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appointed to prepare a constitution and by-laws for such asociety and the meeting adjourned until the week of themeeting of the American Medical Association at AtlanticCity, when the organisation is to be completed by theadoption of the constitution. The permanent organisationof this representative body of physicians will, it is to be

hoped, supersede the ephemeral and ill-constituted bodiesnow so much in evidence.

April 24th. ________________

Obituary.AUSTIN MELDON, F.R.C.S., M.R.C.P. IREL.

THE uncertainty of life is strikingly exemplified by theunexpected death of Mr. Austin Meldon of Merrion-square,Dublin. Mr. Meldon, who had reached his sixtieth yearand, as is well known in Dublin, was of exceptionally massive build, was apparently in his usual health until theevening of April 28th when he was seized with suddenillness and survived only a short time. His son, Dr.G. E. P. Meldon, most fortunately happened to be close athand, so that his many friends have at least the con-

solation of knowing that everything which was possiblein the melancholy circumstances was done. Mr. Meldonwas a native of Miltown, county Dublin, and received hisprofessional education at the Catholic University in Dublin,where among other prizss he gained gold medals in mid-wifery and diseases of women and in surgery and practiceof medicine. In addition to these evidences of diligenceand talent in the work of the medical classes he undertook,in 1864, before receiving his diplomas, the ambitious taskof writing an "Essay on the Pathology and Diagnosis ofDiseases of the Ovaries." This production gained forhim the gold medal of the Pathological Society ofDublin. In 1865 he became qualified as L R.C.P.and L R C. S. Irel. Hi subsequent career was one ofmuch success, the well-merited reward of an excellent know-ledge of his profession, careful attention to his patients, asympathetic and prepossessing manner, and an unusual

faculty of inspiring confidence. In 1874 he was admittedF.R.C.S. Irel. and in 1880 M.R C.P. Irel. In 1888 theannual election of President and Vice-President and councilof the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland was held onJune 4th, when Mr. Henry Fitzgibbon was elected President,and the contest between Mr. Meldon and Mr. WilliamFrazer resulted in the former being returned as Vice.Presi-dent by a large majority. In 1889 Mr. Meldon had thesatisfaction of succeeding to the presidency. For manyyears he was on the staff of Jervis-street Hospital and wassenior surgeon at the time of his death. Among otherimportant offices which he at various periods held was thatof president of the surgical section of the Royal Academyof Medicine of Ireland and consulting surgeon to theNational Maternity Hospital ; he was also three times

president of the Irish Medical Association. Mr. Meldonmade numerous contributions to medical literature, mostlyin the professional periodicals. Many years ago heelaborated a theory of gout and published a paperon the subject in THE LANCET of July 27th, 1872,p..114. His view was that the predisposing cause ofgout was the presence in the blood of uric acidand of sodium compounds ; in the condition of healthnerve-force preserved these substances separately in a fluidstate but when the nervous influence was impaired urate ofsodium was formed. Mr. Meldon also published treatises ongout, rheumatism, lithotomy, and skin diseases. He was adeputy lieutenant and justice of the peace for county Dublin.The funeral took place on May 2nd at Glasnevin Cemetery.

WILLIAM FOTHERGILL TUCKETT, M.R.O.S. ENG., ’

L.R C. P. EDIN., L.S.A., J. P.Mr. William Fothergill Tuckett died at his residence,

18, Daniel-street, Bath, on April 27th in his eighty-seventhYear. The deceased, who was born at Bath, received hismedical education at St. George’s Hospital, London, takingthe qualifications of M.R.C S. Eng. and L S.A. in 1841 andthat of L R.C.P. Edin. in 1860. Mr. Tuckett practised forseveral years at Abergavenny and then settled in Bath. Hetook a great interest in municipal work ; he was first elected

on the Bath town council in 1880 and had sat continuouslysince that year. In 1888 he was placed on the commissionof the peace for the city of Bath and in 1892 he was raised tothe aldermanic beech. Mr. Tuckett did much useful workon the council and was at one time chairman of the sanitarycommittee. A few weeks ago Mrs. Tuckett died and thedeceased felt the loss very keenly. Mr. Tuckett was astaunch Churchman. He will be much missed in Bath where

he was held in the highest esteem.

