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By personal inspection only of districts, travelling througheach parish, can a correct estimate of their requirements beattained. To this end a London physician would be of littleuse. He may be acquainted with town workhouses, &c., buthis country inspection would be a failure.I would suggest that a deputation from the Poor-law Medical

Officers’ Association wait on Mr. Goschen, and lea.rn fromhim his intentions on this and other important matters.Should he have been already infected by the unwholesomeatmosphere of the Poor-law Board-room, and refuse to listento the reasonable requirements of the Poor-law medicalofficers, I advise the members of the Association to gird ontheir armour, and prepare for a fight in earnest on themeeting of Parliament, when, with the courageous Rogersat their head, and with your powerful influence to aid them,victory is certain.

Your obedient servant,December, 18C8. NUNQUAM DORMIO.NUNQUAM DORMIO.

THE SYSTEM OF APPRENTICESHIP.To the Ectitor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—I am obliged to keep a, qualified assistant ; and Imust say, that until I had one, I had no idea of the compa-ratively little use they are in a country practice, owing to theirwant of knowledge of such diseases as measles and scarletfever, and their inability to prescribe and dispense. A very

intelligent friend of mine told me that, previously to his becom-ing a M.R.C.S.E. and L.R.C.P., he had not seen a case of eithermeasles or scarlet fever. A short apprenticeship would re-medy this, and be the means of a student’s entering at thehospital in a better position for acquiring a knowledge ofhis profession.

I have now an assistant who, previously to going toLondon, was with a surgeon two years, and I believe hisvalue to me is tenfold by the experience, tact, &C-, he

acquired there.Your obedient servant,

December, 1868. A. B.

VACCINATION IN THE BOMBAY PRESIDENCYAND SINDH.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

THE Bombay Presidency is divided into eight circles ofvaccination, each of which has a medical officer as its super-intendent ; and recently a Superintendent-General of

Vaccination was appointed, to exercise a general controland superintendence over the Department of Vaccination.The area of the circles varies from 11,000 to 53,000 squaremiles. The total population is estimated at about seven-teen millions and a half. During the five years from 1863to 1867 the number of persons vaccinated was 1,729,979, orabout a tenth of the total population.

Vaccination was introduced into Bombay at the beginningof this century by two different routes and ways: one wasby keeping up vaccination in a troop-ship which came roundthe Cape of Good Hope ; the other was vie?’ Bagdad over-land ; but it is believed that it was also propagated severaltimes on the way overland. The virus in both cases provedgood and effective on reaching Bombay, but I am unable tosay whether any of the lymph at present in use has de-scended from either of these sources. I rather think not,for of late years supplies of lymph have frequently beenreceived from England, Scotland, and Germany, which havebeen spread over the whole Presidency. What is nowknown as the Bombay system of vaccination has beenadopted, with slight alterations, in all parts of India, and

everywhere it has succeeded admirably; indeed, no othersystem could have succeeded as it has done. The chieffeature of it is, that the majority of the vaccinators areitinerant and constantly move from one village to another, butin a systematic method, and work under a superintendent,who travels about in his circle during the greater portionof the year. There are also a few stationary vaccinators,who are employed under civil surgeons in some twenty-twolarge civil stations and cantonments. The superintendentsof vaccination are generally army medical officers, but atpresent two of the eight are natives-one is a Brahmin,who is a Licentiate of the Grant Medical College, and theother is a Parsee, who is, I believe, a graduate of one ofthe Scotch Universities. When on tour the superintendentsexamine the vaccine marks, lymph, and records of the vac-cinators. Nearly all the operations are performed fromarm-to-arm, which is the reason of the high percentage ofsuccess. Whenever lymph deteriorates in a district, it isrenewed by means of Husband’s tubes. Before the intro-duction of these tubes it was often a troublesome affair tostart work in a district distant from a working field; butnow, with tubes, it is perfectly easy, and in some cases quitecertain. Another advantage of the tubes is, that a vacci-nator now never hesitates to ask for lymph in tubes, if hethinks his own lymph has become deteriorated; whereas informer times he would go on working with inferior lymphfor fear of being fined for allowing his lymph to deteriorate,and for fear of the displeasure of his superintendent. Allthe vaccinators are well aware of the fact that deterioratedlymph-not actually bad—can be improved by selecting thebest vesicles to vaccinate from ; but during the improve-ment a number of bad vaccinations must take place. Hus-band’s tubes, for many reasons, are nothing short of ablessing to India.The Government has been urged over and over again

