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from a native source; and in Ireland, of the 925 men who Ihold degrees, 672, or 72’6 per cent., possess Irish degrees,and 243, or 26’3 per cent., are graduates of Scotch univer-sities. The same relative paucity of English degrees isobservable among medical officers in the public services andthe practitioners resident abroad. Looking at this state ofaffairs, Dr. Bristowe thought that matters could be bestmended if the London University were made to meet therequirements of London medical students. He suggestedthat the matriculation examination might remain as it was,but that the Preliminary Scientific Examination shouldundergo a radical change, even if it be not abolishedaltogether. In his opinion none of the subjects in whichthe candidates were examined were of any benefit to prac-tical medical men. He did not think there need be anymodification in the final examinations for the LondonUniversity medical degrees.Mr. RIVINGTON seconded this resolution.Mr. S. J. HUTCHINSON proposed an amendment, which

was seconded by Mr. BRiNDLEY JAMES.Dr. BRIDGEWATER also spoke on the resolution.Another amendment, proposing to leave out of the reso-

lution all terms relating to the University of London, wasproposed by Dr. SANSOM and seconded by Dr. RAYNER.Both amendments were lost.Mr. VICTOR HORSLEY inquired whether the view that the

subjects of the preliminary scientific examination were ofno value to medical men would form part of the petition tobe presented to the Senate of the University of London. Hecould not agree that the subjects were not important for themedical man.Mr. MACNAMARA replied that that was merely an indi-

vidual opinion, and was not embodied in the report.Mr. NELSON HARDY spoke on Dr. Sansom’s amendment,

and maintained that the resolution would lose all its force ifthis proposal were adopted.Mr. SMITH TURNER proposed and Dr. LAUDER BRUNTON

seconded that the names of the hospitals which appeared onp. 17 of the Report of the Council of the Branch be expungedtherefrom. This amendment was carried unanimously.The second resolution was proposed by Dr. ROBERT

BARNES. It is as follows : That failing to obtain con-cessions from the Senate of the University of London, theCouncil be empowered to take, in conjunction with theRoyal College of Physicians of London and the Royal Collegeof Surgeons of England, such steps as they may deem neces-sary to facilitate the obtaining of degrees in medicine byLondon medical students." Dr. Barnes said that the Uni-versity of London was a failure, and was far behind its ownwork, although it had given a fresh impetus to the studyand progress of medicine when the university was firstestablished. He did not believe that the suggestion ofDr. Sansom that a new degree of M.C.D., entitling the holderto consider himself a doctor in medicine and surgery, was agood one. For, in the first place, medicine was one, andundivided ; and, secondly, the public would never be got tobelieve that such a degree implied the possession of as muchknowledge as the possession of the ordinary M.D. degree.After all, the public must be consulted in a large measure.

Dr. HICKMAN seconded the resolution, which was put tothe meeting and carried unanimously.A vote of thanks to Dr. Gilbart Smith for his services in

drawing up the report brought the meeting to a close.

MAHOMED MEMORIAL FUND.

THE following additional subscriptions have been re-

ceived :—2 s. d. d.

J. S. Bartrum, Esq., G. ]B’1. J. Giles, Esq.,F.R.C.S............. 2 2 0 F.R.C.S., 1.)I.D ....... 2 0 0

Dr. Bower ............ 1 1 0 W. Cooper Keates, Esq.... 1 1 0Dr. Oswald Currie ...... 1 1 0 Robert Manser, Esq.,Dr. Walter Dixon, R.N.... 1 1 0 I.M.D............. 3 3 0D. Eletim, Esq., I.M.D.... 5 5 0 Mrs. Nutter, per Dr. Argles 2 2 0J. H. Ewart, Esq....... 5 5 0 Dr. Sionlet............ 1 1 0

ARTHUR E. DURHAM, Treasurer.JAMES F. GOODHART, Secretaries.W. H. A. JACOBSON, Secretaries.

