposed to atone body; he is not allowed under penalty to relieve his house-for the ruin of home life is very slender. If to these con- hold of a standing danger by authorising any but thesiderations we add the unwholesome nature of the toil in the vestry’s contractor to remove his dust, and if he should

damp and often poisonous atmosphere of coal-mines, it will deposit it in the road he is liable to prosecution by the police;not be difficult to explain the deplorable outburst of violence he is, moreover, compelled to pay heavy rates to the vestry,which has so recently shocked Europe. Where the Belgian yet the only remedy he has against this body is that of com-workmen are well organised-as, for instance, at Ghent, plaint. The almost hopeless task of reconstituting the localwhere the light of education has elevated the toiling masses- authority so as to make the interests of the ratepayer superiorthere has been no violence, and the strikes, when they break to the interests of the contractor is too slow to be dependedout, are conducted in an orderly manner. But where there on, and under these circumstances we would gladly see house-is no organisation, no education, and the population has holders agreeing to adopt the course which has been indi-degenerated physically through the exposure of women and cated by Mr. Cooke in his reply to Dr. Edis; but even thischildren to excessive labour and insufficient food, reason loses method will only assist individuals, and the only remedy forits control over the body politic, and human beings are apt the parish as a whole worth the name is for the vestry notto act as herds of wild animals. to trust to contractors, but to undertake the duty them-

___

selves. ___

HYDROPHOBIA AND THE DOG REGULATIONS. "DEATH FROM IRRITANT POISONING."FRESH evidence of the value of the practice of muzzling SUCH was the verdict of a coroner’s jury recently em-

dogs as a precautionary measure against hydrophobia comes panelled at Chesterton, Hunts, to inquire into the cause offrom Vienna. The muzzling of dogs was practised there death of two children aged six years and sixteen monthsfrom 1879 to 1883, and during those years the number of respectively. From the evidence it appears that thecases of hydrophobia officially known was respectively deceased, their mother, and another child were taken sud-26, 23, 38,5, and 2. In the year 1884 muzzling was abolished, denly ill after partaking of the same food. Dr. Stevensonand during that year 93 cases of bites from mad or suspected of Guy’s Hospital failed on analysis to detect any trace ofdogs are said to have been notified. It would be interesting, poison, but he laid stress on the fact that a number ofand would add to the value of the statement, if the number people were similarly and simultaneously affected. Theyof cases of hydrophobia resulting from these bites were had all eaten some food prepared from flour obtained bygiven. The very noticeable fall in the figures, however, grinding some "dressed wheat," but there was no evidencefrom 38 in 1881 to 5 and 2 in the following two years bears to show that the dressing, usually arsenical, had caused thewitness to the usefulness of these precautionary measures. symptoms. The flour was dark in colour, and the starchIn Prussia by means of muzzling the number of cases of granules were all formed, or had been deformed, by damphydrophobia are said to have been reduced to a minimum. and subsequent drying. May it not have been that theWe trust that ,the new Chief Commissioner of Police, wheat contained an admixture of seeds of some poisonousSir Charles Warren, will in this matter continue the wise plant? We are not aware whether or not any other personspolicy of his predecessor, for even were it proved beyond than those mentioned above partook of the food. This is an

the shadow of a doubt that the bite of a rabid animal could important point for consideration. In any case, the fact is

be rendered incapable of conveying hydrophobia, or that worth noting that, with the aid of the highest skilled evi-the dire disease itself was a curable one, the clearing of the dence, a coroner’s jury have found that two children havestreets of London of ownerless and wandering curs would died from irritant poisoning without any poison havingstill be a boon to citizens, and an act of mercy and kindness

been detected by chemical and physical tests.

to the wretched animals. -

-

A NOBLE ACT.MARYLEBONE " DUST." ONE of the latest, if not the latest, of the applicants

IF further evidence were required of the disgraceful con- for the benefits of M. Pasteur’s assistance is Mr. Harris,dition of this parish with regard to the neglect of the a student of Charing-cross Hospital. Courage and self-sanitary authority to remove house refuse, it is to be found devotion are virtues so frequently, we might indeed say soin the report of the last meeting of the Marylebone vestry, constantly, practised by members of our profession, thatwhen a letter from the newly-appointed dust contractor they come to be looked upon as commonplace and of every-was read. The contractor stated that when he entered upon day occurrence unless occasionally attention be drawn tohis contract a few days ago, his foreman was given 273 them. Mr. Harris was taking luncheon at the restaurant ofcomplaints from householders of non-removal of dust, while the Grand Hotel, when a dog which appeared affected withthe total number he had received in five days was 945; rabies attacked a lady there present. Mr. Harris seized thethere was hardly a house which was not full of dust, and he animal by the throat and got it safely out of the building,was compelled to send out extra carts. A more discreditable but in trying to twist his chain round him to render himcondition it is difficult to imagine, and a more frivolous incapable of inflicting injury, the young man, although theexcuse-the death of the hall porter, who received com- dog was muzzled, received a bite. He started on the next

