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773 NOTES, COMMENTS, AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS. "THE DISPOSAL OF IMPORTED BAD EGGS." DR. COLLINGRIDGE (the medical officer of health of the Port of London), in reference to the annotation in THE LANCET of Sept. llth under the above heading, refers us to an article in the City Press, which says that the cargo of eggs was not con- demned at Greenwich and by the Port Sanitary Authorities, and that this fact relieved them of the responsibility of disposing of the offensive cargo in an efficient manner. If the eggs had been con- demned by the Port Sanitary Authorities they would have been disposed of in a more approved way. But we still do not see why the eggs were not condemned at Graveaend, in which case we do not doubt they would have been so disposed of as at any rate not to have led to a nuisance and offence to the neighbourhood, as was the case when they were destroyed at Limehouse. Lungo.-What our correspondent proposes to do is always open to the accusation of unprofessional conduct. He must be a law to himself, tor he alone knows how far his negotiations with a brother practi- tioner have given him an insight into matters which would other- wise have remained private for him. J. R. T.-If our correspondent’s friend did not raise the point in his agreement and has received his salary weekly we think he must accept a week’s notice. " FONETIK AND HASHONAL MEDIEAL FRAZEOLOGY." A FREQUENT correspondent sends us the following résumé of a paper read by Dr. George M. Gould, of Philadelphia, the author of the magnificent medical dictionary, in which the cause of a "simpler" spelling of medical terms is amusingly urged :- "Specifically, the microscopic modifications I urge are," say a Dr - Gould :- "1. Abolish in English words archaic, unnecessary, bothersome se’ and’ ce,’ supplanting them by ’ e.’ "2. Cease adding tautologic ’al’to adjectives having already one adjectival suffix ’ic’—already done in thousands of words; finish the job. As, prosaic for prosaical. "3. Drop the useless hyphen in words whose parts are derived from classic languages. In ten thousand words you have already done so; finish with the rest. Retain the hyphen in such compound terms as express a single idea by two semi-fused English words, especially when both are nouns ; as, antitoxin (not anti-toxin), culdesac, postmortem, ventrofixation, &c. Keep the hyphen, because neces- sary to avoid confusion and doubt, in curette-spoon, heart-murmur, skin-disease, sleeping-sickness, &c. "4. 4. Drop useless te’ from curette, brunette, fourchette, etiquette, cigarette, &c. You have already lopped it off from cutlet, doublet, quartet, quintet, sextet, septet, racket, minuet, fillet, corset, stylet, tourniquet, bouquet, &c. ; finish the job. Cut off useless ’me’ from many words, writing program, gram, centigram, &c., just as already we do telegram, anagram, diagram, epigram; let us make an end of it. "5. Use figures instead of spelling out numbers, at least above ten. . 6. Anglicise foreign terms when a goodly proportion of your readers will not understand them in the originals. Use italics as little as possible; use as few foreign words and terms as possible, because the vast majority of your audience cannot understand them (even if you do) ; and because there is a deal of silly conceit in airing exotics of speech. "7. As to chemic terms, accept recommendations of the American Association for Advancement of Science, which, after years of dispassionate investigation, advised dropping final ’e’ in bromide, iodide, bromine, iodine, atropine, quinine, &c. Say phenol for carbolic acid, glycerol instead of glycerine, &c. " 8. Abolish disereses and accents. They cannot teach pronunciation: they are useless luggage. Let us write oophorectomy, cooperation, ptomain, leukomain, &c , without the diaeresis. When a foreign word is Anglicised let us do it completely, and not drag into our domain exotics of foreign habit, leaving it, e,g., neither English nor French. To poets leave the acute, grave, and circumflex accents, foreign to the spirit of our tongue. " Finally, consider the source and secret reasons for opposition to the foregoing. Ignorance-colossal, imperturbable, impertinent ignorance characterises much of it....... Not only can there be no valid objection to such simplified spelling, but there are many good reasons for its use. We must get out of this thraldom of foolish, difficult, and heterogeneous spelling." Busy Practitioner will find no convenient books embracing both subjects. The names of the books answering his purpose will be found on p. 442 of the Student’s Number of THE LANCET, Aug. 21st, 1897. PROPOSED CASTRATION OF IMBECILES AND CRIMINALS. THE Philadelphia Medical and Surgical Reporter states that a Bill has been introduced into the Michigan Legislature providing for the- castration of all inmates of the Home of the Feeble-minded and Epileptic before their discharge, of all persons convicted of felony for the third time, and of those convicted of rape. SOFT RUBBER SCREW DRAINAGE TUBE. To the Editor8 of THB LANCET. SIRS,—Cases occasionally occur where