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s a EORG t; B. WOOD suggests ethereal inhalation for the

relief of painful spasms. The sedative influence of chloroform

he holds to be hazardous. in the petechial form of the dis-ease, the principal additional indications are stimulants andnutriment. In certain localities of America quinine has foundgreat favour.

’

The most consolatory consideration about cerebro-spinalmeningitis is that it has never yet, in any country where ithas prevailed, assumed the character of a general outbreak.It has mostly shown itself in local and isolated irruptions, andits lavages have been circumscribed within comparativelynarrow limits.

iMs. D1SRAEl,I’S Reform Bill embodies some remarkable fea-

tures; but it was saved on Tuesday evening, by a narrow majo-rity of eight, from attempting to combine what the pharmaceutwould call " incompatibles. " All sides of the House-even

Mr. BRIGHT—were agreed that the University of London shouldhave a representative. A constituency numbering upwards oftwo thousand graduates, who have attained their degrees aftera more stringent examination than that imposed by any otheruniversity, is surely entitled to have a voice in the legislative eassembly of the kingdom. But under what inspiration was Mr.DISBABLl tempted to combine with it the University of Durham?He has shown himself a cunning chemist in legislation; but

with intent to mix them, remains as futile a task in his handsas it was in the days of CLYTEMNESTRA. Why; the two Uni-versities have nothing in common, except the very rarifiedelement of being two centres of education. The University ofLondon was established more than forty years ago to remedyand supplement some of the deficiencies in the older Univer-sities of Oxford and Cambridge. The University of Durham,after having lain in the predicament of suspended animationfor well-nigh two centuries, was some thirty years ago resus-citated, to repeat on a humbler scale almost the very systemwhich, in Oxford and Cambridge, had led to the institution ofthe University of London. The older Universities, in fact, are esomewhat ashamed of their little imitatress in the North. So

ineffective has she proved that in 1865 vigorous steps weretaken to render her a more salutary alma mater than her

alumni have hitherto found her. The University of London,on the other hand, increases from year to year in vitality and

vigour. Her system is so elastic as to admit of almost in-definite expansion. Her fundamental characteristic is that I

of an examining body; and she welcomes with alacrity, andhonours with her mark of approval, all proficients in anybranch of intellectual culture whatever. To bind her in the

same electoral union with the little, languishing, and bornée

University of Durham would be almost as absurd and disas-trous as to yoke the ox with the a6s ; and every admirer ofthe Reform Bill and of its dexterous author must rejoice thatthe consistency of the one and the reputation of the otherhave been "saved from their friends" by the successful

agency of the Opposition.

THE Poor-law Board has just issued the rules and regulationsto be observed by the Board of Management of the "Metro-politan Asylum District," which is to meet once a week, andfor the first time to-day (June 22nd).

Medical Annotations.Ne quid nimis."

NATURAL SCIENCE EDUCATION.

THE encouragement of Natural Science in our schools anduniversities has found an able advocate in Mr. Wilson, whohas addressed a short and admirable letter to the Master andFellows of St. John’s College, Cambridge. Mr. Wilson is aFellow of the College, was the most distinguished mathema-tician of his year in the University, attaining the proud dis-

tinction of senior wrangler, and is now Mathematical andPhysical Science Master at Rugby School, where he is a highlyefficient and popular teacher. He is, therefore, no mean

authority in the matter. He tells us that at Rugby somebranch of Natural Science is taught by a staff of four mastersto the majority of the school, and gives his decided opinionthat the teaching of Natural and Experimental Science to boysat school is a decided success.

" The interest they take in it, " he says, "the stimulus it, ;ives to their powers of observation and rejection, the greatincrease of the actual amount of exact knowledge which theyhence obtain at school, the perfect illustrations that the teach.ing of science furnishes for all the methods of science andreasoning, the art and analysis of proof, and the grounds ofbelief, form a series of the weightiest arguments for the valueof the scientific element in the education of boys.......I do nothesitate to assert that in general the hours they spend in thescience classes produce a greater effect on the minds and intel-lectual tone of the majority of the boys than an equal numberof hours spent on any other subject."These remarks, from such a source, harmonising as they

do with our own convictions of the advantages of NaturalScience education, tell pretty clearly that the exclusive reignof " syntax" and "rule of three" is drawing to its close, andthat a wider field is being opened up to stimulate the energiesand industry, and to sharpen the faculties as well as improvethe observing and reasoning powers of our youth; and we

cannot doubt that it will have a beneficial influence upon thenational character. Mr. Wilson thrusts his well-pointedarguments home to his College, and urges upon the Master andFellows the necessity of taking their proper position with re-gard to this movement by instituting a staff of teachers inNatural Science as well as offering encouragement for pro-

ficiency in it. We are glad to find that they acquiesce in thewisdom of his suggestions, and have already complied withthem to some extent by offering a scholarship of E50 perannum for proficiency in Natural Science, tenable for threeyears. Trinity College, in the same University, as we an-

nounced last week, has appointed a lecturer in Natural Science,and we gladly mark this recognition of the claims of science inthe two leading Colleges of Cambridge.

