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847 NEW YORK. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Liability of Government for Injuries of Employees. AT its last session Congress passed an Act granting to certain employees of the United States the right to receive compensation for injuries sustained in the course of their employment. Under previous laws compensation in case of injury is paid to employees in the Railway Mail Service and in the Life-Saving Service, but the new law which came into effect on August lst applies to persons em- ployed by the Government as artisans or labourers in arsenals, navy yards, river and harbour construction, fortification construction, hazardous employment in the reclamation service, as in construction and in control and management of works, hazardous employment under the Panama Com- mission, and Government manufacturing establishments. It is estimated that about 75,000 Government employees come within the provisions of the law. Compensation will be paid under this Act only for such injuries to an employee as occur in the course of his employment for more than 15 days, but compensation will not be paid if the injury is due to the negligence or misconduct of the employee injured. The compensation consists of a continuance during the period of disability, but not over one year, of the same pay which the employee was receiving at the time of the injury. If the employee is killed by the accident or dies from the results of the injury received and leaves a widow or children under 16 years of age, or dependent parents, the same amount of compensation is paid to these dependent relatives until the completion of the 12 months’ period. The records of the application of this Act will furnish valuable material for statistics of accidents which for this country are quite meagre. To this end reports of all accidental injuries to Government employees have been requested from all Govern- ment establishments and offices. As the number of employees of the United States Government exceeds 300,000 these statistics should prove of great scientific value. Destructaon of Mosquitoes in Cuba. Major Kean, of the Medical Corps of the United States army, chief sanitary officer of Cuba under the re-occupation, makes a very flattering report in regard to the destruction of the mosquito in that island as a preventive measure against yellow fever and malaria. The town of Palmira, where yellow fever occurred as late as January of this year, has been so thoroughly cleaned that in a recent inspection not a single deposit of larvae was found in 112 houses examined. Similar good results have been secured in other provinces. In zones once noted for the prevalence of yellow fever the stegomyi2a have been reduced below the yellow fever limit. In Havana mosquito breeding is practically at an end, as a breeding place is found in only one house in 450 inspected, and of these considerably less than one-half are found to be stegomyiæ. The work is necessarily slow, because it requires education, not only of those engaged in the work but of the entire population. Statistics of the Medical Schools of the United States. The present state of medical education in the United States is exhibited in the statistics of the schools collected and published by the Journal of the American Medical Association. The total number of medical colleges is 152. The regular schools number 123, a decrease of eight since last year; the homoeopathic schools number 16, a decrease of one ; the eclectic colleges are eight in number; there are two physio-medical colleges and three nondescript schools which propose to teach all systems of medicine. The increase of medical schools since 1880, or during a period of 28 years, nearly a generation, is shown by the fact that at that date there were 72 regular, 12 homoeo- pathic, and six eclectic schools. The total number of medical students (matriculants) in the United States for-the year ending June 30th, 1908, was 22,602, a decrease of 1674 from 1907 and a decrease from 1906 of 2602. Of the total number of students in 1908, 20,936 were in attendance at the regular schools, 891 at the homoeopathic. 479 at the eclectic, 90 at the physio-medical, and 206 at the unclassified schools. The attendance at the regular schools shows a decrease of 1367 below that of last year, of 2180 below 1906, and of 3183 below 1905. In the homoeopathic schools there was a de- crease of 148 below the attendance of 1907, of 194 below 1906, and of 213 below 1905. The eclectic schools show a decrease of 66 since 1907, of 165 below 1906, and of 99 below 1905. The physio-medical colleges had 90 this year as. compared with 110 in 1906, and 114 in 1905. The total number of graduates for the year was 4741, a decrease of 239 below 1907, of 623 below 1906, and of 859 below 1905. The percentage of graduates to matriculants was 21-0, as compared with 20-5 in both 1907 and 1906. The number graduated from the regular schools was 4370, or 221 less than in 1907 and 471 less than in 1906 ; from the homoeopathic colleges there were 215 graduates, or ten less than 1907 and 71 less than in 1906 ; the eclectic colleges graduated 116, or seven less than last year and 70 less than in 1906. There were 835 women studying medicine last year, or 3.7 per cent. of all medical students, compared with 3.8 per cent. in 1907. There were 185. women graduates this year, or 3’9 per cent. of all graduates. Of women matriculants, 186, or 22’3 per cent., were in attendance at the three medical colleges for women, as compared with 210 in 1907 and 189 in 1906. Progress of Medical Education in the United States. There are several features of these statistics of special’ interest. It is noticeable that there has been a decrease of the number of medical students during the last two years. This is in part due to the fact that our oldest and most largely attended schools have recently extended the term of study before graduation to four years. Another deterrent cause is the higher grade of educational qualification which the same schools now require of matriculants than formerly. But probably the most potent cause is the same as that recognised in other professions-viz., the vast expansion of. business enterprises which offer large financial rewards to qualified young men. A second important feature in the progress of medical education is the merging of schools into each other and union with the universities. This movement is becoming more and more popular and tends to do away with many small and inefficient schools and to raise the standard of education. A change.in. methods of teaching-viz., the. substitution of class recita- tions by competent tutors for formal lectures-is becoming- popular with students and teachers alike, and results in eliminating the incompetent class in the first year and. in making others far more thorough and accurate technical’ students than under the old system. Finally, the adoption of stringent laws relating to practice of medicine by the different States and the creation of examining boards which every physician must pass before he can become a legal practitioner have elevated the educational qualifications of the present generation of physicians and given to the medical. profession a higher position in public estimation. United States Opium Commission. The acting chairman of the United States Opium Commis-- sion, the Hon. Hamilton Wright, in an appeal to the medical profession for assistance in collecting facts in regard to the . use of opium in this country, expresses his surprise at the immense amount of " smoking opium " imported into this country in spite of the fact that our Chinese population to-day is smaller than it was 20 years ago. Judging from answers which he has received from inquiries among the Chinese he regards it impossible to believe that they are using all of it. He has received an estimate that there are- over 5000 American smokers in New York city, and another- estimate places the number of opium smokers in this country at more than 100,000 who are Americans. The Philippines. Opium Commission, under the leadership of the Right Rev. Charles H. Brent, is meeting with success in the enforcement of the laws relating to its suppression. A Commission for the Study of the Social and Sanitary Condition of Farmers. The President has taken the initiative of officially inquiring into the social and sanitary condition of the farming popu- lation by the appointment of a commission of experts. . The inquiry is of great importance owing to the growing . unpopularity of farming as a life-business. Few young men of education and ability now choose farming as their pro- ! fession and consequently the cultivation of land in a scientific manner is entirely ignored. The result is that in many States farms are being abandoned because the soil has.
Transcript

