516 THE BIRMINGHAM MEDICAL INSTITUTE.

there are high winds and the atmosphere is impregnatedwith dry pulveiised particles of road dirt, that complaintsof bad smells are heard. A thorough flushing of the sewersand watering of the streets would completely obviate thisinconvenience. Two or three years ago a Company (sincedefunct) was started for conveying sea-water to London bymeans of an aqueduct from Brighton. By using sea-waterfor the purposes last alluded to we should not be open to

the charge of robbing another district of the water whichof a right belongs to it, and it is possible that sea-waterwould prove a more effectual moistener of our roadwaysthan fresh water. We surely do not make all the use we

might of that element of which we are traditionally sup-posed to have complete command.

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JUDGING from the reports in the local newspapers, thefirst annual meeting of the Birmingham Medical Institute,to which we briefly alluded last week, was by no meanslacking in interest or excitement. The practical business ofthe meeting was to determine whether the original Com-mittee had acted prudently and in accordance with the

general wishes of the profession in admitting professedhomoeopaths as members of the Institute. We need notnow enter into the details of this contest, as the various

phases of the question have from week to week been pre-sented to our readers by the champions of one side or theother. The result of the meeting was, as we have alreadyannounced, that 64 voted for the adoption of the report ofthe Committee, thereby acquiescing in the decision of theCommittee to admit homoeopaths, while 35 voted againstit. But, notwithstanding the laboured pleasantries of Mr.ALFRED BAKER and the strong personalities of Dr. HESLOP,this vote cannot be fairly regarded as a genuine victory forthe friends of homoeopathy, or as expressive of the opinionof the great bulk of the profession. Indeed, a reference toMr. PEMBERTON’S letter (p. 524) will show that it is not so;for of the 460 replies 436 stated that, in their opinion, pro-fessed homoeopaths should not be admitted as members ofthe Institute, while only 19 were in favour of their beingadmitted, and 5 were neutral. This majority, large as it is,is greatly increased if we add to the 436 the remaining 540who, desiring that things should remain on their old footing,did not deem it necessary to send replies. It follows there-

fore that 976 members of the profession out of 1000 wereopposed to the admission of professed homoeopaths as mem-bers of the Medical Institute. Here we have at the same

time almost unanimous approval of the course of actionadopted by Mr. PEMBERTON and a sharp reproof to Dr.HESLOP, who has, in addition, had to suffer the humiliationof confessing that when he wrote the letter against homoeo-pathy, extracts from which, furnished by a correspondent,are published in another column, he was entirely ignorantof the subject, and that, notwithstanding the violence of hisinvectives, he echoed merely the prejudices of his teachers.

Earnestly and sincerely do we protest against the action ofthe Committee of the Institute, and regret that so manyestimable and well-meaning members of the professionshould have been so misled by false notions of toleration asto approve the conduct of the oligarchy that arrogated toitself the right to interfere and tamper with the canons of

professional ethics. If the admission of professed homaeo.

paths into the Institute had been merely a question of

liberality and toleration of opinion, we should have beenglad to encourage and support it, but from the first it

has appeared to us in a very different light. Ithasnot

been with us a question whether homoeopathy is a better

system than rational medicine or not, or whether the differ.ences between the two are sufficiently important to be

the subject of contention or not, but whether we shouldadmit into professional associations persons that assume aname intended to imply superior skill and learning in thosethat bear it, and ignorance and stupidity in those that do

not. If a man conscientiously profess and practise homaeo.pathy he should be the object of commiseration; but if he

profess homoeopathy without adhering to its practice heforfeits all claim to confidence and respect. Unless a

homoeopath always and exclusively practise homoeopathy,he is not justified in maintaining a name that is 11 calcu-lated to mark himself from the general body of the pro.fession." As well might he call himself a hydropath be.cause he sometimes employs baths in the treatment of hispatients. If a practitioner of medicine avails himself ofall the resources of therapeutics, he thereby ceases to bea homoeopath, even though he does sometimes employremedies apparently homoeopathic in their action. But if,in spite of this, he still retains the name, he must not be

surprised if others should accredit him with all the folliesof Hahnemannism, or should allege that he makes use of aname intended to decoy the public into the belief that hismode of practice is special or peculiar. Looked at from

this point of view there is no possible ground for toleration,and what passes by this name is either indifference or igno-rance. How ignorance may prevail has been strikinglyshown in the recent dispute at Birmingham. All the local

newspapers have made the confession that they knownothing of Hahnemannism or homceopathy, or of the

matters in dispute. Yet their cry has been-" Toleration!toleration!" and by officious interference they have actuallyforced the homceopaths into the Institute. We say it withall deference to the non-medical press, but we maintain

that the question of admitting homoeopaths into a medicalinstitute is not one to be discussed by those, whether in theprofession or out of it, who confess that they are ignorant ofthe essential principles and doctrines of homoeopathy.

Annotations."Ne quid nimis."

MR. CATHORNE HARDY AND THE MEDICALOFFICERS.

