272 NOTES FROM INDIA.-NEW ZEALAND.

is 15 per 1000. Fully one-third of all deaths were due totuberculosis of the lungs or larynx, whilst the other deathsdue to disease of the respiratory organs only amounted to6 per cent. The mortality due to circulatory disease wasalso high, being 22 per cent., whilst neoplasmata claimed8 per cent. of the deaths. Of the cases of accident or

injury 3 proved fatal in November and 7 in December, theaggregate mortality under this heading being about 0’ 33

per cent.Jan. 20th.

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NOTES FROM INDIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Indian National Congress and Medical Problems.THE Indian Medical Service came in for discussion at the

Indian National Congress on Dec. 28th. Sir BalchandraKrishna moved a resolution requesting the Government ofIndia to take early action in the direction pointed out by theSecretary of State regarding the employment of independentmedical practitioners in the superior posts of the civilbranch of the Indian Medical Service. The resolutionalso urged the constitution of a distinct Indian civil medicalservice wholly independent of the Indian Military MedicalService. The Indian Medical Service was created for theIndian army was the view forcibly brought to the noticeof the members of that service by its Director-General. Inthe same speech the Director-General reminded the IndianMedical Service officers of the necessity of creating a betterfeeling between themselves and the officers of the RoyalArmy Medical Corps, and also between themselves and thegeneral practitioners. Such words from one in his positiongo far to suggest that the time is approaching when anImperial Army Medical Service may be organised, whoseofficers will do duty only in connexion with the army, a civilmedical service as well as a separate sanitary service beingalso instituted.A Sanatorium for Conszcnzptives in the United Provinces.A sanatorium for consumptives was the form decided upon

for the United Provinces memorial to His late Majesty theKing-Emperor at a representative meeting of official and non-official gentlemen at Allahabad held recently, presided overby the Lieutenant-Governor. This scheme, which is favouredby Sir John Hewett, is likely to receive very generalsupport. A technological institute and a provincialorphanage have been mentioned as two alternative schemes,but owing to various difficulties that might arise in

attempting to execute them they received no supportat the meeting, which unanimously agreed to the sana-

torium for consumptives. An influential committee was Iappointed to collect subscriptions and carry out the

arrangements.Courses of Instruction for Indian Medical Service Officers.The Government of India has concurred in a proposal of

its Sanitary Commissioner that the course of training inclinical bacteriology and technique at the Central ResearchInstitute, Kasauli, for officers belonging to the IndianMedical Service (but not serving under the bacteriologicaldepartment) should last for four weeks. Officers selected toattend this course will be permitted to be absent from theirstations for this period, in addition to the actual time

occupied by the journey to and from Kasauli and one day forpreparation for each journey. The classes of instruction willin future assemble in the months of January, March, May,July, September, and November each year. No officer draw-ing allowances from local funds will, however, be allowed toproceed to Kasauli for a course of training in clinicalbacteriology and technique unless he is prepared to foregothose allowances or unless the local fund authorities agreeto pay these allowances both to the officers permitted to goto Kasauli and to the officers appointed to act for them. Inall other cases he will be entitled to retain any local allow-ance drawn by him immediately before he proceeded toKasauli without prejudice to the claims to such allowance ofthe officers acting for him.

Medical Students at Lahore.

Among the colleges in Lahore, and affiliated to the PunjabUniversity, the Medical College is the only one which isunprovided with a hostel or boarding-house. The Syndicateof the Punjab University considered recently a letter on this

subject from the Inspector-General of Civil Hospitals, whohad suggested that the University should insist either uponall medical students who could be accommodated living inhostels, or upon first- and second-year students doing so.

The Syndicate was of opinion that any such rule should bemade by the College rather than by the University, that thecharge proposed was higher than in any other college inLahore, and that in view of the changes to be made inconnexion with the King-Emperor Edward VII. memorialscheme the question of hostel accommodation might standover for the present.The Status of Assistant Surgeons and Sub-Assistant Surgeons.Mr. Robertson, Secretary to the Government of Bombay,

replying to the resolutions regarding the registration ofmedical practitioners in India, which have been laid beforeGovernment, states :-With reference to the opinion that military assistant surgeons

and civil medical assistants (now styled sub-assistant surgeons) shouldnot be classed as duly qualified medical practitioners for purposesof medical registration, I am to observe that Government havefor many years educated two classes of medical practitioners,primarily for their own departments, and have received theminto their service as military assistant surgeons and civil medicalassistants on their undergoing a fixed course of training undercompetent teachers at certain medical schools and colleges. No"licence" or "diploma" has been granted to these men, but theyhave been given by Government all the privileges of qualified medicalpractitioners and have performed, as part of their routine work, allduties which could have been demanded of them had their qualifica-tions been of the highest. The Governor in Council therefore doesnot agree in the opinion expressed by the meeting that membersof both these classes, who have received regular training on