847

NEW YORK.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Liability of Government for Injuries of Employees.AT its last session Congress passed an Act granting to

certain employees of the United States the right to receivecompensation for injuries sustained in the course oftheir employment. Under previous laws compensation incase of injury is paid to employees in the Railway MailService and in the Life-Saving Service, but the new lawwhich came into effect on August lst applies to persons em-ployed by the Government as artisans or labourers in arsenals,navy yards, river and harbour construction, fortificationconstruction, hazardous employment in the reclamationservice, as in construction and in control and managementof works, hazardous employment under the Panama Com-mission, and Government manufacturing establishments. Itis estimated that about 75,000 Government employees comewithin the provisions of the law. Compensation will be paidunder this Act only for such injuries to an employeeas occur in the course of his employment for more than15 days, but compensation will not be paid if the injuryis due to the negligence or misconduct of the employeeinjured. The compensation consists of a continuance

during the period of disability, but not over one year, of thesame pay which the employee was receiving at the time ofthe injury. If the employee is killed by the accident or diesfrom the results of the injury received and leaves a widow orchildren under 16 years of age, or dependent parents, the sameamount of compensation is paid to these dependent relativesuntil the completion of the 12 months’ period. The recordsof the application of this Act will furnish valuable materialfor statistics of accidents which for this country are quitemeagre. To this end reports of all accidental injuries toGovernment employees have been requested from all Govern-ment establishments and offices. As the number of employeesof the United States Government exceeds 300,000 thesestatistics should prove of great scientific value.