THE Minister for War, when pressed the other eveningin the House to make some statement as to his intentionsin regard to the Medical Service, declared that he had giventhe subject great consideration, but that it was one of muchdifficulty, owing to the different views entertained by themedical officers themselves in regard to their grievances.We have always understood that while different opinionsexisted as to what was the best system of organisation,medical officers were nevertheless agreed as to what theyhad to complain about, and the nature of their require-

517

ments. They complain that the terms of the Royal Warrant dies. Of the book in question we, in common with mostof 1858 have been altered or set aside by subsequent docu- of our contemporaries, have taken no notice, preferring toments, some of which were of inferior authority, and that pass it by without giving it the publicity which the con-the privileges and allowances of their relative rank, which demnation it deserves would entail. It professes to pro-were guaranteed in 1858, have since that time been curtailed pound a method of almost certain cure for phthisis; and isin several respects without any compensatory advantage to filled with abuse of all who venture to differ from the

themselves; that, whatever might have been the merits or author, and the promise of nearly certain cure to all whodemerits of the new system, the late Government, in a harsh seek his advice. And whilst we find it stated that one partand peremptory fashion, deprived all incumbents of their of the method affords a specific remedy for the tubercularregimental appointments, and imposed new and increased diathesis, we are told elsewhere that another part will effeotduties on medical officers, while, practically speaking, they an almost certain cure in a far more rapid manner, and evenat the same time diminished their incomes. Moreover, the when the first is hopeless. Yet when we come to inquireexisting Warrant is regarded, in general terms, as an emas- what is this elixir v.itae, we are treated to a series of tiradesculated kind of document, and where it differs from its pre- against the profession, and a lamentation over the fate ofdecessor of 1858, medical officers allege that the difference inventors in general, and are calmly informed that theis adverse to their interests. If Mr. Gathorne Hardy has author does not intend to divulge the system 11 except toread some of the various pamphlets by which he has been those whom it may personally concern." Were this a

flooded, he must have gathered thus much in outline, and a review, we need hardly say that it would be our duty tovery little leisure will enable him to refer to the same expose more fully the assumptions and statements, as

sources of information in order to fill up the details. well as to point out the fallacies in the alleged proofsNext as to the remedies. For these we do not think he of the efficacy of the methods ; but enough has been

could do better than follow the direction indicated by the said to show the character of the book. And of this worknew Naval Medical Warrant. Fifteen years’ service in a we find a review which is not only not condemnatory, andsubordinate rank should be the maximum length of service in does not even " damn with faint praise," but is actuallythat rank. We put it to Mr. Hardy, as a man of business, laudatory of the author and his theories, and the reviewerwhether he expects that a duly-qualified medical man will meets the most objectionable portion of the work with thefirst of all compete on admission, then go through a course at wish " that the information were more definite and concise,"Netley, again compete before getting a commission, and after whereas no information whatever on the point is afforded.having undergone a special supplementary training to make We cannot for a moment suppose that the Editor of thehim a medical officer, an analyst, sanitarian, and what not, Practitioner is at all directly responsible for the review; webe content, with the present pay and prospects, to serve on have little doubt that he entrusted the work to someonefor fifteen years, during nearly the whole of which time he else, without exercising that supervision over him whichmay reasonably expect to be expatriated ? The pay is cer- was needed; but it is greatly to be regretted that he shouldtainly insufficient to tempt men of the best stamp to do so, have allowed the review to appear. The Practitioner occu-and as, practically speaking, a medical officer has no relative pies a high position in medical literature, and has fulfilledrank, he is not influenced by the same considerations that a useful function; but such a review is almost enough toaffect the military officer in that respect. There must, then, make Anstie turn in his grave, and the sooner the Practi-be hope of some kind for him, and hope of promotion is the tioner disavows sympathy with such works the better for itsbest and most legitimate kind of hope. So long, however, future reputation. ____

as matters remain as they are, where is this encouragement -

to come from ? And weappealagain to Mr. Gathorne Hardy’s BREACH OF PROMISE.common sense to say whether, if zeal is to be maintained, IN cases of breach of promise of marriage law and equitypromotion by selection should not be more frequently had seem as far asunder as the poles. Marriage is a contractrecourse to than it is at present. There may be other things, between two parties, and in ordinary cases of contract ifbut here are sign-posts indicating the main road which no either contracting party fails to fulfil the conditions there ispolitician can well miss seeing. ground for an action for damages. Marriage, however, in

it the eyes of a British jury, differs from other contracts in

THE PRACTITIONER" AND SECRET this-that actions for damages only lie against the maleREMEDIES. contracting party. It is true that a gentleman recovered

IT is not our practice to criticise reviews which appear Q5 not long since from a faithless lady, but that is one ofin our contemporaries, and nothing but a sense of duty those exceptional cases which merely proves a rule, and therewould make us do so. Quis custodiet ipsos custodes ? is a can be no doubt that had the sexes of plaintiff and defendantquestion more easily put than answered, and as a general been reversed the damages would probably have been mul-rule the sense of public duty must be the chief guide. But tiplied by 1000. Again, there seem to be no conditions orthere are cases where silence is harmful, and we must circumstances which justify a breach of contract. Let usmake an exception to our general rule in the case of a suppose that two neighbours agree together to meet on areview in the April number of the Practitioner. The Practi- certain day to effect the mutual exchange of a horse and ationer has been so well known as the mental progeny of the cow, and that such exchange has been agreed upon inlate Dr. Anstie, to whose exertions, indeed, it owes not only writing. Let us further suppose that, before the day forits origin, but its present reputation, and his name was solong exchanging arrives, the owner of the horse writes to theand honourably connected with this journal, that we cannot owner of the cow, and explains that his animal has sincebut feel a peculiar interest in the matter. If there was one the contract become broken-winded and broken-kneed, andrespect in which our lamented colleague was pre-eminently that therefore the exchange had better not take place.distinguished, it was in his high sense of professional Under these circumstances the owner of the cow would

honour, and we cannot for a moment suppose that he applaud the honesty of his neighbour, and we can hardlywould have tolerated any deviation of the kind in his imagine an action for damages because one party had re-journal. Yet we find in the number in question a review, fused to cheat the other. In marriage contracts, however,extending over nearly four pages, devoted to the exposi- a different view is taken, and if one of the parties after thetion of a recent work which treats mainly of secret reme- agreement should by accident or ill-health become met

