THE BRITISH MEDICAL -7OURNAL.

ASSOCIATION INTELLIGENCE.BRITISH MEDICAL ASSOCIAI'ION:

ANNUAL MEETING.THE Thirty-sixth Annual Meeting of the British Medical Associationwill be held in Oxford, on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, andFriday, the 4th, 5th, 6th, and 7th days of August next.Presidient-WM. STOKES, M.D., D.C.L., Regius Professor of Physic

in the University of Dublin.Presidenit-Elect-H. W. ACLAND, M.D., F.R. S., Regius Professor

of Medicine in the University of Oxford.The Address in Medicine will be delivered by W. W. GULL, M.D.,

Physician to Guy's Hospital.The Address in Physiology will be delivered by GEORGE ROLLESTON,

M.D., F.R.S., etc., Senior Professor of Anatomy in the Universityof Oxford.The Rev. Professor HAUGHTON, M.D., of Trinity College, Dublin,

will introduce for discussion- "The change of opinion as to the Sourcesof Vital and Mechanical Force derived from Food, and its influenceupon Medical Practice."The business of the meeting will be conducted under five Sections;

viz.:-Section A. MEDICINE.-Presidezt, Sir Wm. Jenner, Bart., M.D.,

F.R.S. Secretaries, Dr. E. L. Fox, Clifton; Dr. William Roberts,Manchester.

Section B. PHYSIOIOGY.-President, Professor Rolleston, M.D.,F.R.S. Secretaries, Dr. WV. L. Church, London; Professor Beale,M.B., F.R.S., London.

Section C. SURGERY.-President, JamesPaget, Esq., F.R.S., Lon-don. Secretaries, T. P. Teale, M.A., M.B., Leeds; W. Stokes, jun.,M.D., Dublin.

Section D. MIDWIFERY.-President, Sir C. Locock, Bart., M.D.,F.R.S., London. Secretaries, Dr. Wilson, Glasgow; J. G. Swayne,M.D., Clifton, Bristol.

Section E. PUBLIC MEDICINE.-President, J. Simon, Esq., F.R.S.,London. Secretaries, J. E. Morgan, M.D., Manchester; T. J. Dyke,Esq., Merthyr Tydvil.Gentlemen desirous of reading papers, cases, or any other commulni-

cations, are requested to give notice of the same to the General Secre-tary, at their earliest convenience.

T. WATIKIN WILLIAMS, General Secretary.13, Newhall Street, Birmingham, June 2nd, i868.

SOUTH MIDLAND BRANCH.The annual meeting of the above Branch will be held at the HarpurCharity Board Room, Bedford, on Thursday, June i8th, at I P. H.;

C. E. PRIOR, M.D., President-elect, in the Chair.Gentlemen intending to read papers or cases, are requested to send

the names or titles of the same forthwith to Dr. Bryan, Northamptonone of the Honorary Secretaries.

J. M. BRYAN, M.D.

G. P. GOLDSMITH, Esq.)J cretaies.

BIRMINGHAM AND MIDLAND COUNTIES BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held at the Henand Chickens Hotel, New Street, Birmingham, on Friday, June igth,at 3 o'clock, when an address will be delivered by C. E. NEWNHAM,Esq., the President of the Branch.The members and their friends will dine together afterwards, at

5 o'clock punctually.-Dinner tickets, inclusive of waiters and dessert,seven shillings and sixpence.

T. H. BARTLEET, HZoi. Secretarty.

CAMBRIDGE AND HUNTINGDON BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held, in conjunctionwith the East Anglian Branch, at Yarmouth, on Friday, June 26th,W. VORES, M.D., President.Members intending to read papers or cases are requested to communi-

cate with the Honorary Secretary at their earliest convenience.P. W. LATHAM, M.D., Hon. Secretary.

Cambridge, May 27th, i868.

LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held on Friday, Juneigth, at half-past twelve, at the Royal Institution, Mosley Street, Man-chester. Dinner will be provided at a quarter to five.Gentlemen intending to read papers are requested to communicate

with the Secretary as early as possible.HENRY SIMPSON, M.D., Hont. Secretary.

MIDLAND BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held in the BoardRoom of the General Hospital, Nottingham, on Thursday, June 25th,at 2.30 P.M. President-elect, JOSEPH THOMPSON, Esq., Surgeon tothe General Hospital.

Papers will be read by the President; Dr. Morris of Spalding; Mr.Dolman of Derby; Mr. Sympson of Lincoln; Dr. Ransom of Not-tingham; Dr. Taylor of Nottingham; etc.The members and friends will dine together at the George Hotel, at

5 P. Mf. Tickets for dinner (exclusive of wine) five shillings.JOSEPH WHITE, Hon. Local Secretary.

EAST ANGLIAN BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held, in conjunctionwith the Cambridge and Huntingdon Branch, at the Town Hall, GreatYarmouth, on Friday, June 26th, at 2 P. M., WM. VORES, M.D., Pre-sident-elect, in the chair.Gentlemen intending to read papers or cases will be pleased to give

timely notice to one of the Local Secretaries, viz.: Dr. P. W. Latham,Cambridge; Dr. Chevallier, Ipswich; or Dr. Pitt, Norwich.The dinner will take place at 5.30 P.M., at the Royal Hotel. Tickets

12s. 6d. each, to be obtained of either of the Honorary Secretaries; andit is hoped that gentlemen intending to dine will give a few days'notice, in order that proper arrangements can be made.

J. B. PITT, Hont. Secretaryfor Aro;folk.

NORTHERN BRANCH.THE annual meeting of the above Branch will be held in the CentralHall, Darlington, on Wennesday, July Ist, at I.30 P.M., instead ofTuesday, June 30th, as previously stated. President for I867-68-EDWARD CHARLTON, M.D.; President-elect for I868-69-JOHN JOB-SON, F.R.C.S.Dinner at the King's Head Hotel, at 4 P.Al.Gentlemen intending to read papers or cases, or describe patholo-

gical specimens, are requested to communicate with the Secretary,witlhout delay.

G. H. PHILIPSON, M.D., Honorary Secretary.Newcastle-upon-Tyne, June I868.

NORTHI WALES BRANCH.THE annual meeting of this Branch will be held on Tuesday, July 7th,at I.I6 P.M., at the Parade Hotel, Rhyl; J. WILLIAMS, Esq., Holy-well, President-elect in the chair.

Dinner will be provided at four o'clock precisely; tickets i2S. 6d.each, to be had at the bar of the above hotel. Gentlemen intending todine will please give a few days' notice.

It is requested that members having papers or cases to communicate,will be good enough to forward the titles of the same to the Secretary.

Beaumaris, June, I868. D. KENT JONES, Hon. Secretary.

METROPOLITAN COUNTIES BRANCH: ORDINARYMEETING.

AN Ordinary Meeting of this Branch was held at the rooms of the Me-dical Society of London, on Friday, May I5th, at 8 P.M.; CHARLES F.J. LORD, Esq., in the chair.

Alteration ofLaw.-Dr. HENRY, in pursuance of notice given to theCouncil, moved that the Laws of the Branch be altered so that theacting Secretary of any permanent Committee of the Branch may be exoftYcio a member of the Council of the Branch.