THE GRAPHIC STUDY OF THE ARTERIAL PULSE.

Two lectures have been given by Dr. Anstie during thepast week in the theatre of the Royal College of Physicians," On the Prognosis and Treatment of certain Acute Diseases,with Special Reference to the Indications afforded by theGraphic Study of the Arterial Pulse.’’ The presence of a! more than usually large audience testified to the interest felti in the subject chosen by the lecturer. In his first lecture Dr.

Anstie, after briefly explaining the indications furnished byMarey’s sphygmograph, proceeded to show illustrations of the

pulse-wave furnished by several acute diseases. in their variousstages tending towards death or recovery . The illustrationswere enlarged by scale from sphygmograms of actual patients.

) The use of the instrument as an aid to prognosis in acute dis-! ease was explained. In his second lecture Dr. Anstie discussedthe question of the indications for and against the use of alco.

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hoi in acute diseases. He detailed a new series of experimentsmade by himself and Dr. Dupré, in which it was proved thatthe assertions of MM. Lallemand, Duroy, and Perrin, as to thetotal elimination of alcohol in an unchanged form, were notonly incorrect, but absurdly so. It was shown that the onlyease in which alcohol is eliminated unchanged, except in themost fractional proportions, is that of the use of intoxicativedoses. Even here, the total elimination probably never amountsto more than two or three grains in the twenty-four hours. Incases of acute disease, in which alcohol acts favourably-i. e.,produces no intoxication, neither skin, lungs, nor kidneys ex-crete more than from one-tenth to half a grain of alcohol perdiem. A practical test of the amount can now be easily obtainedby distillation and the use of the chromic-acid test. A valu-able check on the indications obtained in this way may be

gained by the use of the sphygmograph. If alcohol rendersthe pulse more dicrotous and more rapid, it does harm; if itmakes it less dicrotous and slower, it does good. We shall

shortly publish these important lectures.

THE MEDICAL CLUB.

I-u can now be stated with confidence that the Medical Clubis fairly established, and promises to become a most importantprofessional institution. The Club has been opened six monthsat 53, Pall-mall, nearly opposite to Marlborough House. Thenumber of members has been steadily increasing, and nowamounts to six hundred. The accommodation at present in-cludes a reading room, dining room, card and smoking room, anda few bedrooms. Refreshments are provided at a tariff approvedby the committee, as are also the wines and spirits, which aresupplied by one of the leading West-end merchants. It is

proper to state that the members are not liable for any debtsincurred in carrying on the Club beyond the amount of theentrance fee and the subscription. The opinion of an eminentcounsel has been taken on this point, and it is decisive and

satisfactory. The entrance fee and subscription will continueduring the current year the same as at present advertised, butthey will be raised to all members joining the Club after the1st of January next. In consequence of the great success of theClub since its establishment, it is hoped that before long moreconvenient premises may be secured for the erection of a suit-able clubhouse. An eligible opportunity is now under theconsideration of the committee, which, if the negotiation besuccessful, will result in securing for the members a housereplete with every comfort and convenience in the very bestpart of London. We understand it has been suggested thatthe name of the Club should be changed from that of the" Medical to that of the " Linacre," in acknowledgment ofthe important and lasting benefits conferred on the professionby that great physician. Such a change, however, requires,we think, due consideration, and should not be adopted hastily.It certainly seems an opprobrium upon a profession so influen-tial and numerous as our own that it should have been

hitherto without a place for réunions, and for the accommoda-tion which a club affords. That opprobrium will doubtless,ere long, be a thing of the past.

THE LIMITATION OF TYPHUS.

DR. T. CLIFFORD ALLBUTT’S paper, read before the Epi-demiological Society at its recent meeting, told the story of asocial experiment remarkable for boldness of conception andvigour of execution. This experiment has (for it is at the

present moment in progress of being carried out) for its objectthe limitation of typhus and other diseases in large towns.Going to the root of the matter, Dr. Allbutt maintains thatthe physician has a somewhat higher function than that ofpouring drugs into a patient. He holds, indeed, that it is aloftier mission to prevent an evil than to contend with it whenpresent ; and, believing that typhus and other destructive dis-

eases among the poor arise mainly from the deficiency of fitting habitations, he set himself soberly to solve the problemwhether this deficiency was irremediable. He came to theconclusion that it was not, and that it was practicable to dealnot altogether unequally with the evil. At least he saw a.