plaints-it is impossible to conceive. That the most impor- day with a friend to place himself under M. Pasteur’s care,tant part of the scavenging arrangements of a large and for the dog, being taken to the Battersea Home, died ofwealthy parish should be disorganised through the rabies. We hope, whether by M. Pasteur’s inoculation ordeath of a person in this position is evidence of the by the percental immunity of bitten persons, Mr. Harrisfailure of vestry government to undertake successfully will not suffer for his bold and generous intervention

707

GAMBETTA’S BRAIN. as substitutes for a confrere who is ill or on hia

AT a recent meeting of the Anthropological Society of holiday. This does not, however, hinder his making

Paris a report by M.M. Duval and Chudzinski was read on arrangements with some of them to attend his patients.

the brain of M. Gambetta. The third frontal convolution was 4. A practitioner absent or ill will notify to his confr&egrave;res thetime when he will resume his practice, and they will imme-highly developed, the upper part of it being reduplicated. time when he will resume his practice, and they will imme-Reference was made to the brains of persons of low in-

diately send him a list of the patients they have attended,Reference was made to the brains of persons of low in-

telligence, and also to the prominence of Broca’s convolution with any information they may consider desirable. 5. It is

in the brains of Wulfert, the lawyer, and Ilaber, the a point of honour with a practitioner not to retain patients

philosopher, described by Rudinger. In each of these latter belonging to a confrere who is ill or absent. 6. Another

savants, who were remarkable for their dialectical and duty of the practitioner is to abstain from expressing an

rhetorical ability, the convolution was more wavy and unfavourable opinion of, and from making unkind insinua-

complex than in ordinary brains, this being especially tions about, the treatment employed by a co24fi-i-a who has.marked at the base, but there was no reduplication at the preceded him. 7. A practitioner who succeeds another must

upper extremity of the convolution, as in Gambetta’s. In not permit himself to accept a lower visiting fee than his

the present case there were other indications that the brain predecessor. 8. The consultant cannot succeed the practi-was not that of an ordinary person. The right quadrate

tioner in charge until he has informed him in writing of the

lobe was very complicated, and divided into two parts by distinct wish declared by the patient that he should do so.a furrow branching off from the occipital fissure. Of these

9’ The practitioner should leave to the patient the choice of

two parts, the inferior was divided into several little con- a consultant and accoucheur, and should not depart fromvolutions by a furrow with numerous stellate branches.

to name one himself. 10. The only practitionaer with whomThe occipital lobe was very small, especially on the right to name one himself. 10. The only practitioner with whom

side. Altogether the brain had a peculiarly fine appearance, a consultation may be declined is one who is excluded from

due to its great and somewhat diagrammatic regularity, the Association.

&mdash;&mdash;&mdash;

especially in the frontal region. The weight is to be dis- HYSTERIA IN SOLDIERS.cussed in a future paper. &mdash;&mdash;&mdash; DR. A. T. OZERETSKOVSKI describes in the Russian

PROFESSOR PETTIGREW LL.D. Medical Review a whole series of cases of hysteria oc-

THE University of Glasgow has conferred the honorary curring in soldiers, presenting nearly all the phenomena

degree of LL.D. on the Chandos Professor of Medicine of usually associated with this affection as it occurs in females

St. Andrews University, in recognition of his many labours -dumbness, ’ . deafness, deaf-mutism, various disturbance&

in science and medicine. Few men of our day have more of vision and of general condition, spasms and paralyses,

worthily won this honourable recognition our day Pettigrew, troubles connected with micturition, joint trouble, eleva-

His works on the " Valves of the Vascular System," on the tions of temperature, &e. The subsequent history of the