518

daabitis ad matrinioniuiii, bp is still obliged to pretend at least surgeon of the Hecla (Lyon), in 1821-23. Port Neill, southto fulfil his part of titt. agreement:, although grounds for of Port Bowen, on the east coast of Prince Regent’s Inlet,divorce might exist th minute the conjugal knot was tied. was named after S. Neill, surgeon of the Hecla (Parry),A case of this kind was lately tried at Abergavenny, in 1824-25. Skeoch Bay, on the south coast of Cockburn

which a "lady" had brought an action because the gentle- Island, was named after J. Skeoch, assistant-surgeon in theman to whom she was engaged had broken off the engage- Terror (Parry), 1821-23. Sutherland Island, on the eastment on the plea of his own ill-health. It was proved that coast of Wellington Channel, was named after Peter C.the defendant, who was an attorney’s clerk, was suffering Sutherland, surgeon of the Sophia (Stewart), 1850-51. Tomsfrom phthisis, and the jury, instead of applauding him for Point, at the north-west end of Bathurst Island, was namedrefusing to gratify his affections at the expense of the after F. G. Toms, assistant-surgeon in the Assistance

happiness of a woman, and possibly of posterity, made him (Belcher), and the North Star (Pullen), 1852-54.pay .8200. Looking only at the equity of the case, we are -

inclined to ask, if a man be cast in such heavy damages for THE VIVISECTION CONTROVERSY.acting honourably, what ought he to have been fined had heselfishly fulfilled his contract ? THE new number of the British and Foreign Medico-

- Chirurgical Review leads off with an article under thisTHE ARCTIC MEDICAL SERVICE. heading. The writer forcibly illustrates the inconsis-

n,r CLEMENTS R. MARKHAM has published, under the e tencies into which some of its indiscriminate opponents

title of "The Arctic Navy List, or a Century of Arctic and have fallen, by detailing the sufferings to which the lowert’tl 1 e 01 "The Arctic N avy Lo IS, t or a C en t ury 0 Arctic and ave a en, y e tailing e suffering to which the lower

Ant artic Officers " (Griffiths & Co.), f B list of e the officers who. animals are subjected under certain circumstances byAntarctic Officers " (Griffiths & Co.), a list of the officers who animals are subjected under certain circumstances by

served in the various Arctic expeditions from 1773-1873 He sportsmen and epicures in the language that would have toserved in the various Arctic expeditions from 1773-1873. He sportsmen and epicured in the language that would have tobriefly describes the servicea of each officer, and the part be employed in describing those sufferings if they occurredbneily describes the services of each omcer, and the part . ,, . ,- 11.

which he played in the expedition or expeditions with which an the course of so many experiments. And every thought-

he was connected; and, at the close of the work, he adds a ful and humane man must recognise that the aggregate

list of the officers about to be engaged in the expedition of amount of physical sufferino, 0 inflicted under such circum-iist of the onioers about to be engaged in the expedition of .

’

Thoughtless people are , apt to less

the present year, with an account of their services. The stances is very large. Thoughtless people are apt to losethe present year, with an account of their services. The .i..i.i, i ...,. ,.’..,,work is singularly interesting, and to us it has a special sight of this altogether and to forget, in their anxiety to put- work is singularly interesting, and to us it has a. special night

.. ,. *i , .1 i , ’.

value, as it exhibits the honourable services rendered to the down vivisection, that they are scarcely warranted in

expeditions by their medical officers very prominently. casting the first stone at them so long as so many cruelezpeditions by their medical offcers very prominently. as so many cruelPerhaps this is most markedly shown in the numerous sports and practices remain to be got rid of. We haveinstances in which the names of medical officers have been endeavoured to regard the subject of animal experimenta-given to newly-discovered localities in the Arctic regions.

tion conscientiously and temperately, and with every desire

A list of these can hardly fail to be acceptable to our readers. to discover the limits within which it is justifiable, and we

And erson , Bay,or Victoria Land , near Cambridge bridge Bay, was have suggested that the matter should be taken up and con-Anderson’s Bay, or Victoria Land, near Cambridge Bay, was have suggested that the matter should be taken up and con-

named after R. Anderson, surgeon of the Investigator (Bird) sidered by properly constituted commission. The writer

in 1848-49, and of the Enterprise (Collinson), 1850-55. in the British and Foreign Medico-Chirurgical Review con-Armstrong Point, on the West Coast of Prince Albert Land,

siders the rules laid down by a committee of the Section ofwas named after the present Director-General of the Navy Biology, at the meeting of the British Association in 1871,was named after the present Director-General of the Navy ""’ " .. , . ,Medical Department ,) A K. C.B. who goodinpnnoiple.butwanting in authority, and suggestsMedical Department, Sir Alexander Armstrong, K.C.B., who good in principle, but wanting in authority, and suggestswas surgeon of the Investigator (M’Clure), 1850-54. The e that the Royal service if they were to consider and publishCrimson Cliffa of Beverley (near Cape York, Greenland), portant public service if they were to consider and publiahBeverley Inlet, on the south coast of Melville Island, and

a decisive opinion and direction on this question.

