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The total number of new or fresh cases exceeded those oi1882 by 479, while the total number of visits paid were 994above the year 1882. With regard to the diseases treated,the most noticeable feature wherein the present list differsfrom those of former years consists in the increase in thenumber of cases of distemper, for which increase no veryevident cause can be found. The total number of dogs, ascompared with other animals, is, indeed, proportionatelygreater than in previous years, but this will not explain sogreat an increase in the number of cases of distemper. Theother diseases call for no special comment. It is desirablethat the Committee should be informed of the fact that theadvantages of this department of the institution are un-fortunately restricted in the case of very poor owners ofanimals, the condition of which (the animals) is such thatthey ought to be received as in-patients. It has been theunwritten rule of the institution to make the price paid forboard and medicines for the animals of the very poor as lowas possible, so that even a slight loss is occasionally incurredby the institution. This reduction of the charges made hasnaturally, however, very narrow limits, and not a few casesare annually rejected as in-patients, or are prematurelydischarged, owing to the inability of the often miserablypoor owners to pay even the very moderate sum which isnecessarily charged for food and medicines. As such casesare, above all others, those in which rest and healthy food,as well as medicinal treatment, are most required, I ventureto suggest either that the Committee should place at thedisposal of the veterinary surgeon the means of admittingat least a few of the animals of the extremely poor at areduced scale of charges, or that a merely nominal chargeshould, in a limited number of such cases, be made for foodand drugs. Even if this were done only in a small numberof cases, a quite disproportionate amount of good wouldresult.With regard to the scientific work of the institution, I

have to report that the annual course of lectures was

delivered by me in the theatre of the University in theearly part of December, 1883, the subject being, " OnPreventive Inoculation for Zymotic Diseases," in which,besides giving a brief description of the nature and objects ofthe Brown Institution, with a short history of the work donewithin its walls since its foundation, I gave an account ofthe results of my investigations in South America. Withregard to this latter subject, I may remind the Committeethat in March of the past year I applied for leave of absencefor three months (subsequently extended for six weeks) forthe purpose of proceeding to the Argentine Republic in orderto investigate a disease of unknown nature which was

causing great mortality amongstthe cattle, sheep, and horses,as well as men. This disease I found, on my arrival at theRiver Plate, to be splenic fever, and I was unusu111yfortunate in being able to make a large number of observa-tions on its nature, and on the best means of combating it byprotective inoculation. I cannot give here even a briefaccount of the results of my work on this subject, and willonly mention in this place that I was able to find a methodof effectually protecting cattle and horses from this affectionby inoculating them with mitigated virus obtained bytransmitting the poison through the "Bizoacha" " or prairiedog. The virus so reduced in strength was found suitablefor protecting cattle and horses, and the method is now beingemployed successfully on a large scale in the ArgentineRepublic. I made also a large number of inquiries regard-ing the most effectual method of protecting gbeep from thesame disease, and the results of my work on this subjecthave been, briefly stated, to confirm the assertions of Pasteuron the mitigation of anthrax virus by cultivating the micro-organisms, which cause the disease, at a temperature of 42°Centigrade. My observations showed, however, that certainprecautions are necessary in carrying out this method, andthat without these failure is almost certain. This expedi-tion has occupied me during the greater part of the year, andthe investigations on distemper which I am carrying on are

still uncompleted, although they are now making a satia-factory progress. Regarding the other investigations beingcarried on in the laboratory of the institution, I may noticean important observation made by Mr. Lingard, who, inconjunction with Mr. E. Batt, recorded early in the yearthe results of his work on a new and hitherto undescribeddisease of cattle. This disease consists in an infectiousulcerative affection attacking theskin andmucous membranes,especially of the mouth, of young cattle, and accompanied byserious constitutional symptoms. They found the tongue

