66 BERLIN.-VIENNA.

which was congested and infiltrated with round cells. In-

flammatory thickening of the submucous coat, with obviousendarteritis, was also found. The writers of the paper believethat the ulcerations were consecutive to infectious endarteritis.

French, Surgical Congress.The permanent committee of this association has appointed

Dr. Picque general secretary, vice Dr. Pozzi, resigned.A Farerell Ward Visit.

Having reached the age at which retirement is compulsoryon hospital physicians, Dr. Guyot, of the Beaujon Hospital,paid his last official visit to his wards last week. All his oldpupils accompanied him on his rounds, and Dr. Rendu, ashis senior disciple, presented in their name a work of art inbronze to their old master. The ward nurses and the patientscontributed a beautiful basket of flowers.

Academy of Medicine.The vacant chair in the Therapeutical and Natural History

section of the Academy has been filled by the election of Dr.Laveran, well known for his researches on the hasmatozoaof malaria. Dr. Laveran received 59 votes as against 12given to his most successful competitor, Dr. Huchard.Jan. 2nd.

BERLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Natural and Acquirced Immunity from DiseaseB13HRING has a paper of extraordinary interest in the

Deutsche Medicinische Wochensckrift, No. 48, on thePresent Position of the Blood.serum Treatment. The

discovery of specific poisons of bacterial origin has ledto a search for specific remedies. The specific poisonhas been shown to exist by experiments relating to (interalia) tetanus, diphtheria, glanders, and cholera. Formerlythe object of treatment was to kill the parasite; we

now use the parasiticide remedies for preventing themultiplication of micro-organisms in excreta, clothes, or

dwellings, but we do not yet know how to use them withany effect upon the living organisms. The micro-organismsof disease are harmless in the system if the systembe protectEd. Thus the convalescent from diphtheriahave living and virulent diphtheritic bacilli in theirmouths, often for weeks, but are unaffected by them.Persons, again, who have had or have been exposed tocholera may pass cholera bacilli in a state of activity andvirulence by the bowel, and yet to all appearance be quitewell. Such people are, of course, a source of danger toothers. There is also a natural insusceptibility. Whitemice, we know, are not affected by diphtheria, nor dofowls contract tetanus. This natural immunity cannot becommunicated by transfusion. There is, again, an acquiredimmunity, of which the effects of vaccination afford afamiliar example ; and possibly we may include herethe immunity which some individuals eventually reach

against alcohol, tobacco, and morphine. Such acquiredimmunity may, according to Behring, develop quicklyor slowly. Immunity which is acquired quickly isconnected with an alteration of the blood. Under theinfluence of systematic and gradually increasing doses ofthe tetanus poison the fluid constituents of the blood (serum)acquire the property of making the poison harmless ; and ifthis antitoxic serum is injected into another animal, the latteralso becomes for a time immune. Tetanus poison has threedifferent effects on a susceptible individual: (1) it causestetanus to a greater or less degree, with (2) development ofantitoxine in the blood, and (3) a diminished susceptibility ofthe living tissues towards the poison. In animals treatedwith tetanus poison the first result is the appearance ofantitoxine in the blood. As the treatment is continued eachincreased dose of poison causes a further reaction, andeach reaction up to a certain point is followed by an

increase in the amount of antitoxine. The animal has nowacquired more or less complete immunity, and its blood con-tains antitoxine ; but there comes a time when, in conse-

quence of the impossibility of administering sufficientlyvirulent cultures either in quality or quantity, no furtherreaction can be obtained. No more antitoxine being nowproduced, that already developed gradually disappears fromthe blood, and the seram, if now transfused into another

i

animal, no longer causes immunity. But the immunity ofthe original subject of experiment abides and increases. Itis clear that in this stage the antitoxic quality of theblood (which has disappeared) cannot explain the con-

tinued immunity. Behring considers that this conditionexhibits the formerly susceptible living tissues as insua-

ceptible, and holds that this acquired immunity is com-

parable to natural immunity, and of the same nature.The immunity resulting from immediate assimilation of anti-toxine he describes as "direct," while that following re-peated reactions to doses of poison he calls "indirect." ,.

Animals that have been made directly immune by theinjection of antitoxic serum as soon as the antitoxine isexcreted are as susceptible as ever, and hence such animmunity cannot be transmitted by the semen, for instance.It is transitory ; but the immunity of the living tissues is, ifnatural, permanent. The question-which Behring considersthat time will prove-is whether the acquired immunity oiliving tissues is hereditary and permanent.

A Monthly Periodical of Hydropathics.A monthly periodical of Hydropathics is about to appear,

edited by Dr. A. Ktuche in Municb, in association withDr. Eulenberg of Berlin and Dr. Rosenbach of Breslau.