way, after much thought and labour, of showing how the evilmight successfully be contended with, and the manner inwhich this was brought about formed the subject of his paper.Dr. Allbutt’s scheme is to erect healthy buildings for thevery poorest sections of the population. This phase of thequestion has never before been fairly dealb with. Suchefforts as have already been made for the improvement ofthe dwellings of the labouring classes have not touched thepoorest and most helpless of these-those, indeed, among whomtyphus and other spreading diseases most commonly arise andprevail. It is not unnatural that philanthropists should haverecoiled in despair before this phase of the subject. As a com-mercial question, the erection of proper dwellings, at a remu-nerative rate, for the poorest masses of the population, seemedhopeless. As a charitable question, the construction of suchdwellings, except to a most limited extent, was well-nigh asdevoid of promise. ft argues no ordinary courage that Dr.Allbutt should have grappled with a subject presenting sounfavourable an aspect. He has done so however, and, webelieve, successfully carried out the first step of its solution.In conjunction with some far-sighted people of Leeds, he hasfounded the Leeds Industrial Dwellings Company, limited; theobject of which is to build houses for the very poorest of thepopulation of the town. The company has commenced operationsas a proper commercial speculation and a block of buildings hasbeen erected, with all proper sanitary appliances, and offeringaccommodation at rents varying from 18. 6d, to 2s. 8d. perweek. At these rates of rental the net return upon capital isestimated at 6 per cent. If this result be attained, the suc-cess of the experiment, commercially, may be held to be com-plete. For the present we simply direct attention to this im-portant experiment. When the sanitary and commercial resultsare fully ascertained we shall return to the subject.

"MEDICAL SCAVENGING."HARITLEFOOL, a flourishing seaport town about six miles

from Durham, boasts of a Mayor and Town Council and va-rious local committees. West Hartlepool also rejoices, amongstother boards, in a Town Improvement Commission, and it haslikewise a medical officer of health. Dr. Atkinson fulfilledthe duties of this important office during the year which ter-minated one day last month. He received the munificent

salary of £ 15 per annum. At a late meeting of the commis-sioners the question of electing a successor to Dr. Atkinsonwas debated. Some of the worthy commissioners thought theoffice was unnecessary; some thought the salary they hadbeen giving was too high, but as the year just expired hadbeen an exceptional one as far as regarded disease, that wasan excuse for their extravagance; while others thought :f1Omuch more to the purpose. After a somewhat protracted andanimated debate, considering the importance of the matter tothe seaport in a pecuniary point of view, it was resolved that,in order that every medical gentleman might stand a chanceof obtaining the lucrative appointment, all should be invitedto apply for the office. The following edifying account ofthe termination of the meeting is copied from the SouthDurham Mercury:—

" Mr. Lee, in reference to the salary, said each applicantshould put in the amount he wanted.-Mr. Tweedy: Yes, letthem state their own.-The Chairman (to Mr. Lee): The sameas in the case of tenders. (A laugh.) -- Mr. Tweedy : Like thescavengers. (Renewed laughter. )-The Clerk read a resolutionto the effect that a medical officer be appointed at nextmeeting for the ensuing year’- but then stopped, being appa-rently in a difficulty as to how to embody Mr. Lee’s suggestionin terms. The Clerk remarked it was certainly an unusual

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thing to advertise -’ Wanted, a medical officer ; the lowesttenderer of charges will receive the appointment.’ (Muchmerriment.) He added, however, to his former minute, ’Eachapplicant to state the salary he would like to receive.’ Thismet with general approval.-Mr. Tweedy said that they hadhad Dr. Atkinson last year. They could not then appointDr. Kirk, simply because he happened to be a commissioner.He might like the office now.-Mr. Lee said the commissionersknew what he (Mr. Lee) meant. He only meant to save asmuch money as he could, and let all have fair play.-Mr.Tweedy: How shall we let them (the medical gentlemen)know ?-Mr. Lee: Oh, those gentlemen there (pointing to thereporters) will make it all right for us. The press, thatmighty engine for good !-The subject then dropped."

After reading this report in the papers, three gentlemenmade application for the vacant office. One appeal to thechairman and gentlemen was in the following words :-

" My professional status as a doctor of medicine and phy-sician forbids my tendering for any appointment, although, ifappointed your medical officer of health, I will discharge theduties of the office to the best of my ability at whatever salaryyou may consider a fair remuneration for my services. Thefact of my being deputy medical officer for the Stranton parishgives me every facility for meeting with cases requiring atten-tion from filth, overcrowding, &c.-Yours, ."

The next was as follows (we copy verbatim from the SouthDurham Herald) :-

11 I beg leave to offer myself as a candidate for the appoint-ment of medical officer of health for West Hartlepool. Myqualifications are M.D. Edin. 1853, and diploma of the RoyalCollege of Surgeons, Edinburgh, 1853. The remuneration Ibeg to leave entirely to the discretion of the commissioners.-Yours respectfully.

(This application was endorsed by the applicant as a

(, Tender for Medical Scavenging.")And the third ran thus :-

"I am willing to undertake the duties of medical officer ofhealth at the same salary as when last I held the appointment- viz., £10 a year.-Your obedient servant, .’’