Dr. STEWART seconded the motion, which was unanimously carried.Thte Edntcation ofthze General Practitionzer of Medicinte.-Dr. HENRY

read a paper on this subject. After some preliminary remarks, he ex-pressed his objection to the system of compulsory attendance on lec-tures. He did not, however, agree with those who would leave all tothe student. Some control was necessary, in order to ascertain that hewas really engaged in study; and to attain this end the author recom-

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THE BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL.

mended that the student should be obliged to attend periodical class ex-aminations. He insisted on the importance of a knowledge of the com-mon things of medicine; and advised, for the purpose of acquiring suchknowledge, pupilage for a limited period with a general practitioner inactive practice. The paper concluded with the following propositions.i. Every one who practises medicine, even though he attach himself tosome one department, ought to have a competent knowledge of allbranches of medical art and science; in a word, he should be educatedas a general practitioner. 2. The education of the general practitionerof medicine should be so conducted as to ensure his acquaintance with,and ability to use, all the ordinary resources of his art, as well as totrain him in the study and application of medicine as a science. 3.The present system of compelling attendance on lectures and hospitalpractice is wrong, because it only provides for the bodily presence of thestudent, and does not sufficiently ensure that he is really instructed bywhat he hears or sees; and because it assumes that such attendance onlectures is equally necessary and profitable for all. 4. While it is ad-visable that due supervision be exercised over the student during theperiod of study, he ought to be allowed more choice as to the sourcesfrom which he derives his instruction. 5. Compulsory attendance onlectures should be abolished; and for it should be substituted compul-sory attendance on periodical class-examinations. 6. The hospitals re-quire to be more thoroughly utilised as means of practical instructionthan they are at present. 7. Pupilage with a general practitioner is avaluable means of making a student acquainted with the ordinary de-tails of professional work, and should be recognised as a part of theperiod of study, if proof be given by the student that he has fairlyavailed himself of the opportunities offered. 8. As the test of the effi-ciency of instruction and of fitness for practice must rest in the final ex-aminations for the license, these should in all cases be thoroughly prac-tical as well as theoretical, and should be conducted jointly by men pro-ficient in the medical sciences as well as by those eminent in the practiceof the art of medicine and surgery.The CHAIRMAN said that many who had been brought up with a re-

quired knowledge of medicine were ignorant of the daily routine of me-dical work. He had met with such; and, on the other hand, had hadapprentices on whom the cases which they saw during their pupilagemade a permanent impression. He agreed with the author as to theimportance of education with a general practitioner.

Dr. STEWART had formed some decided opinions in reference to me-dical education, not altogether in accordance with modem views. Therewas a very general feeling that lectures should be abolished, or at leastmade a mere adjunct, the examinations being founded on text-books; buthe dissented from this, while he allowed that the number of lecturesmight be diminished, or that they might be made more conversational.The tutorial system was, in some respects, admirable, and some part ofthe instruction should be carried on in this way. Many pupils gainedless information from twenty-four hours' reading than from an hour'sattendance on a well informed lecturer. A lecture was for the largemajority of students the readiest way of getting an outline of the subject.T1he mistake in lecturing had been the attempt to fill up details, withouta proper estimate of the due proportion between subjects of differentimportance. He agreed with Dr. Henry as to the value of periodicalexaminations. These -were adopted at the Middlesex Hospital someyears ago. The great difficulty was, to make them compulsory; and hebelieved the Medical Council alone could do this. With regard to hos-pital practice, the plan of distributing the students among the medicalofficers was attempted some years ago at the Middlesex Hospital, buthe could not say that it was attended by any satisfactory results. Lately,there had been introduced at the hospital a method by which the namesof those students who attended were entered on a roll, and each one wasexpected to take his share of work in examining patients. He consideredthat this plan would lead to good results, in preparing students for prac-tical examination at the bedside. With regard to pupilage, he saidthat, while no one would deny the importance of practical instruction,this should not be given at the beginning of professional study. Forone student who derived advantage from apprenticeship, there were sixvho merely got a smattering of medical knowledge, which renderedthem self-sufficient and difficult to be taught. On the contrary, how-ever, he had met with some who gained much profit by apprenticeship.The pupilage with a general practitioner should be at the end of thecourse of study, not at the beginning. Dr. Parkes, in a recent pam-phlet, had expressed his regret at the permission given to the student bysome of the boards, to spend a year or eighteen months with a generalpractitioner.

Dr. VINEN considered that apprenticeship, at however early a period,must be invaluable to every practitioner. Even to merely mix medi-cines for a few months would do no harm; at any rate, it would preventmen from prescribing such combinations as sulphate of magnesia with t

chalk. He knew several graduates of the University of London of highstanding; one of whom, having taken honours in midwifery, said thathe had never attended a case. Another, being called on to attend acase of measles, treated it as a skin-disease, and gave iodide of potas-sium. He did not advocate an apprenticeship for five years; but hethought early pupilage with a practitioner very important.

Dr. GIBBON had gained the best part of his practical knowledgeduring his apprenticeship to an apothecary. He thought that attendanceon most of the lectures was a great waste of time. A farmer or a bar-rister was not required to attend lectures. He had learned nothingfrom attending two courses of lectures on Anatomy. Such subjects asChemical and Natural Philosophy could, on the other hand, be besttaught by lectures, as they required apparatus for demonstration, whichwere not always easily procurable. One advantage of apprenticeshipwas, that the pupil was enabled to see all the circumstances surround-ing the patients, which had an important influence on treatment. Hewould like to see the hospital physicians and surgeons adopt a systemof taking apprentices.

Mr. HOLTHOUSE said that, if there was anything which could belearned from demonstration by a lecture, it was Anatomy; and the sameremark was applicable to other subjects. No doubt there was great dif-ference in the power of imparting instruction. The best method in lec-turing was, perhaps to devote the first fifteen or twenty minutes to anexamination on the preceding lecture. He agreed very much with theauthor as to the value of apprenticeship. A short apprenticeship wasvery useful; it was much more easy to learn routine matters at an earlyperiod. At the same time, he allowed that men who had had lolng ap-prenticeships exhibited superficial knowledge and self-sufficiency. Withregard to hospital practice, he did not think that much advantage couldbe gained from attending to the out-patients until the student had spentsome time in the hospital wards.

Dr. SYMES THOMPSON considered apprenticeship as beginning at theapex of the pyramid. Clinical instruction at the bedside was the mainpoint in the curriculum; and to begin with this was wrong. Thestudents who learned best from lectures were those who had just leftschool; while those who had had apprenticeships were liable to fancythat they knew hiow to treat disease when they knew nothing. Theknowledge of the mixing of drugs was perhaps the only benefit deriv-able from apprenticeship; but practitioners were now adopting thehabit of sending their prescriptions to druggists. The lecture systemwas faulty, both in the number of lectures and in being too professorial.The late Dr. Todd for some years had a class of " clinical observers",who had to take notes of the hospital cases for his use; and on thesenotes he based his lectures.

Dr. OPPERT said that the absence of apprenticeship except in thiscountry and in America shewed that it was not necessary to medicaleducation. On the continent, a student who has completed his study isonly considered competent to conduct practice under the guidance ofsome other medical man. In this way, many become exe;ernes, and sub-sequently intersnes, of hospitals. He thought that the system of ap-prenticeship tended to lower the profession in the eyes of the public;and that, if it were allowed, quackery could not be suppressed. Pupil-age with a practitioner might follow the four years of professional study.

Dr. WATKINS said that the opposite views as to apprenticeship wereboth wrong. A certain amount gave much information in practicalpharmacy and other usefiul matters; but he did not think that the in-struction in medicine and surgery was of much value. The period ofapprenticeship might be shortened with advantage. He agreed thatmore students learned from lectures than books; but the lecture systemwas much overdone. Attendance on lectures on Anatomy was a greatwaste of time. Much information as to minor surgery and skin-dis-eases might be learned from the out-patients of hospitals; but the medi-cal practice there was apt to render men apt to generalise too hastily.The CHAIRMAN could not agree with Dr. Stewart that apprentice-

ships rendered students proud of their smattering of knowledge; in hisexperience, that was not the effect produced. Lectures on Anatomywere very oppressive, but demonstrations were most instructive; andthese had been confounded by some of the speakers. He could not seethat apprenticeship-education in the minor parts of medicine-couldfavour quackery. Dr. Todd's system of clinical observers was a goodplan of making hospital instruction useful.

