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GREENWICH HOSPITAL SCHOOL

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1006 28’6 per 1000, against but 19’9 in London and 2L in Edin- burgh. The 167 deaths in Dublin last week showed a decline of 3 from the number in the previous week ; they included 5 which were referred to "fever," 3 to diarrhoea, and not one either to small-pox, measies, scarlet fever, diphtheria, or vhooping-cough. Thus 8 deaths were referred to the prin- cipal zymotic diseases, being 4 less than the number in each of the two previous weeks; thse 8 deaths were equal to an annual rate of but 1’2 per 1000, against 3’2 in London and 3’3 in Edinburgh. The deaths reterred to "fever," which had been 6 and 3 in the two previous weeks, rose again to 5 last week, of which 3 resulted from tvphus, one from enteric fever, and one from simple or ill-defined fever. In 16 of the principal town district3 of Ireland, including Dublin, the death-rate last week averaged 23’0 per 1000, the highest rates among these towns being 31’9 in Cork and 32 v in Waterford. ___ DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE IN ENGLISH AND AMERICAN TOWNS. The annual summary of the National Board of Health Bulletin for 1881 deals with the mortality statistics of 161 cities and towns of the United States, having an aggregate population of about eight and a half million of persons. It is worthy of note that the aggregate population of these 161 American towns is almost identical with that of the twenty-eight largest English towns dealt with in the Registrar General’s weekly return. It appears that in these American towns 6718, or 3’2 per cent., of the deaths from all causes were referred to "accidents," which, for comparative purposes, we may assume to include all deaths from violence. In the large English towns during last year the proportion of violent deaths was equal to 3’7 per cent. This apparent excess of deaths from violence in the English towns is probably due to their consisting entirely of large towns ’with a population exceeding 70,000 ; whereas the American towns include a very large proportion having a population under 10,000 persons. Measured by the population standard, the death-rate from violence in the English and American cities during 1881 was identical- namely, 0 80 per 1000, or 8 per 10,000 persons living. The Registrar General’s annual summary shows that the death- rate from violence varies very considerably in the English towns. During 1881 the lowest rates were 0’47 in Ports- mouth, 0 50 in Norwich, and 0’52 in Plymouth, while they ranged upwards to 0’96 in Manchester, 0’98 in Birmingham, and 1’24 in Liverpool. Thus deaths from violence were, proportionally to population, nearly three times as numerous in Liverpool as in Portsmouth. Hospitals in large towns undoubtedly receive for treatment a considerable number of fatal accidents that occur outside the boundaries of the towns in which the hospitals are situated, which unduly raise the apparent death-rate from violence in such towns, and the extent of this disturbing influence varies in different towns. The statistics of deaths from violence, however, have not yet received either generally or locally the atten- tion which they deserve ; and it cannot be questioned that the excess in the death-rate from violence is in some measure due to this want of public attention and knowledge. CENSUS REPORTS : COUNTY DONEGAL. The population amounts to 206,035, or 5’6 per cent. less than in 1871. The emigrants during the ten years ending 1881 numbered 30,085 ; and for the past thirty years 80,247. As regards the condition of elementary education, 16’4 per cent. could read and write, 54’6 read only, and 29 per cent. were wholly illiterate. THE SERVICES. ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.