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called upon to act on the pergongiel of general hospitals.Let others take their part in the training and organisation ofthe field ambulances. As regards sanitation, he proposedto invite men trained for public health appointments andmedical officers of health to take their part. He then

explained how there must be founded a territorial armymedical school. In future all new appointments would bemade to the corps though officers would be appointed to actwith special battalions at their own expressed desire. Thescheme was a difficult one but he was hopeful of its com-plete success. Professor A. Ogston and Professor MatthewHay afterwards spoke on behalf of the scheme.At a similar meeting held in Glasgow on Oct. 12th Sir

Alfred Keogh addressed a representative gathering of medicalmen from the West of Scotland interested in volunteering.He dwelt first on the defective character of the presentVolunteer medical organisation. He pointed out especiallythe absence of any hospital organisation and how under theexisting Volunteer regulations the leading civil physiciansand surgeons were debarred from taking any active part inthe medical service. Attention was also drawn to the fact Ithat the Volunteer forces had no existing sanitary organisa-tion and that it possessed no administrative staff. Itis suggested that the medical organisation, of the terri-torial force should be the exact counterpart of that providedfor the regular forces. Without going into detail it maybe said that the scheme unfolded for attaining this similarorganisation makes good the defects already noted in thehospital accommodation, in the administrative staff, and insanitary, supervision. The scheme also seems to make itmuch more easy for the services of the whole professionto be utilised and that under conditions which whilst thecountry is at peace will make very little, if any, demandupon their time and will not interfere with their dailyavocations. Naturally, where hospitals are to be providednurses will be required and the scheme includes the idea ofenlisting the support of the matrons of the civil hospitalsin large towns and of the services of nurses generallyin time of invasion. At the close of the address it wasshown by the remarks of the various medical men who spokethat the meeting took a very favourable and friendly view ofthe proposals. A committee was appointed to receive anysuggestions and to lay them before the Director-General.

The Epidemic of Enteric Fever at Peterbead.During the past week four cases of enteric fever were

notified to the medical officer of health of the burgh and allthe patients were removed to the hospital. During the weekseven patients were discharged after recovery, leaving 11still in the institution.

Public Health Affairs in Aberdeen.At a meeting of the public health committee of the

Aberdeen town council held recently a circular was submittedfrom the Local Government Board with reference to theVaccination (Scotland) Act which has now come into opera-tion. The question of adopting the Notification of BirthsAct was also under consideration. The question of whetherthe amount received for condemned carcasses should be paidto the Batchers’ Association or to the individual butcher towhom the condemned carcass belonged was next under con-sideration and it was agreed that the money should be paidto individual butchers.

Scottish National Institution for the Education ot ImbecileChildren; Meeting of Aberdeen Committee.

A meeting of the above committee has been held, Mr.G. M. Cook, shipowner, presiding. Mr. Fitch, the generalsecretary and treasurer, pleaded for additional support fromAberdeen. Since he last met them a new block of buildingsto accommodate 50 additional patients had been opened.Towards defraying the cost he had received £5860 and hehad the promise of another £25, leaving £400 still to raise.At present there were 282 children in the institution.

University of St. Andrews : Opening of Session.The winter session at the University of St. Andrews

was opened by the Principal, Sir James Donaldson, vice-chancellor, who delivered the inaugural address. This beingthe Principal’s first academic public appearance since hereceived the honour of knighthood he received an enthusiasticwelcome.

Court of the University of Aberdeen : Legacy by Aberdeen.Man.

The Court of the University of Aberdeen met recently,Principal Lang presiding. It was intimated that a legacy

of £500 had been received from Mr. Alexander, Gillanders,a native of Aberdeen and a late Custom House officer inEngland, for the purpose of founding a bursary or medalsin the faculty of medicine. It was remitted to the Senatusto suggest a scheme as to the manner of bestowal of thebenefaction. Mr. John E. Kesson, M.B., was appointedsecond assistant in physiology.

Oct. 22nd.

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Belfast Medical School: Opening of the Winter Session.THE formal opening of the winter session in connexion

with the Belfast Medical School took place on Oct. 17th,when, in the Royal Victoria Hospital, before a largeattendance of students and members of the medical staff

(Sir William Whitla, senior physician, presiding) Dr. R. J.Johnstone gave the introductory address, dealing with

questions of medical education and hospital attendance.

In moving a vote of thanks to Dr. Johnstone, which wasseconded by Professor Symington, Sir John Byers spoke ofthe great and growing strength of the younger branch of theirmedical school, of which Dr. Johnstone was a valuedmember.

. Beealtlt of Belfast.