Beverley Bay, on the north coast of Spitzbergen, were -

named after J. C. Beverley, who was assistant-surgeon in A GOOD OPENING.

the Isabella (J. Ross), 1818, and in the Griper (Liddon), THE Axminster Guardians advertise for a district medical1819-20, and was surgeon in the Hecla (Parry, 1827). officer for Worle (area 5000 acres), at an annual salary ofBradford Point, north-east point of Melville Island, was £40, the officer to furnish physic as well as attendance.named after Abraham Rose Bradford, surgeon of the Resolute The late incumbent of the post, whose salary was £ 30, has(Austin), 1850-51. Mr. Bradford is a retired Deputy-Inspector resigned, it appears, on account of the insufficiency of theof Hospitals; he led a sledge-party to the east coast of remuneration for the duty to be performed. An advertise-Melville Island, and was away eighty days, the expedition ment of the guardians for a successor at the same salarytraversing 669 miles. Cape Fisher, on the west shore of was unanswered, and at a recent meeting many of them, itHecla and Griper Bay, was named after Alexander Fisher, seems, were by no means astonished at this. Several pro-assistant-surgeon of the Alexander (Parry), 1818, and of the tests were made against the preposterous rate of remunera-Hecla (Parry), 1819-20. Goodsir Inlet, on the east coast tion, having regard to the work which the medical officerof Bathurst Island, was named after Anstruther R. Goodsir, was called upon to do. One guardian stated that " he hadsurgeon of the Zady Fran7,lin (Penny), in search of his received direct information from previous medical officersbrother, Harry Goodsir, previously curator of the Edin- of the same district that the appointment had not paidburgh Museum, who was assistant-surgeon of the Erebus them for their shoe-leather. One had been part and parcel(Franklin), 1845-48, and was lost with the expedition. of the parish, and had not cared what he did for the loveLyall Point, on the north-west of Bathurst Island, was of the poor, all of whom he had known for many years, andnamed after David Lyall, assistant-surgeon of the Terror another had been influenced by the same feeling. As, how-(Crozier), in the Antarctic Expedition, 1839--43. McCormick ever, the late incumbent had asked for an increase to .S50,Bay, on the east coast of Wellington Channel, was named he would suggest that the difficulty might be met by offering

_

after Robert McCormiok, assistant-surgeon in the Hecla that gentleman a compromise of £ 40 per annum." There

(Parry), 1827, and surgeon and naturalist of the Erebus was a general feeling among the guardians that the doctor(J. C. Ross), in the Antarctic Expedition, 1839-43. Cape was underpaid, and some uneasiness as to what might happenMacLaren, the west entrance of Lyon Inlet, on the coast of if there were any pauper sickness before the appointmentMelville Peninsula, was named after A. MacLaren, assistant- was filled up. To admit the insufficiency of the salary was

519

to admit the justice of the late incumbent’s application for some doubts on this,score. On the other hand, the veterinaryan increased salary, and it might be thought that the natural evidence expresses the popular conceptions of the matter.and proper course was to induce him to resume the appoint- It will behove medical officers of health to proceed carefullyment by offering him an increase. But the chairman, a in this portion of their duty, and especially to seek for ad-"Reverend," it would appear, strange though it may seem, ditional information as to the effects of meat of the kinds

opposed such a course, observing " for his own part he did referred to upon the health of the population. In the casenot like now to offer X40 per annum, as it bore -so close a of multiple abscesses of the lungs the magistrates heldresemblance to going down on their knees; and, viewing that the unfitness of the carcass for food was not proved?matters in that light, he would oppose the resolution by in the case of tubercular disease the magistrates confirmedmoving an amendment to the., effect that the salary offered the seizure and condemnation of the carcass.be £30, as before." A guardian" then proposed, as a

further amendment, that the salary should be £20 per THE BELFAST DISPENSARIES.annum." Another guardian added, "and I will propose WE exceedingly regret that an attempt to appoint that we advertise for some retired physician, who wants a additional medical officers to the dispensary districts inlittle work to fill up his time, with no pay After some Belfast has failed. A motion to this effect was broughtfurther observations the question was submitted to the

forward at a special meeting of the Committee of Manage-vote, when the numbers were 13 for £ 30, and 18 for .840 ment of the Belfast Dispensary District, on the 16th ult..per annum. Advertisements were ordered to be prepared ment Wilberforce Arnold, who supported his motion in a.The Weston Mercury, from which journal we take the fore- powerful argument that was not at all answered by his

The Weston, Merc.ury, from which journal we take the fore- opponents. He showed that the number of officers is thegoing particulars, thinks that the proceedings of the Ax- same now as it was twenty years ago, notwithstanding the-minster guardians in this business "reveals a somewhat

enormous increase of population and the great addition to

sorrowful expression of our modern poor, or the and con- the duties of dispensary doctors made by recent Acts -of

eludes that "either the lives of the poor, or the services of Parliament, such as that of vaccinating, registering vae-medical men, or both, are not held in the highest esteem." cination, registering births and deaths, and acting as sani-