-Surgeon-General James Macmillan Scott Fogo has been granted retired pay; Surgeon- ’General George Augustus Frederick Shelton, M B., has been granted retired pay; Deputy Surgeon-General Charles Dodgson Madden to be Surgeon-General, vice T. Crawford, M.D., appointed Director-General of the Army Medical Department; Brigade Surgeon Thomas John Murphy, M.D., to be Deputy Surgeon-General, vice C. D. Madden; Surgeon- Major Edmund McGrath to be Brigade Surgeon, vice T. J. Murphy; Surgeon-Major Acheson George Btttley, M.D., has Tetired on temporary half-pay; Surgeon-Major Alexander F. Preston, M.B., from half-pay, to be Surgeon-Major, vice E. F. O’Leary, M D., promoted; Deputy Surgeon-General James Edmund Clutterbuck, M.D., to be Surgeon-General, vice J. M. S. Fogo, granted retired pay; Brigade Surgeon Alexander Guthne, M.D., to be Deputv Surgeon-General, vice J. E. Clutterbuck, M.D. ; Surgeon-Major Philip Broke Smith, M.D., to be Brigade Surgeon, vice A. Guthrie, M.D.; Surgeon-Major William James Ingham has been granted retired pay; Surgeon-Major James Bowyer Baker has been granted retired pay, with the honorary rank of Brigade Surgeon; Surgeon-Major John Middleton, M.D., has retired from the service, receiving a gratuity. BENGAL MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT.-Brigade Surgeon Benjamin Simpson, M.D., to be Deputy Surgeon-General; Surgeons-Major James Howard Thornton and John Jones, M.D., to be Brigade Surgeons; Surgeons James Frederick Parry McConnetl, Joseph O’Brien, M.D., James O’Malley McDonnell, M.D., James Reid, M.D., and Gilbert Proby Mackenzie, to be Surgeons-Major. BOMBAY MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT.-Surgeons Francis Jenes and Thomas Stephenson Weir, to be Surgeons-Major. MILITIA MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.-Surgeon John S. C. Yule, 3rd Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers, resigns his commission; Surgeon James Brierley Hughes, 4th Battalion, Cheshire Regiment, to be Surgeon-Major; Surgeon George Murray Sinclair (4th Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment) to be Surgeon-Major. RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.-5th Surrey: Acting Surgeon Frede- rick John Wadd, M.B., resigns hisappointment.—SthSurrey: Surgeon Ilector Helsham, M. D., resigns his commission; also is granted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major, and is per. mitted to continue to wear the uniform of the corps on his retirement.—Sod Staffordshire (the Staffordshire Kangers): Surgeon and Honorary Surgeon-Major Samuel F. Gosling resigns his commission; also is permitted to retain his rank, and to continue to wear the uniform of the corps on his re- tirement.-18th Middlesex: Surgeon Thomas Harvey Hillis granted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major.-lst Cheshire: Percy PatrickYoung, Gent., to be Acting Surgeon,-2nd Cornwall: Acting Surgeon Richard Carter Revell redans his appointment. -3rd Renfrewshire : Surgeon Robert Corbett is granted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major. ADMIRALTY.—Mr. Edmund Distin Maddick has been appointed Surgeon in Her Majesty’s Fleet, with seniority of 8th June, 1882, and Surgeon to the Duke of Wellington, additional, for Haslar Hospital. The following appointments have been made :-Fleet Surgeon Robert Nelson, to the l’éméraire, vice Buckley; Surgeon William J. Christie, to the Bittern, vice Davis; Surgeon Edward W. Luther, to the Duke of Wellington, additional, for service in the Dart; and Surgeon John Jennings, to the rVarrior, vice Luther. GREENWICH HOSPITAL SCHOOL. THE report has just been presented to Parliament of the Committee appointed by the Lords of the Admiralty in April, 1881, to inquire into the condition of the Greenwich Hospital School, and the regulations under which it is conducted. We purpose to notice briefly that portion only which refers to the unsatisfactory physical condition of the boys, and very clearly shows the necessity which existed for a thorough investigation into the causes of it. The boys- children, and many of them orphans, of seamen and marines- are admitted into the school between the ages of ten and a half and thirteen. Prior to 1878 there was no prescribed standard of height, chest measurement, and weight, the boys being examined by a medical officer, previous to admission, merely to ascertain that they were free from lameness or obvious physical defect. On attaining the age of thirteen, an intermediate examination was held, and any who were deemed unfit for the Navy were discharged, and a final ex- amination as to fitness took place on the boy attaining fifteen or fifteen years and a half. In 1878 a standard was adopted varying for every six months of age, and this is considered by the Committee to have operated prejudicially to the charitable intentions of the Royal Founders, the appliea- tions for admissions being now "barely sufficient to keepupthe
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Page 1: GREENWICH HOSPITAL SCHOOL

