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Academy, and exception was taken to some of the state-ments and proposals by MM. Germain See and Dujardin-Beaumetz. The preliminary discussion was concluded onthe 13th inst. by M. Lancereaux, who laid more stress onthe factor of predisposition than on the presence of thebacillus itself. M. Villemin, in reply, said everyone agreedas to the danger arising from the expectoration, a morefruitful source of the dissemination of the disease than theconsumption of either milk or the flesh of tuberculousanimals. The question was then referred to a commission con-sisting of MM. Verneuil, See, Cornil, and Dujardin-Beaumetz. I.Paris, Aug. 20th.

THE SERVICES.

ARMY MEDICAL STAFF. - Surgeon Thomas RobertLingard, M.B., from half pay, has been granted retiredpay (dated Aug. 3rd, 1889).ARMY MEDICAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS.—Surgeon Robt.

Clark resigns his commission (dated Aug. 21st, 1889); ActingSurgeon Edward Thomas Crouch, 3rd Volunteer Battalion,the Hampshire Regiment, to be Surgeon, ranking as Captain(dated Aug. 21st, 1889).INDIA OFFICE.-The Queen has approved of the follow-

ing promotion :-Surgeon Charles Henry Beatson, of theBengal Medical Establishment, to be Surgeon-Major (datedMay 16th, 1889).ADMIRALTY. - Surgeon Archibald McKinlay has been

promoted to the rank of Staff Surgeon in Her Majesty’sFleet (dated March 31st, 1886).VOLUNTEER CORPS.—Artillery: 2nd Volunteer (Essex)

Brigade, Eastern Division, Royal Artillery: Acting SurgeonS. Evans resigns his appointment (dated Aug. 17th, 1889).1st Volunteer (Devonshire) Brigade, Western Division,Royal Artillery: Surgeon and Surgeon-Major (ranking asLieutenant-Colonel) G. Pycroft resigns his commission;also is permitted to retain his rank and to continue towear the uniform of the Brigade on his retirement (datedAug. 17th, 1889).—1st Renfrew and Dumbarton: ActingSurgeon W. R. Sewell, M.D., to be Surgeon (datedAug. 17th, 1889).-Rifle.- 2nd Volunteer Battalion, thePrincess of Wales’s Own (Yorkshire Regiment): ActingSurgeon J. F. Porter, M.D., to be Surgeon (datedAug. 17th, 1889).—1st Volunteer Battalion, the Man-chester Regiment: Surgeon J. A. Mackenzie, M.B., resignshis commission (dated Aug. 17th, 1889).—Infantry (Ports-mouth Brigade) : Surgeon and Surgeon-Major H. R. Smith,3rd Volunteer Battalion, the Hampshire Regiment, to beBrigade Surgeon, ranking as Lieutenant-Colonel (datedAug. 17th, 1889).

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Medical News.ACCORDING to a telegram from Copenhagen, an

epidemic of diphtheria and typhus has broken out at Aarhuus,in Jutland. The authorities have ordered all the schools,public and private, to be closed.THE ROYAL WEDDING.—In our enumeration, on

page 208, of the list of members of the medical professionwho were present by special invitation at the late Royalwedding, we inadvertently omitted the name of Mr. ArnoldRoyle, C.B.A GENEROUS OFFER.-Alderman Pierce (the Mayor

of Bangor) has signalised his year’s mayoralty by an offerof £500 to form the nucleus of a fund towards the erectionof a hospital for infectious diseases in that city. Bangor isnot at present provided with such an institution.ROYAL CORNWALL INFIRMARY.—The annual report

of this innnuary for the past year records that 345 in-patients were admitted during the year, of whom 116 weremedical cases and 229 surgical. There were 52 operations,60 accident cases, 149 out-patient casualties, and 821 out-patients. Both the in- and out-patients had exceeded innumber that of any previous year. The annual subscriptionscontinued to fall off, arising chiefly from deaths and re-movals ; but the receipts and disbnrsements showed abalance in hand of il02 16s. 6l.

FOOTBALL ACCIDENT-ABERDEEN.-In a footballcontest on the 13th inst., between the A Team of theOrion Club and the Rangers, Thomas Irvine (of the OrionClub) came into violent collision with a Ranger player,Irvine sustaining a compound fracture of the right leg just,above the ankle.

