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a few specialists. Such considerations will weigh withmen of thoughtful mind at the outset of their careeras practitioners if plainly put before them ; and Ishould like to urge this practical view of the matteron their attention. But even more strongly should 1 wish tocomment on the narrowing subjective effect of exclusivestudy and of practice within a strictly limited sphere. Wecannot all be " Admirable Crichtons," it is true, but for in-dividual comfort and well-being in the practice of medicine,for the public weal, and for the public interest of the pro-fession collectively, specialisation should naturally follow,and not preclude, a wider and more practical general ex-perience. It could be abundantly shown, were illustration inthe least called for, that the present no less than previousgenerations of general practitioners pre-eminently entitle ourcalling to exalted rank among those advisedly and legiti-mately called the learned professions," and I shall nothave encroached so seriously on your valuable space in vainif by calling attention to these points I succeed in in-

duencirig some of those who are about to become the futuregeneration to emulate the broad basis of activity that hasapborne the present and the past.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,- - ____

Dec. 12th, 1896. 10...U., F.R.C.S.

LIVERPOOL.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

University College, Liverpool : Opening of the William

Gossage Laboratories.Ox Saturday last the Earl of Derby performed the

function of opening the new William Gossage Labora-tories at University College, the generous benefaction ofMr. F. H. Gossage and Mr. T. Sutton Timmis. at a costof £7000, in completion of the chemical laboratories,the first portion ot which was opgned in 1886, and incommemoration of the late Mr. William Gossage. Thenew buildings complete the Brownlow-street frontageof University College. They include a large laboratory,60 feet by 32 feet, with benches fitted up for forty-four advanced students, an adjacent room providedwith a new form of heated sand bath and other

appliances for the service of the main laboratory,and, in the basement, an additional lecture-room to seat

seventy or eighty, a preparation-room, and a gas analysis-room. These five rooms, which are lined with ivory-glazedbricks, constitute the "William Gossage laboratories. Theother new buildings are a metallurgical laboratory withfurnaces and other equipments, an important addition tothe research laboratory, a store-room for apparatus andchemicals, a dynamo-room, electric accumulator-room, and aheating chamber. The William Gossage

" main laboratoryhas an open timber roof, supported by five Gothic archedprincipals of pitchpine, fifteen feet apart. These principalsrest on carved Yorkshire stone corbels built into the walls,On the east side skylights are arranged between the purlins,’but on the west side the roof boarding comes down to theenriched wood cornice. The walls are of ivory-glazed brickswith yellow dado. On the west side and at the northend there are lofty windows and on each side of the room areglaz9d chambers provided with gas and water and a powerfuldraught for the larger operations producing fumes. Thebenches are of polished pitch-pine with teak tops. Beyonda number of minor improvements these benches do not essen-tially differ from those in some other similar laboratoriesexcept in one important respect-that the half-closedchambers placed in the middle of each bench have a reallyefficient draught which carries away all fumes from smalloperations without allowing any to escape into the room.This result is attained by carrying the whole ventilation ofthe room, which normally amounts to 125,000 cubic feet perhour through these students’ fume chambers and the largerchambers on either wall. The foul air passes from thesehoods down to a wide subterranean channel ending at thebase of a tall up cast shaft, where a coke fire maintains astrong draught. By no other way can air escape from thelaboratory, while a fan forces washed and warmed freshair through flues and gratings in the walls into theroom so as to maintain a constant pressure duringthe working day. The laboratories will be opened to

students on Jan. 7th, 1897, and farther donationsto enable them to finish the buildings and furnishthe necessary equipment will be thankfully received by thecommittee. Previously to the opening ceremony an addresswas delivered by Professor Ramsay, F.R.S., in the course ofwhich he alluded to the late Mr. William Gossage, in memoryof whom the building was raised, as a great inventor in hisday, to whom many of the most important features ofthe alkali trade are due-for example, the condensation ofhydrochloric acid instead of allowing it to escape to pollutethe air, the smelting of pyrites residues for copper, theutilisation of caustic mother-liquors of the soda cystals forthe manufacture of caustic soda, and the utilisation ofsulphur waste. It is interesting to note in this connexion thatMr. F. H. Gossage has of recent years, followed an inventionof his father, attempted fifty years ago-namely, the manu-facture of sodium sulphide, dispensing with the use of limein the Leblanc process, and the conversion of sulphide intocarbonate by carbon dioxide. At the conclusion of ProfessorRamsey’s address the key of the new building containedin a richly-chased antique silver casket of the date 17999. theyear of Mr. William Gossage’s birth. was presented to LordDerby by Mr. T. Sutton Timmis. His lordship, followed bythe rest of the assembly, then proceeded, to the laboratory,unlocked the door, and formally took possession of the

building on bebalf of University College, Liverpool.