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28’6 per 1000, against but 19’9 in London and 2L in Edin-burgh. The 167 deaths in Dublin last week showed a declineof 3 from the number in the previous week ; they included 5which were referred to "fever," 3 to diarrhoea, and not oneeither to small-pox, measies, scarlet fever, diphtheria, orvhooping-cough. Thus 8 deaths were referred to the prin-cipal zymotic diseases, being 4 less than the number in eachof the two previous weeks; thse 8 deaths were equal to anannual rate of but 1’2 per 1000, against 3’2 in London and3’3 in Edinburgh. The deaths reterred to "fever," whichhad been 6 and 3 in the two previous weeks, rose again to5 last week, of which 3 resulted from tvphus, one fromenteric fever, and one from simple or ill-defined fever. In 16of the principal town district3 of Ireland, including Dublin,the death-rate last week averaged 23’0 per 1000, the highestrates among these towns being 31’9 in Cork and 32 v inWaterford.

___

DEATHS FROM VIOLENCE IN ENGLISH AND AMERICANTOWNS.

The annual summary of the National Board of HealthBulletin for 1881 deals with the mortality statistics of 161cities and towns of the United States, having an aggregatepopulation of about eight and a half million of persons. Itis worthy of note that the aggregate population of these161 American towns is almost identical with that of thetwenty-eight largest English towns dealt with in theRegistrar General’s weekly return. It appears that in theseAmerican towns 6718, or 3’2 per cent., of the deaths from allcauses were referred to "accidents," which, for comparativepurposes, we may assume to include all deaths from violence.In the large English towns during last year the proportionof violent deaths was equal to 3’7 per cent. This apparentexcess of deaths from violence in the English towns isprobably due to their consisting entirely of large towns’with a population exceeding 70,000 ; whereas theAmerican towns include a very large proportion havinga population under 10,000 persons. Measured by thepopulation standard, the death-rate from violence in theEnglish and American cities during 1881 was identical-namely, 0 80 per 1000, or 8 per 10,000 persons living. TheRegistrar General’s annual summary shows that the death-rate from violence varies very considerably in the Englishtowns. During 1881 the lowest rates were 0’47 in Ports-mouth, 0 50 in Norwich, and 0’52 in Plymouth, while theyranged upwards to 0’96 in Manchester, 0’98 in Birmingham,and 1’24 in Liverpool. Thus deaths from violence were,proportionally to population, nearly three times as numerousin Liverpool as in Portsmouth. Hospitals in large townsundoubtedly receive for treatment a considerable number offatal accidents that occur outside the boundaries of thetowns in which the hospitals are situated, which undulyraise the apparent death-rate from violence in such towns,and the extent of this disturbing influence varies in differenttowns. The statistics of deaths from violence, however,have not yet received either generally or locally the atten-tion which they deserve ; and it cannot be questioned thatthe excess in the death-rate from violence is in some measuredue to this want of public attention and knowledge.

CENSUS REPORTS : COUNTY DONEGAL.

The population amounts to 206,035, or 5’6 per cent. lessthan in 1871. The emigrants during the ten years ending1881 numbered 30,085 ; and for the past thirty years 80,247.As regards the condition of elementary education, 16’4 percent. could read and write, 54’6 read only, and 29 per cent.were wholly illiterate.

THE SERVICES.

ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.-Surgeon-General JamesMacmillan Scott Fogo has been granted retired pay; Surgeon-’General George Augustus Frederick Shelton, M B., has

been granted retired pay; Deputy Surgeon-General CharlesDodgson Madden to be Surgeon-General, vice T. Crawford,M.D., appointed Director-General of the Army MedicalDepartment; Brigade Surgeon Thomas John Murphy, M.D.,to be Deputy Surgeon-General, vice C. D. Madden; Surgeon-Major Edmund McGrath to be Brigade Surgeon, vice T. J.Murphy; Surgeon-Major Acheson George Btttley, M.D., hasTetired on temporary half-pay; Surgeon-Major Alexander