As we are merely dealing with the great principle involvedin this matter, we have not thought it necessary to insert thenames of the gentlemen who have sent in these somewhathumiliating applications. Sufficient to say that the last gen-tleman was duly elected. Is a word of comment necessarywith reference to these extraordinary proceedings ? If gentle-men of a liberal profession are content to "tender like thescavengers," and to do work at something like scavengers’wages, we can only say, More’s the pity.

OFFICIAL BLUNDERING.

THE Permanent Secretary of the Poor-law Board appearsto bear a good, uncompromising, gentlemanly hatred to

energy, novelty, and everything that does not move pre-cisely in the ruts that have been worn by the lumbering oldofficial waggon. Officials of this type always have at theirservice a very pretty choice of circumlocutory sleight-of-handwith which to damp the zeal of intending reformers ; but thelast device which the Permanent Secretary has hit upon isreally something out of the common.On the 31st of May, Dr. Dudfield, the secretary of the

Metropolitan Poor-law Medical Officers’ Association, addresseda letter to the Poor-law Board, informing them that the Asso-ciation had directed its attention to the subject of uniformdietaries for the metropolitan workhouses, and had con-

structed with great care a series of tables (which were for-warded for the board’s inspection); aild expressed the hopethat the authorities might be induced to order the introductionof this or some similar dietary scheme into all the Londonworkhouses. To this letter not even the civility of a formalreply was accorded until the Association, tired of waiting, gotDr. Brady to move in the House of Commons for some pre-vious correspondence between the President of the Associationand the Poor-law Board, which would sufficiently show the

anxiety of the medical officers to have this important ques-tion settled, and the determined obstinacy with which thematter had been shelved by some one or other at the board.Whereupon the Permanent Secretary of the Poor-law Board,we suppose by way of taking a gentlemanly kind of revengefor all this botheration, writes a letter to the Secretary of theAssociation, in which he makes an elaborate pretence of be.lieving that the application made by that gentleman had refer-ence, not to the question of dietaries, but to that of vaccination,and affects to reprove him for not having applied to the CouncilOffice, which has the care of the Vaccination Bill ! Certainly,official insoucictnce could hardly go further than this.

MEDICAL OFFICERS OF THE BRIGADE OFGUARDS.

WE are happy to state that an attempt has really been madeto compensate the medical officers of the Brigade of Guardswhose prospects of advancement were so seriously affected byan alteration which, our readers will remember, was made intheir system of promotion, and by which it was changed fromregimental to brigade seniority. That alteration was made

upon the authority of an unpublished warrant which was saidto have been passed in 1860, but which did not emerge intodaylight until 1866. We learn that Sir John Pakington,mindful of the great claims of these officers, has ordered thatthose assistant-surgeons of the brigade who may be preju-diciallyaffected by the operation of this warrant shall be madesupernumerary surgeons of their regiments, instead of, as wasproposed, in the medical staff of the army.For our own part, we have never been able to see any good

cause for interference with the medical department of theBrigade of Guards, which worked satisfactorily for very manyyears. And in spite of numerous attempted explanations inthe House of Commons, we have always failed to understand,if the system of promotion had really been altered by thewarrant of 1860, why it was that an appointment was made sorecently as 1863 upon the regimental seniority system. Thisis a point which seems destined to be included for ever amongst"things not generally known."

ARMY DRESS AND EQUIPMENTS.THE paper read by Captain Walker, of the 91st Regiment,

at the United Service Institution, on Monday evening, wasthoroughly condemnatory of almost every part of the dress andequipments of the English soldier. From the shako to the

boots, all is just what it ought not to be : in place of freedomand comfort there is stiffness, unnecessary weight, and con-sequent uneasiness. "Ammunition" boots at 8,s. 6d. perpair; trousers, which won’t allow the wearers to kneel forfiring (and, therefore, presumably not for their prayers) with-out splitting; a tight tunic without pockets; and a packweighing more than half a hundred weight-these absurditieshave been pointed out by medical writers and military re-formers again and again in the hope of at length beating downthe War Office (or Horse Guards ?) barriers of martinet red-tapeism. Captain Walker appears to be sanguine enough tobelieve that the attention of the military authorities is now sothoroughly aroused to the importance of the subject that in ashort time the present restrictive uniform will be as much athing of the past as the " pigtails" of a bygone generation. Ifwe could learn that the Commander-in-Chief and the Secretaryfor War were undergoing a course of "Parkes on Hygiene"we should begin to think that common sense would have achance of influencing the question of dress and equipments ofthe British soldier.

WATER-SUPPLY IN MALTA.