Dr. HENRY said that he had not advocated long apprenticeships; hehad spoken of pupilage for a limited period with a general practitioner.As to the time whein this should take place, he thought that it shouldbe at the beginning of study, so as to render the pupil familiar with or-dinary things, and prevent the necessity of his being obliged to becomeacquainted with them when he ought to be occupied with more ad-vanced studies. At the same time, an additional period of pupilage atthe end of the course of study, for the purpose of becoming practically

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570 THE BRITISH MEDICAL 7OURNAL. [June 6, i868.

acquainted with disease and its treatment, would be useful. His ob-servations had reference not so much to those medical men who prac-tised in places where they could readily obtain all assistance in dis-pensing their prescriptions, etc., but to that numerous class who prac-tised where theywere perhaps at a distance ofsome mileseitherfrom otherpractitioners or from any druggist competent to put up their medicines.The education of every practitioner ought to embrace a knowledge ofall details of medical practice.

METROPOLITAN COUNTIES BRANCH:SPECIAL GENERAL MEETING.

A SPECIAL genieral meeting of this Branch was held at the rooms of theMedical Society of London, on the evening of Monday, June Ist, toreceive the Report of the Committee appointed on March ioth "toconsider the question of Dr. Eastlake's treatment by the Governors ofthe British Lying-in Hospital," with authority " to investigate the col-lateral matters relating to the course pursued by Dr. Edmunds, Dr.Eastlake, and the Editor of the JOURNAL."

In the unavoidable absence of the President, the chair was taken byDr. STEWART, and aftelNvards by Mr. DUNN. About forty memberswere present.

Dr. HENRY, Secretary to the Committee, read the Report, and alsothe following letter from Dr. Eastlake.

" Malvern, Saturday, May 30tll, i868."Dear Sir,-I beg to acknowledge with thanks the Report of the

Committee of the Metropolitan Counties Branch of the British MedicalAssociation, which was formed for the purpose of investigating thetreatment I have received from the Governors of the British Lying-inHospital. I am pleased to learn that the members of the Committeedo not approve of the abrupt dismissal from my office of Physician tothe hospital, which was proposed by the Weekly Board of that charity.I regret that the Committee have been prevented from expressing anydefinite opinions on certain questions at issue; but I can readily under-stand their unwillingness to do so on account of the pending legal pro-ceedings. I desire to express my thanks to the Committee, and to your-self for the trouble you have taken, and remain, sir,

" Yours faithfully, "HENRY E. EASTLAKE."Dr. Henry, 15, George Street, MIanchester Square."Mr. HECKISTALL SAIITH moved, Dr. R. BARNES seconded, and it

was resolved, "That the Report now read be received."Dr. RAMSAY movcd, and Mr. LORD seconded, "That the Report

be adopted."Dr. EDMUNDS moved as an amendment, and Dr. SEATON seconded,

"That the first portion of the Report be adopted." The amendmelt,which was said to be for the purpose of saving time by discussing eachpart separately, was lost.

After a discussion, in which Dr. Stewart, Mr. Heckstall Smith, Dr.Squire, Dr. Felce, Dr. Drysdale, Mr. Lord, Dr. Duplex, Dr. Ed-munds, Dr. Seaton, Mr. Rogers-Harrison, Mr. Lord, Dr. Simms, andMr. Hart took part, the Report was adopted as follows."The Committee of the Metropolitan Counties Branch, appointed

on March ioth to examine into the treatment of Dr. Eastlake by theGovernors of the British Lying-in Hospital, and other circumstancesconnected therewith, beg to report that they have held six meetings;viz., on March 13th, 24th, and 3ist, April 7th, 14th, and 2ist; at which,with one exception, all the members have been present.

" The Committee, in commencing the inquiry, found that the mattersreferred to them by the Branch were to be divided into-" I. The treatment of Dr. Eastlake by the Governors of the British

Lying-in Hospital." II. Personal dispute between Dr. Eastlake and Dr. Edmunds."III. Charges brought by Dr. Edmunds against the Editor of the

BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL." I. As regards the first point-the forced resignation of Dr. East-

lake-the Committee have read and carefully considered various printedand wlitten documents bearing on the subject; and have examined,orally, Dr. Eastlake, Dr. Edmunds, Mr. Leaf, Mrs. Firth (late Matronof the Hospital), Miss Hodges, Mrs. Clark (the present Matron), Mrs.Coombes (midwife), two of the women attended from the Hospital byDr. Eastlake, and other persons. In this inquiry, a great amount ofconflicting and irreconcileable evidence was given. The investigationof this matter has occupied the Committee during the greater part oftheir sittings; and they now beg to submit the following as their con-clusion thereon.

" Tbat, while not approving either of the abrupt dismissal ofDr. Eastlake, or, on the other hand, of the bearing of Dr. Eastlaketowards the Board of Governors, the Committee, after a careful

consideration of all the facts and circumstances disclosed in thislengthened inquiry, unanimously recommend the MetropolitanCounties Branch of the British Medical Association not to take anyfurther action in the matter.

"II. With regard to personal matters of dispute between Dr. East-lake and Dr. Edmunds, the Committee have unanimously agreed on thefollowing resolution.

" That the Committee do not enter on an inquiry as to the cir-cumstances of dispute between Dr. Eastlake and Dr. Edmunds, asthey have been informed that legal proceedings are pending be-tween them.

" III. The Committee have examined personally Dr. Edmunds andMr. Ernest Hart regarding the allegations made by the former as to theconduct of the BRITISH MEDICALJOURNAL with reference to Dr. East-lake and the British Lying-in Hospital; and have carefully consideredthe charges made by Dr. Edmunds.

" Mr. Hart has giveni explanations which are completely satisfactoryto the Committee; and the Committee have no hesitation in reportingthat Mr. Hart is completely exonerated from the charges."The Committee agree unanimously on the following resolutions.

"1 I. The Committee, having heard the statements of the Editorof the JOURNAL and Dr. Edmunds, made in presence of each other,thoroughly and entirely acquit the Editor of all the charges broughtagainst him by Dr. Edmunds.

" 2. The Committee cannot refrain from expressing their strongdisapproval and condemnation of the charges made by Dr. Ed-munds, and especially of the terms in which they were couched.

" 3. The Committee receive with some degree of satisfaction theexpression of regret made by Dr. Edmunds towards the close of theinvestigation, of his having ' hastily' made use of language which,to say the least, was most ungentlemanly and unprofessional. Atthe same time, they desire to report their strong condemnation ofthe use of such language on the part of any member of the Asso-ciation, or, indeed, of the medical profession generally, as that em-ployed by Dr. Edmunds in his pamphlet.

"T. HECKSTALL SMITH, in the Chair."W. F. RAMSAY, M.D."WALLER LEWIS, M. B. Cantab."CHARLES F. J. LORD."G. T. GREAM, M.D."THOMAS HlLLIER, M.D."JOSEPH SEATON, M.D."

Dr. DRYSDALE moved, and Dr. EDMUNDS seconded, a vote of thanksto the Committee, which was unanimously adopted.The meeting then adjourned.

BATH AND BRISTOL BRANCH: ORDINARY MEETING.THE sixth ordinary meeting of the session was held at the Royal Hotel,College Green, Bristol, on May 2Ist, at 7 P.M.; R. W. COE, Esq.,President, in the Chair.Xew .Mernzbers.-The following gentlemen were unanimously elected

members of the Association and of this Branch:-Alexander Carr,M.R.C.S., Knowle, proposed by Dr. Marshall, and seconded by Mr.W. Clarke; and Nelson Dobson, M. R. C. S., Bristol General Hospital,proposed by Dr. Marslhall, and seconded by Mr. Lansdown.