F. Preston, M.B., from half-pay, to be Surgeon-Major, viceE. F. O’Leary, M D., promoted; Deputy Surgeon-GeneralJames Edmund Clutterbuck, M.D., to be Surgeon-General,vice J. M. S. Fogo, granted retired pay; Brigade SurgeonAlexander Guthne, M.D., to be Deputv Surgeon-General,vice J. E. Clutterbuck, M.D. ; Surgeon-Major Philip BrokeSmith, M.D., to be Brigade Surgeon, vice A. Guthrie, M.D.;Surgeon-Major William James Ingham has been grantedretired pay; Surgeon-Major James Bowyer Baker has beengranted retired pay, with the honorary rank of BrigadeSurgeon; Surgeon-Major John Middleton, M.D., has retiredfrom the service, receiving a gratuity.BENGAL MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT.-Brigade Surgeon

Benjamin Simpson, M.D., to be Deputy Surgeon-General;Surgeons-Major James Howard Thornton and John Jones,M.D., to be Brigade Surgeons; Surgeons James FrederickParry McConnetl, Joseph O’Brien, M.D., James O’MalleyMcDonnell, M.D., James Reid, M.D., and Gilbert ProbyMackenzie, to be Surgeons-Major.BOMBAY MEDICAL ESTABLISHMENT.-Surgeons Francis

Jenes and Thomas Stephenson Weir, to be Surgeons-Major.MILITIA MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.-Surgeon John S. C.

Yule, 3rd Battalion, the Lancashire Fusiliers, resigns hiscommission; Surgeon James Brierley Hughes, 4th Battalion,Cheshire Regiment, to be Surgeon-Major; Surgeon GeorgeMurray Sinclair (4th Battalion, the Suffolk Regiment) to beSurgeon-Major.RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.-5th Surrey: Acting Surgeon Frede-

rick John Wadd, M.B., resigns hisappointment.—SthSurrey:Surgeon Ilector Helsham, M. D., resigns his commission; alsois granted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major, and is per.mitted to continue to wear the uniform of the corps on hisretirement.—Sod Staffordshire (the Staffordshire Kangers):Surgeon and Honorary Surgeon-Major Samuel F. Goslingresigns his commission; also is permitted to retain his rank,and to continue to wear the uniform of the corps on his re-tirement.-18th Middlesex: Surgeon Thomas Harvey Hillisgranted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major.-lst Cheshire:Percy PatrickYoung, Gent., to be Acting Surgeon,-2ndCornwall: Acting Surgeon Richard Carter Revell redans hisappointment. -3rd Renfrewshire : Surgeon Robert Corbett isgranted the honorary rank of Surgeon-Major.

ADMIRALTY.—Mr. Edmund Distin Maddick has beenappointed Surgeon in Her Majesty’s Fleet, with seniority of8th June, 1882, and Surgeon to the Duke of Wellington,additional, for Haslar Hospital.The following appointments have been made :-Fleet

Surgeon Robert Nelson, to the l’éméraire, vice Buckley;Surgeon William J. Christie, to the Bittern, vice Davis;Surgeon Edward W. Luther, to the Duke of Wellington,additional, for service in the Dart; and Surgeon JohnJennings, to the rVarrior, vice Luther.

GREENWICH HOSPITAL SCHOOL.

THE report has just been presented to Parliament of theCommittee appointed by the Lords of the Admiralty inApril, 1881, to inquire into the condition of the GreenwichHospital School, and the regulations under which it isconducted. We purpose to notice briefly that portion onlywhich refers to the unsatisfactory physical condition of theboys, and very clearly shows the necessity which existed fora thorough investigation into the causes of it. The boys-children, and many of them orphans, of seamen and marines-are admitted into the school between the ages of ten anda half and thirteen. Prior to 1878 there was no prescribedstandard of height, chest measurement, and weight, the boysbeing examined by a medical officer, previous to admission,merely to ascertain that they were free from lameness orobvious physical defect. On attaining the age of thirteen, anintermediate examination was held, and any who weredeemed unfit for the Navy were discharged, and a final ex-amination as to fitness took place on the boy attaining fifteenor fifteen years and a half. In 1878 a standard was adoptedvarying for every six months of age, and this is consideredby the Committee to have operated prejudicially to thecharitable intentions of the Royal Founders, the appliea-tions for admissions being now "barely sufficient to keepupthe