THE population of Valetta having suffered from a scarcity ofwater, owing to a two years’ drought, the Government has

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commissioned Mr. Bateman, the well-known engineer, to ascer-tain the best measures to be adopted to increase the supply.-Alr. Bateman recommends the excavation of wells in the poroussandstone, from which he is sanguine enough to promise anabundant supply of water for Valetta and the three cities foran outlay of about £ 14,000, including cost of excavation,machinery, &c. Moreover, he assures the inhabitants that itis possible to complete the works by the autumn of this year,if there be no delay in their commencement. It is understoodthat the Government will contribute towards the cost of carry-ing out Mr. Bateman’s plan. Mr. Ormsby, C.E., in his letter Ito the Water-Supply Commission, which we recently noticed, iremarks on the case of Malta as one where his plan for sup- i

plying towns with water by means of non-absorbent surface I,collection of rainfall would be particularly applicable. The ’’idrains and sewers of Valetta and its neighbouring cities areroughly cut in the soft freestone, and the sewage accumulates ’,in these channels from defective structure and want of properflushing. Hitherto the rain-water has been stored in reservoirsconstructed under the foundations of the houses, and in theArmy Medical Report for 1864 it is stated that leakages fromthe drains into the reservoirs are by no means uncommon. Ofcourse Mr. Bateman will take care that the water in his wellsshall be free from suspicion of contamination.

THE CONSTITUENCY OF THE UNIVERSITIES OFEDINBURGH AND ST. ANDREWS.

As it may now be considered fairly probable that, under theprovisions of the Reform Bill, a member will be given to theUniversities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews, it is fitting thatthe medical graduates should be acquainted with the exactnumber and proportion of those professions that will form theconstituency of the above-named institutions. Facts should

always precede opinions, and we are enabled to set before ourreaders the precise numerical bearings of this question. There

are, at the present time, 2400 graduates on the Edinburgh,and 370 on the St. Andrews register, which, with a deduc-tion of 300 for deaths and resignations, will make a total of2470 voters in the present state of electoral regulations. If,however, the Reform Bill under discussion becomes law, therewill be added to this constituency 1100 additional medicalgraduates of Edinburgh, 80 additional of St. Andrews, besides220 Masters of Arts and non-medical graduates, making, withthe above electors already qualified, a total constituency of3870 persons. By epitomising these numbers we arrive atthe following result, which is calculated, as accurately aspossible, from the University Calendars :-Clergy of all de-nominations in both Universities, 910; lawyers and account-ants, 350; medical men, 1630 ; Masters of Arts and those

undescribed, 980. A summary of the above deduces the factthat the medical constituency consists of 1630, and the non-medical of 2240 persons. These numbers, however, as far asthey regard the medical section, must be taken cum grana-galis, inasmuch as 450 only out of the 1630 above-named areas yet on the register, the registration of those who maybecome electors by the Bill being of course a voluntary act,and influenced solely by their individual desire to send a

member to Parliament. It appears tolerably clear by theabove figures that complete unity of action is absolutely re-quired if the Universities of Edinburgh and St. Andrews areto be represented by a man who will uphold and defend theinterests of the medical profession. We leave it to the judg-ment of our readers to determine whether the clergy are, as abody, more likely to vote for a legal than a medical candidate; -,but the following and final statistics, showing the geographicaldistribution of the medical electors of these Universities, willprove most plainly how very small is the prospect of successto a candidate who offers himself for election without goodlocal influence in Scotland and brilliant reputation throughout

the English provinces :-Resident in Scotland, 400; in London,160; English provinces, 650; in Ireland, 200; navy and army,220 ; total, 1630.The above calculations are made upon the supposition that

the Bill will pass in its present form. There is good reason,however, to believe that the claims of the St. Andrews gra-duates, who are debarred the privilege of a vote by the resi-dential clause of the Bill, are likely to meet with due acknow-ledgment. The attention of the Cabinet has been directed,through the medium of several very influential members ofthe House of Commons, to the fact that the University ofSt. Andrews throws open its portals to anyone who can

pass an examination which is a test of sound professionalability and competency, that the graduates obtain their de-gree in a manner similar to that which is held as sufficient to

qualify for voting in the case of the University of London,and that it would be a piece of gross injustice if such a liberalpolicy entailed the disfranchisement of 1200 doctors of medi-cine at the University of St. Andrews, whilst every clergyman,dissenting minister, medical practitioner, attorney, and com-mon schoolmaster is to be admitted to the franchise. The

graduates are greatly indebted to Dr. McIntyre in the matter,for it is through his exertions chiefly that these representa-tions have been made to and favourably received by Govern-ment. But we trust that the good sense of the House ofCommons will decide that every graduate of St. Andrews sshall be entitled to vote in the election of a joint representative efor the two contiguous universities. The graduates have plentyof influence, and they must use it. The justice of their causeis undoubted. A simple representation of the facts of the caseto every member of Parliament whose ear can be reached mustensure success.

It is perfectly well known that Mr. Swinton, the legal can-didate, has already organised a committee in Edinburgh, andis commencing a systematic canvass. In again urging unityof purpose in the choice of a candidate, we would earnestly re-mind our readers that the choice should be speedy, and theaction energetic. Any sort of division in the medical campmust inevitably lead to the return of the legal aspirant, andby consequence to the amplification of legal instead of medicalinfluence in the House of Commons.