deeply-seated abscesses have to’ . be drained through a sinuous track through which it is impossible to- pass an ordinary drainage tube and dangerous to use long sinus forceps or tube introducers. In such cases as small localised empyemata,. localised peritonitis, drainage after ruptured extra-uterine geste.... tion, abscess situated amongst the bowels with a sinuous sinus, I have found the following device invaluable. An ordinary drainage tube is neatly cut with sharp scissors into the form of a right-handed screw at the end. It is put into the sinus, and when its course is arrested it is turned round to the right. The end easily finds its way in the right direction and the rest of the tube- follows without any damage to the surrounding parts, and with a.. facility which is often surprising. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, THos. CARWABBINBT. ** The device is new to us, and strikes us as very ingenious.-ED. L. Medical Diary for the ensuing Week. OPERATIONS. METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS. MONDAY (20th).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), St. George’s (2 P.M., Ophthalmic 1.15 P.M. St. Mary’s (2.30 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), St. Mark’s (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.), Samaritan (Gynaecological, by Physicians, 2 P.M.), Soho-square (2 P.M.), Royal Orthopaedic (2 P.M.). City Orthopaedic (4 P.M.), Gt. Northern Central (2.30 P.M.), West London (2.30 P.M.), Westminster (2 P.M.). TUESDAY (21st).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), Guy’s (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), West- minster (2 P.M.), West London (2.30 P.M.), University College (2 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), St. Mary’s (1 P.M.), St. Mark’s (2.30 P.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.). WEDNESDAY (22nd).-St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), University College (2 P.M.), Royal Free (2 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.). Charing-cross (3 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (2 P.M.), London (2 P.M.), King’s College (2 P.M.) St. Mary’s (2 P.M.), National Orthopaedic (10 A.M), St. Peter’s (2 P.M.). Samaritan (2.30 P.M.), Gt. Ormond-street (9.30 A.M.), Gt. Northern’ Central (2.30 P.M.), Westminster (2 P.m.). THURSDAY (23rd).-St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’x (3.30 P.M.), University College (2 P.M.), Charing-cross (3 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), London (2 P.M.), King’s College (2 P.M.), Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), St. Mary’s (2.30 P.M.), Soho-square (2 P.M.), North-Wes’ t London (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.), Gt. Northern Central (Gynsco* logical, 2.30 P.M.). FRIDAY (24th).-London (2 P.M.), St. Bartholomew’s (1.30 P.M.), Stt. Thomas’s (3.30 P.M.), Guy’s (1.30 P.M.). Middlesex (1.30 P.M.), Charing-: cross (3 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), King’s College (2 P.M.), St. Mary’? (2 P.M., Ophthalmic 10 A.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.), Chelsea (2 P.M.), Gt. Northern Central (2.30 P.M.), West London (2.30 P.M.). SATURDAY (25th).-Royal Free (9A.M. and 2 P.M.), Middlesex, (1.30 P.M.), St. Thomas’s (2 P.M.), London (2 P.M.), University College (9.15 A.M.Y, Charing-cross (3 P.M.), St. George’s (1 P.M.), St. Mary’s (10 P.M.), Cancer (2 P.M.). At the Royal Eye Hospital (2 P.M.), the Royal London Ophthalmi s (10 A.M.), the Royal Westminster Ophthalmic (1.30 P.M.), and the Central London Ophthalmic Hospitals operations are performed daily. During the week marked copies of the following newspapers have been received:-Luton Reporter, South Wales Daily News, I erby Daily Telegraph, Manchester Guardian, Bradford Daily Tele- graph, North- Eastern Daily Gazette, Edinburgh Evening News,. Newcastle Chronicle, Dundee Advertiser, North British Daily mail, Times of India, Pioneer Mail, Walsall Advertiser, Builder, Sheffield Independent, Rang06n Gazette, Bombay Champion, Western JfofMtmp.’ News, Herald of Wales, Architect, Liverpool Daily Post, North Wales- Chronicle, Ayrskire Post, Worcestershire Chronicle, Huddersfield, Chronicle, Bury Guardian, Somerset Gazette, Hereford Journal, Leek Times, Yorkshire Pcst, Bournemouth Directory, Sussex -raily, 3 News, Scotsman, Citizen, Eastbourne Gazette, Reading Observer, Cheltenham Mercury, Bridgwaler Independent, St. Andrew’s Citizen, Hastings Independent, Norwich Mercury, Birmingham Post, Broms- grove Messenger, Bristol Mercury, Chester Chronicle, Cambrian, Leicester Post, Gloucestershire Chronicle, Bedford Times, Keene’v Bath Journal, Portsmouth Times, Leeds Mercury, Kidderminster Shuttle, Elgin Courant, Norfolk Chronicle, Cape Times, Le Temps, Sanitary Record, Brighton Gazette, Hertfordshire Mercury, Local Government Chronicle, Weekly Free Press and A berdeen Herald, Mining Journal, City Press, Reading Mercury, Surrey Advertiser., Publ c Health, Engineer, Guy’s Hospital Gazette, Local Government. Journal, Le Courier de la Presse, North British Agriculturist Gazette (Montreal), West Middlesex Herald, Prescot Reporter, &c., & c.
