1418 SCOTLAND.-IRELAND.

could be done by workers of the society if as well a

distributing leaflets they would enter the houses of the pooreclasses and demonstrate to them how to render milk innocuouby sterilisation. Dr. Brock then moved a resolution that thsociety pledges itself to use all means in its power to furthethe necessary reforms in connexion with the milk-supplyThe resolution was adopted.

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.At the meeting of the managers of the Royal Infirmar:

held this week the treasurer and clerk submitted a reporon the income for the financial year. The ordinary incomefrom all sources amounted to e30,620 2s. lld., being : adecrease of £ 62 14s. 8d. as compared with last year. Th4

extraordinary income showed the large increase of JM390.

Edinburgh Royal Physical Society.At the first meeting of this society held last weel

Professor J. Struthers delivered an address on RudimentaryStructures and their meaning in Man and in CertainAnimals. In the course of the address he said thatone occasionally meets among those who have studiedhuman anatomy only with persons who believe in the utilityof every structure and in the independent origin of everyspecies. He therefore would mention a few easily under-stood examples of structures occurring in man and animalsno longer useful, but merely vestigial remnants, modificationsof previously existing structures. He specified as belongingto this category the vestigial hind limb in the whale, theteeth of the young whale, and the vestiges of lateral toes inthe horse. He spoke also of the vermiform appendix and ofMeckel’s diverticulum in this relation and concluded with aquotation from Darwin.

Tlte Western rnfirmaiy Dispute at Glasgow.No public announcement as to the exact position of this

controversy has yet been made, but it is known that negotia-tions between the managers and the University authoritiesare at present in progress and it is reasonable to hope andeven to expect that a satisfactory issue will be the result.The annual meeting of the subscribers to the infirmary hasto be held during the present week and the managers will inthe report they submit to that meeting be almost compelledto define and defend their policy. The absence of anyofficial statement has not, however, prevented certain echoesof the controversy from reaching the public ear. ThusProfessor Gairdner has written to the press in referenceto the statement prepared by Dr. J. B. Russell for theFaculty of Physicians and Surgeons. Professor Gairdnerendeavours to negative Dr. Russell’s contention that theUniversity has attempted to encroach upon the clinicalfacilities and teaching offered by the infirmary. Hedoes not, however, meet the specific instances quotedby Dr. Russell in support of his position but contentshimself rather with a general negative to Dr. Russell’saffirmation. No one for a moment believes that ProfessorGairdner personally desires any unfair advantage or doubtshis generous recognition of the work and ability of the

non-collegiate clinical teachers, but whether the corporateinfluence of the university has been applied in this spirit isfairly open to question. That as the infirmary has beenenlarged some physicians and surgeons have been appointedto the visiting staff who are not University professors withoutserious opposition from the University is surely no proofof the generosity of the latter body seeing that theirfour professors of medicine and surgery were alreadyprovided with wards, and some of the elections justreferred to were not quite free from opposition from Uni-versity quarters. Professor Macewen’s position is beingstrongly supported by the Ulasgorv Berald and the contro-versy is being used with a view to raise certain aspects ofthe question of infirmary management. In none of the

Glasgow infirmaries is there any representation of the staffon the board, and in each, too, the superintendent is amedical man. It is now being contended that in bothof these respects the management ought to be alteredand from certain movements which are in progress thereis reason to believe that an organised agitation in support ofthis view is to be instituted. The only other incident inconnexion with the controversy that falls to be noted is thepublication of a letter signed by the majority of the visitingstaff expressing appreciation of the manner in which theyhave always been treated by the managers and the super-intendent. Professor Macewen’s name is not appended tothis document, nor is he the only absentee, and probably the

names of those who have abstained have attracted more-attention than the actual signatures.

Glasgow University.At the September meeting of the University Court a letter

was read from the Universities’ Commission in answer to a,.

memorandum from the court dealing with the proposal to-confer disciplinary or penal powers on the University so faras its graduates are concerned. The effect of the letter was.that the Commissioners declined to deal with the matter,regarding it as outside the scope of their powers. The courtmade the following appointments: Mr. L. R. Sutherland,M.B., C.M. Glasg., lecturer on pathology for the presentacademic year during the absence of Professor Coats; 9Mr. G. Barnside Buchanan, B.A. Cantab., M.B. Glasg., to be-assistant to the professor of clinical medicine, vice J. C.,Renton, M.D.Edin., resigned; and Professor Young andProfessor Barr to be governors of the West of ScotlandTechnical College. Mr. R. Barclay Ness, M,A., M.B. Glasg,,,has been appointed an assistant to the professor of medicine-.’Nov. 24th.

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Royal G’oilege of Surgeons in Ireland.THE examination for the Fellowship of this College ha&

recently concluded, when six candidates were adjudged tohave passed the primary portion and one the second andfinal part. The recent regulation by which students who,have passed the second professional examination of theCollege or the half M.B. examination of the Dublin Uni-versity are entitled to present themselves for the primaryexamination for Fellowship was taken advantage of by threecandidates who had fulfilled the necessary conditions-namely, two students of the medical school of the Collegeand one of the Dublin University.