THE PLAGUE.—The London Gazette of the 20th inst.publishes a telegram from the British representative atJeddah, dated Aug. 15th, as follows: "Plague at Assyrhas disappeared; slight cases continue in Holba and twoother villages. Quarantine reduced to five days from to-day ; cordon between Lith and Taith removed."THE WATER-SUPPLY OF DARLINGTON.-The justice

of the complaints of the inhabitants of Darlington as to thebad condition of their water-supply has been confirmed bya report of a joint committee of the Town Council and the’Durham County Council, which has declared it to be provedthat the waters of the Tees, from which the supply is taken,is polluted with sewage.POLICE AMBULANCE CLASSES.-OnAug. 16thMr.W.

A. Tyssen Amherst, M.P., presented certificates on behalfof the St. John Ambulance Association to 146 police officers.in the theatre of the Royal United Service Institution. Thecertificates presented on this occasion brought the total ofpolice officers certificated by the Association in the metro-polis to 2231, and the aggregate number of certificatesgranted to date to nearly 170,000.WEST HAM HOSPITAL.-A hospital in this densely

populated district has, after several years’ endeavours, beenerected. The need of such an institution is sorely felt, butit appears the opening must be delayed for want of fundsfor the requisite furnishing and the disbursement of thearchitect’s and the builder’s fees. The estimated cost ofthe institution, including furnishing, is £7961, and theamount raised is £5760. The deficit— £2200—necessarilycompels the committee to defer the opening of the institutionfor the reception of patients until additional funds are forth-coming. The accommodation provided is twelve beds formen, twelve for women, four for boys, and four for girls.OVERHEAD WIRES.—A set of regulations has been

issued by the Board of Trade in regard to overhead wiresfor the supply of electricity. Inter alia no aerial conductormust be at a less height from the ground than 20ft., or,where it crosses a street, 30ft. Every aerial conductor is tobe furnished with efficient lightning protectors of a patternapproved by the Board of Trade. There are minute regula-tions dealing with the insulation, the suspension of con-ductors, and the protection of telegraph and telephonewires, &c. Any failure to comply with the requirements ofthe Postmaster-General is to be considered a non-compliancewith the regulations.ANCOATS HOSPITAL AND DISPENSARY. - The-

sixty-first annual meeting was held at this institution on the15th inst. Mr. James Jardine presided. The report referredto the erection of the new wing to the hospital, and to thevariety and amount of cases, especially in accidents, treatedin the past twelve months, the number being larger than thatof any previous year. The treasurer’s financial statementshows a small increase in the subscription list, and that£9893 9s. had been contributed towards the extension fund.The medical report states that the total number of patientshad been 10,169 (including 511 cases attended by thehonorary dentist); of these, no fewer than 4487 were accident.cases, The home patients numbered 2373.PROVINCIAL HOSPITAL SUNDAY AND SATURDAY

COLLECTIONS.—The recent Dawlish Hospital Saturdaycollections on behalf of the Cottage Hospital realised£33 7s. 2d,—The Windsor Hospital Saturday collectionon July 27th amounted to il00 9s. Id., an increase of£10 lls. 8d. on last year.-The committee of the Hoylandand District Hospital Sunday Festival, recently held, havehanded £30 to the treasurer of the Beckett Hospital.--TheHertford Hospital Sunday collection this year produced, net,£107 14s. 5d., of which £53 17s. 2d. was apportioned to theHertford General Infirmary, and a like amount to the HertsConvalescent Home.-The annual parade of the WarminsterLocal Friendly Societies, in aid of the funds of theWarminster Cottage Hospital, was held on Sunday, the18th inst., and produced upwards of £29.

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THE MUZZLING ORDER.—As a result of this order,1100 dogs have been received during the last few days intothe Dogs’ Home, Battersea.DRAINAGE OF MARGATE.—It is understood that

of8cial sanction has been given to Mr. Baldwin Latham’sscheme for the sewerage of Margate.LEWES HOSPITAL AND INFIRMARY.-At the forty-

second annual meeting of the governors of this institutionit was announced that the last Hospital Sunday collectionin aid of the funds of the institution amounted to £20217s. 7d.,but the receipts still show a small deficiency. Mr. W. T.Martin was re-elected hon. surgeon-dentist.