Western lines and passed the recognised tests, should be regarded as" unqualified," and classed with vaids, hakims, Ayur Vedic doctors,apothecaries, &c. Government is not aware how far the views com-municated by you are shared by the rest of the medical profession inthe city of Bombav, but the fact that these two classes of men wereincluded by the Bombay branch of the British Medical Association inthe committee appointed by that body to consider the question ofregistration appears to be a strong evidence that the most influentialmedical men of Bombay are not in sympathy with the opinionexpressed at the meeting. I am to add that in all countries the soleauthority which lays down the conditions constituting qualificationsfor the legal practice of medicine and surgery is Government, and thatafter carefully considering the views expressed in your letter and theresolutions accompanying it, the Governor in Council sees no reason toexclude military assistant surgeons and civil medical assistants fromthe proposed registration of duly qualified medical practitioners.Other points touched upon in the resolutions will be duly considered byGovernment when the proposal to pass the Registration Act comesbefore them.

Retirement of Colonel J. Shearer, C.B., D.S. 0., I.M.S.The last Gazette of India contains the notification of the

retirement from the service of Brevet-Colonel J. Shearer,Principal Medical Officer of the Derajat and Bannu Brigades.This officer has had a long and distinguished career in Indiaand has seen much active service, including the EgyptianCampaign of 1882, the war in Burma 1887-8, Hazara Expedi-tion 1891, Miranzai Expedition 1891, Waziristan Expedition1894-5, and Tirah Expedition 1897-8. Colonel Shearer was forsome time secretary to Sir Thomas Gallwey K.C.M.G., C.B.,when Principal Medical Officer, His Majesty’s Forces in India,and was closely associated with the far-reaching adminis-trative reforms carried out by this officer during his tenureof: appointment under Lord Kitchener. Colonel Shearer’sretirement will be a great loss, not only to the IndianMedical Service, but to Freemasons throughout India, as hehas done much to promote the interests of the craft in this

country in which he filled various high offices with distinction.Dr. C. A. BentZey.

It is understood that on the termination of his presentappointment under the Bombay Government, Dr. Chas. A.Bentley, who has been doing special work on malaria, willbe appointed Deputy Sanitary Commissioner of Eastern

Bengal and Assam.Jan. 5th.

____________________

NEW ZEALAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Vital Statistics.RECENT vital statistics show a steady decline in the birth-

rate, but New Zealanders may take some comfort in that whilethe births are few the rate is higher than it is in Australia.The average number per family for the ten years, 1890-99,showed 4’22 births per marriage, while for the period1900-09 it was 3-22. It would appear that 46 out of every1000 children born were born OUG of wedlock. In these

273UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

cases more than half the mothers were under 23 years of

age. Five were 14 years of age, 9 were 15 years, 34 were16 years, 63 were 18 years, 146 were 19 years, 101 were 20

years, 103 were 21 years, 85 were 22 years, and 89 were 23

years of age. According to the Registrar-General, the expecta-tion of life for males is 54’44 years. It would appearthat the influence of the Chinese consul is making for lessrestrictive measures with respect to the admission of im-

migrants from China. At present, in addition to a poll-taxof £100 every Chinaman had before admission to read andwrite some sentences in a European language. By a

Government Bill introduced recently, the Governor takespower to modify these conditions. It must not be pre-sumed from this, however, that there will be any relax-ation in the campaign in favour of a white New Zealand.From the report of the inspector of mental hospitals itwould appear that there are 3549 people in these institutions.This means that one in every 280 of the people of NewZealand is insane. The proportion is, perhaps, slightlygreater because there are some who are looked after by theirfriends. The ratio would appear to have increased since last

year. Males show 1 in 253, females 1 in 318. As to the causes,heredity seems to be responsible for 14’36 per cent. ; criticalperiods, 14’2 per cent. ; mental stress, 9.6 per cent. ; whilealcohol is credited with only 4.9 per cent. The averagegross cost per head is £34 13s. 3¼d.

Vaccination.The same tale has to be told with respect to vaccination.

Only some 4’ 3 per cent. of the children born last year werevaccinated. The steady decrease in the number of the childrenprotected is a matter for grave concern, but, alas, those inauthority pay little attention. An amendment to the PublicHealth Act was introduced by the Government towards theend of last session, but, like many others, it would seem onlyto have found a place on the order paper so that it mightform one of the innocents" " yearly thrown to sacrifice.The proposal was practically to delete all semblance of com-pulsion from the Act governing vaccination, but in case ofsmall-pox appearing in any part of the Dominion theGovernor was to have power to declare an " infected area,"and to require all inside that area to be vaccinated. At the

present time the law is practically a dead-letter, and toallow it to remain upon the statute book and not to enforceit is wrong. It should be remembered that the dis-obedience to the law is the result of carelessness ratherthan any active opposition, although there are, of course,the section who are continually declaiming against theinterference with personal rights."Dec. 19th, 1910.