Typhoid Fever in Dublin.Although the general death-rate of Dublin has recently

been more than usually satisfactory the deaths due to-

zymotic diseases have been above the average. What maybe called an epidemic of typhoid fever now prevails at thenorth side of the city. A large number of cases have beenadmitted to the Mater Misericordias Hospital, while many ofthe trained nurses from that institution are employed in thetreatment of patients suffering from typhoid fever in theimmediate neighbourhood. The disease seems to have first.appeared in the recently-built Mountjoy station of the"

Metropolitan police, where no less than seven men outof the twenty-four in the force there were attacked. Itwas first surmised that the soil on which the new build-ing rests might have been infected by sewage. SirCharles Cameron has, however, been actively investiga-ting the matter and seems to have traced the outbreak toan institution which supplied milk to the police-station andin which there have been a number of cases of enteric feverwhich were never notified, the Act for the Notification ofInfectious Diseases not being in force in the district. It hasnow been ascertained that ninety cases of typhoid feverhave recently occurred in this particular suburban district notfar removed from the city boundary. At the last meetingof the guardians of the Drumcondra township a letter wasread from the medical officer of health, Mr. Nedley, referringto the prevalence of fever at the north side of the city, and,- stating that after visiting and examining at the request ofthe board a certain house which was said to be in an insani-tary condition he had come to the conclusion that theinfection must have been conveyed from outside their area.which was healthy at present.

The Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland.The list of examiners in medicine, surgery, and midwifery,

appointed by the Governor and Court of the Apothecaries’Hall of Ireland has just appeared. The names should be aguarantee that the examination for this old-establishedlicense will for the future be properly conducted.

Tlae late Dr. James Cagney.Dr. Cagney had many friends in Dublin who were shocked

and grieved by the news of his untimely death. The IrishMedical Schools’ and Graduates’ Association in London willfind it very difficult to adequately fill his place.

1419IRELAND.-ROME.

17te Typhoid Fever Epidemic at Ligoniel.There have been eight fresh cases notified and three deaths

since my last report. At a meeting of the board of guardiansheld on Nov. 16th a member of the board of guardians statedthat he had visited the district of Ligoniel and had founda very serious state of affairs. In Lower Ballysillan some.300 people were supplied with water which passedthrough an open tank from which cattle were allowedto drink. He had also found that theie were some

ninety-seven houses in the upper end of Ligoniel withonly two dry closets for all the inhabitants. He.characterised it as a most scandalous state of affairs. TheWater Commissioners are at present laying a 6 in. main,,and in the course of about two weeks it is hoped that theobjectionable tank will be removed. It was decided to referthe question of the houses which are without closets toDr. Bigger and Mr. Milligan. Ligoniel is certainly in a mostinsanitary condition.

Prosecution in Belfast under the Public Health Act.On Nov. 16th a woman was fined in Belfast for allowing

her niece to go to school while suffering from typhoid fever.’The child was sent to attend an examination. The case was

brought forward for the purpose of letting the public knowthat such an offence could not be tolerated.

The Mater Infirmorum Hospital, BelfastOn Nov. 22nd the Right Hononrable the Lord Mayor of

Belfast opened a baz’tar in the Ulster Hall, the objectof which was to aid the executive committee of theMater Infirmorum Hospital in providing a large balance.of the total estimated probable outlay of £ 50,000 requiredto complete the buildings and equip this new hospital.The Roman Catholic Bishop presided and there was a

very large attendance of the friends and supportersof the charity, and it is hoped that a large sum ofmoney will be realised. The new Mater InfirmorumHospital is now nearly completed and will be a most desir-able addition to the charitable institutions of the city.Situated on the Crumlin-road with a frontage of 230 feet itoccupies an area of slightly over one acre. The hospitalwhich is built on the "pavilion" system has a centreadministration building, with two lateral blocks for thepatients. It is planned for 137 beds and 8 cots for children.The buildings are of red brickwork with stone dressings, thecompartments are heated by steam and lighted by elec-tricity, and everything that modern science and the latestexperience could suggest has been done to make the hospitalcomplete in every respect. A novel feature is the introduc-tion of garden roofs for the use of convalescent patients.They cover the great pavilions and are well protected andsheltered. It is expected that the new Mater InfirmorumHospital will be open for patients early in the new year.

The Belfast Royal Hospital.At the quarterly meeting of this hospital held on

Nov. 22nd Dr. Lowry, Dr. Mateer, and Mr. Montgomerywere elected senior and junior house surgeons and housephysician respectively.