Another Gift to Liverpool Hospitals.Mr. R. P. Houston, M.P., has offered for distribution by

the Lord Mayor, a sum of C900, which will be allocated tothe medical charities of Liverpool.

Tlte IT’ant of Accommodation for Lacltatics in LancashireCounty Asylums.

The congested condition of the Lancashire lunatic asylumsis a cause of much inconvenience to the boards of guardiansin this vicinity. At the Mill-road infirmary of the WestDerby board, owing to the difficulty experienced in findingaccommodation for certified lunatics in the county asylums,the wards appropriated to lunatics in that butlding are

greatly overcrowded. The clerk to the board (Mr. Cleaver),in a somewhat heated address at a recent meeting of thatboard, said that the time had arrived when the guardiansmust adopt some very drastic measure (whatever that maymean) to obtain accommodation in the county asylumsfor their certified cases. The same difficulty is experi-enced at the Brownlow Hill workhouse of the parishof Liverpool, but in a minor degree. It appears that onDec. 3rd there were in the Mill-road institution 17 casescertified by magistrates for removal to county asylums,but who could not be accommodated there for want ofroom ; at Brownlow Hill at the present moment the officialscannot find accommodation in the county asylums for 5cases, The number of insane persons admitted to the Mill-road Infirmary during 1895 amounted to 592, of which 266were sent to county asylums and the remainder were sentout either recovered or in such a state as not to be dan-gerous to themselves or others. During the past elevenmonths 580 cases had been admitted to the Mill-roadInfirmary, and of that number 280 had been sent to countyasylums.

Liverpool Milk-supply.Dr. Hope informed the Health Committee that there

appeared to him to be no ground for alarm as to the presenceof tuberculosis in the Liverpool milk-supply. So far as his

investigations had gone in connexion with milk suppliedfrom shippons in the city the milk was found to be in excel-lent condition. He had never known of a case of tuber-culosis having been traced to that source, consequently heconsidered that the rumours which he was informed were incirculation were greatly exaggerated. Dr. Hope also saidthat as the work of the Royal Commission now inquiringinto the question of tuberculosis in milk must necessarily bea protracted one their repoit would probably not be issuedfor a year or so.

Death of Mr. W. R. Heath of Southport.Mr. William Ravenscroft Heath, M.R.C.S. Eng. and

L.S.A., one of the best-known practitioners in Southport,died on the 14th inst., at the age of sixty-one years,after a few days’ illness. Mr. Heath was medical officerto the post office and telegraph department at Southportand for many years was in the enjoyment of a lucrative

1794

and high-class practice. His comparatively sudden deathhas come as a gfeat surprise to his many friends in South-port and Liverpool.

Qualifications of Liverpool Sanitary Inspectors.e

Dr. Hope tells me that the sanitary certificates of theVictoria University will not displace those of the SanitaryInstitute of Great Britain as qualifying for sanitary inspector-ships under the Liverpool Corporation, but will be acceptedon the same footing as those obtained from that body.Dec. 15th..

WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Accidents to Medical Men.

MR. SAMUEL FARRANT, M.R.C.S. Eng., surgeon to theTaunton and Somerset Hospital, who is also a member of theSomerset county council and an ex-mayor of Taunton, metwith a serious accident on Saturday evening, Dec. 5th, whiledriving to see a patient. Mr Farrant was thrown out of his

trap, and fell heavily upon his head, with the result that con-cussion of the brain was produced. A scalp wound of aboutthree inches long was inflicted and one of his collar-bones wasfractured. Another caniage accident occurred near Gloucesteron Dec. 10th. It appears that Mrs. and Miss Ellicott (thewife and daughter of the Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol)were returning from Bowden Hall, whither Mr. E. D. Bower,M.R.C.S. Eng., surgeon to the Gloucester General Infirmary,was proceeding, and the carriages collided. The pole of thebishop’s carriage went through Mr. Bower’s brougham andoverturned it, the coachman being injured. Mr. Bower him-self escaped injury, making his exit through the roof of theoverturned brougham. The bishop’s horses bolted and upsetthe carriage and it occupants into a field, but, fortunately,beyond suffering considerably from shock the ladies wereunhurt.

The Cardiff Sanatorium.At the meeting of the Cardiff health committee held on

Dec. llth the chairman stated that additional accommoda-tion was urgently needed at the sanatorium. Dr. E. Walfordstated that there were now sixty patients in the institutionand that patients had been refused admission during the lasttwo or three weeks owing to want of accommodation. Onthe motion of Dr. J. J. Buist, the borough engineer and themedical officer were requested to report to the next meetingof the sub-committee of the sanatorium.