Pa.pers. -Dr. MARTYN read a paper on Hypodermic Injection in aCase of Colic, which led to considerable discussion on the subject ofhypodermic injections generally, specially of morphia with a view toallaying pain.-Mr. BARTRUM had observed most wonderful effects fromthe hypodermic injection ofmorphiawhen all other means ofadministeringopium had utterly failed; and considered that the great and rapid ab-sorption of remedies administered in this manner, together with the factof their not undergoing digestion, were the principal causes of success.-Mr. SPENDER spoke as to the great value of hypodermic injection insevere pain.-Dr. FALCONER had given a young lady three and fourmorphia injections daily. The patient had been in the habit of takinggrain doses of morphia. Injections gave no relief until she abstainedfrom internal administration for two or three days, when a third of agrain, injected, acted freely and fully. On three or four occasions, shebecame inanimate, and lay on the sofa apparently lifeless: this occurredwhen the operation gave great pain. The patient could foretellwhen it would happen. Quinine injections frequently were of greatbenefit in rheumatism and during convalescence. Dr. Falconer hadnever known an abscess follow injections.-Dr. DAVEY said that wemust look to the cause and seat of pain. Remedies are required be-yond sedatives. In abdominal pain, it is necessary to detect whetherthere is an accumulation of fieces. This being removed, the pain goes.

THE BR.FTISR MEDICAL .70URNAL..570 [June 6, I868.

June 6, i868.J THE BRITISH MEDICAL _OURNAL. 571

The immense value of purgatives is neglected, as also the value ofbleeding.-Mr. T. E. CLARK had for nine months used hypodermic in-jections of morphia to procure rest at night, in the case of a gentlemansuffering from albuminuria and anasarca.-Dr. E. L. Fox believedthat physicians having the care of the insane in this country were find-ing injections of morphia of great benefit, specially in cases of melan-cholia. He had found great relief afforded by this means in cases ofcancer and tumour of the brain accompanied by intense agony. In onecase in the infirmary, he had directed one grain of morphia to be in-jected four times a day for many consecutive weeks. The patient didnot sleep much from it, but was quieted. Dr. Fox believed that Mr.Green had given one-grain injections five times a day in a case of cancerof the hip, with but partial relief-After remarks by Mr. COLLINS,Mr. W. MICHELL CLARKE spoke of the great value of such injections,but specially of injections of morphia per anurn, by which no pain wasgiven, no wound was made, and the action was rapid.-Mr. CoE hadbeen much disappointed in the case of a lady from whom he had re-moved a cancer of the breast, but who continued to suffer much pain inthe brachial plexus, to find little relief from injections of morphia. Hecertainly had not used it in very large doses, and considered that theprinciple shown in Dr. Fox's remark was a very valuable one; namely,that, when we see a decided requirement for a particular remedy, weshould push its use to a large extent. -Dr. MARTYN said that the ob-ject in his case was not so much to allay the pain as to prevent starva-tion. The vomiting being allayed gave time to get some nourishmentadministered. With regard to purgative treatment, although diarrhceaexisted on admission, the patient had taken calomel, rhubarb, andcastor-oil; and there had been no constipation. In cancer, it is oftendifficult to get opium kept down when received into the stomach; butthe action is rapid and certain when administered per anurm or hypo-dermically. When given per anurn, the patient can administer it tohimself at any time, and thus avoid puncturing the skin.

Dr. BARTLEY read a paper on Common Diseases of the Eye andtheir Treatment.-Mr. SPENDER said that the internal administrationof morphia, commencing with a fortieth of a grain every two hours, inall cases of conjunctivitis, was almost infallible. Nine out of ten casesdo well. The eye is kept closed by a pad of cotton-wool, retained bystrapping.-Dr. LOWNDS said that ophthalmia in India was well in afew days by the use of nitrate of silver drops, eight or ten grains to theounce. In gonorrhoeal ophthalmia, solid nitrate of silver, rubbed onthe inner surface of the upper and lower eyelid, was wonderfully effica-cious. Catarrhal ophthalmia in India is accompanied with great pain,which is relieved by an alum lotion.-Mr. STONE observed that, instrumous ophthalmia, such various local applications are said to be suc-cessful, that he felt the general treatment was of most value.

Dr. SWAYNE read a paper on the Use of Obstetric Instruments,which was followed by a discussion.The reading of other papers was prevented by the lateness of the hour.

SPECIAL CORRESPONDENCE.DUBLIN.

[FROMs OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.]

The Untiversity Question.THE vexed question-What alterations in the Irish university systemare expedient ?-may be regarded as settled by a pamphlet just issuedby Dr. Lloyd, Provost of Trinity Colleg2. His large mind has beenthroughout life employed in the ennobling study of science, and thetruly liberal plan he proposes is eminently worthy of him. The fore-most position he occupies in that great seat of learning will secure forhis proposal the earnest attention of the legislature and of all the edu-cated classes. Having demonstrated the evils of multiplying denomi-national universities, and of secularising Tlinity College, which wouldbe most obnoxious to both religious communities, Dr. Lloyd proposesthat " Trinity College may be left as it is; and other colleges, in whichthe members of the governing bodies were Roman Catholics or Pro-testant Dissenters, might be affiliated either to the University of Dublinor to the Queen's University." When the proposal to affiliate othercolleges to the Queen's University was made two years ago, it wasvigorously opposed by that body; but many other sections of educa-tionalists approved; and they will, of course, give their adherence tothe connexion of their colleges with an University so renowned as thatof Dublin, when its constitution shall have been enlarged and liberal-

ised in the manner now proposed. Dr.-Lloyd's plan is very similar tothat of the German Universities; and just now there is a growing desirethat the old English Universities should, like them, have their teach-ing functions restored. Under it, the professorial would be very large;and the present staffs of Trinity College, the Catholic University, andGalway College, would be united to form it. The Belfast and CorkQueen's Colleges might remain, as at present, governmental and se-cular; and Trinity College and the Catholic University (or College),independent and denominational; religious and tutorial instruction andresidence being afforded to their respective students. The sole exa-mining body would be the University of Dublin; and its Senate mightbe constituted of the principal officers of the colleges and of memberselected by graduates. The only mode of selection which Dr. Lloyd,with great justice, objects to, is that of nomination by the State. Thepamphlet proves that it was the intention of many sovereigns that othercolleges besides Trinity should be affiliated to the University of Dublin.In the JOURNAL of February 15th was a letter from your Irish corre-spondent, in which many of the advantages of such a National Uni-versity, with separate colleges, are set forth. The Provost's pamphletdoes not provide for the compensation of the Fellows of Trinity Col-lege. Among them it is very unpopular.

REPORTS OF SOCIETIES.OBSTETRICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.

WEDNESDAY, MAY 6TH, i868.JOHN HALL DAVIS, M.D., President, in the Chair.

On the Absorption ofFibroid Tn,noutrs oft/ze Uteruts. By W. S. PLAY-FAIR, M.D.-The author referred to the occasional disappearance offibroid tumours, and gave a brief account of the literature of the subject.He then gave an account of two cases which had been under his owncare, in one of which the tumour was of the size of a large orange, in theother of an adult head, both the tumours eventually entirely disappear-ing. He then discussed the various theories which had been proposedto account for the occurrence ; and stated his belief that the disappear-ance was probably due to a process of fatty degeneration of the fibressimilar to that which preceded the diminution in size of the hypertro-phied uterus after delivery.-Dr. BARNES said no doubt all would joinin the hope that remedies would be found capable of causing the re-moval of fibroid tumours, but he could not see that Dr. Playfair's casesafforded any proof that such remedies had been found. He himself hadused bromide and iodide of potassium till he and his patients were tiredout with the hopeless pursuit. He did not admit that the comparisondrawn between fibroid growths and the healthygrowth of the uterus underthe stimulus of gestation was complete. He did not find in fibroids thoselarge fibre-cells which formed during gestation, and which were so readilymelted down and absorbed afterwards. The fibroid was denser; itcontained more fibrous tissue ; it was very much cnt off from the vascu-lar system of the uterus. The diagnosis of fibroid was often difficult.We ought not to be satisfied to accept a case as one of fibroid tumourunless it was indicated by one of two tests ; firstly, the passage of theuterine sound beyond the normal length; and secondly, the mobility ofthe tumour and uterus en masse between the finger or the os uteri andthe hand outside. He had seen fibroids diminish and disappear; but hehad not seen medicines exert the smallest influence.-Mr. SPENCERWELLS concurred with Dr. Barmes in his doubts as to the power ofmedicines in causing absortion of fibroids; but he had no doubt thatvery large fibroids did occasionally disappear. The process might go onfor months or years, and it might often not be quite complete. In onecase, the process seemed to be one of softening or suppuration, the pa-tient not having much discharge, but suffering constitutionally fromsymptoms of chronic pylemia. In other cases, the process seemed to bea simple atrophy. In others, there was more or less calcification. Hethought the chloride of calcium hastened the latter of these processes, asit certainly checked haemorrhage. He believed that if lime were givenfor too long a time atheroma might be produced; and he had seen twocases where arcus senilis in young subjects and other evidences ofarterial degeneration had followed long continued treatment by chlorideof calcium.-Dr. GRAILY HEWITT remarked that as yet we had notrustworthy means of effecting the removal of fibroids by medication.He believed in their occasional but very rare disappearance. Of reme-