THE VENTNOR HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION ANDDISEASES OF THE CHEST.

THERE are few spots, if any, in the British Isles, morehighly favoured than is the Undercliff, and indeed the wholeIsle of Wight. The beauty and picturesqueness of its sceneryand fertility of its soil have led to its receiving the appellationof "the Garden of England ;" while the many advantages ofthe situation, soil, and climate of Ventnor and the Undercliffhave occasioned the bestowal upon this particular portion ofthe island by a very distinguished physician, Sir James Clark,of the title of "the British Madeira." Indeed it is to the

writings of Sir James Clark that the Undercliff first owed itsreputation, and which, being well deserved, it has since main-tained and increased.With so many advantages of scenery and climate, the latter

specially adapted to cases of phthisis, and in these days ofseaside and convalescent hospitals, it is singular that Ventnorshould still be without an institution for the treatment of the

sick, in which they might participate with the more affluentand wealthy visitors in the many benefits which in such alocality it would doubtless confer. This want has presenteditself to Dr. Hassall during his residence in Ventnor, and, aswe learn from a preliminary prospectus which has been pre-pared, that gentleman is now engaged in the task of founding" The Ventnor Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of theChest.’ This undertaking is one not merely of local, but evenof national importance, since the recipients of its benetits will

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come from all parts of the kingdom. The work, therefore, ofaiding in the establishment of such an institution is one inwhich all classes and parties, not merely in the Isle of Wightitself, but elsewhere throughout the kingdom, may freely join.ft is Dr. Hassall’s intention to solicit the co-operation of themedical men of the island, and to place the matter, so soon asthe formation of the hospital shall have progressed to a certainextent, in the hands of the Committee of Management. Wetrust that Dr. Hassall will be well supported in his arduousand praiseworthy endeavour.

THE CZAR AT LARIBOISIERE.

THE Hôpital Lariboisière has been especially favoured bythe august personages who have lately been gathering in

Paris. The French are peculiarly proud of this hospital,which, notwithstanding some deficiencies of ventilation, &c.,certainly presents a most pleasing appearance and containsmany points of interest. It can easily be conceived that thisextensive newly-built edifice, with its beautifully stuccoed walls,fine dispositions, and neat interior arrangements, has been con-sidered better worthy of the visit of such high personages thanthe other hospitals of Paris, and even the Hôtel Dieu. The

black walls and almost gloomy appearance of this venerableiabric might disagreeably affect the eye of the more casualvisitor, to whom the interest which attaches to its legendaryhistory and its sanitary arrangements would scarcely be a com-pensation. In addition to the Crown Princess of Prussia,the Emperor of Russia has favoured Lariboisière with a

visit before leaving Paris. Accompanied by the Czarewitch,and by his military household, he examined the hospital in allits details, and paid particular attention to the ventilation

department, which is very extensive and interesting. The

Moniteur mentions that the Grand Duke took a peculiar in-terest in this inquiry, and even tasted of the food and wineprovided for the patients. M. Husson, the director of theAssistance Publique, was present, and on this occasion re-ceived from the Czar the insignia of Grand Officer of the Orderof Stanislas. The Emperor has left large sums of money to bedistributed to the poor in Paris.

THE VENEREAL COMMITTEE OF THE HARVEIANSOCIETY.

THE Harveian Society’s Committee for the Prevention ofVenereal Diseases met on Thursday, the 13th inst., to receivethe report of the sub-committee appointed to analyse the sta-tistical and other information which has been received by theSociety from various quarters during the past four months asto the prevalence of syphilis, and the best mode of preventingits spread. A full notice has been given from time to time inour pages of the chief points of interest elicited by the investiga-tion, and these have been embodied in the report. Increased

hospital accommodation, and the application of a plan to thecivil population similar to that now in operation in the garrisontowns, are the chief features in the proposals of the committee.The report will be presented at a special meeting of the Societyon July 1st, the Council of which will, it is hoped, call a publicmeeting to discuss the possibility and desirability of legislatingfor the community at large.

SCURVY RECORDS.

WE learn from the Panama Star of April 14th that duringthe early part of that month twenty-two cases of scurvy ar-rived at Panama from Aden in two British ships. This cor-

respondent further says: ’’ We have repeatedly called atten-tion in these columns to the health of ships’ crews arriving atthis port from Aden, and refer to the question in the earnesthope that the British public will be aroused to a full sense ofthe dangers to which our seamen are thus needlessly subjected.The lives of our gailore are too important and by far too pre-

cious to be sacrificed because shipowners are mean and nig-gardly, and shipmasters careless and indifferent. We havethe authority of THE LANCET for maintaining that scurvy is apreventable disease."In a Parliamentary paper moved for in the House of Com-

mons by Mr. Graves, and just issued, twenty-five fatal casesof scurvy are reported to the Board of Trade as having oc-curred in the British Mercantile Marine during the past year.If this represents the annual mortality from scurvy, whatmust be the sum total of those incapacitated for further em-cient work by this disease? The Dreadnought statistics of

such cases are but as a drop in the ocean.SUBCUTANEOUS INJECTION.