VACCINATION GRANTS.—Mr. R. Istance, of Risca(sixth time), and Dr. James Lily, of Brentford, have receivedthe Government grant for successful vaccination.

Public health and Poor Law.LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.

REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH.

-Bristol Urban District.-Mr. Davies records a slightincrease in the mortality for the city of Bristol, and heattributes it in the main to the amount of diarrhoeal disease

consequent upon the exceptional heat of the past summer.The rate was, however, not very high for such a city asBristol, reaching as it did to only 18’7 per 1000. The onlytwo cases of small-pox which occurred were at once isolated,and it is estimated that a considerable extension of diseasewas thus prevented. As to scarlet fever, Mr. Davies laysit down as his rule to refuse to remove patients unlesshe is allowed to remove all who are affected with thedisease in the house ; in short, unless the points of infectionin the city are diminished by the removal. No one will

probably desire to disagree with this view. The object of amedical officer of health in securing isolation is the preven-tion of disease rather than the welfare of the individualpatient. But the isolation of scarlet fever has always beenat a low ebb in Bristol, and the fear as to "the formation ofa concentrated centre of infection " is evidently at the bottomof it. The matter is one of such importance that we could wishto see Mr. Davies offering some proof of his belief as to this, inaddition to his constant reiteration of it. The London FeverHospital has contained a larger aggregation of scarlet feverpatients over a long series of years than any other hospitalin England, and the proof is overwhelming that, thoughsituated in a populous portion of the metropolis, no extensionof the disease has taken place. In 1884 only two patientswere admitted to the Bristol Fever Hospital, whereas ofscarlet fever alone there were thirty-seven deaths. Speakingspecially of diarrhoea, Mr. Davies points out that this diseasewas debited with 132 deaths, against 83 during the previousyear, and he regards the excess as due to three factors-namely, the summer season, the warm dry weather, andartificial feeding. He is inclined to think that the first twofavour the development of bacteria in cow’s milk after beingexposed in damp mouldy cellars or musty cupboards; and asregards the latter, he adverts in one portion of his report tothe increasing employment of women as breadwinnersinstead of men. The zymotic death-rate as a whole was1’8 per 1000, being 0’7 in excess of that for the previousyear; but even this is by no means an exceptional rate forsuch a population as that under consideration.

Bristol Port District.-It appears that as the result ofDr. Blaxall’s official visit to this port a methodical inspec-tion of shipping has now been commenced, and it is reportedthat much work in cleansing has been effected. Mr. Daviesis also of opinion that the inspection, as required by theLocal Government Board, will doubtless add materially tothe comfort of the crews. Four cases of enteric fever werediscovered. A small hospital is evidently needed for thespecial purposes of the port, and the matter is receivingthe attention of a committee.

St. Marylebone.-Some action is again being taken withregard to the dwellings of the poor under Torrens’ Act.Mr. Wynter Blyth has reported adversely in the case ofhouses in Conway-court and Grafton-court, and in eachcase the subsequent report of the surveyor is to the effectthat since no structural alteration or repair will render thesehouses fit for human habitation, he therefore recommendsthat they should be demolished. The regulations as tohouses let in lodgings have now received the sanction ofthe Local Government Board, and they will at once be putinto operation in certain localities where they are mostneeded.Aston Rural District.-Dr. Bostock Hill presents a report

as to this district. In the main it deals with the ninemonths during which he has held office. For the whole of1884 the birth- and death-rates were 26-9 and 14-5 per 1000respectively, and the zymotic rate was 1’2. This speakssatisfactorily for the district, and it is evident from therecord of work that efforts are made by tent hospital isola-tion and otherwise to control the spread of infectious fevers.Numerous and systematic inspections of the district havebeen made; bakehouses are looked after; cleansing anddisinfection, both of infected premises and infected clothing,have been carried out ; and the authority have certain

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arrangements with the Aston Local Board of Healthwhereby they will soon be provided with permanent meansof isolation in the excellent hospital which the latter

authority are now erecting. One sentence of graveimportance is included in the report. It is to the effectthat at the present time numerous houses are directly orindirectly draining into the Brook, from which the Birming-ham Corporation draw part of their water-supply, andsince one division of the rural district receives this water-

supply, this district is in point of fact not only injuring itsgreat neighbour, but polluting its own drinking water.Such a state of affairs should, in view of cholera prospects, ibe dealt with as an urgent matter.