574 . THE PP1* JMtbit 7O L. rJuie 6, i868.

issue, ruling to the effect, that Mr. Syme, in deference to his positionas a teacher, was not to be interfered with. All this, if necessary, I amprepared to prove by certified extracts and evidence, although Mr. Symetells your readers that the " Medical Faculty never brought the evils ofmy teaching under the notice of the University Court." I confidently,therefore, leave it to be judged by your readers, how far Mr. Syme, con-sistently with his character as a gentleman and a professor, ought toapply the terms "false and calumnious" to the statements referred to.I have only to add that, after the decision of the University Court, Mr.Syme, and his system of teaching surgery, would have been left tothemselves by me, had he not succeeded in carrying a resolution in theSenatus, that attendance on the medical clinical wards, also, was not tobe required. On the petition of a few students, the matter had beenpreviously considered by the Medical Faculty, which at once, andunanimously, agreed that there was no reason for interfering with theexisting regulations. But Mr. Synie, wvho had been absent from theFaculty meeting, caused the resolution of the last body to be overruledby the Senatus, assuring its members (the great majority of whom arenon-medical) that bed-side instruction was "a miserable clap-trap andsham." The question, therefore, now is, whether visits to the wards ofa hospital with the students are to be regarded as an essential part ofclinical instruction? Is he who pays for what is called hospital prac-tice, to get nothing for his money, but what he can pick up in the lec-ture-room twice a week? If every hospital physician and surgeonshould follow Mr. Syme's example, what has hitherto been consideredas the chief source of practical instruction for the student, would be ut-terly destroyed. I have written, therefore, solely in the interests ofmedical education, conceruing which it is obviously of little use appeal-inig to the secret councils of the University Court-a body consisting offive or six gentlemen, two of whom only are medical. In their opinion,it would seem that my statements have "a tendency to damage the in-terests of the University," I believe that, through the agency of thepress, an exposure of the truth may lead to a correction of the abuse,and, if so, instead of doing injury, it will prove a real benefit to theschool. I am, etc., J. HUGHES BENNETT.

Edinburgh, May 30th, i868.

THE POOR-LAW MEDICAL SERVICEOF

GREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND.THE IRISH POOR-LAW MEDICAL SERVICE.

THE following resolutions were adopted at a meeting of the medicalofficers of the Banbridge Union, held on May ,2st; present-Drs. Mal-comson (in the chair), Tyrrell, Harman, Weir, and Crawford. It wasunanimously agreed-i. That, inasmuch as medical officers employedunder the Poor-law Board are liable to be called on at any hour of theday or night, independent of the risks to health and life, from conta-gion, etc., to which they are exposed, their exclusion from the benefitsof the Superannuation Act, upon the plea that their whole time is notengaged in the public service, while almost all other Poor-law and Go-vernment officers are so provided for, is an injustice to the medical offi-cers which loudly calls for removal. 2. That the petition of the Kingand Queen's College of Physicians be adopted, and a copy of the samebe sent to our county members, requesting their co-operation and sup-port. 3. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the Irish MedicalAssociation and to the Ulster Medical Protective Association, request-ing their advice as to our future proceedings, and their co-operationwith us; and, also, expressing our opinion of the necessity of having ageneral representative meeting of union officers, to be held in some.cen-tral town in the North of Ireland (say Portadown) at as early a date aspossible, for the purpose of pressing our claims on the legislature. Itwas also determined to forward a copy of the resolution to this JOUR-NAL and to the Medical Press and Circular. The meeting was formedinto a permanent Association; and thanks were voted to the Press ofIreland for their advocacy.

THE NEW ORDER ON DUTIES OF POOR-LAW MEDICALOFFICERS.

LoRD DEVON stated, in reply to the remonstrances addressed to himby the deputation of the Parliamentary Committee of the British Medi-cal Association on the last order imposing on the medical officer theduty-somewhat invidiously-of direct re,port to the Poor-law hQardevery quarter on all the subjects of ordinary medical inspection of

Workhouses, that he did not think that they were justified in assumingthat boards of guardians would take umbrage at such reports from themedical officers. It was represented to him that they would be eitherjinnecessary-that is, would relate to things which the guardians wouldapprove or agree to; or invidious and likely to give offence by urgingover their heads subjects on which they disagree with the medical offi-cer. The proper course, it was urged, was to interpose an adequatelyinstructed inspector-an officer of the Poor-law Board-who would beable to examine regularly into all such matters, to advise with both par-ties, and to report. These reports are, in fact, only an excuse to shiftupon the medical officers responsibility of an inspectorial character, andrequiring entire independence from local pressure, but which the presentstaff are not educated to fulfil. The Committee of the Guardians ofthe City of London Union have, according to the Parochial Critic, ex-pressed very strongly and clearly, by anticipation, their objection to theinstitution of a " third inspector in the person of one of their own offi-cers to report to the Poor-law Board without the knowledge of theguardians. They state that such reports will ensure greater perplexity,antagonism, and difficulty, in workhouse management. The Commit-tee refer to the absence of any proceedings taken by justices, and to theconstant approval by the Poor-Law inspectors of the management ofthe house. They strongly urge the guardians to resist this order of thePoor-law Board, appointing an additional inspector with duties analo-gous to those of the Poor-law inspector in the person of one of theirown paid officers."

OBITUARY.SIR JOHN LIDDELL, K.C.B., M.D.

SIR JOHN LIDDELL, K.C.B., M.D., the late Director-General of theMedical Department of the Navy, died, at the age of 74, at his re-sidence in Chester Square, on the 29th May; and was interred in thecemetery of the Royal Hospital at Greenwich on the 2nd June. Havingbeen the senior medical officer at Greenwich for ten years, he had aremarkable attachment to it in all its associations; and desired to beburied in its grounds where the pensioners lie, which the Admiraltypermitted to be done. Sir John Liddell became Director-General inI855, during the Crimean war, and administered the office well duringthat, and the war in China. Failing health led to his retirement in theyear 1864, and on that occasion the Medical Branch of the Navy sig-nified its respect for its late chief by an address and a testimonial ofplate (which will remain an esteemed heirloom in his family). Sincehis retirement, Sir John's failing health had caused him to lead analmost secluded life, amid his family, and a few of his old friends; andhe leaves a name that will long be respected by the naval service, exe-cutive as well as medical, as that of a warm-hearted friend, and an or-nament to his profession as well as to the service to which he belonged.

MEDICAL NEWS.THE PARLIAMENTARY CAMPAIGN.