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THE MEASLES EPIDEMIC AT ABERDEEN. - Themedical officer of health, Dr. Hay, in his July report, states;significantly that the decrease in the measles epidemichas been found to be coincident with the advent of the;school holidays. Such being the case, it is manifestthat extra precautions should be taken at the close of thevacation.

ALLEGED SWEATING BY VESTRIES.-A conferencewas held at the Metropolitan Hall, Blackfriars-road, lastweek, to protest against the system of " sweating " adoptedby a number of London vestries with respect to the womenemployed in the dust-sifting yards of the vestries and whoonly receive the wage of 7s. a week. It was stated at themeeting that women stood working all day up to theirwaists in dirt and filth. Resolutions were passed denouncingthe system, and calling upon the Government to grant aRoyal Commission to inquire into the question with a viewto the scandal being suppressed. A committee to collectthe necessary information was appointed and the conferenceadjourned.THE CALEDONIAN MEDICAL SOCIETY.-This Society,

the membership of which is rapidly increasing, held itsninth annual reunion in the Grand Hotel, Trafalgar-square,on the 16th inst., Wm. A. Macnaughton, M.A., M.D., thePresident of the Society, in the chair. The objects of theSociety are for purposes of mutual support, and for theadvancement of medical science among its members, whomust be graduates of a British university, and have someconnexion with the Highlands of Scotland. The followingare the office-bearers for the ensuing year :-President :Allan Macfadyen, M.D., D.Sc. Vice-President: J. DuncanGreenlees, M.B. Secretary and Treasurer: T. F. Tannahill,M.B., Rochester. Editor of Journal: J. Macpherson, M.B.,Larbert, Stirling, N.B.

BEQUESTS AND DONATIONS TO HOSPITALS.—TheDowager Countess of Kintore has subscribed £1000 to theJubilee Fund for the extension of the Aberdeen Royal In-firmary.-The guardians of the City of London Union havevoted a donation of 910 to the Infirmary at Bow.-The lateMiss Harriet Barton Denton, of Bank Road, Bootle, hasbequeathed 9110 to the Bootle Borough Hospital. -Mr. AdamGeck, late of Chiswell Street, London, has left by his will£300 to the German Hospital, Dalston, and :fl00 to the Cityof London Hospital for Diseases of the Chest.-On Aug. 13th,delegates from the various friendly, benefit, and tradesocieties met at the Old Friends’ Hall, Upper St. Martin’sLane, London, for the purpose of presenting 9139 to thesecretary of the Children’s Hospital, Great Ormond Street,being the net result of a demonstration held on June 30th.-The proprietors of the People’s Friend, Aberdeen, havehanded to the directors of the Aberdeen Hospital for SickChildren the whole receipts of the recent National WildFlower Exhibition, amounting to E160 18s. lld., making nodeduction for expenses.

MEDICAL NOTES IN PARLIAMENT.

The Lunacy Laws.IN the House of Lords on Thursday, the 15th inst., a Bill to con-

solidate the Lunacy Laws was brought in by the Lord Chancellor andread a first time.

A Court of Criminal Appeal.Lord Fitzgerald raised the question of establishing a Court of Criminal

Appeal, and asked the Government to consider the matter during therecess and present a measure to Parliament during next session to effectthat object.-The Lord Chancellor, Lord Herschell, and Viscount Crosscondemned Lord Fitzgerald’s action in raising this question at the

present time, when considerable excitement prevailed in connexion witha case that was occupying the public mind.-The Lord Chancellor saidhe would prefer not to discuss the subject now in reference to any futurealteration in the law, and that was as satisfactory an answer as thenoble lord was likely to get from the Government. -Lord Fitzgeraldsaid that, in view of the unsatisfactory statement made by the LordChancellor, he would take upon himself the duty of introducing a Billnext session dealing with the question.

Poor La2v Bill.

The report of amendments on this Bill was brought up and agreedto. The Bill contains provisions enabling the Metropolitan AsylumsBoard to receive into their asylums patients suffering from diphtheria,and to hire out the Board’s ambulances for the conveyance of feverpatients from one place to another. The Bill was subsequently read athird time and passed.