Destructaon of Mosquitoes in Cuba.Major Kean, of the Medical Corps of the United States

army, chief sanitary officer of Cuba under the re-occupation,makes a very flattering report in regard to the destruction ofthe mosquito in that island as a preventive measure againstyellow fever and malaria. The town of Palmira, where yellowfever occurred as late as January of this year, has been sothoroughly cleaned that in a recent inspection not a singledeposit of larvae was found in 112 houses examined. Similar

good results have been secured in other provinces. In zonesonce noted for the prevalence of yellow fever the stegomyi2ahave been reduced below the yellow fever limit. In Havana

mosquito breeding is practically at an end, as a breedingplace is found in only one house in 450 inspected, and ofthese considerably less than one-half are found to be

stegomyiæ. The work is necessarily slow, because it requireseducation, not only of those engaged in the work but of theentire population.

Statistics of the Medical Schools of the United States.

The present state of medical education in the UnitedStates is exhibited in the statistics of the schools collectedand published by the Journal of the American MedicalAssociation. The total number of medical colleges is 152.The regular schools number 123, a decrease of eight sincelast year; the homoeopathic schools number 16, a decrease ofone ; the eclectic colleges are eight in number; there are twophysio-medical colleges and three nondescript schools whichpropose to teach all systems of medicine. The increaseof medical schools since 1880, or during a periodof 28 years, nearly a generation, is shown by thefact that at that date there were 72 regular, 12 homoeo-pathic, and six eclectic schools. The total number of medicalstudents (matriculants) in the United States for-the yearending June 30th, 1908, was 22,602, a decrease of 1674 from1907 and a decrease from 1906 of 2602. Of the total numberof students in 1908, 20,936 were in attendance at the regularschools, 891 at the homoeopathic. 479 at the eclectic, 90 atthe physio-medical, and 206 at the unclassified schools. Theattendance at the regular schools shows a decrease of 1367below that of last year, of 2180 below 1906, and of 3183

below 1905. In the homoeopathic schools there was a de-crease of 148 below the attendance of 1907, of 194 below1906, and of 213 below 1905. The eclectic schools show adecrease of 66 since 1907, of 165 below 1906, and of 99 below1905. The physio-medical colleges had 90 this year as.

compared with 110 in 1906, and 114 in 1905. The totalnumber of graduates for the year was 4741, a decrease of239 below 1907, of 623 below 1906, and of 859 below1905. The percentage of graduates to matriculants was21-0, as compared with 20-5 in both 1907 and 1906.The number graduated from the regular schools was4370, or 221 less than in 1907 and 471 less than in 1906 ;from the homoeopathic colleges there were 215 graduates,or ten less than 1907 and 71 less than in 1906 ; the eclecticcolleges graduated 116, or seven less than last year and70 less than in 1906. There were 835 women studyingmedicine last year, or 3.7 per cent. of all medical students,compared with 3.8 per cent. in 1907. There were 185.women graduates this year, or 3’9 per cent. of all graduates.Of women matriculants, 186, or 22’3 per cent., were inattendance at the three medical colleges for women, as

compared with 210 in 1907 and 189 in 1906.

Progress of Medical Education in the United States.There are several features of these statistics of special’

interest. It is noticeable that there has been a decreaseof the number of medical students during the last two years.This is in part due to the fact that our oldest and mostlargely attended schools have recently extended the termof study before graduation to four years. Another deterrentcause is the higher grade of educational qualificationwhich the same schools now require of matriculants thanformerly. But probably the most potent cause is the sameas that recognised in other professions-viz., the vast

expansion of. business enterprises which offer large financialrewards to qualified young men. A second importantfeature in the progress of medical education is the

merging of schools into each other and union with theuniversities. This movement is becoming more and morepopular and tends to do away with many small and inefficientschools and to raise the standard of education. A change.in.methods of teaching-viz., the. substitution of class recita-tions by competent tutors for formal lectures-is becoming-popular with students and teachers alike, and results ineliminating the incompetent class in the first year and.in making others far more thorough and accurate technical’students than under the old system. Finally, the adoptionof stringent laws relating to practice of medicine by thedifferent States and the creation of examining boards whichevery physician must pass before he can become a legalpractitioner have elevated the educational qualifications ofthe present generation of physicians and given to the medical.profession a higher position in public estimation.