"Muscalar Tunics of the Heart," on the "Ganglia and cases in most instances left no doubt of the correctness ofNerves of the Heart," and, above all, his researches on the the diagnosis. Predisposition and heredity played injuryNerves of the Heart, and, above alL his researches on the part in the etiology, and in some instances there was injury

various modes of night, with his discovery of the him or shock. Half the patients were recruits, which tends tofamous figure of 8 and wave theories of fiying, place him show that the sudden change from domestic life and workamongst the most advanced scholars and original investi- to the arduous conditions of military service is not without gatorsofourday. We wish him long life for the enjoyment effect on the nervous condition of the Russian soldier. Theof this the latest of his many well-earned distinctions, and treatment of the hystero-epileptic cases was always un-for the continued pursuit of his useful and valuable labours. successful, neither water, electricity, nor narcotics appear-

-

ing to exert any influence over the frequency or severityOVERCROWDING OF THE PROFESSION, AND of the attacks. The cure of the paralytic forms of the

MEDICAL ETHICS. disease was successfully accomplished by means of exercise,COMPLAINTS are frequently made in the Belgian medical gymnastics, &c. &mdash;&mdash;&mdash;

journals of the overcrowded state of the profession in that THE LATE MR. FORSTER, M.P.kingdom, and of the frequency of serious breaches of ’ .

medical etiquette to which this gives rise. It is stated that THE medical profession has lost by the death of Mr. W. E.during the present year more than 200 students will be Forster one of the few members of the House of Commons

qualified and will have to seek to form practices for them- who have taken a broad and comprehensive view of the needselves, at the expense, of course, of established practitioners. of reform in the profession, both for its own sake and forIn order to minimise the temptations to irregular and that of the public. In the past he had proved himself a true

undignified methods of obtaining a clientele, it is strongly friend, and we most sincerely regret that he has not been

urged that eerdes, or local medical associations, should be spared to witness in a future which as yet seems some-formed wherever they do not already exist. It seems that what " dim and distant " the accomplishment of a truer

a powerful and useful association has been for some time and more satisfactory medical reform than appears probableestablished in Verviers, and this is held up by Le Scalpel, at present. -

one of the leading Belgian medical journals, as a suitable THE GROCERS’ COMPANY AND PATHOLOGICALmodel on which other associations may be formed. Its RESEARCH.rules, which have been largely borrowed from an older rtbo .

association at Antwerp, are as follows :-1. A practitioner Two lectures will be given next week in the theatre ofsummoned to a patient already under treatment cannot the University of London by gentlemen who have beenattend until the confr&egrave;re previously in attendance has been engaged as " Research Scholars" of the Grocers’ Company ininformed. If this has not been done he must propose a con- pathological investigations. The first of these will be onsultation. 2. A practitioner called to a case of emergency Tuesday next, at 5.30 P.M., when Dr. Wooldridge will give .

occurring in a patient already under treatment should con- an account of several important discoveries of great patho-fine himself to giving such assistance as is necessary, and logical interest as to the Coagulation of the Blood. Theshould leave a copy of his prescription for his confi-bre. second lecture will be given on Thursday by Mr. Lingard3. All the members of the association engage to act on the Etiology of Typhoid Fever.

708

M. PASTEUR’S INOCULATIONS.

AT the extraordinary meeting on the 4th inst. of theAccademia Medica di Roma, under the presidency of ProfessorGuido Baccelli, the discussion on the new method in hydro-phobia was resumed by Dr. Marchiafava, who was followedby Drs. Brunelli, Carruccio, Colasanti, Durante, Scalzi,Gualdi, Bastianelli, and Piermarini. Dr. Carruccio’s con-tribution to the debate had the special merit of callingattention to the important experiments on the nature andtreatment of hydrophobia conducted in 1810 by the ablephysician, Dr. Agostino Cappello of Tivoli. The proceedingscame to a close with a resolution, unanimously voted, to thefollowing effect :" The Academy has decided to send toParis a competent representative to study the Pasteurmethods. With this object it empowers the President toask for the necessary funds from the Ministries of theInterior and of Public Instruction, and from the Muni-cipality." The next number of the Bollettino will contain arevised report of the discussion.

ARMY MEDICAL SCHOOL.

SIXTY surgeons on probation for the British Medical

Service, and sixteen for the Indian Medical Service, metat Netley on the 1st inst. to attend the summer session ofthe Army Medical School. The introductory lecture wasdelivered on the following day by Professor Boyes Smith,who drew largely from his wide field of Indian experiencefor the subjects of his discourse. The talented lecturer, inthe course of his address, paid a very eloquent tribute to thevaluable services of his predecessor in the chair, ProfessorMaclean, in advancing tropical medicine, and dwelt withmuch feeling on the kind and ready help the Professor hadafforded him when entering upon his new sphere of duty inthe school. The large number of seventy-six surgeons sent togo through the present session has caused some difficulty inproviding the necessary accommodation, and a certain pro-portion have been lodged in different houses in the adjoiningvillage of Netley. -

iMMORAL CONDITION OF THE LONDON STREETS.