by the Medical Department to suppress, by enactment, theinoculation of small-pox virus; yet they have not done so,although in last year’s report from Sindh the superintendentbrought to notice that the inoculation of small-pox was stillpractised to a considerable extent in that province. It israther singular that the Bombay Government should hangback in this matter, seeing Bengal has made inoculation ofsmall-pox penal.Some of the superintendents have lately expressed an

opinion to the effect that the time has now arrived when aVaccination Act might be passed for the Bombay Presi-dency ; but it is not likely that Government will take thatstep for some years to come, though it will be done someday no doubt. There is probably very little reason to delaypassing a Vaccination Act for the City and Island of Bom-bay ; and the superintendent there has expressed a strongopinion in favour of such a step. He says it would not in-terfere with a single religious scruple of the people. He isa Brahmin, and ought to know after eighteen years’ ex-

perience in Bombay. However, Government is not easilymoved in affairs of this kind, and it may still be some yearsbefore a Vaccination Act for the City and Island of Bombayeven be passed; but one thing is certain-it cannot bepassed too soon.

Considering that there is no Vaccination Act, it must beadmitted that the Bombay system of vaccination has donewonderfully well; and great praise is due, not only to thesystem, but also to the superintendents and vaccinators,who have spared no trouble in spreading and making known,over thousands of square miles, among a rude and unletteredpeople, the beneficent discovery of Jenner.

Medical News.APOTHECARIES’ HALL. - The following gentlemen

passed their examination in the Science and Practice ofMedicine, and received certificates to practise, on the 24thof December :-

Adams, William Prideaux, Canterbury.Bowen, Josiah Archer, Bretherton, near Preston.Brooks, Itiehard William Tomlinson, Fleet-street, E.C.Case, Henry, lioxmoor, lierts.Courtenay, Henry Bisshopp, Maidstone.Kenyon, John Kilshaw, Ditton, Warrington.Lambert, Frederick William, Parsley, near Leeds.Itoueh, James Ryall, Clement’s-inn, Strand.Wallis, Frederic Michael, Boxhill, Hastings.

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The following gentlemen also on the same day passed theirfirst examination:-Joseph William Ekens, OlIivc SimH Shaw, and Edward Harry Steele, of

Guy’s Hospital. Frederick Win. Joy, of University College. VrcdcrickSmith, of the London Hospitnt. (Jeorg’c’l’ohin, of St. Bartholomew’sHospital. Thomas Marshall Wilkinson, of St. Thomas’s Hospital.

WE regret to learn that small-pox is prevalent atWigan.

M. RICORD will, in all probability, be elected to thevacant seat of Free Associate in the Academy of Sciences ofParis.

WE observe that it is not intended to proceed withthe petition presented against the return of Mr. Moncreiiffor the Universities of Glasgow and Aberdeen.ACCORDING to the " Gazette de France," cholera has

broken out in the French colony of St. Louis, in Senegal,and is making sad havoc among the native population.AN appeal of the " Surrey Advertiser "

on behalf ofthe County Hospital, has been promptly and generouslyresponded to by J. I. Briscoe, Esq., M.P., one of the countyrepresentatives, who has forwarded a cheque for £100.THE results of the preliminary deliberation for the

renewal of the Board of the Medical Association of theSeine present M. Nelaton as President, and MM. Barth andBeclard as Vice-Presidents.