A SPECIAL MEETING of the Royal Medical and Chirurgicalsociety was held on Tuesday last, the 18th inst., to receivethe report of the Committee appointed by the Society to inves.tigate the subject of the subcutaneous introduction of drugsinto the system. The objects set before the Committee were,the investigation of both the physiological and the therapeuticaleffects of medicines thus acting upon the system, both as re-gards intensity and duration, and also in relation to rapidityof absorption. The following alkaloids were experimented with:Aconitine, atropine, morphine, strychnine, quinine ; and theCommittee also investigated the actions of the following im-portant drugs :-Calabar bean, conia, hydrocyanic acid, iodideof potassium, podophyllin, colocynth, aloes, and Battley’s solu-tion of opium. The report, which was read in abstract, con-

trastecl the enccts of each medicine when taken by the mouth,injected into the rectum and into the subcutaneous cellulartissue, and when printed it will form a valuable mine of thera-peutical data. We congratulate the Committee on the stic-

cessful termination of their arduous labours.

THE EMPEROR OF THE FRENCH.

IT had been rumoured that the Emperor had received aslight bruise on the occasion of the attempt which was madeon the life of the Czar at the Bois de Boulogne; but this rumourwas altogether groundless. The Emperor has been sufferingslightly from rheumatic pains, which confined him to his

chamber during two or three days, but have now entirely dis-appeared.

ST. LEONARD’S-ON-SEA.

THE defective drainage of many of our watering-places is

proverbial. St. Leonard’s, however, has made strenuous

efforts to remove any reproach that may be cast upon it onthis score, and may fairly be considered to have made itselfat length sweet and wholesome. A plan recommended byMr. Bazalgette has been put in operation by the local com-missioners, which supersedes the old arrangement by which aseries of culverts discharged their filth in front of the town.The new system conveys the sewage through an archedchannel along the whole length of the beach to reservoirs, andat certain periods of the tide the contents are discharged

. at a spot on the coast sufficiently distant from the town and,

overlooking Pevensey Bay.

MORTALITY OF CHILDREN IN SWEDEN.

EPIDEMIC disease was very prevalent among Swedish child-ren in 1862. and its fatality sufficed to raise the general death-rate of the population from 18’5 per 1000 in 1861 to 21’4 per1000 in 1862. Of 15,839 deaths caused hy epidemics, the

greater part arose from children’s diseases-namely, 7407(nearly 50 per cent.) from measles, 1684 from scarlet fever,1549 from whooping-cough, and 1333 from croup. Next inorder were 1191 deaths from violent diseases of the throat, and1069 from nervous fever ; from ague there were 367 deaths,

781

twenty times as many in proportion to the total deaths as theaverage for England ; from dysentery, 326 ; from brain fever,277 ; from diarrhaea, 255 ; from small-pox, only 148 ; and from"native cholera," 31. The total number of deaths from allcauses was 84,350.

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THE HEALTH OF PARIS.

TEE health of Paris has not varied since our last notice, andmay be said to be generally good. There is still a tendency tobowel disorder, and some three or four cases of sporadic cholerahave been observed ; but these have been of a benign nature,and have easily yielded to a timely and appropriate treatment.

The Board of Trade returns show that, of deaths reportedto them as having occurred in the merchant service during theyear 1866, 433 were caused by cholera, 163 by phthisis, 255by dysentery, 326 by fevers of various kinds, 49 occurred fromapoplexy, and 63 from heart disease ; while of the 4866 deathsrecorded, 1219 were due to drowning by accident, 1171 todrowning by wreck, 131 to falls from aloft, 17 to falls into thehold;’64 being oddly classed as "various," and 39 as

"natural" in the cause column.

THE Sanitary Committee of St. James’s, Westminster (Mr.James Beal, chairman), agreed at their last meeting to repre-sent to the Government, in order to render the Vaccination Billefficient, that the registration of all births should be compul-sory ; that a notice of birth should be given to the vaccinator;that the control of the vaccination officers should be transferredfrom the Poor-law Board to the Registrar-General’s Depart-ment ; that it is desirable to raise the fees to the vaccinators,and to afford facilities to private practitioners to act, whoshould be paid the stipulated fees.

DR. BURDON -SANDERSON has been appointed physician tothe Brompton Hospital for Consumption, in the vacancy causedby the resignation of Dr. Hamilton Roe.

WE would remind King’s College men that the old students’dinner is advertised to take place at St. James’s Hall on

Wednesday next, and that no tickets will be obtainable afterMonday. Application should be made at once to Mr. FrancisMason.

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DR. LEAPED, Physician to the Great Northern Hospital,and Dr. B. W. Richardson, are named as candidates, in addi-tion to those already mentioned, for the vacant Gresham Pro-fessorship of Medicine. ____

THE distribution of prizes at King’s College will take placeon Friday next, June 28th : Sir Thomas Watson, Bart., in thechair.