-

tary officers under the Sanitary Acts. A very great pointTHE SALE OF DISEASED AND PUTRID MEAT. made by Dr. Arnold was that attention to the diseases of theSINCE the appointment of medical officers of health and poor required more time than used to be necessary for this

inspectors of nuisances all over the country prosecutions purpose. Finally, he showed that within a few years threefor the sale of diseased and putrid meat, judging from the dispensary officers had died of over-work or fever. The oldprovincial journals, appear to have considerably increased. answer to this was forthcoming, that men were to be had onThis was to be looked for, having regard to the large quanti- existing terms. This is a miserable and inadequate answer.ties of such meat which found their way into the market, and Those who are responsible for medical attendance on thefor which a sale has been very commonly sought in localities poor should remember the care which they take in regardwhere there was, before the passing of the Public Health to attendance on themselves and their families=viz., toAct of 1872, little chance of detection. Judging from have it good in kind and in amount. Dr. Arnold basedcertain recent cases, there is likely for some time to come his motion on the reports of the Local Government Boardto be a considerable divergence of opinion between medical inspector and of the honorary secretary. With such argu-men and veterinary practitioners as to whether certain ments and such authorities on Dr. Arnold’s side, the Belfastclasses of meat are unwholesome. In two instances now Committee, in rejecting his motion, must be charged withbefore us, in one of which a carcass was seized by the officers making inadequate provision for the onerous work to beof the sanitary authority on account of multiple abscesses done in its districts; and it is to be hoped Dr. Arnold willin the lungs, in the other on account of extensive tubercular soon return to the subject.disease of the lungs and abdominal organs, a great conflictof opinion took place between the medical witnesses, on the SANITARY CONDITION OF FOLKESTONE.

one hand, and the veterinary witnesses. The medical wit- THE reply made by Mr. Sclater-Booth in answer to thenesses maintained that it was to be inferred, from the extent question put by Sir Edward Watkin last Tuesday night withand state of the disease found, that the flesh of the animal respect to the sanitary condition of the town of Folkestone,would be unwholesome, and they pointed out that the flesh must be deemed satisfactory. It appears from the report ofin each case had neither the appearance nor the consistency Mr. Bateman, the medical officer of health, "that in theof thoroughly sound meat. The veterinary witnesses main- yea,rs 1873 and 1874 there were only four fatal cases of fevertained that the extent and state of the disease discovered was and scarlatina, and in the first three months of the presentnot uncommon in horned beasts, that the change supposed year no case of fever at all, in a population of 13,000,to have been observed in the character of the flesh was not while the average mortality in past years has been underso great as to exclude it from the category of wholesome 17 per 1000.meat, that mischief to the health of the consumers of such In consequence of the statement recently made by Lordmeat was unheard of, and that if tubercular disease of the Robert Montagu in the House of Commons 11 that Folkestonelungs and the intestines, and the so-called " multiple might be matched with any town in England for abomin-abscesses " in the lungs, were to be held as sufficient to con- able pestilential holes, from which scarlatina and fever aredemn a carcass, the effect upon the meat supply of the never absent," our Sanitary Commissioners visited thecountry must be most disastrous. While in principle the town, and have reported upon its sanitary condition. Thismedical witnesses were quite right, it must be confessed report we will in due time lay before our readers, and thethat the amount of evidence as to the injurious effect of the subject is one of special interest to the profession and to themeat from animals suffering from the diseases in question public generally. In the meantime we would state thatis not large. But there is good reason to believe that the there is nothing in the present condition of Folkestone to

meagreness of this evidence really arises in great part from excite alarm, that the town is perfectly healthy, and thatthe want of sufficient opportunities for observation which the local authorities are doing all in their power to maintainhave hitherto existed, and we may anticipate that the new the high standard that Folkestone has hitherto enjoyedmedical officers of health will in time be able to clear up among the southern watering places.

520

WOMAN’S HELP IN SANITARY MATTERS. in prison. The Home Secretary did not allude to the ad-WOMAN’S HELP IN SANITARY MATTERS, mitted fact that in this instance she was not the real cul-

IT is always satisfactory to hear of systematic efforts prit, whatever criminality can have attached to one ofbeing made to educate the poorer and more ignorant classes fourteen years. We have no information that she receivedin matters appertaining to health and elementary physiology; any nursing. The doctor of the prison has defended theand it is especially so to find that this field for sanitary bread and water diet and the general treatment of thelabour is beginning to be recognised as one in which edu- dying girl, on the ground that it was doubtless muchcated women may do useful work which is much needed, better than her ordinary diet. We look to the doctors ofIt is woman that has the ordering of a poor man’s home- prisons to instil higher views than this, of what evenin how many thousand cases only a single room,-and criminals require, especially when they are children and thewoman’s influence in bringing into these homes a conviction subjects of mortal illness. The case is not creditable toof the necessity for ventilation and cleanliness is far more any concerned, and we can only hope that the assurancelikely to be successful than the most persevering efforts on of the Home Secretary will be realised that such a casethe part of health officers or nuisance inspectors. The shall not occur again.National Health Society have organised a course of lectures

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on these subjects in the East of London, and the first of THE MEDICAL OFFICER OF HEALTH ANDthe series was recently given in the Parochial Institute MORTALITY RETURNS IN BERMONDSEY.

connected with the parish church of St. George-in-the-East, THE sanitary state of Bermondsey has lately been unsatia-by Miss M’Cormsh. This lecture was attended by more factory, and, among other diseases, diphtheria has pre- .

than 150 women, among whom were the nurses attached to vailed to some extent. At a recent meeting of the Vestry,the East London Nursing Society. The subjects dealt with Dr. Parker, the medical officer of health, called attention towere principally the importance of ventilation and pure air, the awkward position in which he was placed by being de- -thelecturebeing illustrated by a feweaperiments showing the prived of the use of copies of the death register which he used, ..., ..., , . , , . prived of the use of copies of the death register which he usedpoisonous nature of the carbonic-acid gas which prevails in to get from the Registrar- General, but which the Vestryexcessive proportion in all crowded and unventilated rooms. now refuse to pay the registrar for furnishing. A longThe audience is described as having been attentive and discussion took place, the subject and in the end the evidently instructed. The success of the lecture probably

discussion took place on the subject, and in the end the .

led to its repetition in the school-room attached to St. matter was referred to the General Purposes Committee.