I

Montrose Sanitary District.-Montrose, with a populationof 16,476, had a death-rate of 24-4 per 1000 in 1884; andmaking the necessary deductions for the asylum, &c., it stillstood as high as 22 per 1000. It is explained that duringthe year there was a higher mortality than usual amongstinfants, and also from non-epidemic diseases. The report,however, contains no information as to the sanitary state ofthe town, and hence we are unable to express any opinionas to the cause of a mortality which is certainly excessive.

VITAL STATISTICS.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

IN twenty-eight of the largest English towns 5826 birthsand 3515 deaths were registered during the week endingthe 7th inst. The births exceeded by 12, while the deaths were112 below, the average weekly numbers during 1884. Theannual death-rate in these towns, which had been 20’5 and21’4 per 1000 in the preceding two weeks, declined againto 20’6 last week. During the first nine weeks of thecurrent quarter the death-rate in these towns averaged22’5 per 1000, against 24’7 in the corresponding periods ofthe nine years 1876-84. The lowest death-rates in thesetowns last week were 11’8 in Brighton, 14’6 in Hull, 15-2in Wolverhampton, and 15’8 in Plymouth. The rates in theother towns ranged upwards to 29’1 in Preston, 29’3 in

Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 37’6 in Cardiff, and 42’1 in Sunder-land. The deaths referred to the principal zymoticdiseases in the twenty-eight towns, which had been384 and 377 in the previous two weeks, rose to 395last week; they included 133 from measles, 112 fromwhooping-cough, 42 from scarlet fever, 33 from "fever"(principally enteric), 28 from diarrhoea, 24 from diphtheria,and 23 from small-pox. No death from any of thesezymotic diseases was recorded last week in Derby, whereasthey caused the highest death-rates in Bristol, Cardiff,and Sunderland. The highest death-rates from measlesoccurred in Cardiff and Sunderland; from whooping-coughin Bristol and Cardiff ; from scarlet fever in Wolverhamptonand Preston; and from "fever" in Newcastle-upon-Tyne,Blackburn, and Norwich. The 24 deaths from diphtheriain the twenty-eight towns included 15 in London and 2in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. Small-pox caused 37 deaths inLondon and its outer ring of suburban districts, 2 in Liver-pool, 2 in Manchester, 1 in Birmingham, 1 in Birkenhead,and 1 in Sunderland. The number of small-pox patientsin the metropolitan asylum hospitals situated in andaround London, which had been 1223, 1141, and 1103 on thepreceding three Saturdays, further declined to 988 at theend of last week; the admissions, which had been 255,163,and 170 in the previous three weeks, declined to 94 lastweek. The Highgate Small-pox Hospital contained 95patients on Saturday last, 19 cases having been admittedduring the week. The deaths referred to diseases of therespiratory organs in London, which had been 343 and384 in the preceding two weeks, were 374 last week, and 106below the corrected weekly average. The causes of 93, or2’6 per cent., of the deaths in the twenty-eight towns lastweek were not certified either by a registered medicalpractitioner or by a coroner. All the causes of deathwere duly certified in Portsmouth, Brighton, Blackburn,Wolverhampton, and Plymouth. The largest proportions ofuncertified deaths were registered in Oldham, Salford, andSheffield.