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complement of 1000 boys, mainly owing to the larg numberof rejections necessitated by the increased standard." Fromreturns appended to the report it appears that in tif tenyears 1871-80, uf 4012 boys selected for admis-ion 936 weremedically rejected, being in the proportion of 233 per 1000.After such a sifting, it might naturally be presumed that,with all the advantages the bo3 ought to have in such aninstitution, the number found unnt for the Navy at the twosubsequent examinations would be comnaratively small ;but this unfortunately appears not to have been the ca-e,for in the eight years 1873-80, of 1408 hoys examined at theage of thirteen there were 726 rejected, and of i074examined at fifteen and fifteen and a half years of age 419were rejected, these numbers being respectively in the pro-portion of 516 aud 390 per 1000. Tbe rejection of so verylarge a proportion as 46 per cent. as the result of the twoexaminations seems to juat’fy the conclusion either that thestandard is most absurdly high, or that the general Ttiatinge-ment of the hoys, as far as regards their physical condition,has been very unsatisfactory. On examining the dftaits ofthe taole of rejections, it appears that at the earlier exami-nations con-iderably more than half, and at the later one-third, of them were from being "under standard only," andthat dde, tive sight was the came assigned in about 16 percent. of the rejections at the first, and 14 per cenr. at thesecond examination. A perusal of the report and theevidence goes far to explain both these causes, for theyclearly show the boys to have been under-fed, under-clothed,over-worked in ill-ventilated shops, and taught in unventi-lated and badly lighted school-rooms. "In most of therooms the desks are fo arranged that the light falls frombehind, and the boy has to work in hi-) own shadow or sit ina twisred and unnatural position to allow the light to fall onthe book before him, whilst it is in evidence that largecorners of the room are so dark that the boys cannot see todo their ta,,ks property." There has also been eveningschool where, in addition to the injurious influence of gas-light, the ventilation, according to one of the witnesses, isvery detective, and the cubic space "is down to 94 feet perboy." Some of the trades they are taught demand closeapplication of the sight, and among the boys employed atthem cases of ophthalmia are very prevalent. The rejec-tions for myopia are not therefore difficult to explain. Thenas regards diet, the amount of food as laid down in the diettable was most inadequate and its distribution far fromjudicious. There appears to have been two banian days inth-3 week, Wednesday and Saturday, when pea-soup andrice-pudding constituted the chief part of the dinner insteadof meat. The weekly allowance of meat has, since 1876,been only thirty ounces to each boy ! It appears from theevidence that prior to that time the amount was forty-twoounces, but no information is given as to the reasons for thereduction, by whose advice it was made, whether with theconcurrence of the medical officer, and if not, whether he.remonstrated against such an unjustifiable mode of savingmoney. The committee put the case rather too mddlywhen they report that they "cannot regard the changes

I

which were imde in the dietary in 1876 as altogether desir-able oues." " We should think not, when not only weretwelve ounces of meat knocked off, but the milk wasreduced fiorn one gill to half a gill daily to each boy.We have a distinct recollection of Sir John Liddell,when medical officer of Gieenwich Hospital, havingeffected a great improvement in the school by abolishingBanian days, obtaining an increased amount of meat forthe boys, and introducing a pleasiug variety io the mode ofcookiog, Irish stew being the form in which the meat wasserved twice a week; hu his judicious arrangements appearto have been discontiuued, and probably forgotten, or

possibly condemned as too extravagant. Another causewhich must have acted injuriously upon the health of theboys has been inadequate clothing. It will scarcely becredited that "the cloThing of the boys is the same forwinter and summer, and is made of thin Navy serge. Inwinter the duck working suit is sometimes worn over theserge, but th’s cannot be done on many occasions and onSundays." With all these deteriorating influences at work,it can hardly excite surprise that there is a lamentablydeficient increase in the growth of the boys compared withothers of thir age,or shit under a system of semi-starvationthey should not attain the standard necessary for th-ir ad-mission into the Navy. The disgraceful manner in whichthese essentials to health have been neglected or disregardtdmay perhaps be to some extent estimated by the remark

