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not, and as to many other matters of capital importanceaffecting the etiology and prevention of yellow fever. Shouldit be necessary, therefore, to deal with an outbreak of yellowfever in a new territory, it is evident that this want of

knowledge would greatly hamper and delay efficient andenlightened administrative action. The cooperation of theBureau was invited on behalf of India and the easterncolonies, and the Bureau has undertaken to collect informa-tion as to the distribution of the stegomyia mosquito in thecountries which are likely to provide ports of call for vesselsfrom infected districts.As a preliminary measure the Bureau has asked to be

furnished with all information available as to the distribu-tion of mosquitoes generally, and of the genus stegomyia inparticular, in the French, German, Japanese, American, andDutch possessions in the Far East and the Pacific, and to beprovided with collections of mosquitoes from these localities.The question of sending out an entomologist specially tocollect information in those places from which none can nowbe obtained may be considered at a later date in the lightof the knowledge thus gained. Dr. A. T. Stanton has kindlyoffered to supply the Bureau with collections and data fromthe Federated Malay States, and has written to various

correspondents in the East asking them to do the same.He is shortly visiting Siam and Indo-China, and will utilisethe opportunity to further the inquiry. Mr. J. C. Moulton,of the Sarawak Museum, has agreed to assist in Borneo, andMr. P. D. Montague, of Cambridge, who has just started ona zoological expedition to New Caledonia, has consented tocollect mosquitoes both there and in any parts visited enroute. In Hong-Kong the medical authorities have alreadymade a preliminary mosquito survey.

Glossina Morsitans.The committee are also taking steps to render assistance in

another important direction. Arrangements have been madewith Mr. W. F. Fiske, one of the most capable entomologistslately in the service of the United States Bureau of Entomo-logy, to carry out, under the direction of the Royal Societyand at the expense of the Government of Nyassaland, a

thorough investigation of the bionomics of the tsetse fly,glossina morsitans. In the first instance, however, heis investigating the allied species, glossina palpalis, in

Uganda as a preliminary. The committee, with Mr.Andrew Carnegie’s consent, are placing at his disposalone of the scholars who are being trained in Americanmethods of entomology with the help of funds providedby Mr. Carnegie for the purpose. It is to be hopedthat this will be the beginning of an organised campaignagainst the various species of tsetse fly throughout Africa,and the committee are now considering whether they cannotrender further assistance by employing the two entomologistswho are working under their direction in East and WestAfrica respectively entirely on investigations connected withtsetse flies. It is clear that the discovery of any effectivemethod of dealing with these flies in Africa would have themost far-reaching effects on the prosperity and progress ofthat continent.

Other Investigations.The report gives many further details of the work of the

Bureau, and also points out that the question of the identi-fication of parasitic hymenoptera is becoming a pressingone owing to their great importance in the control of

injurious insects. Unfortunately, the number of reliable

specialists working at these groups is extremely limited, andthey already have more work than they can do. The com-mittee therefore propose that one or more of the assistantsworking under the director of the Bureau should devotethemselves to this group of insects. For the identification ofthe African tachinidas (a very useful family of parasitic flies)the committee have been fortunate in securing the generousassistance of Dr. Villeneuve, of Rambouillet, who has kindlyagreed to name all the material submitted to him.The Secretary of State for the Colonies, in acknowledging

the receipt of Lord Cromer’s report, expresses high apprecia-tion of the work of the committee and the rapidity withwhich it is expanding. He adds that he has readilygiven his approval to increases of staff recommendedby the committee, and takes the opportunity of thankingthe trustees of the British Museum for continuing to provideaccommodation for the director of the Bureau and hispersonal assistants.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON:THE ANNIVERSARY DINNER.

THE 141st anniversary dinner of the Medical Society ofLondon was held at the Whitehall Rooms, Hotel Métropole,on March 4th. The chair was taken by Sir DAVID FERRIER,F.R.S., the President, who was supported by a largecompany of Fellows and guests. Among those present, inaddition to the speakers mentioned below, were Mr.

Martindale Ward, Master of the Society of Apothecaries ;Surgeon-General Sloggett, Director-General of the ArmyMedical Service ; Colonel Bruce -Skinner, Commandant ofthe Royal Army Medical College ; Sir Alfred Pearce Gould,Dean of the Faculty of Medicine in the University ofLondon ; Surgeon-General Arthur May, Medical Director-General of the Royal Navy ; Sir Richard Douglas Powell;Professor Howard Marsh, Master of Downing ; Sir T. CliffordAllbutt, Regius Professor of Physic in the University ofCambridge ; Sir John Tweedy; Mr. D’Arcy Power ; Dr. J.Mitchell Bruce ; Sir R. Havelock Charles ; Dr. SamuelWest; Dr. F. W. Mott ; Mr. C. A. Ballance ; and Sir JohnBroadbent.