The Action of Titbercitlin.Dr. A. Klein is of opinion that tuberculin does not act

specifically on tuberculous tissues, but that it causes

an increase in the power of exciting inflammation and sup-puration possessed by streptococci and staphylococci. Thesemicro-organisms are present in the majority of cases of tuber-culous disease. The tuberculin increases their potency, soexciting local inflammation and producing a general reaction-fever. Experience has shown that a certain number of casesof tuberculous disease do not give any reaction with tuber-culin, and in Dr. Klein’s opinion these are cases in which thetuberculous condition is uncomplicated by the presence ofother micro. organisms.

Jan. lst. ______________

VIENNA.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Statistics of tlae Medical Profe sion in Austria.ACCORDING to the official statistics published recently

there were in Austria 6057 physicians holding the diplomaof M.D. in the year 1891, and 6565 in 1892. In the former

year there were also 1588 surgeons of the old surgicalschools, but in 1892 this number had been reduced by deathto 1532. The total number of medical practitioners in Austriain 1892 was 8097 against 7645 in 1891. The figures for 1898have not yet been published.

The ,D6e?’&Me of Infectious Diseases.It may be interesting to note that the number of deaths

caused by infectious diseases has shown a marked decreaseduring the last twenty years in Austria. In 1873 deaths frominfectious diseases of all kinds formed one-third of the wholemortality of the country, but in 1882 they amounted onlyto 21 05 per cent, and in 1892 they fell to 14-74 per cent. ofthe total mortality.

Menthol in Skin Diseases.Since the connexion of "dermographism" and urticaria

with intestinal disorders has been recognised, more attentionhas been paid to the influence of intestinal disorders on thecondition of the skin. According to recent investigationsthere are many cases of common acne where the patientshows a great excess of indican in the urine ; but as soon asintestinal putrefaction is stopped by the internal administra-tion of menthol in small doses (0 ’25 gramme), the skin eruptionbecomes, pari passu, markedly improved with the disappear -ance of the indican which ensues.

AUSTRALIA.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Apothecaries Act in the Colonies.IN August last a herbalist was charged before the District

Court, Melbourne, with practicing as an apothecary without.

1 Tuberculinwirkung. Braunmüller, Wien-Leipzig.

67OBITUARY.

a licence. The proceedings were instituted by Dr. W. L.Mullen, the hon. secretary of the Victorian branch of theBritish Medical Association, who practises both as a medicalman and as a barrister. The information was laid under theApothecaries Act of 1815 (55 George III., c. 194, s. 20), andDr. Mullen contended that although certain sections of thisAct had been embodied in the Victorian Medical Act, thesections omitted had never been repealed by the Victorian Legislature, and were therefore in force now, just as in the .case of the old Act with regard to Sunday observance. 1When England granted the Charter of Self-government to the Australian colonies it was understood that the Imperial (Acts would apply to the colonies, and accordingly the Apothe- ’.caries Act was in force in Sydney in 1827. It was urged forthe defence that the Act was only applicable to England andWales, as shown by its title, and that the Imperial Act wasoverridden by the Victorian Medical Act. The bench heardthe case, formal evidence being tendered that the defendant had advised and given pills and medicine to a patient. Thebench held the case to be proved and a fine of .c2.0, the lowestpenalty, was imposed. Dr. Mullen stated that he would notask for costs or distrain, as his only object was to have it- established that the Act was in force in the colonies, and so todeter unscrupulous persons from acting as apothecaries with-out being qualified. It was stated that the number of personswho would be affected by the decision was about 30, 000, in-cluding ’’ herbalists," "Chinese doctors," &c. An order to re-view the decision by the Supreme Court was granted, and Mr.Justice Hood recently gave his decision. In his honour’s

opinion the contention of the appellant that when the Vic-torian Legislature dealt with any subject it impliedlyrepealed any English legislation on that subject was fartoo wide. There was nothing inconsistent between the twoActs in this case. The English Act punished anyone whoacted as an apothecary, not being licensed ; the VictorianAct punished anyone who pretended to be an apothecary, notbeing registered. The Medical Act was merely a registrationAct, and there was no reason for concluding that it repealedthe previous legislation. The conviction was thereforeupheld. This decision should provide the means for prose-cuting the numerous quacks who live on the credulity of thepublic, but most of whom have hitherto adroitly evaded theprovisions of the Medical Act by explicitly announcing thatthey were "not registered." There is a difficulty as to whoshall conduct these prosecutions. The police will not interfere,and the Medical Board has neither the power nor the fundsto do so.

The Medical Society of Victoria and THE LANCET.The Medical Society of Victoria was founded in 1855 by

the fusion of two societies then existing, the Port PhilipMedical Association, founded in 1816, and the Victorian

Medico-Chirurgical Society. Somewhat later in the ame

year the new society decided to publish a record of its trans-actions, and the Australian Medical Journal was founded.It has appeared ever since without a break, so that it isnow one of the oldest monthly medical periodicals inthe British dominions. Although the Tourraccl was the organof the society, by whom its editors were appointed, it waspublished independently, and subsoj iption to it was optional.In 1890 the subscription to the society was raised and theJournal was supplied to every member. At the last meetingof the society it was decided to supply its members withTHE LANCET instead of the Australian Medical Journal,which, however, will still remain the organ of the society.