SEVERAL members intend to introduce for future discussion in theHouse of Commons subjects of medical interest. Mr. Pim will movefor a copy of correspondence between the Treasury, the Irish Govern-ment, and Dr. Robert M'Donnell, relative to the change in the medicalmanagement of the Mountjoy Convict Prison, whereby Dr. M'Donnellwas deprived of the office of Medical Superintendent without compensa-tion.-Mr. Whalley intends to ask the Secretary of State for War, withreference to the 86th Regiment in the Mauritius, whether it is true thatarrangements are being made to send on this regiment to India; if so,whether the attention of the Government has been given to the factthat almost the entire force has suffered in health,andis greatly debilitatedby the pestilential influence ofthe climate of the Mauritius, and that Indiawould probably be fatal under these circumstance to the health ofthe regi-ment.-Mr. Dixon, on Tuesday, June gth, proposes to introduce a Bill toamend the "Act for preventing the Adulteration of articles of Food orDrink, i86o," and to extend its provisions to Drugs.-Mr. Mitford, onan early day, will call attention to a Memorial from the President of theRoyal College of Physicians and others to the Lord President of theCouncil, respecting the extension of "The Contagious Diseases Act,i866."-Sir J. C. Jervoise, in Committee on Civil Service Estimates,class 2, will move, That it is expedient that the Departments of PublicHealth, Cattle Plague, and Quarantine should cease to exist as esta-blishments, due regard being had to all personal interests and to all in-dividual claims.

THE BRITISH MEDICAL YOURNAL.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.-The following gen-tlemen, having undergone the necessary written and vivd voce examin-ations, on May 25th, 26th, and 27th, for the Fellowship of the College,were reported to have acquitted themselves to the satisfaction of theCourt of Examiners; and, when eligible, will be admitted to the finalprofessional examination for this qualification.

Adams, J. E. (London Hospital); diploma of membership dated Nov. 14, I865Adams, M. A. (Guy's Hospital); July i5, I859Amsden, George (King's College)Avelin , C. T. (St. Thomas's Hospital); May 23, 1865Bell, H. R. (King's College); November Ig, 2863Bensley, E. C. (St. Thomas's Hospital); November 5, 1858Buckley, Samuel (Manchester School)Cornish, W. R. (St. George's Hospital); December I7, I852Davy, Richard (Guy's Hospital); May 7, I86oDe Liefde, John (Guy's Hospital); Aprll 24, I867Duke, Joshua (Guy's Hospital)Durham, Frederic (Guy's Hospital)Foster, John (Leeds School); JulY I8, 1859Galton, E. H. (Guy's Hospital); July 27, I857Grose, Samuel (St. Thomas's Hospital); April iI, I859Harding, T. M. (Middlesex Hospital); July 31, 1848Hardman, William (University College)Hayward, J. W. (St. George's Hospital); May 7, 1863Howse, H. G. (Guy's Hospital); January 25, I865Humphreys, F. H. (Guy's Hospital); April 28, I865Ingle, R. N. (Guy's Hospital); December 25, I858Jessop, T. R. (Leeds School); July I9, I859Lee, F. F. (St. George's Hospital); April 13, i86oLucas, R. C. (Guy's Hospital); Jantuary 21, I868McConnell, J. F. P. (St. George's Hospital)Nicholls, James (St. George's Hospital); October I5, T852Oldham, C. J. (Guy's Hospital)Palmer, W. J. (King's College); June 17, I843Parker, Rushton (University Coliege)Pearse, G. E. L. (Westminster Hospital!; No'.7-ember s5, I864Pollard, Frederic (St. Thomas's Hospital)Pollock, E. J. (King's College); July -to, I863Pritchard, Urban (King's College)Procter, W. B. (Middlesex Hospitai); April 7, I854Railton, T. C. (Manchester School)Rickards, Edwin (University College)Rigg, C. F. (Manchester School)Scott, P. T. (Gtuy's Hospital)Seaton, E. C. (St. Thomas's Hospital)Shuven, Alfred (Universzity College)Sims, F. M. B. (St. George's Hospital); November I6, i865Sykes, John (Leeds School); May 8, i866Taylor, John (Gtuy's Hospital)Wagstaffe, W. W. (St. Thomas's Hospital); April 29, i864Walker, H. E. (Guy's Hospital)Wall, A. J. (Sl. Mlary's Hospital)White, G. F. (University College): July 10, I857Wiseman, J. G. (Guy's Hospital); May 8, I867Wood, R. A. H. (Liverpool)

It is gratifying to add that out of the fifty-two candidates, only threewere rejected.

APOTHECARIES' HALL.-Names of gentlemen who passed their ex-amination in the science and practice of medicine, and received certifi-cates to practise, on Thursday, May 28th, i868.

Bennett, Charles John, CheltenhamBetts, James Oliphant, ig, Kenton Street, W.C.Cremen, Patrick John, CorkFendick, Robert George, BristolFirman, Charles George, Middlesex HospitalHackney, Alfred Herbert, TwickenhamPayne, George, WallingfordSharp, John Adolphus, MaidstoneVawdrey, George, Hayle, CornwallWhitehouse, Thomas Gill, Durham

As an Assistant:-Sale, Thomas John, Wokingham, Berks

MEDICAL VACANCIES.THE following vacancies are declared:-

CREDITON UNION, Devon-Medical Officer for the Bow, Coleridge, and Cole-brooke Districts.

EAST LONDON CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL-Medical Officers.FYLDE UNION, Lancashire-Medical Officer for Kirkham No. I District.GRAVESEND AND MILTON UNION-Medical Officer for the Gravesehd

District.LIVERPOOL, Parisls of-Assistant Medical Officer for the Workhouse, Browislow

Hill.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL, Devonshire Square-Resident Medica-l

Officer.NORTH DUBLIN UNION-Resident Medical Officer, No. 2, North City Dis-

pensary.NORTH WALES COUNTIES LUNATIC ASYLUM, Denbi-h-Assistant Me-

dical Officer.NOTTINGHAM UNION-Medical Officer for the Workhouse.ROYAL ISLE OF WIGHT INFIRMARY, Ryde-Surgeon an.d Secretary.ROYAL KENT DISPENSARY-Two Medical Officers for Greenwich.UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW-Professor of Midwifery.WETHERBY UNION, Yorkshire-Medical Officer for District No. 4.

BIRTHS.GoULDSBURY.-On May I3th, at Eastbourne, the wife of V. Skipton Gouldsbury,M.D., Staff-Assistant-Surgeon, of a daughter.

HUBERT.-On Mlay 2oth, at Billinghurst, Sussex, the wife of T. K. Hubert, M.D.,of a son.

JOHNSTON.-On May 22nd, at Bromley, Kent, the wife of Joseph Johnston, M.D.,Staff-Surgeon, 28th Cameronians, of a daughter.

POTTINGER.-On May 24th, at the Royal Naval Hospital, Plymouth, the wife ofRobert Pottinger, Esq., Staff-Surgeon, of a son.

POWER.-On May 27th, at Seymour Street, Portman Square, the wife of*HenryPower, Esq., Surgeon, of a daughter.

WARD.-On May i6th, at Reading, the wife of F. W. Ward, Esq., Deputy InspectorGeneral of Hospitals, Bombay, of a daughter.

WHICHER.-On May 23rd, at the Royal Naval Hospital, Yarmouth, the wifeJames Whicher, M.D., Staff-Surgeon R.N., of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.*ARGLEs, Frank, L.R.C.P., of Wanstead, to Julia Catherine, daughter of JohnHarding, Esq., of Wormley, Herts, on May 28th.

ToAILINsoN, Daniel W., Esq., Surgeon, of Oundle, Northamptonshire, to EmilyMary Ann, eldest daughter of *W. P. HOARE, Esq., Surgeon, of Dartford, onMay 27th.

DEATHS.PAGAN, John Al., M.D., Professor of Midwifery in the University of Glasgow, onMay igth.

ROBERTS.-On May 20th, at South Norwood, aged 39, Selina, wife of Stewart B.Roberts, AM.D., late of Swineshead, Lincolnshire.