and the mucous membrane of the cheeks the usual localitiesof the primary lesion. The typical ulcer consists, in advancedcases, of a sore with overhanging edge?, and which is foundon section to be made up of necrosed tissue, this necrosisbeing readily communicated to other parts of the mouthwith which it comes in contact, and the local affection tend.ing in this way to spread rapidly. In some cases similarnecrotic changes were found in the lungs. The cause of thisnoma-like affection was, apparently, a characteristic micro.organism, since, all along the line of junction of thenecrotic with the healthy tissue, they found an enormousnumber of bacilli of a specific form, the growth of which,apparently, caused the necrosis. From their observationsthey conclude-lst. That the necrotic process correspondsaccurately in extent with the presence and position of thesecharacteristic micro-organisms. 2ud. That the disease maybe communicated by inoculation, the affection thus pro.duced being characterised, like the parent disease, by thepresence, in vast numbers, of the same kind of micro-organism. 3rd. That these bacilli do not diminish invirulence by successive inoculations for several generations,Mr. Lingard and Mr. Batt are still actively engaged incarrying on their investigations on this important subject.A considerable number of interesting and important factshave been learned by Dr. Klein on the subject of anthrax,tuberculosis, and typhoid of pigs, which are, however, oftoo technical a nature for description in such a report asthis. I may mention that I propose, in conjunction withDr. Theodore Cash, to extend a certain number of theobservations which I made in South America on the subjectof protective inoculation of anthrax, a subject which seemsto me of a kind especially fitted to be investigated at theBrown Institution. Finally, I may add that Dr. Cash, who,during my absence on leave, so ably replaced me at theBrown Institution, continues the observations on comparativemorbid anatomy which he has carried out during the pastyear.

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NAVY ESTIMATES.

THE Navy estimates are a very remarkable document;for, while they no doubt state unmistakably the amount ofmoney deemed necessary to carry out the service, the variousitems are so mixed up that it is very difficult to get a clearidea of the cost of the different departments. As regardsthe medical service, we find a vote of f66,450 for medical establishments at home and abroad, and one of j677,720formedicmesand medical stores, and these two votes are apparently allthat is required. But when we carefully examine theestimates we find that this does not include the pay of themedical officers afloat, and includes many things we shouldnot consider as medical stores; and we are unable to findany statement of the number of officers employed in thedepartment. From an analysis of the various votes, so faras the documents enable us to make it, the estimatedstrength of the department on the active list for the yearappears to be one director-general, two inspectors-general,nine deputy inspectors-general, seventy-four fleet surgeons,seventy-five staff surgeons, and 169 surgeons; making atotal of 330 medical otficers at home and abroad. The payand allowances for these amount to j6129,535. A sum ofjE415 is taken for the examination of medical candidates, andjE200 as the allowance to a fleet or staff surgeon and a surgeon"for duties in connexion with the medical course of instrue-tion at Haslar. This is the instruction which has been substi-tuted by the Admiralty for the very full and efficient course atNetley of which candidates formerly enjoyed the advantage.The amount required for medicines and surghal instrumentscannot even be approximately stated, as it is included in thevote of :E77,720 above mentioned, with provisions and storesof all kinds for hospitals, sick bays, and medical depOts incharge of naval officers, and various other charges. Themedical officers on the half-pay list, but eligible for employ-ment, amount to thirty-four, requiring a vote of jE8517, andthe numbers on the retired list are 260, for whom a sum of685,900 is taken. There are three inspectors-general,receiving JE100 each " for good and meritorious services."We observe with satisfaction that provision is made for thesanitary improvement of the dockyards, victualling yanls,md hospitals at home and abroad, and of the marinebarracks a"}d infirmaries. Under this head it is proposed to

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expend on dockyards and victualling yards -at -home due8150,and abroad E2500; on naval hospitals at home dE24:50, andabroad ;6650; on marine barracks and infirmaries X2500,and on Lewes Prison jE150. We observe also that a sum ofi1225 is to be taken for a swimming bath at FortonBarracks, an item which may very fairly be included amongthe desirable sanitary works.