The Lady Guardians of Newport, Mon.That the lady guardian has in most instances greatly

added to the comfort of the pauper is well known, and theinfluence of those at Newport is no exception to the rule.The guardians possess a wagonette in which the old andinfirm are taken for drives in the country, and now the ladyguardians are collecting money to purchase a piano for thebenefit of the in-door poor. Lord Tredegar has headed thesubscription list and the instrument will in all probabilityshortly be procured, when it will doubtless help to relievethe weary monotony of pauper life.

Destruction of ° Druidical " Rermains on Dartmoor.Some interesting I Druidical " remains on and around

Dartmoor have been destroyed by the contractors of theNewton rural district council, who have broken up the stonesfor repairing the surface of the roads. The remains knownas the Stone-avenue, at Bel Tor corner on Sherberton-common, have been demolished and several hut circles " and"mainhir" " have completely disappeared. Fortunately thework of destruction has been now stopped by the energeticaction of Exeter antiquaries, but the loss of these interestingrelics is much to be deplored.

Memorial to a late Distinguished Army Surgeon.On Nov. 29th an exceptionally ornate and finely sculptured

reredos, with a massive high altar and super-altar with hang-ings were unveiled before a large congregation at ColebrookChurch, North Devon, by Mr. A. O. Sillifant, ex-high sheriffof Devonshire. This has been erected as a memorial to the

lata Francis Synge Sillifant, who was formerly an armysurgeon in India, and during the Mutiny particularly distin--guished himself by his devotion to the wounded under fire.

Memtorittl to the late Mr. E. H. Clarke, M.R.C.S.,L. R. C.P. Lond., of Bristol.

A handsome stained-glass window has just been placed inthe chapel of the Bristol Royal Infirmary as a memorial ofthe late Mr. E. H. Clarke, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond., who hadrecently held the appointment of junior house physician andjunior house surgeon to the institution. The subject chosen.is St. Barnabas the Apostle, and underneath the figure is the-text, "A son of consolation." The memorial inscription.reads, 11 To the glory of God and in loving memory of Ethel-bert Henry Clarke. Born Oct. 25th, 1868 ; died Feb. 17th,1896."Dec. 15th.

_______________

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Edinburgh Medical Classes.THE medical classes in Edinburgh rise for the Christmas

vacation on Friday of this week. Two important eventswill happen before that, the kitchen concert at the RoyalInfirmary and the annual dinner at the Royal College ofPhysicians.

Tlte Royal Infirmary, Edinburgh.Considerable ingenuity is being displayed by those

interested in retaining the hour from 11 to 12 o’clock forclinical work, in proposing the re-arrangement or class hours.It is to be hoped that the difficulties at present in theway may be removed. Dr. Joseph Bell’s tenure of office onthe board of management having expired, his place has beentaken by Dr. UnderhiU.

The Edinburgh Medico-Chirurgical Society.This society will hold one of its afternoon meetings

to-morrow, and from the number of items on the programme itsought to be a very successful one.

The Vacant Chrcir in the Edinburgh University.It is understood that Professor Matthew Hay, of Aberdeen,

is a candidate for the chair of medical jurisprudence andpublic health in the Edinburgh University.

Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, Glasgow.A joint committee representing the Faculty of Physicians

and Surgeons and the University of Glasgow has been

apointed with a view to establish a memorial to the brothers,William and John Hunter.

Glasgo7v Central Dispensary.At a meeting of the committee of management of the

Glasgow Central Dispensary on the 9th inst., Dr. J. B. Russellbeing in the chair, the following appointments were made:-Mr. Jno. Gilchrist Gray, M.B., C.M. Glasg., to be one of thephysicians, and Mr. J. Wyllie Nicoll, M.B., C.M. Glasg., tobe physician to the department for diseases of children.

Scientific Societies, Glasgow.. At a meeting of the Glasgow Medico-Chirurgical Societyon the llth inst., Dr. F. W. Pavy of London gave an addresson Some Points in the Pathology and Treatment of Diabetes.The meeting was largely attended, and, on the proposal ofDr. W. L. Reid, seconded by Dr. Middleton, a hearty vote ofthanks was awarded to Dr. Pavy for his address.-On thesame evening Dr. Thomas Reid gave an address and lanterndemonstration to the University Medico-Chirurgical Societyillustrating the Behaviour of the Protoplasm of the Corneaunder Various Irritants. -At a recent meeting of theQueen Margaret Medical Club Dr. James Finlayson read apaper and gave a bibliographical demonstration illustratingthe history of the medical profession in Glasgow.

Testivionial to Ex-Couneillor Cra,7vford, Glasgow.Councillor Crawford, who has recently retired from the