Philip’s Church, Stepney. The National Health Society The vestries cannot well be blamed for attempting to shift

Philip’s Church, Stepney. The Ti Health Society payment for these returns off their own shoulders, but cannot well engage itself in work more likely to further its the payment for these returns off their own shoulders, but

a,., than . ,.... , , in all the power that while they are squabbling and Bghtmg over such aobjects than in promoting similar lectures in all the poorer that while they are squabbling and fighting over such aneighbourhoods of large towns.

lectures in all the poorer petty source of expense they should allow their healthneighbourhoods of large towns. officer to be deprived of the use of these valuable returns for

BEC:CARS’ BUSH BARRACKS. three whole months is a serious dereliction of their duty as

BEGGARS BUSH BARRACKS. the sanitary authority. Health officers must have theseTHE Secretary for War replied at some length to a ques- returns, and should even receive daily information of deaths

tion by Sir L. Palk as to the occurrence of cases of enteric from epidemic diseases. We fear that Bermondsey is not thefever and scarlatina in connexion with sanitary defects in only district of London in which 11 on principle " the vestriesthese barracks, the existence of which had been brought to still refuse to pay for these returns, and health officers arethe notice of the authorities in 1873, and could then have left to fight disease without their assistance.been remedied at a cost of .815. It will be remembered that some cases of enteric fever were reported as having occurred INFANTILE MORTALITY.

some months ago among the officers of the regiment of Foot A HIGH rate of infantile mortality has for a long time pre-Guards stationed at Dublin. It was not clear from the vailed throughout the country. It is a subject deserving thepublished accounts whether Captain Van de Weyer, for closesattention of the profession, and especially demandsexample, who was one of the sufferers, contracted his disease

closest attention of the profession, and especially demands

in the barracks or elsewhere. Mr. Gathorne Hardy stated all the vigilance of medical officers of health. In Sunderland

that altogether four cases of enteric fever had occurred, and last year the deaths of children under five years of age con- that it was still open to question whether they were at tributed close upon 50 per cent. of the total mortality. Thatthat it was still open to question whether they were attri- many of these deaths could have been prevented by judiciousbutable to the presence ,.... -,.,...1 many of these deaths could have been prevented by judiciousbutable to the presence of insanitary conditions in the feeding and care cannot be doubted. Dr. Yeld found on- - -,

*

i , ., , . -, . the .. feeding and care cannot be doubted. Dr. Yeld found onbarracks. From the details he furnished to the House it

inquiry that, of 102 fatal cases attributed to the commonestis clear, however, that all the four cases had this history in disorder incidental to childhood, no less than 71, or over,.,,..-,,- been exposed j. the same disorder incidental to childhood, no less than 71, or overcommon-viz., that they had all been exposed to the same two-thirds of such children, had been fed by the bottle-analleged , .. Mr. Hardly . took care of that ...... two-thirds of such children, had been fed by the bottle-analleged cause; and Mr. Hardy took care to add that addi- injurious system of rearing which should be strongly re-.. "..-i .- for the j - had -, been. authorised system of rearing which should be strongly re-tional ventilation for the drains had been authorised, al- probated. system of rearing which that less regard is nowthough T. declared the cesspits complained of 1 1873 had probated. Dr. Yeld infers either that less regard is nowthough he declared the cesspits complained of in 1873 had paid than heretofore to the sacredness of infant life or that

been done away with, and replaced i. waterclosets in paid than heretofore to the sacredness of infant life or thatbeen done away with, and replaced by waterclosets in more mothers than in formeryears are either constitutionallyMarch, 1874,

__ more mothers than in former years are either constitutionally March, 1874. unable to nurse their children, or are unwilling, even for a

IMPRISONMENT IN JERSEY. few months, to forego their wonted ease in order to devote

THE answer of the Home Secretary to the question of Mr. the requisite care and attention to their offspring.THE answer of the Home Secretary to the question of Mr. the requisite care and attention - to their offspring.

David James Jenkins, the member for Falmouth, touching .

the treatment of Harriet Gilbert, a girl of fourteen years, AN ATTEMPT TO PROCURE EXAMINATION-

in the Jersey prison, unhappily leaves intact all the painful PAPERS.

accounts of this case which we have published-viz., that A CURIous and important case has arisen out of an allegedalthough in the process of dying, she was kept in solitary attempt on the part of a young man, named Samuel Cowap,confinement, on bread and water, for half the month of her to get possession of an examination-paper of the Pharma-imprisonment, including the period immediately prior to ceutical Society. It appears, according to the evidence atremoval to the hospital, which she just reached in time to Bow-street, that he had incited one George Austin, who wasdie, and that her death was accelerated by her treatment in the employment of the firm that prints the Pharmaceutical

521

Journal and the examination-papers of the Society, to steal Physicians, the Treasurer of Lincoln’s Inn, the Master of £one of these papers for the purpose of affording an intending the Charterhouse, and the Governors of Greenwich andbut backward candidate the benefit of perusing the questions Chelsea Hospitals. Information respecting the mode ofbeforehand. Acting under instructions, a copy of the ques- application may be obtained from B. J. L. Frere, Esq., 28,tions was handed over to Samuel Cowap in exchange for Lincoln’s-inn-fields, London.half-a-sovereign ; but a detective soon afterwards took the unhappy youth into custody, and he has been remanded MODERN TREATMENT OF LUNACY.bail being accepted. As Mr. Douglas Straight, who prose- IT may, we think, safely be asserted that in no othercuted, remarked, in asking for a remand, it was important country in the world are the insane so well treated andto inquire further into the matter, as, if these examinations cared for as in England. Everything that skill andcould be got up beforehand, there would be no end to the humanity can suggest is being done to alleviate the con-poisonings committed by ignorant chemists’ assistants. dition of the inmates of our asylums. Amusement as a