A Praposed New Medical Society.A meeting of provincial and country medical practitioners

was held recently in Melbourne to consider the advisabilityof forming a new medical society for country practitioners.It was resolved to form such a society, to be called theAustralasian Medical Association, the constitution to bedetermined by delegates from the various branches. Dr.Florance of Mooroopua and Dr. Scott of Ballarat wereappointed to act as interim secretaries, and were empoweredto draft a constitution for approval.

FOOTBALL CASUALTIES.-A youth aged nineteenyears, of Thornaby, has died from lockjaw, supposed to havesupervened from injuries sustained in a recent match. A

yoatb, in a match at Pontymister on the 29th ult., fracturedhis left leg and was admitted to the Newport Infirmary.

Obituary.ROBERT BENTLEY, M.R.C.S. ENG., F.L S.

IN the person of Robert Bentley, who died on the 24th ult.,t his residence in Warwick-road, Earl’s Court, from pneu-nonia, there passed away a man who, although he did notpractise our profession yet was a member of it, and conferreddistinguished honour upon it by hi devotion to a scienceybicb has always been, and must always be, closely associatedNith medicine. We allude to botany, of which valuable and.nteresting department of natural history he was the mostprominent and enthusiastic propounder since the middle of;he present ceLtury. Originally intended for the medicalprofession, he entered upon his work at King’s College,London, in 183, at a period when the school flourishedunder the teachings of Todd, Fergusson, Budd, Partridge,Simon, and Bowman. He was from the first remarkable

among his fellows for his devotion to his work. Prominent

among the teachers of the sciences allied to medicine wasthe celebrated Edward Forbes, at that time holding theposition of professor of botany, and, whilst not neglectinghis more practical studies, Mr. Bentley devoted a greatdeal of attention to the subject of botany and became anearnest and enthusiastic follower of Edward Forbes, whosedemonstrations both in the lecture-room and by means ofcountry excursions were so delightful to follow. As a result hecarried off Edward Forbes’s Prize, and the writer of this noticewell remembers being present on the occasion when the prizewas publicly presented, and when Mr. Forbes, in congratulat-ing the winner, made the prophetic announcement that Mr.

Bentley would make a great name for himself in connexionwith botanical science ; and how true that prophecy was thepublic and the profession were ere long able to verify.

After becoming qualified, Mr. Bentley gradually withdrewfrom the practical aspects of the profession and devoted him-self to the study of botany and materia medica. He lecturedon his favourite subject at the London Hospital, and whenthe chair of Botany became vacant at King’s Collegehe was elected to the post and continued to lectureto many generations of students who could not fail toappreciate his earnestness and vivid demonstrations. Con-cerning the botanical excursions around London which hesupervised, evidently in imitation of his former master, onewho attended them writes enthusiastically as follows : "Theywere holidays of delight and fruitful sources of informationto a large and appreciative class of pupils. Many were thelittle tricks that were occasionally played upon this delightfulold man, but the more tricks the more pleased was he; whilehis encyclopaedic knowledge of our wayside plants andflowers, his unfailing good-nature, and old-fashioned courtesyalways ensured the true respect even of the most mischievous. "In 1863 he was chosen to fill the important post of Deanof the Faculty of Medicine at King’s College, and in thisoffice he was a persona grata to an eminent degree to hiscolleagues, as well as beloved by the students he had to rule.He continued in this office for twenty years, and hisretirement both from it and the chair of botany was accom-panied with the respect and regrets of all associated withhim. He received a testimonial from his old pupils on thatoccasion (and there was no doubt whatever of the genuinecordiality which inspired the gift), and was elected EmeritusProfessor of his subject, having been previously made anhonorary Fellow of the College. He added much to theliterature of his favourite subject both by numerous papersand by his well-known "Manual of Botany." He was inti-

mately associated with the Pharmaceutical Society as Pro-fessor of Botany and Materia Medica, as a Fellow of theLinnsean Society and a member of the council, and asVice-President of the Ro3al Botanic Society, before whichfor many years he gave an annual course of lectures. It willbe long before his memory will be fcrgotten at King’s College.He will be known to posterity rather as a teacher and a

compiler than as an original worker in botanical science. Hewas emphatically not of the new school of botanists, who areacquainted with all the theories on the most recondite pointsof physiology, but to whom the names of the commonest wildflov. ers are sometimes unknown. His botany was that of thefield and of the pharmaceutical museum. Always a popularlecturer, the chief scenes of his teaching were King’s College.