_________________

UNITED STATES OF AMERICA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Society of Sanitary and Moral Prophylaxis.THE object of this society is to endeavour by all possible

means to decrease the spread of venereal diseases. Dr.Prince A. Morrow is the president of the society. The

society includes in its membership prominent membersof the medical profession, as well as laymen and

laywomen of note. A public meeting of the societywas held in the New York Academy of Medicine on

Dec. 22nd, 1910, and was largely attended, the majority ofthe audience being women, Dr. Morrow being in the chair.An address was delivered by Professor E. R. A. Seligman ofColumbia University on the sanitary supervision of prosti-tutes. It was a vigorous criticism of the Payne Billpassed recently in the State of New York, with a

view of checking venereal diseases by partial measuresfor regulating prostitution. Much opposition has beendeveloped against the Bill, especially against Clause 79 forthe sanitary supervision of prostitutes. There is a greataversion in this country to any kind of regulatory measures,and in his address Professor Seligman gave expression tothis sentiment in strong terms. Furthermore, the argumentwas brought forward that the Payne Law is not far-reachingenough to be of any use. At any rate, there can be littledoubt that the systems of regulating prostitutes in vogue inEurope will not meet with favour in this country. Dr. StephenSmith, the Nestor of the medical profession in New York,and one of the pioneers of the New York Board of

Health, read a paper on the powers of the health board tocontrol venereal disease. He pointed out that these powersare arbitrary, almost autocratic, and that therefore sufficientauthority is vested in this board to deal with the matter asits members may think fit, and that, so far as New YorkCity is concerned, the board of health is perfectly com-petent from all points of view to meet the situation. Dr. A.Jacobi, Dr. Darlington, and several others joined in thediscussion, but the trend of all the speeches was

in opposition to the regulation of prostitution as a

means of controlling venereal diseases. The society itselfdoes much, and hopes to do much more, by educativemeans, by the distribution of literature, and by lecturesdelivered in all parts of the country. The most interestingfeature of the present widespread campaign in Americaagainst venereal disease is the manner in which everywherethe matter is publicly discussed. Not long ago the subjectwas entirely tabooed. Now public meetings are held, atwhich women, not only mothers of families but even girls,are present, where sexual hygiene and venereal diseases aremade the subjects of free and open debate.

Preventable Insanity.A meeting of the New York State Charities Association at

the New York City Academy of Medicine on the evening ofDec. 23rd passed resolutions to the effect that fully 70 percent. of the cases of insanity received into our asylums arepreventable, and that an immediate campaign of educationshould be instituted among the people. Among the 70 percent. of preventable cases the association classed thoseinduced by alcohol and drug habits, by various infec-tions, auto-intoxications, emotional strain, and overwork.During the past decade, while the population of NewYork State has increased less than one-half, thenumber of known cases of insanity has doubled. Last

year 6400 new cases were admitted to the asylums, anet increase of 1200. Much of this increase is apparent,however, owing to improved methods of diagnosis and tomore attention being paid to the insane.

The Plea of Insanity in Murder Cases.The Society of Medical Jurisprudence of New York City at

a recent meeting has discussed the question of the frequentescape of murderers from capital punishment on the plea ofinsanity. At present juries are obliged to acquit prisonersadjudged insane. The society recommended a change in thelaw so that a verdict might be rendered guilty but insane,"which would lead to the immediate incarceration of the

prisoner in an asylum for the criminal insane, but would notabsolve him from the usual penalty if he should at somefuture time regain his reason. A distinction would thus beestablished between insanity at the time of the commissionof a crime and insanity at the time of trial, and the latterwould not save the life of a prisoner adjudged guilty if hefinally recovered. Doubtless the death penalty would neverbe exacted in such cases.

The Cost of Hospital Patients in New York.In announcing the Hospital Saturday and Sunday collec6

tions this year the association in charge thereof has drawnattention to the fact that in ten years the cost of treating apatient has incresed 100 per cent. In 1900 the daily cost ofeach patient was 4s. 10½d., whereas to-day it amounts to8s. 10d.

The Federal Government and the Rotten Egg Traffic.The Federal Government is prosecuting several firms for

selling to bakers eggs in an advanced stage of decom-position, to which practice I referred in THE LANCET ofJan. 7th, p. 66. Such eggs have a legitimate market amongmanufacturers of varnish, but bakers have been purchasingthem at nearly ten times the regular market price. It

appears that the hydrogen sulphide disengaged from sucheggs is used in place of carbon-dioxide in raising bread andcake. They have been sold in bulk by the pound, the shellsbeing discarded and formaldehyde added to the putrefyingmass of yelks and whites, which is then frozen and disposedof in that condition. An analysis of this precious messshowed 8,000,400,000 micro-organisms to the cubic centi.metre.

Exercise for -Naval Officers.The famous Roosevelt " tests for officers of the navy have

been abolished, and the new regulations demand only aquarterly exercise by officers of the navy and public health