United States Opium Commission.The acting chairman of the United States Opium Commis--

sion, the Hon. Hamilton Wright, in an appeal to the medicalprofession for assistance in collecting facts in regard to the .use of opium in this country, expresses his surprise at theimmense amount of " smoking opium " imported into thiscountry in spite of the fact that our Chinese populationto-day is smaller than it was 20 years ago. Judging fromanswers which he has received from inquiries among theChinese he regards it impossible to believe that they areusing all of it. He has received an estimate that there are-over 5000 American smokers in New York city, and another-estimate places the number of opium smokers in this countryat more than 100,000 who are Americans. The Philippines.Opium Commission, under the leadership of the Right Rev.Charles H. Brent, is meeting with success in the enforcementof the laws relating to its suppression.

A Commission for the Study of the Social and SanitaryCondition of Farmers.

The President has taken the initiative of officially inquiringinto the social and sanitary condition of the farming popu-lation by the appointment of a commission of experts.

. The inquiry is of great importance owing to the growing

. unpopularity of farming as a life-business. Few young menof education and ability now choose farming as their pro-

! fession and consequently the cultivation of land in ascientific manner is entirely ignored. The result is that in

many States farms are being abandoned because the soil has.

848 ’ i

been exhausted by farmers ignorant of the first principles ofcorrect farming. The inquiry extends to the sanitary con- dition of the homes of farmers which will prove of greatimportance as these conditions are entirely neglected by thegreat majority of farmers and their wives. Collections ofwaste in and around the home are constant sources of ill-

health but are never recognised by the family. The food of

the farmer is generally rudely prepared and often of objec-tionable quality. It is a common saying that the "farmereats what he cannot sell." It is believed that this Govern-ment inquiry will lead to the issue by the Department ofAgriculture of literature to the farmers relating to the

sanitation of their homes, the best methods of preparing’foods, the sources of preventable diseases of domestic

origin, and other useful information relating to methods ofliving.’ .

Sept. 1st.

NOTES FROM INDIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The New Principal Medical Officer of India..Surgeon-General F. W. Trevor, C.B., honorary surgeon to

his Excellency the Viceroy and Governor-General of India,bas been appointed, and has taken over the duties of, PrincipalMedical Officer of His Majesty’s Forces in India, vice

Surgeon-General W. L. Gubbins, C.B., M.V.O., V.H.S.,vacated on appointment as Deputy Director General, WarOffice. Surgeon-General Trevor has had a very distinguished.career, having first seen active service in the field in the Afghanwar of 1878-80. He also served in the Soudan expedition of1884-85, and again in the Boer war, in which he wasprincipal medical officer of a division. In 1906, on pro-motion to surgeon-general, he was appointed principal medicalofficer Western Command, India, and received a C.B. in the.birthday honours of June, 1907. Surgeon-General Trevorgraduated at Aberdeen, taking his M. B. degree in 1874.

Conservancy in Indian Municipalities.On many occasions, when inspecting municipalities, the

great waste has been noticed of valuable fertilising materialwhich occurs owing to the prejudice of cultivators againstusing poudrette, or night soil which has undergone destructivechanges after burial in earth to which it has yielded itsnitrogen. Cantonments are generally much in advance ofmunicipalities in this respect and are more alive to thefinancial aspects of the problem. Where no sale for

poudrette is possible it ought to be the endeavour of the

municipal authorities to take up ground and shallow trenchit. No more striking example of the advantages of thesystem and the profit to be made out of it can be quotedthan the case of Bareilly, where for years the cantonmentauthorities have been taking up land and trenching it inshallow trenches 16 feet by 5 feet by 1 foot on the plandevised by Lieutenant-Colonel Thornhill, LA., now Inspectorof Cantonments. Trenches are dug 16 feet long, 5 feetbroad, and 1 foot in depth, with 6 inches interval’between each trench and 6 inches between each line oftrenches and the soil removed is thoroughly pulverised-an.essential point. Two inches of pulverised soil are returnedinto the trench and the contents of one or two night-soil,carts, depending on size, are tipped into the trench to whichthe remaining earth is returned. Where the night soil is

largely mixed with earth or sweepings it is not necessaryto return all the earth. A depth of one foot is necessary,otherwise there will be smell and flies will breed. The land.so trenched, even if of the poorest description, will notrequire remanuring .till the third or fourth year. The land is

usually disposed of by auction and at Bareilly Rs. 30 perbigha rental is paid ; this is got for land that previously letfor Rs. 5. The Indian cultivator takes all the strength whichhe can out of the soil and gives back very little nitrogen.Even allowing for the rotation of crops and elaboration bynitrifying bacteria the land would be much more productivecould the cultivators afford to use nitrates.