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DR. HARDWICKE, the deputy coroner for Central Middlesex,has been elected successor to Dr. Sanderson as medical officerof health for Paddington. Six candidates went to the poll.

THE Council of University College, upon the recommenda-tion of the examiners, have awarded the Atkinson-Morleysurgical scholarship ( £45, tenable for three years) to Mr.

George Vivian Poore, of Andover, Hants.

To meet the convenience of subscribers, the presentation ofthe testimonial to the proprietor of the Pall Mall Gazette ispostponed till Wednesday next, the 26th inst., at five P.M.It will take place at the house of Mr. Hills, 45, Queen Anne-street, as before announced.

DR. WILLIAM STUART, visiting surgeon for Woolwichunder the Contagious Diseases Act, has been appointed by theWar Office visiting surgeon for Chatham under the same Act.

THE REPRESENTATION OF THE UNIVERSITYOF ST. ANDREWS.

A MEETING of the medical graduates of the University ofSt. Andrews was held at the Freemasons’ Tavern on Wednes-

day last; Dr. Richardson occupied the chair. There was afull attendance on the occasion. Dr. Richardson commencedthe proceedings by stating that within the last fifteen days, inanswer to a circular addressed to the graduates, letters hadbeen received from 253 gentlemen desiring to be enrolled asmembers of the St. Andrews Graduates’ Association about tobe formed. On the last occasion they had met to consider thequestion of enfranchisement of the University, and to a largeextent the efforts that had already been made to that end hadmet with remarkable success. A very gratifying communica-tion had been received from Dr. M ’lntyre, of Odiham, whostated that he had succeeded in getting the matter placedbefore the Cabinet. One of these gentlemen with whom hecommunicated wrote to the effect that "the matter is underthe consideration of the Lord Advocate ; and I have everyreason to believe that in consequence of that, and other repre-sentations that have been made, an amended clause will beintroduced." Sir Graham Montgomery had also communicateda similar intimation, and promised that when the ScotchReform Bill finds its way into committee he will try and getClause 30 altered if possible. Dr. Richardson said that theirwork had been very much curtailed by a knowledge of theabove facts. A feeling had been freely expressed that theyshould have an organisation of their own to look after theirinterests, and they were about to give effect to the propositionthat they should enrol themselves into a body for united ac-tion. A series of rules drawn up by the secretary were thenread, and accepted as the basis of further organisation. Avery hair-splitting discussion then ensued, the result beingthe adoption of the proposed rules pretty much as theyoriginally stood.Amongst those who spoke were Professor Macdonald, Dr.

Dudfield, Dr. O’Connor, Dr. Rogers, Dr. McIntyre, Dr. Seaton,Dr. Allen, Dr. Cooper Rose, Dr. Chapman, Dr. Humby, Dr.Leonard Sedgwick, Dr. Drysdale, Dr. Abbotts Smith, andothers. The Association, whose primary object will be tosecure a vote for each graduate, is to be called the Universityof St. Andrews Graduates’ Association; its objects are definedto be the advancement of the science and art of medicine andof general science and literature, the maintenance of the inte-rests of the medical graduates of the University, and the cul-tivation of social intercourse and good fellowship. The asso-ciation will be composed of members, honorary members, and

associates ; the former to be graduates, the latter any quali-fied practitioners, who, however, will not be entitled to vote onany questions aifecting the University. The subscription isfive shillings a year. The council will consist of thirty-twomembers. The annual session and dinner will be held in De-cember each year. Dr. Richardson is the president ; Dr.Day (Stafford), Dr. Greenhalgh, Dr. Tanner, Dr. Wise(Dublin), and Inspector-General Leonard are amongst the

vice-presidents; and Dr. Leonard Sedgwick the secretary.It was then delegated to the Council to use every endeavourto advance the claims of the graduates to enfranchisement.Dr. McIntyre observed that two things could be done withthe Scotch Bill as it now stands, so far as it relates to St.Andrews. Clause 30 could be expunged, or it might stopafter the words "master of surgery." Clause 29 would meeteverything. The best plan was to let the former portion ofClause 30 stand, and omit all reference to any period of gradua-tion of members. If any objection were made to materialalteration, this might be met by giving a vote to all who hadgraduated after 1833, the date when the examinations for thedegrees were made stringent. It was finally decided that thematter should be settled by the Council of the Association.Dr. Richardson referred to the opinion prevailing in somequarters, and which has probably influenced the Governmentin their decision, that some of the degrees of the St. AndrewsUniversity had been bought, and he read a letter from theRegistrar stating that no degrees have been or are obtainableby purchase. Degrees were granted in the time of war for-merly after examination, on certificate from distinguishedsurgeons in London, but candidates were often rejected. Itwas a temporary necessity. There are no honorary degrees.A vote of thanks to the chairman closed the proceedings.