VITAL STATISTICS

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

In twenty-eight of the largest English towns, 6005 birthsand 3709 deaths were registered during the week ending the22nd inst. The annual death-rate in these towns, whichhad been equal to 20’3, 22’5, and 22’6 per 1000 in the threepreceding weeks, declined again to 22’1 last week. Duringthe first twelve weeks of this year the death-rate in thesetowns averaged only 21’2 per 1000, against rates decliningfrom 27’4 to 23’3 in the corresponding periods of the fiveyears 1879-83. The lowest rates last week were 15’2 inPlymouth, 17’3 in Hull, and 18 9 in Birkenhead. The ratesin the other towns ranged upwards to 27’9 in Manchester,28’2 in Leeds, 30 6 in Oldham, and 31 v in Preston. The deathsreferred to the principal zymotic diseases in the twenty-eighttowns were 486 last week, and 16 fewer than in the previousweek; they included 143 from whooping-cough, 141 frommeasles, 86 from scarlet fever, 42 from diarrhoea, 33 from"fever" (principally enteric), 28 from diphtheria, and 13from small-pox. No death from any of these zymotic dis-eases was recorded last week either in Plymouth or inHalifax, whereas they caused the highest death-rates inManchester, Leeds, and Portsmouth. The highest death-’rates from whooping-cough occurred in Bolton and London ;from measles in Portsmouth, Oldham, Norwich, and Not-tingham ; and from scarlet fever in Leeds, Manchester, andPreston. The 28 deaths from diphtheria in the twenty-eighttowns included 13 in London, 3 in Leeds, 3 in Hull, and 2each in Brighton, Portsmouth, and Birmingham. Small-poxcaused 4 deaths in Birmingham, 3 in London, 3 in Liverpool,and 3 in Sunderland. Tne number of small-pox patient3in the metropolitan asylum hospitals and hospital ships,which had been 149 and 148 on the two preceding Satur-days, rose to 201 last week, and exceeded the number undertreatment in these hospitals at any time since July, 1882 ;65 new cases were admitted to these hospitals last week,against 31 and 21 in the two previous weeks. This largeincrease in the number of admissions was due to an outbreakat Hackney. The Hinbgite Small-pox Hospital contained7 patients on Saturday last, 3 new cases having been ad-mitted during the week. The deaths referred to diseasesof the respiratory organs in London, which had been 384 and370 in the two preceding weeks, were 373 last week, andwere 146 below the corrected weekly average. The causesof 108, or 2’9 per cent., of the deaths in the twenty-eighttowns last week were not certified either by a registeredmedical practitioner or by a coroner. All the causes ofdeath were duly certified in Birmingham, Leicester, Sunder-land, and in three other smaller towns. The proportions ofuncertified deaths were largest in Halifax, Oldham, Norwich,and Blackburn.

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HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

The annual rate of mortality in the eight Scotch towns,which had been 23’3 and 20’9 per 1000 in the two pre-ceding weeks, was 21’3 in the week ending 22nd inst. ;this rate was 0’9 below the mean rate during the sameweek in the twenty-eight large English towns. The ratesin the Scotch towns ranged from 10 1 and 16’6 in Perth andDundee, to 21’4 and 25’7 in Paisley and Glasgow. Thedeaths in the eight towns included 74 which were referredto the principal zymotic diseases, against 81 and 80 in thetwo previous weeks; 23 resulted from whooping-cough, 11from diphtheria, 11 from measles, 9 from scarlet fever, 9from diarrhceal diseases, 8 from "fever," and 3 fromsmall-pox. The death-rate from these diseases averaged3-1 per 1000 in the Scotch towns (against 2-9 in theEnglish towns), and ranged from 0’3 in Dundee to 3’6 inPaisley and 4’7 in Glasgow. The 23 fatal cases of whooping-cough, an increase of 1 upon the number in the previousweek, included 16 in Glasgow and 5 in Edinburgh. The 11deaths from diphtheria showed a decline of 6 from thenumber in the previous week; 5 occurred in Glasgow and

2 in Edinburgh. Of the- 11 deaths from measles, 5 werereturned in Giasgow and 2 in Edinburgh, and no fewer than8 of the fatal cases of scarlet fever occurred in Glasgow.The 8 deaths referred to ’’ fever" included 6 in Glasgowand 2 in Edinburgh. Two deaths from small-pox were

recorded in Glasgow and 1 in Aberdeen. The deathsreferred to acute diseases of the respiratory organs in theeight towns, which had been 117 and 98 in the two previousweeks, rose again to 117 last week, but were 48 below thenumber returned in the corresponding week of last year.The causes of 64, or more than 12 per cent., of the deathsin the eight towns last week were not certified.

HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

The rate of mortality in Dublin, which had been equalto 25’7, 26’0, and 27’4 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks,further rose to 27 ’5 in the week ending the 22nd inst. Duringthe first twelve weeks of the current quarter the death-rate inthe city averaged no less than 27’9 per 1000, whereas it did notexceed 20’4 in London and 20 in Edinburgh during the sameperiod. The 185 deaths in Dublin last week showed a furtherincrease of 1 upon recent weekly numbers, and included20 which were referred to the principal zymotic diseases,against 12 and 13 in the two previous weeks; 8 resultedfrom "fever (typhus, enteric, or simple), 6 from scarletfever, 3 from whooping-cough, 2 from diarrbaea, 1 fromdiphtheria, and not one either from small-pox or measles.These 20 deaths were equal to an annual rate of 3’0 per 1000,the rate from the same diseases last week being 2’9 in Londonand 27 in Edinburgh. The 8 deaths from "fever" showeda considerable increase upon recent weekly numbers, andexceeded the number returned in any week since the middleof January last. The 6 fatal cases of scarlet fever alsoshowed an increase upon the numbers in the two previousweeks. Three of the deaths resulted from violence, and 68were recorded in public institutions. The deaths of elderlypersons were fewer than in any previous week of the year.The causes of 26, or more than 14 per cent., of the deathsregistered during the week were not certified.

THE SERVICES.

INDIA OFFICE.-Bombay Medical Establishment: TheQueen has approved the admission of Surgeon-MajorWilliam Frederick Knapp to the Staff Corps made by theGovernments in India.-Bengal Medical Establishment:The Queen has also approved the transfer of SurgeonAlfred John Wall, M.D., from the half-pay to the retiredlist.ADMIRALTY.-The following appointments have been

made :-Fleet Surgeon George Bolster, to the Alexandria;Surgeons Charles James and Robert W. Doyne, to the Témé-raire; Fleet Surgeon Thos. C. Rowland, to the Ganges. for theSealarlo Fleet Surgeon John P. J. Coolican, to the Impreg-nable, for the Nautihls Fleet Surgeon Herbert Canton, tothe Lion, for the Liberty Fleet Surgeon Francis J. Lea, tothe Impregnable, for the Pilot Fleet Surgeon Edward J.Morley, to the St. Vincent, for the lYLartin Fleet SurgeonJoseph J. R. M’Donnell, to the Boscowe2t, for the Seaflower>’Fleet Surgeon James A. Vasey, to the Carysfort FleetAlfred T. Corrie, to the Pelican; Fleet Surgeons JohnMackie and David Lennox, to the Briton; and Fleet Sur-geon Arthur Kees, to the Ranger. Mr. Frederick Easteshas been appointed Surgeon and Agent at Folkestone andSandgate, vice Mr. Silvester-Eastes; S. A. L. Swan, M.D.,M.Ch., has been appointed Surgeon and Agent to theAdmiralty at Cushendall and Cushendem, vice Robinson,deceased. Surgeon A. G. Mitchell, Peninsular and OrientalSteam Navigation Company, has been transferred from thes. s. 2 ehe7an to the S.s. Par1’Clmatta.

GROCERS’ LICENCES. -The feeling in favour ofthe Bill which has been introduced into Parliament toabolish the issue of licences to grocers to sell spirits seemsto be increasing. A largely attended public meeting wasrecently held at Wimbledon, when a resolution was carriedcalling upon every member of the community, and especiallywomen, to use every means in their power to forward theadoption of the Bill. The Reigate Town Council, too, atthe meeting on the 17th inst., after some discussion,decided to send a petition in support of the measure.