Medical News.EXAMINING BOARD IN ENGLAND BY THE ROYAL

COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS.-The followinggentlemen passed the second examination of the Board inthe subjects indicated at the quarterly meeting of theexaminers: -Anatomy and Physiology.-Richard Clayton Allen, Birmingham Uni-

versity ; Raymond Ebenezer Apperly, Middlesex Hospital; Jame&Appleyard, University College Hospital; Harold Edward Battle,Yorkshire College, Leeds; Thomas Herbert Cecil Benians, LondonHospital ; Harold Garfield Bennett, St. Thomas’s Hospital; HarryBlakeway and Frederic Henry Wormald Brewer, St. Bartholomew’sHospital; Frank Treadwell Boucher, University College, Bristol;Martin Binns Studer Button, London Hospital; Edward BellisClayton, B.A. Camb., Cambridge University; John Basil Close,Yorkshire College, Leeds; Robert Malcolm Coalbank, St. Bar-tholomew’s Hospital; Francis Garland Collins, London Hospital,Archibald Cordon, Birmingham University; Cecil FredericCurtis, Owens College, Manchester; Atchibald Davidsonand Maurice Mason Earle, Guy’s Hospital; Herbert Edwin TongeDawes, B.A. Camb., Cambridge University; Richard MolesworthDennys, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; John Henry Farbstein, Uni-versity College Hospital; William Douglas Frew and GeorgeEdward Fritche, Middlesex Hospital; Robert Francis Gerrard andGilbert Egerton Green, Liverpool University; Henry Granger, St.Thomas’s Hospital; Samuel Hallam, Charing Cross Hospital ;.Hother McCormick Hanschell, Edward William Dacre Hardy, andWalter de Marchot Hill, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; WilliamWoodmason Hellyer, London Hospital; Arthur Edmund Ironside,Charing Cross Hospital; John Gladstone Ivers, Owens College,Manchester; William Griffith Jones. L.D.S. Edin., UniversityCollege, Cardiff, and Owens College, Manchester; William RobertKilgour, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; William Herbert King,University College Hospital; Septimus Joseph Lee, Middlesex Hos-pital ; Kenneth Arthur Lees, B.A. Camb., Cambridge University ;William Hamer Leigh, Owens College, Manchester; ChristianFrederick Louis Lerpoldt, Guy’s Hospital; Arthur RieussettLittlejohn, St. Mary’s Hospital; Philip Walter Mathew, MiddlesexHospital; Edward Pigott Minett, Guy’s Hospital; FrederickMiller Neild and Henry John Nightingale, St. Thomas’s Hospital;. rFrancis William O’Connor, Richard Dominic O’Connor, and TomO’Neill, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Robert Colin Paris, King’s-College Hospital; Roderick Joseph Graham Parnell, UniversityCollege, Bristol; Basil Thomas Parsons-Smith and Walter Patey,St. Thomas’s Hospital; Edward Haldane Paterson, Guy’s Hos-pital ; Rowland Mabbatt ’Peake, Middlesex Hospital; DavidPhillips, St. Mary’s Hospital ; Lionel Lewis Phillips, St. Bar-tholomew’s Hospital; Arthur John Scott Pinchin, St. Thomas’s.Hospital; Edwin Noyes Plummer, Guy’s Hospital; Edgar NelsonRamsbottom, B.A. R.U.I., Owens College, Manchester; Charles-Edward Redman, B.A.Camb., Cambridge, University; ClaudeMallinson Rigby, London Hospital; Arthur Tunna Rivers and,Stuart MacKenzie Saunders, Guy’s Hospital ; Alfred BasilRooke. University College Hospital; Alfred Ludovicus Sachs,M.A. Camb., Cambridge University and St. Thomas’s Hospital;Gilbert Bodley Scott, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Henry JosteSmith, Guy’s Hospital; Herbert Austin Smith, B.A. Camb.,Cambridge University and Westminster Hospital ; FrancisRadway Smyth, Middlesex Hospital; Francis Edgar Sprawson,Sidney Francis St. Jermain Steadman, and Alfred King BurfordRichard Taylor, Charing Cross Hospital ; Richard William.Starkie, Owens College, Manchester; Arthur Arbuthnot Straton,St. Mary’s Hospital; Edward Sutcliffe, Yorkshire College, Leeds ;,Douglas Compton Taylor, University College Hospital; CecilHallworth Treadgold, B.A. Camb., Cambridge University; RichardGrenville Vaughan, University College, Bristol; Harry Wales andJohn Phillip Walker, Yorkshire College, Leeds; Edward Barton.Cartwright White, London Hospital; William Wyeyegoone-wardena, Ceylon Medical College and King’s College Hospital; and’Edward Musgrave Woodman. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Anatomy only.-Darwin Mostyn Keith, University of Michigan,.U.S.A.

Physiology only.-Henry Ward Lowry, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.’ UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.-At the Congrega-tion on April 28th the honorary degree of Doctor of Sciencewas conferred on Dr. W. F. Ostwald, professor of chemistryin the University of Leipsic. The following medical degrees-were also conferred :-

Doctor of Medicine.-F. A. Bainbridge, Trinity; O. F. F. Griinbaum,Trinity ; and A. Emerson, Caius.