After the loyal toasts had been honoured, the PRESIDENTproposed the toast of "The Medical Society of London,"which he coupled with the name of Mr. V. Warren Low,one of the trustees. He made allusion to several

early patrons of the society-in particular Lettsom, a

founder and generous benefactor, and the two Fothergills,John and Anthony. He voiced the regret of the Fellowsthat through the illness of Dr. F. M. Sandwith, the deliveryof the Lettsomian Lectures for 1914 had been postponed untilthe summer, and announced that the Fothergill Medal hadbeen awarded this year to Professor J. G. Adami, of Montreal,for his researches in pathology as applied to medicine andsurgery. Originally, said the President, their member-

ship was confined to 30 physicians, 30 surgeons, and 30apothecaries ; but now, in its 141st year, the society numberednearly 700.

Mr. WARREN Low prefaced his reply by maintainingthat the records of the society were themselves a betterresponse to that toast than any speech could be. Hebelieved that the Medical Society of London was especiallyvaluable because it provided a common ground in homelysurroundings upon which the physician, the surgeon, thegeneral practitioner, and, he might add, the crank couldmeet and exchange views. He rather deprecated over-

organisation and the set discussion wherein the openingspeech was often followed by a number of admirable papersquite off the track.

Dr. F. DE HAVILLAND HALL, in submitting the toast of thekindred societies, paid compliments to the 13 presidentswho were among them that evening. The friendly competi-tion between their society and the Royal Society of Medi-cine had been productive of good to them all.The response was entrusted to Sir Francis Champneys,

President of the Royal Societv of Medicine, and Earl Russell,President of the Medico-Legal Society.

Sir FRANCIS CHAMPNEYS said that the body which herepresented had passed through the storms incidental to thesettling down of the 23 amalgamated societies into one

working organisation. It was now on the best of termswith the Medical Society of London, which in his maturedopinion had done wisely in standing out, for unlike thevarious constituent societies it was complete in itself and byjoining would have disappeared. It was the mother of all themedical societies, and to have swallowed it up would havebeen matricide and cannibalism.Lord RussELL, in a humorous speech, mentioned the

horrible specimens in bottles which were sometimes broughtforward by medical members at meetings over which he pre-sided, and the sensational discussions which occasionallyembarrassed the mere legal members of the Medico-LegalSociety. He concluded by emphasising the need whichthere was nowadays for the doctor and the lawyer (with whomhe included the politician who made the laws) to understandeach other better so that they might cooperate for the publicgood. As an example he quoted the legislative and adminis-trative problems connected with uncertified and uncertifiablelunatics.

Mr. C. B. LoCKWOOD, in propnsing the health of the

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guests, made brief kindly references to each of the visitors,and in particular -spoke of the honour which American sar-gery had paid to British surgery by asking the President ofthe Royal College of Surgeons of -England to help in theinauguration of the College of Surgeons of America.Sir RICKMAN GODLEE, in response, said that this was thethird time he had had to reply for the guests, and it wasimpossible for him to make three serious speeches upon thesame subject before the same assembly, although the approvedAmerican method of after-dinner oratory, consisting of an,immediate and abrupt plunge into anecdote, had its diffi-culties.

:

The Mayor of Marylebone, the Rev. J. A. BEAUMONT,who also replied, related how he himself had startedas a medical student. He looked forward to a working,partnership in the future between the priest and the medicalman. The association between the two professions, nowso much less close than in former days, still held out hopeof future possibilities.The health of the President was proposed in affectionate

terms by Professor ARTHUR KEITH, F.R S., President of theRoyal Anthropological Institution. Sir David Ferrier andhe were born within a mile of each other, he said, and their.President used to be held up to him as a model of what a

young man should be. Contrary to what some might have-said, Professor Keith was sure that it was an advantage inLondon to have been born in the North. The toast was

warmly received, and after Sir DAVID FERRIER had rEplied ,the proceedings closed with a hearty vote of thanks to Dr.R. A. Young and Mr. G. E. Gask, the honorary secretaries,.and Mr. George Bethell, the registrar, for their successful- efforts on behalf of the society.

ROYAL COMMISSION ON VENEREALDISEASES.

AT the twentieth meeting of the Royal Commission onVenereal Diseases evidence was given by Mr. C. A. Ballance,chief surgeon of the Metropolitan Police and surgeon to

St. Thomas’s Hospital.Mr. Ballance said that the amount of venereal disease

among the police was very slight. Formerly police officers

reporting themselves sick from venereal diseases were lookedupon as defaulters, their pay was stopped usually for a week,and they were generally put on half pay afterwards. In May,1911, the system was entirely changed, and it was decided thatvenereal disease should be treated like ordinary sickness.The result has been that most of those affected with venerealdisease have reported themselves sick to the divisional

surgeon and have not tried to keep it secret. As manycases as can be accommodated are sent to the militaryhospital, but if that hospital is unable to receive them theyare sent to the nearest large general hospital. Mr. Ballance

thought that the number of syphilitic patients had increased,but that this was due to the fact that the’ men appreciatedthe treatment at the military hospital ; he did not think’that there was any increase of prevalence of the disease

amongst the force. The change of system had had the goodeffect of securing treatment at an early stage. Out of 83constables reported as treated at the primary stage at themilitary hospital only 3 developed secondary symptoms.Out of 116 other consecutive cases only 8 had had clinicalrelapses. He considered that these figures were quitewonderful.From his experience at St. Thomas’s Hospital Mr. Ballan3e

thought that in recent years there were fewer seriousvenereal cases than formerly ; this he thought was due to’the early treatment of the cases instead of their beingneglected or untreated, as in the old days. He very muchdoubted whether the actual prevalence had diminished.’’Questioned as to the use of salvarsan, he said that in thecases in which he had used it he had never seen any dangerarise from it, only good.