Deatk of Dr. O’Connor, of Ballyeastle.Extreme regret is felt amongst his wide circle of friends

in the medical profession and amongst the public at the death at a very advanced age of Dr. G. Matthew O’Connor, ]of Ballyeastle. Educated in Dublin where he graduated ’M.B. of Trinity College in 182, Dr. O’Connor spent the greater part of his life in Ballyeastle, where he was medicalofficer of the workhouse and where he enjoyed an unusuallylarge practice. Dr. O’Connor was a man of the most t

refined nature and of the most kind and gentlemanly cha- t

racter. His long experience and training made his opinion a t.most valuable one, and it is given to few medical men to be

t

so thoroughly respected by their patients as Dr. O’Connorwas. His death leaves a great blank in the roll of the older

t

members of the medical profession in Ulster, and of no mancan it be said with more perfect truth than of Dr. O’Connor

t

that he earned the respect, the esteem, and the confidence of f

- every one with whom he was brought into contact. INov.23rd. ION Monday, Nov. 22nd, the Cambridge r

4Graduates’ Club of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital held their Iannual dinner at Frascati’s Restaurant. The Vice-Chan- in

cellor of Cambridge University, Dr. Alexander Hill, was in the chair. Seventy-five members and guests sat down to s

dinner and the evening was in every way a great success. ii

ROME.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Opening of the Annus Medicus.THE University of Rome was opened for the winter

by Professor Giovanni Battista Grassi who holds the chairof comparative anatomy and whose high reputation,enhanced by the English Royal Society having awardedhim the Darwin medal for the best recent vindicationof the law of evolution, attracted a numerous anddistinguished audience. His discourse which occupiedmore than a hour had for its subject, "Critica dellaFilosofia Zoologica " and in a series of rapid but luminouslyeffective side-glances went round the whole circle of thebiological sciences. In none of these, he said, can thestudent afford to be a specialist, zoology itself havingrelations more or less intimate with all, which in turnare in varying degrees its debtors. In illustrationof this last assertion he showed what physiology andbiology have of late years owed to zoology, particularlyin the "diramazioni" (ramifications) of the embryonalcell and he took occasion to eulogise the discoveries inthis field by the I alian Camillo Golgi and the SpaniardRamon Casali. A masterly survey of " bio-mecbanics " (themechanism of development), a science yet in its infancy,led up to the doctrine of man’s rise and progress. As atheory-nay, as a law-evolution is inexpugnable, but itcannot solve the mystery of animal origin. As to its ownvindication it must appeal to something more conclusivethan " the straggle for existence." Darwinism and Neo-Darwinism are at best provisional bulwarks of the theoryrequiring still the " sussidii della zoologia " (the reinforce-ments of zoology) to enhance their sufficiency. From thisstage Professor Grassi proceeded to illustrate the "exclusivelycritical character of zoological method " and made typicalapplications of it to anthropology and psychology, showingthat what in the lower animals are "instincts" become

specialised in men into powerful impulses directed to thegood, the beautiful, and the true." Thus far the zoologistcan go without running the risk of trenching on the domainof metaphysics. Nature-study (physics in its largest sense)must be disjoined from metaphysics, and should the11 fisico (nature-student) arrive at intuitions which tendto enlighten the " metafisico " it is his duty two expresshimself with caution." In the business of life and in

applied psychology the zoologist remains an inade-quate guide. In illustration of this position ProfessorGrassi ably examined the relations between zoologicalmethod and religion, anarchy, and socialism. The

study of the instincts constrained to the belief thatfrom society as now constituted religion cannot be excluded,while in their own interests Catholics have come to admitthat it is not heretical to suppose that the human body isderived from some antecedent animal. They have ceased todeclare war against the law of evolution. A rapidincursion into the troubled waters of "criminal anthro-pology" brought the lecturer alongside Lombroso and hisschool, with whom he declared himself in sympathyprovided they made their science really sound and sociallyuseful, i’ricorrendo al positivismo dell’ analisi zoologica."Similar was his attitude towards modern socialism whilemaking large deductions from its premature ideals. "Giventhe progress of every created being, man tends tothe integration of intelligence, to the knowledge ofthings in their essence. Herbert Spencer, judging ours

to be a period of eccessivo perfezionamento,’ foreseesthe break-up of existing society from the debris of whichwill germinate the new era. But faith in our ideals," con-tended the orator, " will have power to save us from thisdecadence and from all such moral eclipse." The above isthe merest outline of a discourse which, highly condensed andfraught with "pregnant epigram," was yet listened to withprofound attention till its close when a loud and long out-burst of applause gave vent to the feelings of the audience.In its published form it will doubtless provoke criticism andstir up controversy, but as to its ability and grasp of scientificresults and tendencies there will be but one opinion. TheUniversity of Rome, I may add incidentally, was morenumerously frequented last year than in any preceding one.This year. too, it makes an excellent start with 927 lawstudents, 854 medical, 306 in physics and mathematics, 250in literature and philosophy ; 2337 in all.