Bachelor of Medicine and Bachelor of Surgery.-F. R. Carroll,Trinity; H. M. Joseph, Trinity; S. L. 0. Young, Christ’s; and E. A.Wright, Selwyn.

Bachelor of Medicine only.-H. C. Sidgwick, Clare, and R. D. Smedley,Pembroke.

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CONJOINT EXAMINATIONS IN IRELAND BY THEROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS AND THE ROYAL COLLEGEOF SURGEONS.-The following candidates have passed thethird professional examination as undernoted :-Passed all Subjects.-A. Honours: P. V. Dolan. B. Pass: T.Bradely, M. J. Coyne, V. J. Cullen, Miss J. C. Hargraves, F. P. J.

Leyrand, Leonard Lucas, J. J. McNelis, P. J. Rooney, W. Walsh.Completed the Examination.-Israel Allsun, T. A. Bennett, W. W.

Boyce, T. W. Browrie, F. J. Cairnes, 0. Cooper, F. A. Flvnn. T. J.Galligan, J. M. Hayes, F. W. Matthews, R. A. Murphv, W. T.Morton, E. C. Mulligan, D. de C. O’Grady, A. L. O’Keeffer M.O’Keeffe, W. J. O’Sullivan, H. E. Redmond.

INSTITUTE OF CHEMISTRY OF GREAT BRITAINAND IRELAND.-At the Final Examination for the Associate-

ship (A.I C.) held in April the following candidates weresuccessful :-James John Ellis, B.Sc. Lond., Arthur Gordon Francis, B.Se. Lond.,

James Henry Pizey, Louis John Eczekiel Riley, Reginald Tyler,Reginald William Lane Clarke, Oliver Charles Minty Davis,B.Sc. Lond., Bernard Farmborough Howard, Harold Frederick

Barke, Cyril Dickinson, B.Sc. Viet., Ernest Garratt, B.Se. Viet.,.

Charles Edgar Male, ani John Robert Stubbs, M.Sc. Vict.

PORTISHEAD URBAN DISTRICT COUNCIL.-At themeeting of the Portishead (Somerset) urban district councilheld on April 29th Dr. Charles Arthur Wigan was unanimouslyre-elected chairman.

WATER-SUPPLY OF ILFRACOMBE.-The newwaterworks of Ilfracombe have taken two years to constructat a cost of over .650,000 and it is expected that they will becompleted by the end of May. The water will be broughtfrom the heights of Ex:moor, 13 miles distant.DEATH OF A NOTABLE RUSSIAN ALIENIST.-

The Sviet reports the death of Dr. I. V. Constantinovski,one of the oldest Russian alienists. He bad been chiefphysician of the Preobrezhenski Infirmary. His best knownscientific work was "Russian Law on Insanity: Its Historyand Relation to Foreign Laws."

MUNICH GYNAECOLOGICAL SOCIETY. - Dr. H.MacNaughton-Jones, formerly university professor of ob.stetrics and gynaecology in the Qaeen’s University at Queen’sCollege, Cork, and ex-president of the British GynaecologicalSociety, has been elected a Corresponding Fellow of theMunich Gynaecological Society.DONATIONS AND BEQUESTS.-Under the will of Mr.

Jean Nicolas Eugene Pierson of Heaton Chapel, Lancashire,the Manchester and Bowdon Hospital for Consumption andDiseases of the Throat and Chest will receive £400.-By thewill of Mr. Joseph Pover a legacy of £200 is bequeathed toChester Infirmary, payable on the death of the testator’swidow.

UNIVERSITY OF OXFORD.-The examinations forthe degree of Bachelor of Medicine will commence in theExamination Schools on Thursday, June 16th. The time-table of the examinations has been published in the

University Gazette of April 26th. The names of candi-

dates, accompanied by the proper certificates and statutablefees, must be sent in to the secretary to the Boardsof Faculties, Clarendon-building, not later than 10.30A.M.on Wednesday, June lst. Forms of entry, with certificateforms, can be had on application to the secretary. The exa-mination for the degree of Master in Surgery will commenceat 10 A.M. on Thursday, June 23rd. Names must be sent innot later than 10.30 A M. on Saturday, June 4th.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND.-At

a meeting of the President, Vice-President, and Councilheld on May 3rd the following examiners were elected :-Anatomy : Ambrose Birmingham and Alexander Fraser.Surgery: F. Conway Dwyer, Andrew Fullerton, ThomasE. Gordon, and R. Lane Joynt. Physiology andhistology : E. L’E. Ledwich and Charles Coppinger.Biology: John J. Burgess. Ophthalmology : Arthur H.Benson and Patrick W. Maxwell. Pathology and bacterio-logy : Arthur Hamilton White. Pathology : RobertAllen. Midwifery and gynaecology: Frederick W. KiddSanitary law and vital statistics: Caleb J. Powell.Engineering and architecture : J. Charles Wilmot. Dentalsurgery and pathology: Daniel L. Rogers and William G.Story. Mechanical dentistry: George M. P. Murray:andWilliam Booth Pearsall. Chemistry and physics : EdwinLapper and Robert J. Montgomery. Languages : L. J.Woodroffe. Mathematics, physics, dictation, and Englishessay: J. W. Tristram.

. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.-Mr. John Tweedy, the President, and the Council of theRoyal College of Surgeons of England entertained at dinneron Ap-il 28th a number of distinguished guests, notably thePortuguese Minister, the Earl of Onslow, the Bishop ofSt. Albans, the Bishop of Stepney, Sir Herbert Maxwell, Mr.Justice Grantham, Sir William S. Church, Sir Lambert H.Ormsby, Sir William H. Broadbent, Sir James Reid, SirThomas Smith, Sir Patrick Manson, Sir Harry Johnston,Sir John Kirk, Sir Halliday Macartney, Sir William H.White, Major-General Sir Frederick Maurice, Mr. C F. Gill,Mr. Almeric Fitzroy, Mr. Briton Riviere, Mr. H G. Wells,and Dr. Roswell Park of Buffalo The following membersof the Council were present in addition to the President-viz, Mr. Henry Morris and Sir Alfred Cooper, Vice.Presiderts, Mr. Thomas Bryant, Mr. J. Langton, Mr. A. W.Mayo Robson, Mr. H. T. Butlin, Mr. Edmund Owen,Mr. R. J. Godlee, and Mr. W. Watson Cheyne, and thesecretary, Mr. S. Forrest Cowell.

ROYAL NATIONAL PENSION FUND FOR NURSES.-The annual meeting of this society, of which Her Majestythe Qaeen is the president, has just been held. Mr. ThomasBryant presided in the absence of the chairman andmoved the adoption of the report for 1903 In thepension branch the number of policies issued during theyear was 953, which is the largest total for any year sincethe fund was established in 1887. In the last quarter of theyear annuities were being paid at the rate of over EIO,000per annum under 708 policies. The actuary’s report showedthat the profit bonu, for the quinquennium ended Dec. 31st,1902, amounted to £27,944, or two and a half times greaterthan in the previous quinquennial period and this surpluswas divided amongst policy-holders. The amount distributedin sick pay was £1764. The expenses of management were3’77 per cent of the premium income. The total funds atthe end of the year amounted to .E820.793, an increaseduring the year of £86,610. The actuary’s investigationsagain give prominence to the fact, previously established atformer valuations, that nurses as a body are longer livedthan women in other walks of life. The actuary, it maybementioned, is’ Mr. George King, F. LA, F’.F.A., vice-

president of the Institute of Actuaries of Great Britain andIreland and editor of the Journal of the Institute ofActuaries.

Parliamentary Intelligence.NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS.

The Government Shop Hours Bill.THE Government measure to provide for the earlier closing of

shops, which was printed on April 29th, has been already met by ahostile motion in the House of Commons from Sir CHARLES DILKE.This motion is in the following terms : " That in the opinion ofthis House the proposed measure for the early closing of shopsis unduly hampered by restrictions and, not providing for the

regulation of the hours of shop assistants, fails to satisfy the termsof the unanimous resolution of this House." In the Bill power is

given to the local authority to make an order fixing the houron the several days of the week at which shops are to be

closed. This order must be confirmed by the central authority,Seven o’clock is mentioned as the earliest hour that may be fixed excepton one specified day, when it is not to be earlier than one o’clock. The

order may prohibit either absolutely or conditionally the carrying onof any retail trade after the closing hour in any place not being a shopwithin the area under the jurisdiction of the local authority. A

number of trades and businesses are scheduled and it is provided thatto none of these shall any order apply. The exemptions are: pstoffice business, the sale of medicines and medical and surgical appli-ances, the sale by retail of intoxicating liquors for consumption on oroff the premises, the sale of refreshments for consumption on the

premises, the sale of tobacco and other smokers’ requisites, the sale ofnewspapers, and the business carried on at a railway bookstall or at arailway refreshment room. Persons contravening a closing order shallbe liable to fines varying from 21 to JE20.

A Shops Bill Withdrawn.Lord AVEBURY’S Bill dealing with the Sunday closing of shops

came on for second reading in the House of Lords on April 28thbut it was withdrawn after a brief discussion. It was contended byLord AvEBURY that the opening of shops on Sunday is rapidly in-creasing. Lord BELPER, however, speaking on behalf of the Govern-ment, questioned whether a primd facie case had been made out andhe backed up this expression of opinion by statistics relating to 1902.