’

Evidence was also given by Mr. Richardson, who saidthat he was an M.D. of Cincinnati, in behalf of theNational Association of Medical Herbalists of Great Britain.

At the twenty-first meeting evidence was given by Dr.Brian O’Brien, medical inspector of the Local Government’Board for Ireland: Dr. O’Brien said that for the purposes

of his evidence he had visited all the larger townsin Ireland and many of the smaller ones, as wellas a certain number of rural districts, and that theimpression made upon him was that there was a

decline of venereal disease, in the country districts andsmall towns. It was his opinion that venereal disease,syphilis especially, is almost non-existent in the rural

portions of Ireland and uncommon in the smaller towns.There was special prevalence in Dublin, and among- thecauses contributing to this prevalence he mentioned,

poverty, bad housing, and the fact that Dablin is the

refuge of people from the greater part of Ireland whoare doing no good for themselves. There was also some

prevalence of the disease in Belfast, but to a much lessextent than in Dnblin.. The treatment of the diseasesin Ireland at the present time was, he thought, very in-adequate. His two main recommendations were that meansshould be provided for improved diagnosis and that insti-tutional treatment should be subsidised. There would be,advantage, he thought, in providing out-patient depart-ments of general hospitals which would be open in the

evening, and a considerable number of men might thus beattracted to be treated promptly and efficiently. He was,however, inclined to doubt whether a very large proportionof the women would present themselves for treatment. Dr.O’Brien was opposed to the notification of venereal disease ;he did not think that the medical profession would be

willing to notify, and if they did fewer people would go tothem for treatment.

VITAL STATISTICS.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

IN the 97 English and Welsh towns, with populationsexceeding 50,000 persons at the last Census and whoseaggregate population at the middle of this year is estimatedat 18,120,059 persons, 8484 births and 5497 deaths were

registered during the week ended Saturday, March 7th.The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which hadbeen 15-6, 15-0, and 15-1 per 1000 in the three precedingweeks, further rose to 15’8 per 1000 in the week undernotice. During the first nine weeks of the current quarter themean annual death-rate in these towns averaged 16’7, against16’5 per 1000 in London during the same period. Among theseveral towns the death-rate last week ranged from 5-6 inEastbourne, 8-1 in York, 8.2 in Hornsey, 9-0 in Cambridge,and 9-3 in Willesden, to 21-8 in Ipswich, 22-0 in Bury, 23-1 inMiddlesbrough, 24-4 in Warrington, and 24-9 in Rochdale.The 5497 deaths from all causes were 241 in excess of the

number in the previous week, and included 425 which werereferred to the principal epidemic diseases, against 397 and413 in the two preceding weeks. Of these 425 deaths,134 resulted from whooping-cough, 118 from measles, 60 fromdiphtheria, 59 from infantile diarrhoeal diseases, 34 fromscarlet fever, and 20 from enteric fever, but not one fromsmall-pox. The mean annual death-rate from these diseaseslast week did not exceed 1-2 per 1000, and was equal to thatrecorded in the preceding week. The deaths attributedto whooping-cough, which had been 129, .110, and 115in the three preceding weeks, further rose to 134 last week,and caused the highest annual death-rates of 1-4 per 1000 inTottenham and in Smethwick, 1-5 in Edmonton, 1-6 inLeicester, 1-8 in Devonport, 2-2 in Rochdale, and 2-6 in Dar-lington. The deaths referred to measles, whh had been89, 115. and 101 in the three preceding weeks, rose to 118last week; the highest death-rates from this disease were1-4 in Ipswich, in Nottingham,, in Warrington, and in Cardiff,1-9 in West Ham and in Barnsley, 2-6 in Swansea, and 4’7 inBurnley. The fatal cases of diphtheria, which had been64, 52, and 72 in the three preceding weeks, declined to 60last week, of which 16 were registered in London and itssuburban districts, and 3 each in Portsmouth, Plymouth,and Birmingham. The deaths of infants (under 2 years)attributed to diarrhoea and enteritis, which had risen from 66to 83 in the .four preceding weeks, fell to 59 last week, andincluded 23 in London, 5 in Stoke-on-Trent, and 5 inSheffield. The deaths referred to scarlet fever, which bad.been 37, 33, and 34 in the three preceding weeks, were

again 34 last week; 7 deaths occurred in London, and 3 eachin Birmingham, Manchester, and Middlesbrough. Thefatal cases of enteric fever, which had been 14, 17, and 8in the three preceding weeks, rose to 20 last week, of which 4 were registered in London" 3 in Manchester, .2 in Stoke-dn-Trent, and 2 in Bradford’ : ..

The number of scarlet fever patients under treatment inthe Metropolitan Asylums and the .London Fever Hos-pitals, which had declined from 3599 tQ 3392 in the five