At a meeting of the public health committee held onOct. 17th it was reported that the death-rate from all causeshad risen to the high figure of 22 1, and from the principalinfectious, diseases to 5’5. It is said that the remarkableincrease in the mortality is due to infantile diarrhoea, butwhy with cold weather it should prevail is hard to’understand on public health grounds. For some time’past the guardians have urged that the fever cases

should all be removed to Purdysburn city infectiousdiseases hospital, and at the meeting of the publichealth committee the following communication was read’from Mr. Robb, clerk of the union, in reply to a letterfrom the committee asking to be informed of the largestnumber of notifiable infectious diseases treated in the work-house fever hospital during the past ten years at any time.He stated that they were as follow: 1898, typhoid fever,425 ; 1901, diphtheria, 23 ; 1906, scarlet fever, 69 ; 1906,typhus fever, 21; and 1907, cerebro-spinal meningitis, 13. Itis clear that to accommodate these a much larger hospitalwould be needed at Purdysburn.

Irish Libnaoy Returns.The annual report of the inspectors of lunatics, which hasjust been issued, shows that there were in Ireland on

Jan. lst last 23,534 lunatics, as against 23,365 in the

corresponding period of last year. Of these, 11,300 werefemales and 12,254 males. With one exception, 1893, theincrease in 1906 was less than that which took place duringany of the past 21 years. In a period of 26 years (1880-1906) the main increase has been in the population of thedistrict asylums, those in private asylums and institu-tions having increased only by 223, or an increase of lessthan nine per annum. Turning to deaths and illness inIrish asylums, the prevalence of consumption is deplorable,this disease being registered as the cause of death in 25 percent. of the total deaths of the year. Curiously, much thelowest percentage of deaths from pulmonary tuberculosis isshown at Belfast, where the moist climate and the situationof the asylum in the centre of a large manufacturing citymight, according to the popular view, have indicated that,the ravages of the disease should be most severely felt.In this case the percentage of deaths from pulmonary tuber-culosis was 6, in Dublin it was 27, in Cork 41, in Limerick36, and in Ballinasloe 33-that is, in places situated in thesouth, south-west, and centre, where the climate, althoughdamp, is comparatively genial, with little variation betweenthe summer and winter temperatures. The truth is thatthere never was a greater fallacy than the popular one so

: long existent in this country that climate is the great: element in Ireland in causing the prevalence of pulmonary

tuberculosis. Financially the expenditure incurred in themaintenance of the patients in district asylums, includingthe repayments in respect of loans for budding works,purchase of lands, and other capital charges, was

r £533,849. Excluding the loan repayments referred

1200

to, which amounted to £92,835, the gross amount expendedon the actual maintenance of the patients was 441,013.

Oct. 22nd. _________________

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Method of Action of various Treatments for Cancer.Dr. Doyen, whose investigations into cancer and its treat

ment are widely known, read a paper on Oct. 8th upon thi:subject before the French Surgical Congress recently heldin Paris. He first called attention to the fact that nearljseven years have passed since he began his first experiment !in antineoplastic vaccination with attenuated cultures ojmicrococcus neoformans. He has often shown medicalvisitors to his clinique .patients who have been under treat.ment for four, five, or six years. Dr. Doyen claims thaithere is a general method of treating cancer and hEcompares the effects of this with those of,local methodof treatment such as are commonly employed in superficialcancers, and he insists that one and the same principleunderlies all these various measures ; this is the destruc.tion of the cancerous cells by phagocytes. The memorablediscovery of phagocytosis by the genius of ProfessorMetchnikoff affords the clue to the complete pathologyof cancer. The human tissues, whatever be the morbific agentwhich attacks them, have only one defensive process, phagocy-tosis. It is the phagocytes which enter the lists against the hostof pathogenic micro-organisms and on the balance of thebattle hangs the life or death of the patient. Since this hasbeen shown the whole problem of cancer has cleared upremarkably. Certain people show relative immunity to thedisease ; for instance, patients with atrophic scirrhus. In acertain number of cases these involuntary phenomena can beexcited artificially, either by anti-cancerous vaccinationalone or in superficial and accessible cancers in combinationwith the action of x rays, radium, high-frequency or bipolarcurrents. The vaccine acts by increasing ten-fold the

activity of the phagocytes and the physical adjuvant methodsby diminishing the virulence of the cancer cell which, sinceit is very tenacious of life, resists phagocytosis vigorously.Dr. Doyen places much reliance on bipolar currents anddeclares that they should abolish unhealthy wounds andfœtid ulcers.

A Case of Solid Tumour nf the Mesentery.At the same meeting M. Monprofit of Angers reported a case

of a large solid myxomatous tumour of the mesentery weigh-ing 5-2L kilogrammes in a patient, 63 years of age. This tumourwas removed without great difficulty but it was necessary todo an extensive resection of the small intestine which waslying across the front of the tumour and which could not bekept intact on account of the intimate adhesions betweenthem. This loop of small intestine was two metres long andformed the lower part of the ileum, the lower section beingmade only ten centimetres above the ileo-caaoal valve. The

patient made a perfect recovery and remains without anyintestinal symptoms. M. Monprofit discussed the indicationsfor resection in similar circumstances.