THE curate Who had performed the Csesarean opera-tion in Belgium upon a woman who had just died, and whohad been condemned for the act to one month’s imprison-ment, has made an appeal to the Court of Cassation. Thecase will shortly be tried.

IT is reported that the General Court of Managersof the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary have appointed a com-mittee to communicate with the Governors of Watson’s Hos-pital as to the terms upon which that site may be acquiredfor the purpose of building a new hospital.A JOINT MEETING of the Governors of the Newark

Dispensary and Newark Hospital is to be held on the llthinst., with a view to amalgamate the management of thetwo institutions, and to decide upon the rules, &c., to be

adopted under the altered conditions.FOR the sake of the European residents at Yoko-

hama, we are glad to gather from the Japan Times OverwndMail that, after wearisome neglect and delay, an attempt isabout to be made to get the town put into a better sanitarycondition. The state of things, as described by the 3fail,shows how imperatively an improvement is called for.THE Duchess of Beaufort has given a grand evening

concert at Badminton House, in aid of the funds of the Tet-bury Cottage Hospital, her Grace and family sustaining thegreater part of the programme. As the audience was largeand fashionable, it is presumed that a handsome result wasrealised for the hospital.THE WORKSHOPS’ REGULATION ACT.-Mr. Red-

grave, the Home Office Inspector of Factories, has notifiedthat, from the beginning of the new year, ° the Saturdayhalf holiday will be compulsory as regards children, youngpersons, and young women in all factories, workshops, andplaces in which any manual labour is performed."

ANNIVERSARY MEETING OF THE ACADEMY OF

MEDICINE OF PARIS. - This meeting, which takes placeevery year in December, is looked forward to by the nu-merous phalanx of scientific workers who burn the mid-night oil in the hope of carrying off a prize. Every yearalso it is the custom to offer the panegyric of some departedmember of the learned body; and as M. Beclard, the secre-tary, had taken Velpeau as his subject, a good deal ofinterest was excited among the medical public. The

meeting turned out very brilliant, especially as numerousladies were present (a very questionable addition), and thereport of M. Dubois, the permanent secretary, on the prizeswas listened to with great attention. In many cases noprize was awarded, but sums of money were granted asencouragement. Finally came the much-talked-of discourseon Velpeau, in which M. Boclard succeeded in giving ananimated, and somewhat kindly, sketch of the great de-

parted surgeon, who, from the humble condition of a far-rier’s journeyman, rose by dint of undaunted perseveranceto the professional jtinnacle of the French capital. Velpeaunever relaxed in hard work; he was not spoiled by success,but laboured incessantly to the last hour. He never

would grant that he felt ill, and no one was acquainted withhis state of health; he always smiled at any condolence,and jocosely said (he was very fond of a joke), " I shall bedownright dead before I confess that I am gone." Writing,public speaking, and clinical teaching were his forte; andthough a sound surgeon, he was far from being a showyoperator. His reputation was European; but the Frenchpractitioners, dazzled by the new surgical star in the personof Nelaton, were far from requesting his opinion so often,.within the last few years, as had been their wont of old.Velpeau died very rich, commanding the respect of severalgenerations of pupils, and offering a bright example to-those who place their reliance in persevering industry.M. Beclard’s discourse was a real panegyric; actual surgicaldisquisitions did not abound in it, and, though the oratorshowed some impartiality, he could have shown more hadhis biographical sketch been put off for a few years.AT a large tea party held lately at Wolverhampton,

in honour of a local celebrity, yclept " Fiddler Joss," theunpleasant discovery was made that the water was stronglyimpregnated with what seemed to be copperas. It has,however, been ascertained that the well from which thewater was taken had been contaminated by the vitriol fromsome neighbouring works.