of the Committee that the dietary they propose for adaptionis "the smalle.,tt increase that can be recommended to givethe scale of diet its adequate nurritive va-tue.......... Thealrerations to the dietary proposed are estimated to costabout, ;;f3000 per annum." The scheme drawn up and therecommendations for the general management made by theCommittee appear to be judicious, and well calculated tobring up the health and physical development of the boys toa sat’sfactory standard. But the revelations which the in-quiry has brought out appear to poiut srongly to the neces-sity for some measure to prevent the recurrence of such avery unsatisfactory condition of affairs. The rfport does notshow in what manner the changes which brought about thelamentable deterioration of the school were introduced, andon whose authority they were made. But with a view toprevent similar abuses in furure the Committee recommendthe appointment of a Committee of Inspection, "to whichall matters relating to the school and ship, and any pro-posed changes either in the staff, routine, or general ad-ministration, should be referred." With a view, we pre-sume, to secure attention to the health of the boys, theMedical Director-General is to be a member. This Com-mittee would visit the school once every three months, andoftenpr if necessary, and would receive quarterly and annualreports as to the working of the several departments. Wetrust that the recommendations in this report will meet withimmediate consideration from the Lords of the Admiralty,and that no time will be lost in putting an end to a state ofaffairs which is anything but creditable to those who areresponsible for the management of this national institution.

WILLS AND BEQUESTS.

THE Scotch Confirmation, under seal of the Commissariotof the county of Edinburgh, of the trust, disposition, andsettlement, with a codicil thereto, of Robert Omond, M.D.,F.R.C.S., of 43, Charlotte-square, Edinburgh, who died onDecember 13th last, granted to Mrs. Mary Eliza Omond,the widow, and Mr. Thomas Stewart Omond, barrister-at-

law, the son, the surviving executors nominate, and Mr.Robert Traill Omond, the assumed execntjr, has beensealed in London, the personal estate in England amountingto upwards of 42,000.The will of William Cooper, M.D., of Fillebrook Lojge,

Leytonstone, Essex, who died on February 4th last, wasproved on the 5th ult. by Mr. Frederick Wiltiam Cooper,the son, and Mr?. Kate Clara Footer, the daughter, theexecutors, the value of the personal estate exeeedidg 8000.The testator leaves to his wife, Mrs. Mary Tew Cooper, theuse of his re-idence, with the furniture and effects, and anannuity of f:140 for life, in addition to what she is otherwiseentitlt-d to ; complimentary legacies to his brother, sister,and nieces; and the residue of his real and personal estateto his said on and daughter.The Scotch Confirmation of the general disposition and

settlement of Arcluhald White, M.D., Surgf on-Major, Her

Majesty’s Bengal Medical Service, retired list, of 23,-Nie,v,, e--,treet, Edinburgh, who died ou March 15th last,granted to -Airs. Mary Ann White, the widow and executrixnominate, was sealed in London on the lst ult., the personalestate in England and Scotland amountitjg to over jE5700.The Irish Probate of the will of Haus Irvine, M.D., of

the University Club House, Dublin, who died on March 1stlast, granted to Captain William Henry Irvine, the nephewand sole executor, was sealed in London on the 1st ult., theaggregate value of the personal estate in England andIreland amounting to more than jE16,000. The testator

gives legacies to his brother, nephews, nieces, and otherrelatives ; 9100 to the Medical Beuevol"nt Fund, if existingat his death ; and the ret-idue of his property upon trust forhis brother Henry for lite, and then for his said nephewWilliam Henry.The will and codicil of Mr. Roger Sturley Nunn, of Col-

chester, Essex, Surgeon, who died on January l6th last, wasproved at the Ipswich District Registry on the 15th ult. byMr. Samuel Bawtree, Mr. R.’ger Campbell Lyall, the nephew,and Mrs. Maria Nunn, the widow, the executors, the valueof the personal estate amounting to over f:33,OOO. Thetestator bequeaths to his wife f200; tj his daughter

Theophila £500; and legacies to his nephew, sisters, partner,


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