The Treatment of S’yphilis by Bibronzide of Mercury.At the Therapeutical Society on Oct. 4th M. Pelon said

that he had treated 47 patients with injections of bibromideof mercury which he had found remarkably painless in dosesof one cubic centimetre. A double dose is more painful butthe salt is always better borne than the other soluble salts ofmercury.

Hospital Abuse in Paris. ’

Hospital Abuse in Paris.I have on several previous occasions called attention in

these columns to the question of hospital abuse in Paris. Tomake my present remarks clear I must first say a word aboutthe administration of the Assistance Pablique in Paris. Thisenormous organisation is responsible for the upkeep of thehospitals, the dispensaries, the home relief of paupers, therelieving stations (bureaux de bienfaisance), the almshousesfor old people, and the naval hospitals of Berck andHendaye. To meet these expenses the Assistance Publiquereceives 40,000,000 francs a year from the municipality ofParis, it possesses legacies and endowments left by generousbenetactors. and, moreover, receives 10 per cent. of the profits Iof the theatres. The hospitals are free to needy persons and

their upkeep is the heaviest item in the expenditure of theAssistance Publique. A very strict check is supposed to bekept on the free admission of all but genuine paupers, andothers who can afford to pay a little are expected to con-tribute 3 or 5 francs a day for medical or surgicaltreatment respectively, a light enough toll in all conscience.The medical profession and the Assistance Publique havetwo abuses to fight, the admission to hospital for 3 or

5 francs of individuals who can well afford to be attendedat home and the filling up of free beds by well-to-do peopleto the exclusion of the genuine poor and absolutely destituteclass of patient. Dr. Bertillon in a most interesting publica.tion has pointed out amongst other matters that half thedeaths in Paris occur in the hospitals, which means, ofcourse, that one half of the inhabitants get charitablemedical attendance, although the proportion of indigentpeople is far from that figure. Much greater vigilance isneeded in inquiring into the circumstances of those receivingfree treatment.

Accident in a .Hospital.For the last few months the nurses and male attendants

of the Paris hospitals have been holding meetings to con.sider their grievances and the means of ameliorating them.Public attention has recently been drawn anew to them inan unhappy manner. A little girl, aged three years, had beena patient at the Trousseau Hospital suffering from an

eruptive fever. The nurse in charge of her gave her a bathwithout noting properly the temperature of the water andthe poor little child was so severely scalded that she diedthree days later. Judicial proceedings have been institutedand the child’s father and the superintendent and nurses ofthe hospital have given evidence. The nurse in questionhas been charged with unintentional homicide (homicide parimprudence) and three medical men have been instructedto make a post-mortem examination of the body.

The Congresses.Two congresses and one conference have recently been held

in series in Paris. During the week from Oct. 7th to 12ththe French Surgical Congress met, which discussed, in addi-tion to the subjects mentioned above, the Influence of theRoentgen Rays on Malignant Tumours and Musculo-tendinousand Nervous Transplantations. The French UrologioalAssociation met to discuss the Pathogeny and Treatment ofNon-tuberculous Abscess of the Prostate. Lastly, the FrenchCongress of Medicine was opened on Oct. 14th under thepresidency of Professor Debove, dean of the Faculty ofMedicine. The programme included papers by Dr. MauriceFaure on the Mercurial Treatment of Tabes, the PathologicalPhysiology and the Re-education of Motor Visceral Troublesin that disease, and on the Causes and Treatment of Primaryand Secondary Spastic Palsies. There was a reception bythe president and another was given by the municipality ofParis and a terminal banquet took place on Oct. 16th.

Oct. 22nd.

COPENHAGEN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Funotion of the Pacinian Bodies.THOUGH the Pacinian bodies have for many years been

investigated by a number of observers their special purpose isfar from being known with any certainty. Most authorities,however, agree on the probability of their serving in someway or other for the perception of tactile sensations, butso far the problem does not seem to have been solvedexperimentally. In order to do this Dr. Martin Ramstr6mof Upsala has availed himself of the fact that a region hasbeen found recently in the human body in which, thoughundoubted Pacinian bodies are present, yet no perception oftactile impressions can be demonstrated. This region is theparietal peritoneum of the anterior abdominal wall. Duringlaparotomies performed by Professor Lennander on patientsnot under general anaesthesia the part was systematicallyexamined by means of instruments introduced into theabdominal cavity. In this way it was seen that the patientsfailed to perceive pressure on this parietal peritoneum, norwere they able to distinguish between hot and cold instru-ments. Still the sensation of pain occurred when theperitoneum was moved a little. Dr. Ramstrom thinks, there-fore, that the Pacinian bodies cannot possibly have anything