THE Glasgow Medical Missionary Society, whichassociates the healing of the body with the healing of thesoul, has just held its first annual meeting, under the pre-sidency of Dr. Andrew Anderson. A dispensary for the gra-tuitous supply of advice and medicine, under the directionof a medical superintendent, and a ° bible-woman" for theadministration of spiritual comfort, has been establishedand supported by the society, which appears to have so wellmanaged its financial anairs as that its income has exceededits expenditure.WE are informed that a Lock Hospital will be

opened in connexion with the camp at Colchester shortly.The designs of the hospital were supplied by the Royal En-gineer Department, approved by the War-office, and thebuilding contract has been substantially carried out byMessrs. Everett and Son, of Colchester. The total cost ofthe hospital has been nearly £4000. The accommodationprovided is for twenty-five patients.A NOBLE EXAMPLE.—M. Victor Hugo has given

his annual Christmas fete to the poor children in Guernsey.This year the warm-hearted exile was able to congratulatehimself that his original idea of providing for the destitutelittle ones has fructified to such an extent that more than120,000 children were assisted during the year just closed.M. Hugo concluded an impressive address to his visitors inthese words:—" Whatever may be the sorrows of life I shallnot murmur at them if I am permitted to realise the twohighest objects of ambition that a man can aim at. Theseobjects are to be a slave—to be a servant; to be the slave ofconscience-to be the servant of the poor."

ACADEMY OF MEDICINE OF PARIS. - Our readers,and especially the young workers in the field of science,should not forget that the prizes offered by this Academyare open to competition by all comers. We subjoin a listof the principal subjects for the year 1869:—Academy prize: On the Diseases of the Cerebellum. £40.Portal prize: On Sclerosis in the different Organs. £24.Civrieux prize: The Clinical History of Insanity, with

the predominance of greatness mania, especially in a thera-peutic point of view. 40.

Barbier prize: Means of Cure for Rabies, Epilepsy, Scro-fula, Typhus, Cholera. Rewards may be granted to thosewho have approached the aim. £120.Capuron prize: On the Return of the Womb to its usual

State after Confinement. Medico-legal application of theresults of this inquiry respecting the manner of determininghow much time has elapsed since parturition. =860.

Ernest Godard prize : Best work on Surgery. £40.Amussat prize : The labours, founded both on anatomy

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and experiment, which shall have promoted the most im-portant improvement in the practice of Surgery. £40.

Lefevre prize : On Melancholy. £80.Argenteuil prize : The most noted improvement in the

treatment of stricture of the urethra. (1863-1868) £320.Rufz prize: Indicate, by means of facts sufficiently accu-

rate and numerous, the modifications and alterations offunctions, and the organic lesions, which can be attributedto acclimatisation, in men and animals that have beentransferred from one climate to another..880.

FROM a report of the Glasgow Maternity Hospitalby Dr. Tannahill it appears that during the last year 346- women received the benefit of the charity as in-door pa-tients, while 601 were attended at their own homes. Thenumber of patients treated at the dispensary was 360.’There is also a course of practical instruction regularly con-ducted, for the purpose of qualifying respectable females to.act as midwives and ladies’ nurses.

THE ACCIDENT AT ROCHDALE.—Dr. March has beengood enough to send us the following list of injuries received bypersons at the recent accident at Rochdale,-a compoundfracture of the forearm, a case of fractured thigh and legon the same side, and several fractured forearms. Theseverer injuries were caused by falling timber ; many personshad to be literally dug out, and beams of wood were sawnasunder to extricate some who were comparatively un-harmed. Coming down with the roof was a shower of mor-tar and lime, which, by filling up the scalp wounds, causedan unpleasant complication. Happily, no death occurred.31any had most severe contusions of the limbs, of the spine,and of the trunk generally; also severe scalp wounds,caused by falling slates and bricks.