" curative measure in the treatment of lunacy has long beenTHE FACULTY OF GLASGOW AND THE recognised by medical superintendents of county and private

UNIVERSITY. institutions. We are glad to notice that a most successful

THE Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow have entertainment was given last week at the West Ridingvoted a donation of 500 guineas to the funds of the Glasgow Asylum, of which Dr. Crichton Browne is the able director.Western Infirmary. This is a liberal contribution to the The play chosen on the occasion was " Pygmalion andlocal means of clinical education, but the gift is especially Galatea," in which the author, Mr. W. S. Gilbert, took a

noteworthy in another point of view. For more than half prominent part. The play had a long run in London, and

a century there existed a state of chronic hostility be- is probably familiar to most of our readers. Among the

tween the Faculty and the Glasgow University, originating large audience there were over a thousand lunatics, whose

in circumstances that led to a protracted course of litiga- orderly and appreciative conduct during the performancetion, and perpetuated by the action of conflicting interests. was remarkable. The evening was brought to a close by aThe feelings which underlay these contentions, though occa- ball, in which visitors, lunatics, attendants, and nurses

sionally breaking out afresh, have of late years been dying Participated. The entertainment throughout was an un-

out, a good proof of which is afforded by this handsome equivocal success, and reflects great credit on the manage-contribution by the Faculty to the funds of the hospital so ment.

intimately connected with the University. ABORTION-PRODUCERS.

HEALTH OF BRICHTON. AT the Liverpool Assizes a few days ago Alfred Thomas

Heap, a man practising as a surgeon at Manchester, butTHE vital statistics of the popular Sussex watering-place having no diploma, was found guilty of murder for having

for the year 1874, published within the last few days by caused the death of a young woman by endeavouring toDr. Taaffe, medical officer of health, when compared with procure abortion by using a sharp instrument. Some of ourthe returns of other similar resorts, place the health of the contemporaries, in alluding to this case, speak of the act astown in a very favourable light. Brighton has numerous done by a surgeon. They would be entitled to our gratitudesanitary advantages for maintaining a low rate of mortality: if they would be careful to find out, in publishing suchin addition to its fine sea front, it is sheltered from the cases, whether the actors are surgeons or qualified medicalnorth-east winds by the downs, the soil is dry and chalky, men, or only quacks, without either diploma or respect-it has good natural drainage, its sewage is carried out into ability.the sea and discharged at a point four miles away from the

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town, and it has an abundant supply of pure, wholesome AT LAST.

water. Great improvement has lately been wrought in the THE Local Government Board having sent a third intima-condition of common lodging-houses and slaughterhouses, tion to the Cambridge Sanitary Authority to appoint aand provision has been made for the isolation and treatment medical officer of health, a meeting was held at the Guild-of contagious diseases. We are glad to learn that the hall, Cambridge, on Tuesday, to take steps in the matter.authorities have determined to plant as many trees as pos- It was ultimately decided that a health officer should besible in the streets and open places of the town. For years appointed, and that his salary should be fixed at .8250 perit has been glaringly deficient in this respect, and it may annum, with permission to practise in the town.be remembered that Dr. Samuel Johnson, when he visited Brighton, complained that if a man wished to hang himself DIPHTHERIA AT WOOLWICH.he would not be able to find a tree on which to perform the THE removal of the soldiers’ married families from theceremony. cottages on the Common has not had the effect of eradi-

TANCRED STUDENTSHIPS IN PHYSIC AT CAIUS cating the disease. We understand that nine cases of

C O L L E C E, C A M B R I D G E. diphtheriahave occurred among the women and childrenCOLLEGE, CAMBRIDGE. since they have taken up their new quarters, and that three

Tnis Whitsuntide there will be vacant two Studentships of them have proved fatal.in Physic at Caius College, Cambridge, and the election to them will take place on Wednesday, the 19th of May next. A LONG struggle has been carried on between the LocalThese studentships, which are four in number, were founded Government Board and the guardians of Hackney respectingby Christopher Tancred, Esq. Each student receives £100 the necessity of erecting a separate infirmary for the sickyearly until the degree of Bachelor of Arts or Bachelor of poor of the union. The contest was marked by some degreePhysic is obtained, and for three years afterwards. The of acrimony, and the proposed measure caused great ill-candidates must be natives of Great Britain (i.e., actually feeling in the parish. Eventually, but after many protests,born in England,, Scotland, or Wales), members of the Church the local was obliged to give way to the superior authority,of England, unmarried, and between the ages of sixteen and who would not be moved from its determination. At a late

twenty-two. The electors are the Master of Caius and meeting of the guardians a tender to build the requiredChrist’s Colleges, the President of the Royal College of establishment at a cost of over .85000 was accepted.

522

IN a paper " On Food Adulteration and the LegislativeEnactments relating thereto," read before a meeting of theSociety of Arts, Mr. Wentworth Scott, public analyst to thecounties of Derby and North Stafford, stated that he hadofficially examined 170 samples of intoxicating drinks, ob-tained in the latter county, with the result that a largeproportion were found to be adulterated. The ales testedwere sophisticated with cocculus indicus, than which a morepernicious adulterant cannot be found; they were alsc

largely impregnated with salt, and occasionally containedcolchicum. Some of the brandies underwent most compli-cated processes, in which a preparation of cayenne peppelplayed a considerable part, before being sold to the un-fortunate consumers. Teetotalers will be interested to learnthat Good Templars’ claret" is mainly composed of de-coction of logwood, free sulphuric acid, and impure spiritcontaining much fusel oil. We are pleased to-learn thatconvictions were obtained in many of these cases.