Ross, Frederick D., M.D., at Waterloo, Hants, aged 34, on May 20.SARGANT.-On May 25th, aged i8, Edward, fourth son of William Henry Sargant,

Esq., Surgeon, of Bletchingley, Surrey.WARING, Richard, M.D., at Marlings, near Chiselhurst, aged 58, on May 2ISt.

_ _

INSECTS.-We have had international exhibitions of almost every-thing, and now of insects, on July 20th, in the Palais de l'Industrie,under the patronage of the Minister of Agriculture. We owe to usefulinsects silk, honey, wax, dyes of various hue, edibles, medicines, and or-naments. They destroy material of almost as great a value in cereals,the vine, forage, fruit and forest trees, timber, dry organic matters,truffles, and fungi. They have, perhaps, hitherto been too little thoughtof. We shall learn in August, in one cotp d'Xail, nearly all the good andharm they do us, with the view of adding to the one and neutralising theother as far as possible.SIXTY YEARS IN A CAGE.-The Phziladelphia Medical Reporter de-

scribes the case of a son of a clergyman who has just died insane at theage of 8i, having become insane at college at the age of 2I. Accordingto this astounding statement, for nearly two years he was not confined,until his father's life had been repeatedly endangered by his violence,when he was restrained with chains for a couple of years, and then wasplaced in a strong cage in the garret of the house, whence he nevercome forth while he lived. No clothing could be kept on him; but insevere weather he would allow himself to be covered with a blanket,which lasted only till his propensity for destruction became strongerthan his fear of the cold. His cage was not high enough for him tostand erect, and he remained constantly in a sitting posture, leaningback against the timber when he slept. His limbs could not be straight-ened, his hair was never trimmed, and for cleanliness he received onlythe attention given to a poorly kept animal. In fact, he had lost all ap-pearance of a human being, and had nearly lost his faculty of speech.No official or legal investigation of his case, or his class of cases, has ever

been made by the Government, but he was left in this pitiable, but un-

pitied state, in the midst of a highly enlightened and Christian people,to howl and shriek and groan, and suffer the unutterable horrors ofmental madness for sixty years.ARMY MEDICAL OFFICERS' FRIENDLY AND BENEVOLENT So-

CIETIES.-The annual general meetings of these societies were held on

May 30th at the Army Medical Board, Whitehall Yard, under the pre-

sidency of Dr. Logan, C.B., Director-General, Army Medical Depart-ment. The secretary read the statement of accounts of the " FriendlySociety," which showed that the receipts from all sources in I867 hadbeen £8,873 :14 :3, and a balance Of £597: 10:8 had been carriedforward to i868. Six new members had joined, three married andthree unmarried. *During the year five annuitants at £44 each, and twoat £22, had died; and one at £44 had remarried, and thus lost her an-

nuity. Five new annuitants had received £44 each in I867. The reportwas adopted. A subcommittee was appointed to consider and reportupon the present investments of the funds of the society, which themeeting thought might be invested to more advantage. The secretaryread the balance-sheet of the "Benevolent Society," which stated thatthe receipts for the past year had been £8,410 : 3 : i, out of which £540had been given away to orphans as donations. The balance carriedforward was £422: IO: I. A list of donations ranging from £io to£40 a-piece to twenty-six different families, and amounting to £600,was read and approved.

June 6, i868.] 575

THE BRITISH MEDICAL 70URNAL.

OPERATION DAYS AT THE HOSPITALS.

MONDAY ...... Metropolitan Free, 2 P.M.-St. Mark's, 9 A.M. and 1.30 P.M.-Royal London Ophthalmic, II A.M.

TUESDAY...... Guy's, I.30 P.M.-Westminster, 2 P.M.-Royal London Ophthal-mic, II A.m.-National Orthopaedic Hospital, 2 P.M.-RoyalFree, g A.M.

WEDNESDAY. .St. Mary's, I.I5P. M.-Middlesex, I P. M.-University College, 2P.M.-London, 2 P.M.-Royal London Ophthalmic, II A.M.-St. Bar-tholomew's, 2.30 P.M.-St. Thomas's, I.30 P.m.-Samaritan FreeHospital for women and Children, 2.30 P.M.-Great Northern,2 P.M.

THURSDAY.... St. George's, I P. M.-Central London Ophthalmic, a P.sl.-RoyalOrthopaedic, 2 P.M.-Royal London Ophthalmic, II A.M.-Hos-pital for Diseases of the Throat, 2 P.M.

FRIDAY ........ Westminster Ophthalmic, 2. 30 P.M.-Royal London Ophthalmic,I I A. M.-Royal Free, I. 30 P.M.

SATURDAY .... St. Thomas's, 9.30 A.M.-St. Bartholomew's, 2.30 P.M.-King'sCollege, 2.30 P.M.-Charing Cross, 2 P.M.-Lock (Clinical Demon-strations and Operations), I P.M. -Royal London Ophthalmic,II A.M.

MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES DURING THENEXT WEEK.

TUESDAY. -Ethnological Society of London, 8 P.M. Mr. C. B. Wade, C. B., " Onthe Chinese Notation of Time"; the late Mr. John Crawfurd, "On the Migra-tion alnd History of Coffee, Tea, Cocoa, etc."-Royal Medical and ChirurgicalSociety. 8 P.M., Ballot for Honorary and Ordinary Fellows. 8.30 P.M., Mr.John Birkett, "On Sero-Sanguineous Cysts in the Neck and Axilla"; Mr. T.Bryant, "On the Torsion of Arteries as a means of Arresting Haemorrhage."

WEDNESDAY.-Royal Microscopical Society, 8 P.M.THURSDAY.-Royal Society.FRIDAY.-Astronomical Society.-Royal Institution.

NOTICES TO CORRESPONDENTS.All Letters and Communications for the JOURNAL, to be addressed to the EDITOR,

37, Great Queen Street, Lincoln's Inn Fields, W. C.WE CANNOT UNDERTAKE TO RETURN MIANUSCRIPTS NOT USED.CORRESPONDENTS not answered are requested to look to the Notices to Corre-spondents of the following week.

CORRESPONDENTS, who wish notice to be taken of their communications, shouldauthenticate them with their names-of course, not necessarily for publication.

AUTHORS OF PAPERS, desirous of having extra copies printed for their own use, arerequested to communicate with the printer, Mr. Richards, 37, Great Queen Street.

MEDICAL REMiUNERATION.SIR,-Permit me, through the medium of your columns, to ask a few questions.Some members of our profession attend private patients by contract; i. e., receivea stipulated sum from Paterfamilias for keeping his family in health during theyear. How is this found to answer? what is a fair sum per head? and is midwiferyincluded? The profession seems to have arrived at a tolerably general under-standing, that 5s. for each member,er annum is the fair sum to be paid by work-men's clubs. In some places, self-supporting dispensaries are in work; and, whereI practise, one is proposed. It seems to be the custom to admit whole familiesadults and children; and, in the case of a large family joining, to admit any beyonda certain fixed number at a reduced price: for instance, admitting a man, wife, andseven children, as five persons. I believe the usual subscription is one pennyweekly for adults, and half that sum for children; or 4s. 4d. and 2S. 2d. yearly.The families name their medical attendant for the year; and the funds are dividedat Christmas among the surgeons in proportion as each has been selected to attendthe members. Does the profession generally consider this a fair sum in remunera-tion? or ought we now to raise it to 5s., as in the men's clubs? This also opensanother broad question. Ought children to pay as much as adults, or a reducedsum? Ought juvenile clubs (a sort of cadet corps attached to workmen's clubs) topay less than the men's clubs? and ought a large family to be admitted into a self-supporting dispensary at a less proportionate contribution than a small family? Ishall feel greatly obliged if any of your readers will give me their experience onthese points. I am, etc., AN AsSOCIATE.