DESECRATION OF HUMAN REMAINS.—The attention- of the Bermondsey vestry has lately been called to the factthat large quantities of human bones, brought as rubbishfrom an adjoining locality, had been deposited in the parish;it was further stated that it was °° quite common to comeacross human skulls and bones in the rubbish," and thatthere was scarcely a new road made in which human skullsmight not be found. We should hope that these statements- are exaggerated. If true, they indicate the necessity forstrict inquiry as to the circumstances under which theseremnants of mortality arrived at so improper a destination.The conversion of what were formerly burial grounds intosites for present building requirements, may in some casesbe inevitable; but at least decent care should be observedin the proper disposal of any remains that may be dis-turbed, and such desecration as the Bermondsey vestrycomplain of ought not to be a possible occurrence.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, DECEMBER 29TH.-Mr. Torrensmoved for returns of the asylums which are in course ofbuilding under the 5th, 6th, and 7th sections of ° The

Metropolitan Poor Act, 1867," and of those which it hasbeen directed should be built; with the estimated cost ofsite, structure, furnishing, &c., in each case, whether the.same shall be altogether new, or partly the conversion ofexisting edifices. Also of the unions, districts, or parisheswhich have complied with the provisions (sections 38 to 46)for establishing dispensaries and appointing dispensers forthe relief of the sick poor in their own dwellings, and theestimated cost of the same in each case; and of the salariespaid to all persons employed under ° The MetropolitanPoor Act, 1867," in each union district or parish, and of thenumber of sick poor attended by the medical officer in each,whether in-door or out-door, for the year ending Michael-mas, 1868.

WE regret to have to announce the deaths of severaldistinguished Continental brethren :-M. Gaillard, one ofthe provincial notabilities of France, who as chief surgeonto the Hospital of Poictiers, and as a writer and operator,had enjoyed considerable reputation; M. AndreUytterhoeven,one of the most distinguished medical men of Belgium,Surgeon-in-Chief to the Hospice Ste. Elisabeth of Antwerp,former Professor of the Free University, Member of theAcademy of Medicine and of the Royal Society of Brussels,and the author of several surgical proceedings and valuablewritings; and M. Gubian, an able physician of Lyons, oneof the founders of the General Dispensary of that city forgiving medical relief to the poor in their own homes.

Medical Appointments.ADRIEN, E. W., L.K.Q.C.P.I., has been appointed Medical Officer, Public

Vaccinator, and Registrar of Births &c., for the Stamullen DispensaryDistrict of the Drogheda Union, do. Meath, vice J. W. Adrien,L.K.Q.C.P.l., appointed to the Drogheda Workhouso and Fever Hos-pital.

ALEXANDER, P., T,.R.C.P.Ed., has been appointed Surgeon to the East Holy-well Colliery, Earsdon, Northumberland, and to the New BackworthColliery, Backworth, vice T. H. Pylc, M.R.C.S.E., deceased.

BAGNALL, 8. F., L.R.C.P.L., has been appointed Resident Surgeon-Apothe-cary to the Dispensary, Warrington, Lancashire, vice M’Gregor, re-

signed.BpcHANAN.A., L.R.C.P.Ed., L.F.P. & S. (3]at., has been appointed Medical

Officer to the St. John Del Bey Mines, Brazil.CLARKE, Dr. K. G., has been appointed Medical Officer to the Putney Dis.

trict of the Wandsworth and Clapliam Union, vice Dr. Pritchard, re-signed.

ELLIS, E., M.D., has been appointed Medical Tnspcctor to the Artists’Annuity Fund, vice G. Cockburn Ilyde, M.R.C.S., deceased.

EvANs, A. G., M.R.C.S.E., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Work.house at Penwortham, and for District No. 6 of the Preston Union, Lan-cashire, vice B. W. Parker, M.R.C.S.E., deceased.

FENNELL, T., M.R.C.S.E., late Senior House-Surgeon to the ManchesterRoyal Infirmary, has been appointed Senior Resident Medical Officer tothe Leeds Public Dispensary, vice Shaw, resigned.

FmYEK, C., F.L.S., L.K.Q.C.P.I., has been appointed Medical Officer and PublicVaccinator for the Townships of Whaley, Taxal, and Kettleshulme, in theMacclesfield Union, Cheshire (recently detached from the Sutton andRainow District).