A BILL, bearing the names of Mr. Cowper-Temple, Mr,Russell Gurney, and Dr. Cameron, has been printed, whichhas for its object to "amend the Medical Act, 1858, so faxas relates to the registration of women who have taken thedegree of Doctor of Medicine in a foreign university." It

proposes that women who have such degrees may be regis-tered on the same conditions as are applicable to degreesgranted by the examining colleges and bodies of the UnitedKingdom. What next ? f

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THERE was a considerable increase in the rate of mortalityin London last week. It reached 28 per 1000 annually, ahigher figure than we have generally to record. The deathsamounted to 1873, including 1 from small-pox, 24 frommeasles, 32 from scarlet fever, 16 from diphtheria, 92 fromwhooping-cough, 30 from different forms of fever, 24 fromdiarrhoea, and 534 referred to diseases of the respiratoryorgans. ,

DR. C. H. RALFE has been appointed to deliver theThruston Speech this year at Caius College, Cambridge,on the llth of May, in commemoration of Dr. Wendy.Dr. Ralfe is a Master of Arts of the University, and holdsthe office of physician to the Seamen’s Hospital, Greenwich.We congratulate Dr. Ralfe on the distinction conferred

upon him by his Alma Mater.

OuR contemporary the Western Morning News states that°‘Hospital Saturday" is to be revived this year, though itfailed so distinctly last. The final Saturday in July ischosen as the day for the collection. But if it does not leadto something more than last year the movement will beabandoned. It only gives people an excuse for not sub-scribing to hospital charities.

IT appears that the resolution of the Council of the

College of Surgeons respecting the appointment of ex-aminers under the Conjoint Scheme, to which we referredlast week, was not, as we had been given to understand,passed unanimously, forasmuch as it was opposed byProfessor Humphry, who gave his vote against it.

THE public analyst for Warwickshire reports that theAdulteration Act is working very satisfactorily in that county.Last year a large amount of good seems to have been effected.The analyst is, however, constrained to point out manydefects in the Act.WE understand that St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington,

will shortly be closed for a- period of two or three monthsin order to be thoroughly cleansed and put into a state ofgood sanitary order.

IT is stated that Surgeon-General J. C. Brown, C.B., chief £of the Bengal Medical Department, will retire at the endof the present year, after having been forty years in theservice. In 1861 he received the appointment of HonorarySurgeon to Her Majesty, the tenure of which will not beaffected by his retirement. -

MR. J. F. BLAEB, M.A. Cantab., has been appointed Lec.turer on Comparative Anatomy and Zoology at Charing-cross Hospital, vice Professor Garrod resigned. Mr. Blakeis a scholar of Caius College, was senior of the NaturalScience Tripos in 1862, and is favourably known as the authorof " The Catechism of Zoology."

DR. WINTER, Inspector-General of Hospitals and Fleets,now at Plymouth, has been placed on the retired list, havingreached the age of sixty years. Dr. Winter has well earnedhis repose. ____

WE regret to learn that one of the most able and dis-tinguished students of St. Thomas’s Hospital, Mr. Fredk.H. Peck, has just died of typhoid fever in the hospital.

DR. C. THEODORE WILLIAMS, F.R.C.P., has been appointedby the Council of the Medical Society of London to deliverthe Lettsomian Lectures in January, 1876.

DISCUSSION AT THE OBSTETRICAL SOCIETYON PUERPERAL FEVER.

THE following is a brief outline of the discussion whichwas opened at the Obstetrical Society on Wednesday last,of which a full report will appear in our next number.The attendance of members and visitors was very large,and the debate was continued for the space of two hours.The speakers of the evening were chiefly those who hadcome from a distance to be present at the meeting, andothers who are not actually engaged in obstetric practice.It will be seen that there was a singular unanimity ofopinion among the speakers as to the non-specificity ofpuerperal fever.Mr. SPENCER WELLS, after a few introductory remarks

upon the value of such discussions, opened the debate bylimiting himself strictly to the series of questions whichhave already been published (vide THE LANCET of March27th, p. 453). Quoting Dr. Farre’s definition of puerperalfever as contained in the Nomenclature of Diseases pub-lished by the Royal College of Physicians, he laid stress

upon the fact that local lesions often, but not always, ac-companied the fever ; that the poison might be so con-centrated, or taken in so large a quantity, as to kill beforelocal lesions could be developed, or else that the dose orvirulence of the poison was so small as to lead to its elimina-tion before time had been given for the establishment ofsuch lesions. In treating of the first three queries, Mr.Wells did not bind himself to accept any dogmatic statementas to puerperal fever being a distinct entity, but simplypropounded the questions to be left for discussion by themembers. His remarks, which were commendably brief,concluded by his recalling certain facts, which he hadpublished twelve years ago, on the causes of mortality aftersurgical operations, where, applying Pasteur’s (then recent)discoveries in fermentation to explain pyæmic and other pro-cesses, he had proposed the use of sulphurous acid and thesulphites as a means of protecting tissues from the action ofthe supposed virus. Two years later Professor Lister intro-duced his antiseptic treatment, grounded on the gerintheory of septic processes, and, looking to the vast results ob-tained by Lister in ridding hospitals of pyæmia &c., he thoughtthat, with similar precautions, lying-in hospitals could .be