The Sullage Farm at Agra.The sullage farm at Agra, which was started in 1903 as a

protection to the Jumna which was being much defiled, hasresulted in a great practical and financial success. Thesullage is run on to the large island below the railway bridge.

Most luxuriant crops have resulted, and the municipalityinstead of spending money on a costly plant and upkeep,now receive lis. 4000 per annum from rental, while thecontractor receives double that sum.

Sanitation in Cities.

Sanitation is largely a matter of money, but the sanitaryofficer has to see that the money is well spent on improve.ments that will bring health, comfort, and well-being to theinhabitants. Sanitation in India is essentially slow in its

progress,but that it is becoming more appreciated by the peopleis undoubted. ’ At first the prejudice and distrust of a filteredwater-supply were great, but now it is very popular andgenerally preferred to the questionable supply taken from themohalla well. It is hoped that in a few years well-drainedand well-ventilated dwellings will largely displace thepresent insanitary ones of the classes. Broad streets, suchas those lately made in Cawnpore and Lucknow, are of

great benefit. They open up congested areas and allow lightand air to enter into badly constructed dwellings. Drainageand paving schemes are of inestimable value. Unsightly andinsanitary cesspools which pollute the air, soil, and water,are abolished, and in the monsoon traffic is easier and,locomotion is possible in comfort. With plague epidemic.in the provinces sanitation has become a, question ofvital importance, and as sanitary problems are solvedthe foothold which it has obtained will be rendered lessand less secure. The fact, however, is that municipalitiescannot bear the expense of twentieth century sanitationwithout grants in aid from the Government. The manycalls upon these bodies and their conservancy chargesare always as much as they can cope with, while in most ofthe large cities there are in addition loans and sinking fundsto be provided for. If these drainage schemes, markets,and other very necessary improvements are to be carried outthere is no other way than the provision of funds from theGovernment, and the Government of India has provided fivelakhs in the provincial budget this year for this purpose.

I’ever in Burma.

Nearly half the total number of deaths recorded in Burmalast year are entered under the head of fevers. This nodoubt includes a large number of deaths due to causes otherthan malaria fever, but it is certain that malaria is,

responsible for a heavy mortality. It is satisfactory,therefore, to learn that there has also been a very largeincrease in the sales of quinine in the province. A machinehas been obtained for the manufacture of compressed tabletsof quinine which are more readily taken by Burmans thanquinine in the form of powder, and it is hoped that by thismeans the distribution of quinine may be much more com-plete than has been the case hitherto. ,

The Order of the Royal Red Cross. Miss E. A. Wildman, who came out to India in 1900 and

has served in Burma, Madras, and latterly in the Punjab, isat present on leave in England, but on her return to Indiashe will take up the appointment of lady superintendent ofthe Military Nursing Service in the Bombay Presidency,Miss Wildman is the latest recipient of the Order of theRoyal Red Cross.

August 13th. _______________

NOTES FROM CHINA.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Child MortaZity.ALTHOUGH the Chinese are a prolific race there is a high

counterbalancing child mortality , rate, and it would beinteresting in these days when the question of race suicide iscoming more and more into prominence at home to considerwhether there are not certain limits in which the now

generally discredited Malthusian doctrine may not have somepoints in its favour in countries such as this, where there isso high a percentage of deaths among the young and wherean easy fecundity is not attended by a due sense of intelligentmaternal responsibility. The mortality is so, great thatburial in coflins (such as adults get) is unknown for infants.As one wanders through the streets one often meets a cartmore or less full of bundles of various sizes, the bodies ofdead children wrapped in old matting. They are taken


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