GARNER, Dr., F.R.C.S.I., has been appointed Resident Medical Superinten-dent of the Tipperary Auxiliary Lunatic Asylum at Clonmel, vice G.St. G. Tyner, L.K.Q.C.P.I., appointed Medical Superintendent of theDownpatrick Lunatic Asylum.

HILL, P. E., M.R.C.S.E., L.S.A.L., has been appointed Surgeon to theForesters’, Shepherds’, and Philanthropic Societies’ Lodges, Newport,Monmouthshire.

JONFS, J. E., M.D., has been appointed Surgeon to the Provident Society ofthe Great Western Railway in the Dolgelly District, and Certifying Sur-geon under the provisions of the Factories Act for the Dolgelly District,vice W. Williams, F.R.C.S.E., deceased.

MACKENZIE, M., M.D., has been appointed Physician to the Royal Society ofMusicians of Great Britain.

MILLAR, J., M.D., F.R C.S.E., M.R.C.P.E., has been appointed Extra-Phy-sician to the Royal Edinburgh Hospital for Sick Children, vice R. PeelRitchie, M.D., F.R.C.S.E., resigned.

MITCHELL, T. R., M.D., F.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Attendant tothe Convalescent Home, Felixstow, vice Mr. J. Rand, resigned.

NASON, J. H., L.R.C.P.Ed., has been appointed Medical Officer, Public Vac-cinator, and Registrar of Births &c, for the Templemartin DispensaryDistrict of the Bandon Union, Co. Cork, vice John Belcher, M.D., re-signed.

ROBERTSON, R. T. C., M.B., L.R.C.S.E , has been appointed Surgeon to theGreat Northern Railway Locomotive Sick Society, Doneaster.

ROBINSON, E., M.D., has been appointed Public Vaccinator for the Parishof Birmingham.

SHAW, Mr. H. J., has been entered on the list of Civil lledical Practitionersfor the Inspection of Recruits in Louth, Lincolnshire, and its neighbour-hood, in the place of the late Dr. Trought. Mr. Shaw has also been ap-pointed Medical Officer for the Yarborough District of the Loutht’nion.

Simo-Ns, J. A., M.D., has been appointed Medical Officer and Public Vaeci-nator for District No. 2 of the Battle Union, vice R. Duke, 51.R.C.S.E.,resigned.

SMITH, H., L.R.C.P.L., has been appointed Medical Officer and Public Vacci-nator for District No. 1 and the Workhouse of the Battle Union, Sussex,vice R. Duke, M.R.C.S.E., resigned.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths.

BIRTHS.

ADAMS.—On the 19th ult., at St. James’s-road, Croydon, the wife of S.Rutherford Adams, M.D., of a son.

DOBIE.—On the 20th ult., at Chester, the wife of W. M. Dobie, M.D., of ason.

GOODING.—On the 15th ult., at Cheltenham, the wife of J. CallenderGooding, M.D., of a son.

HEAD.—On the 20th ult., at East Grinstead, the wife of Robert T. Head,M.R.C.S.E., of a daughter.

LATHAM.—On the 26th ult, at Hackney-road, the wife of Charles W. Latham,M.1t.C.S., L.S.A., of twin daughters.

LAWRENCE.—On the 20th ult., at the Cedars, Chepstow, the wife of ArthurGarnons Lawrence, M.D., of a son.

SPENCER.—On the 16th ult., at Oxford, the wife of H. B. Spencer, M.D., ofa daughter.

TANNER.—On the 22nd ult., at Alfred House, Newington Causeway, the wifeof John Tanner, M.D., of a daughter.

MARRIAGES.

CARVER—DAY.—On the 17th ult., at St. John’i3 Church, East Dulwich,Edmund Carver, A.M., M.B., of Cambridge, to Emily Grace, elder

daughter of the late Robert Day, Esq., of Streatham, Surrey.-NoCards.