Civilian Doctors and Military Service.In the House of Commons on Thursday, the 15th inst., Dr. Kenny

asked the Secretary of State for War whether Dr. Richard Nichollsof Navan, who was for over seventeen years civil medical officer tothe regular troops stationed in that town, and also for some yearsmedical officer to the Meath Militia, had recently, under some

new regulation, been deprived of those appointments without com.pensation.—In reply, Mr. E. Stanhope stated that Dr. Nicholls held noappointment. He was employed, as medical men were all over the

kingdom, to attend at contract rates detachments of troops when nomilitary medical officer should be present. A military medical officerhaving been stationed at Navan, the necessity for Dr. Nicholls’sservice ceased. It had always been a condition of the employmentof a civilian medical practitioner that his employment might cease atany time without notice and without the creation of any claim to com.pensation.

Scotch Universities.

In Committee of Supply, on the vote to complete the sum of £16,888for Scotch Universities, Mr. Hunter moved to reduce it by £1316, theamount proposed to be paid to the University Professors of Theology.At the Aberdeen University the education of about thirty divinitystudents was ;H62 a year each. The medical endowments were smallerthan those for divinity, but the number of students in medicine wasmore than ten times the number of divinity students, while the costwas only £4 16s. per student. The University of Edinburgh had anincome of £1944 for divinity, and the number of students was 107; whilethe endowments for medicine amounted to £1776, the number ofmedical students being 1879 ; so that the cost per medical student was19s., and for each divinity student £18 3s. Taking the whole of Scot.land, the endowments for medicine amounted to £5800, and there were3000 students, the cost being less than £2 per head. The endowmentsfor divinity amounted to £7664, and the students numbered 278.-TheSolicitor-General for Scotland replied, and the vote was carried on adivision by 123 against 73.

Londonderry Gaol.On Friday, the 16th, Mr. Balfour, in reply to Dr. Kenny, Mr. Sexton,

and others, stated that the results now received of the special investiga.tion made by the medical member of the General Prisons Board,showed that Londonderry Prison had for at least a period of twentyyears enjoyed a remarkable immunity from the principal zymoticdiseases. There had been no case of fever among the prisoners duringthat period, nor was there any now.

Unqualified Medical Practitioners.Mr. Ritchie, replying to Mr. Causton, said that he had made inquiry

of the Registrar-General, and was informed that the death of a childwas registered on the certificate of a duly registered medical prac-titioner, who stated on his certificate that he had attended the childduring its last illness, and that the cause of death was, to the best ofhis knowledge, " dentition convulsions." An inquest was held, and averdict found that the cause of death was narcotic poisoning. Thecoroner requested the registrar to inform the Registrar-General thatthe practitioner had certified that he had attended the child, althoughhe had, in fact, never seen it, the child having been attended by hisunqualified assistant. The registrar had asked to be furnished with acopy of the depositions. He had not yet received them, and he hadtherefore at present no evidence on which to take action.

Contagious’ -Diseases Act.Mr. Cavendish-Bentinck asked whether there were any statistics from

India as to the alleged increase of contagious disease in the Indianarmy since the repeal of the Contagious Diseases Act. - Mr. E.Stanhope, in reply, stated that, so far as the British troops were con-cerned, the admissions for venereal disease had risen from a yearlyratio of 323 per 1000 for the year 1887 to 560 per 1000 for the first fourmonths of 1889.-In reply to a further question from Mr. Cavendish.Bentinck, Sir J. Gorst said that the Cantonment Bill contained pro-visions for mitigating the prevalence of all contagious diseases withincantonments, and regulations for that purpose were now under the con.sideration of the Government of India.

Hospitals in Ireland.On Saturday, the 17th, in Committee of Supply, on the vote to com.

plete the sum of £16,658 for hospitals and infirmaries in Ireland, Mr.Sexton promised the support of the Irish members if the Governmentwould bring in a Bill embodying the recommendations of the Royal Com.mission in favour of capitalising the whole grant for hospitals in Ireland,and putting the control of the sum realised under a central body, whichshould distribute the income according to the number and value of thevarious hospitals.-Mr. Jackson, in reply, stated that such a Bill hadbeen drafted, and he believed it was just about ready. He wouldendeavour, after what Mr. Sexton had said, to introduce it during thepresent session.

Lunatic Asylums in Ireland.On Monday, the 19th, Mr. Balfour, in reply to Mr. O’Keefe, stated

that the scheme for the nomination by the Irish Government ofgovernors on the various boards of lunatic asylums in Ireland was nowpractically comple ed, and the names would shortly be published.