THE committee appointed by the London Diocesan Con-ference to investigate and report on this important subjecthas not been able to add to the information already pos-sessed, nor, so far as we can see, to make any useful

suggestion. It is no reflection on the ability and energy of :the committee to pronounce this judgment on the result ofits labours. As a matter of fact, there is not much room forfurther inquiry, and there would seem to be little chance ofgood being done by directing attention to the subject. Thecommittee is of opinion " that the continental system of a’police des moeurs’ would not commend itself to Englishfeeling." Until something of this sort is adopted in Englandthere is practically no hope of amendment.

UNQUALIFIED PRACTICE AT SHEFFIELD.THE Sheffield Coroner has been making some very proper

remarks on the subject of unqualified practice, in connexionwith a case in which a boy was attended by a practitionerwhom his parents thought qualified, but who was not so.This, he justly said, was attending people under a false pre-tence. It is, indeed, a very serious and culpable practice, whichcoroners do a great service in exposing. The coroner spokein something like a tone of complaint that the MedicalSociety (sic) did not prosecute such cases, which he had com-municated to the Society. But we should like to point outto the coroner that the duty of prosecuting an unqualifiedpractitioner belongs really to the police or public authorities,and not to medical men. It is the public who suffer, and

the prosecution by medical men is more or less invidious.We offer him, however, and all coroners who bring suchcases to light, our hearty thanks.

CHANGES IN FOREIGN PROFESSORSHIPS.

DR. N. BoGOLYUBOFF, Extraordinary Professor of Surgeryin the University of Kazan, has been appointed to the vacantProfessorship of Surgery in the same university. Dr.Oscar Eversbusch, privat docent in Munich, has been

appointed Professor of Ophthalmology in Erlangen. Dr.

Kessel, privat docent in Gratz, has been appointed Professorof Otology in Jena. Dr. Grawitz, second assistant in theBerlin Pathological Institute, has been appointed Professorof Pathological Anatomy in Greifswald, in the place ofProfessor Grohe, whose resignation has been caused byill health.

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ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND.

A MEETING of Convocation of this University was held onTuesday last, the 6th inst., to elect a member of the Senatein the vacancy which had occurred by the expiration ofMr. Farrelly’s term of office. Mr. Farrelly was opposed byDr. Thomson, surgeon to the Richmond Hospital, the resultof the election being that the latter gentleman was returnedby a majority of three votes, the voting being 251 forDr. Thomson, and 248 for Mr. Farrelly.

MR. SAVORY.

WE understand that Mr. Savory, President of the RoyalCollege of Surgeon-’, has been offered a knighthood, anhonour which he has declined to accept.

AN important paper was on Sunday last submitted to theAccademia dei Lincei of Rome by Professor Tommasi-Crudelion "A Bacillus found in the Malarious Atmospheres of theEnvirons of Pola (in the Istrian Triangle)." The paper was

accompanied with ten microscopic preparations by Dr.Schiavuzzi, and will shortly be published in the Academy’sTransactions.

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DR. OLIVER WENDELL HOLMES will leave Boston for

Europe during the present month, and will pass the summeron this side of the Atlantic. It is just fifty years since helast visited Europe. -

"A UNIVERSITY for Birmingham" is a project underdiscussion by the teaching staffs of Queen’s and MasonColleges.

Pharmacology and Therapeutics.ANTIPYRIN IN OPHTHALMIC PRACTICE.

SOME observations by Khomyarkoff and L’voff (videTHE LANCET, Jan. 30th), tending to show the superiority ofantipyrin over salicylate of soda in articular rheumatismand migraine, having induced a Russian ophthalmic surgeon,Dr. T. N. Katsauroff, to try it in cases of ciliary neuralgia andheadache accompanying various eye diseases, he has publishedthe results of this method of treatment in the Vrach. The

patients comprised seventeen males and ten females, theirages varying from seventeen to seventy-five. Apart fromthe eye affection, all but three were free from disease. Theantipyrin was always given in doses of a gramme (fifteengrains), and in every case appeared to be of distinct benefitin relieving the pain, a single dose being sufficient in fourteencases, while in thirteen cases this had to be repeated, in twoof them only (optic neuritis and scleritis) a third dose beingfound requisite. The author mentions that in nine cases where