MEDICAL EDUCATION.SIR,-In the JOURNAL of May 23rd, appears a letter, with the above heading, from" Habitans in Rure" (too much so, I fear), complaining of the difficulty of obtain-ing a good education in private schools " conducted on Church of England prin-ciples" (rather a vague term). If your correspondent is so desirous of sending hissons to be examined at the University of London, where no religious dogmas areknown, why is he so scrupulous as to require dogmatical teaching? Surely, hecan teach his own children the Church Catechism, etc., and send them to the"best market" for their classics, mathematics, and other branches of education.I am acquainted with several good schools, conducted by Nonconformists, wherethe children of Churchmen and Dissenters mix together without any evil result,the religious teaching being free from sectarian views. The "'close boroughs" re-ferred to by your correspondent, must be few and far between. I am not acquaintedwith any, unless amongst the Society of Friends (Quakers).

I was somewhat surprised to find the Epsom College spoken of as related in acertain manner to the Church of England. I thought it was simply a medicalcharity.You are asked to further the views of your correspondent. The BRITISH ME-

DICAL JOURNAL is scarcely the place to urge the wants of sectarians. The day isgone for art and science to be linked with religious teaching of a dogmatical cha-racter. The freedom of the former is not congenial to the restraints of the latter.May I868. I am, etc., HABITANS IN URBe.

NOTICES of Births, Marriages, Deaths, and Appointments, intended forinsertion in the JOURNAL, should arrive at the Office not later thanIO A. M. on Thursday.

ETIQUETTE.-Supposing that the physician is summoned independently in the secondcase, and that no one else is in attendance, he is, of course, justified in attending.But it would be just as obviously wrong to take any steps to bring about such asummons, or to do or say anything which is intended to lead to it.

A BEGGING IMPOSTOR.DR. H. JEAFFRESON writes to is-am the profession against the practices of a man offrom 45 to 50 years of age, about 5 feet 9 inches in height, rather spare figure, hairturning grey, and manner that of a broken-down gentleman, mixed with the de-meanour of a gin-drinking beggar. His plan of proceeding is to introduce himselfas an unfortunate medical man, who has failed in obtaining employment in Lon-don, and is on his way to friends at a distance. He represents that his nerves areshattered by privation of food; that, feeling very ill and seeing the name on thedoor, he has ventured to ask for advice and medicine. He tells a plausible storyof downfall and distress; in the course of which, he says that he knows more or lessintimately some of the probable acquaintances of the person whom he visits. Atlast, comes a request for a loan of money to help him to return to his friends, or forsome such purpose.

CARBOHAtSIIA.-I am very far from considering Dr. MacCormac's scepticism uncour-teous. Respect for your space prevented me from doing aught more than statingthe facts of my old fellow-students, who, I repeat, did not breathe re-breathed air,and died with tubercular lungs. I believe they did, on evidence such as couldsatisfy Dr. MacCormac, rightly, if the fact told in his favour; bult, I am willingto let it pass. Does Dr. MacCormac know that whole races sleep in such a fashionthat they breathe re-breathed air nightly? All over India the natives wrap theirheads up on going to sleep. I never in America saw a negro asleep yet, but hishead was muffled up in his blanket, or his mouth on the ground. I do not thinkphthisis is at all a com-non complaint in India. It was not common in the purenegro of the Slave States, but not rare among the crossed specimens of blacks. Dothe serpents at the Zoological Gardens die of tubercle? They spend the most oftheir time wrapped up in a blanket. The last Sunday I was there, an intelligentkeeper told me he reckoned them a "very healthy lot". Does Dr. MlacCormacknow that tubercle is not rare in certain sheep? He will at once explain it, as hedoes the same in rabbits and monkeys. Well, that might do, if the sheep I meanwere stall-fed, and shut up, but what does he say to tubercle in sheep, which neverwere under cover in their lives. Grant that my illustration of MM. Hengell andRussell is not proved, this of the sheep can be, any day, in the carcasses of thoseof the white and black-faced mountain herd in the Highlands of Scotland. Imight say more, and marshal facts and speculation in other fashion, but I knowthe demand on your space. I have stated what occurred to me critically on learn-ing Dr. MacCormac's views. M.

WE are indebted to correspondents for the following periodicals, containing news,reports and other matters of medical interest:-The Dublin Express, May 2gthand 30th; The Lincoln Gazette, May 3oth; The Age we Live in, Mlay 3oth; TheLiverpool Mercury, May a3th; The Sussex Advertiser, June 2nd; and The IrishTimes, June 2nd.

COMMUNICATIONS, LETTERS, ETC., have been received from:-Dr. Horace Jeaffreson, London; Dr. Andrew Clark, London; Dr. R. P. B. Taaffe,Brighton; Dr. Charles R. Francis, Calcutta; Mr. Le Gros Clark, London; Dr.Acland, Oxford; Dr. Robert Barnes, London; Mr. Erasmus Wilson, London; Dr.Humphry, Cambridge; Mr. E. Chapman, Oxford; Mr. W. Hoare, Dartford; TheHonorary Secretaries of the Ethnological Society of London; Mr. Joseph White,Nottingham; Dr. J. M. Bryan, Northampton; The Honorary Secretary of theRoyal Medical and Chirurgical Society; Dr. G. H. Philipson, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; Mr. D. Kent Jones, Beaumaris; Mr. C. F. Mautider, London; Dr. Marcet,London; Dr. Sieveking, London; Mr. Ibbetson, London; Mr. May; The Presi-dent and Medical Officers, Glasgow Infirmary; Dr. Oxley, Liverpool; Mr. Garra-way, Faversham; Dr. Crawford, Tandragee; Dr. S. Ward, London; Dr. MaddoxWoolston; Dr. Mackinder, Gainsborough; Dr. Duchenne de Boulogne; The Earlof Camarvon; Dr. Skiniier, Liverpool; Mr. Walter A. Leslie, Bletchingley; Mr.Maxwell, Castle Eden; Dr. W. V. Lush, Weymouth; Mr. T. Holmes, London: andDr. Paterson, Glasgow.

LETTERS, ETC. (with enclosures) from:-Dr. David Nelson, Birmingham; Dr. Cheadle, London; Mr. Wagstaffe, London;Dr. Hyde Salter, London; Mr. Hope Finlay, Edinburgh; Mr. Crookes; Dr. J.Hughes Bennett, Edinburgh; Dr. Wilson Fox, London; Dr. James Arnott, Lon-don; Dr. Blandford, London; Dr. Symonds, Clifton; Mr. F. W. Wright, Derby;Mr. C. Steele, Bristol; The Secretary of Apothecaries' Hall; Dr. John Murray,London; The Registrar-General of England; Mir. T. M. Stone, London; TheRegistrar-General of Ireland; Mr. St. George Mivart, London; Dr. Mlackinder,Gainsborough; Dr. Drysdale, London; Dr. Edmunds, London; Dr. T. Ml. Daldy,London; Dr. Bullar, Southampton; and Mr. J. P. Hoare, Dartford.

BOOKS, EiC., RECEIVED.A Manual of Materia Medica and Therapeutics, etc. Bv J. Forbes Royle, M.D.,

F.R.S., and F. W. Headland, M.D. Fifth edition. London: i868.On Strychnia Hypodermically Administered in Paralytic Affections. By Charles

Hunter. London: i868.Clinical Lectures and Reports. By the Medical Staff of the London Hospital.

Vol. iv, I867-8. London: 1868.An Essay on the Electricity of the Blood. By R. C. Shettle, M.D. London: i868.Bandages and Splints. By W. Fairlie Clarke, Ml.A., F. R. C. S. London: I868.Contributions to the Study of some Thoracic Diseases. By James Cuming, M.A.,

M.D., L.K.Q.C.P. Dulin: i868.The Surgical Treatment of the Diseases of Infancy and Childhood. By T. Holmes,

M.A.Cantab. London: I868.

576 [June 6, x868.