___

HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

The annual death-rate in the eight Scotch towns, whichhad been equal to 23’1 and 24’6 per 1000 in the preceding twoweeks, declined to 22-8 in the week ending the 7th inst., this

rate, however, exceeded by 2’2 the mean rate during thesame week in the twenty-eight large English towns. Therates in the Scotch towns last week ranged from 13’3 and15-6 in Perth and Aberdeen, to 21’2 in Greenock and 29’0 inGlasgow. The 557 deaths in the eight towns included 20which were referred to measles, 19 to whooping-cough, 12to scarlet fever, 9 to diarrhoea, 6 to diphtheria, 5 to "fever" "

(typhus, enteric, or simple), and not one to small-pox; inall, only 71 deaths resulted from these principal zymoticdiseases, against 95,81, and 82 in the preceding three weeks.These 71 deaths were fewer than in any previous week of thisyear, and were equal to an annual rate of 2’9 per 1000, whichexceeded the mean rate from the same diseases in the twenty-eight English towns by 0’6. The fatal cases of whooping-cough, which had been 30 and 31 in the previous two weeks,,declined to 19 last week, a lower number than in any weeksince the end of November; they included 9 in Glasgow and4 in Dundee. The 20 deaths from measles showed anincrease of 5 upon the number in the previous week; 1Toccurred in Glasgow and 3 in Dundee. Eleven of the 12’deaths from scarlet fever and 4 of the 5 from "fever" werereturned in Glasgow; the mortality from these causes.

showed a decline. The 6 deaths from diphtheria included3 in Edinburgh. The deaths referred to acute diseases ofthe respiratory organs in the eight towns, which haddeclined in the preceding five weeks from 214 to 125,.further fell last week to 119, and were one below the-number returned in the corresponding week of last year.The causes of 65, or nearly 12 per cent., of the deaths regis-tered last week in the eight Scotch towns were not certined.

HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

The rate of mortality in Dublin, which in the precedingfour weeks had declined from 36-2 to 30’3 per 1000, rose againto 32’7 in the week ending the 7th inst. During the firstnine weeks of the current quarter the death-rate in the cityaveraged no less than 32’7 per 1000, the mean rate during thesame period not exceeding 21’5 in London and 20’4 inEdinburgh. The 221 deaths in Dublin last week showedan increase of 16 upon the number returned in the previous.week, and included 27 which were referred to the principalzymotic diseases, exceeding the number in any previousweek of this year. Of these 27 deaths, 10 resulted frommeasles, 6 from " fever" (typhus, enteric, or simple), 4 fromscarlet fever, 4 from whooping-cough, 3 from diarrhoea,,and not one either from small-pox or diphtheria. These-27 deaths were equal to an annual rate of 4’0 per 1000, the-rate from the same diseases not exceeding 1’9 in Londonand 1’2 in Edinburgh. The 10 fatal cases of measles inDublin, showed an increase of 2 upon the number in the-previous week; and the 6 deaths from "fever" also showeda considerable increase, as but 1 death from this cause hadbeen returned in each of the previous two weeks. The fatalcases of scarlet fever showed a decline, while those ofwhooping-cough were more numerous. Three inquest cases-and 1 death from violence were registered; and 69. or nearlya third, of the deaths in the city were recorded in public-institutions. The deaths of elderly persons showed a con-siderable decline from recent weekly numbers. The causesof 29, or more than 13 per cent., of the deaths registered inthe city last week were not certified.

THE SERVICES.

THE EGYPTIAN EXPEDITION.

To the list of Indian medical officers proceeding on active-service with the Indian Contingent for the Soudan, as pub-lished in our issue of last week, we have to add the namesof ’the following :-Brigade Surgeon Thornton (as PrincipalMedical Officer) ; Surgeon-Major R. Boustead, OfficiatingMedical Officer 21st Bombay Infantry; and Surgeon A. C.Thompson, Medical Officer, Asirgarh.We regret to announce the death, from enteric fever, of

Surgeon Turner, of the British Medical Service, which tookplace at Korti, in the Soudan, on Friday, the 6th instant.The following are among the officers belonging to ther

New South Wales Contingent who have gone to Suakim :-Surgeons Williams, Glanville, and Trowfoot.The Council of the National Aid Society has sanctioned the-

extension in the Upper Nile of the system, already inaugu-rated, for evacuating the sick and wounded towards Cairo,