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an abuse of our hospitals. I thought, for my own satis-faction, I was justified in asking if the certificate wasgiven before or after a post mortem, and on this point I- should feel very deeply indebted to you if you will give meyour valuable opinion. Apologising for this long letter,

I remain, Sirs, your obedient servant. ....

ERNEST SNAPE, L.R.C.P.Lond. &c.,Resident Medical Officer, St. Marylebone General

Dispensary.J

Welbeck-street, W., Sept. 26th, 1890.

B* We think our correspondent has been treated withscant courtesy. He might at least have been referred tothe physician under whose care the case was treated andcertified. It is possible that the diagnosis might admitof being made absolute or with reasonable certainty ; butsuch cases should not be certified by a hospital otlicial onhe strength of a few hours’ observation. The mere exist-ence of tubercle does not determine the propriety of a medicalman giving a certificate in a case brought to him in articuloonortis. There should be communication first with themedical man in previous attendance. Without care, hos-

pitals may easily facilitate bad forms of insurance, especiallyof children’s lives.-Ed. L.

THE INTERNATIONAL CONSUMPTIONOF MEAT.

To the Editors of THE LANCET.SIRS,-The letters on the above 2subject have opened up

a very interesting discussion on the therapeutic value ofmeat in the treatment of diseased conditions. I believe itis high time that obsolete ideas now in vogue as to theinjurious effects of meat and fish taken in large quantities’should be modified, and I question if sugar and starch inthe manifold ways they are consumed are not accountablefor much of the liver derangement, dyspepsia, gout, andrheumatism now so common. I quite endorse the opinions:set forth in Mr. Yorke-Davies’ letter. For especially noticewhat a hardy race are the fisher folk of our seacoast towns,and they live largely on fish. As Mr. Yorke-Davies,says: " In no other class than in that of fishers do wesee larger families, handsomer women, or more robustand active men." The Canadians are a marvellously hardypeople, and vegetable food forms but a small part oftheir daily diet. The Indian horsemen of the Pampas live-entirely on the flesh of horses, and eat neither bread, fruit,nor vegetables, and what extraordinary endurance do theypossess. Do we not for our climate use too great a propor-tion of vegetables containing starch and sugar in our dailydietary ? I think we do; hence the proverbial corpulencemf all classes in England, amusingly typified by the well-known figure of "John Bull" in the pages of Punch. Ameat diet is undoubtedly the best for work, mental ormanual, as it does not encumber the system, and is’easier eliminated. I observe that Mr. Towers Smithtouches on the usefulness of meat in the treatment of

’obesity. May I say a word from personal knowledge infavour of Mr. Yorke-Davies’ system? We are indebtedto him for simplifying the process of treating corpu-lency and making it far pleasanter and easier to carry outthan that of Mr. Towers Smith, as the former gentlemansupplements the meat from the first with harmless vegetableproducts free from sugar and starch. This prevents theclisgust that arises from taking undiluted large quantitiesof meat and fish, and admits of the loss of fat beingregulated according to age, habit, and constitutionalrequirements. Mr. Towers Smith’s system is almost identicalwith that of Dr. Salisbury, an American physician. Of- course he is highly successful, but, unless he takes a leaffrom Mr. Yorke-Davies’ book, his system will not find the- same favour with the victims of obesity as the lattergentleman’s does. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,

Sept. 23rd, 1890. M.D.

ANOTHER RECREATION GROUND IN THE CITY.-The churchyard adjoining St. Mary the Virgin, Alderman-bury, has been adapted as a recreation ground, and wasopened to the public last week. Seats have been provided by the Metropolitan Public Gardens Association, and Mr. Deputy Rogers is about to present to the parish a drinking- Ifountain to be placed at the side of the churchyard.

NORTHERN COUNTIES NOTES.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The late Disasters in Newcastle- on-Tyne.I AM glad to be able to say that there have been no further

fatal cases arising out of the late disastrous nitric acidaccident at Messrs. Mawson and Swan’s chemical establish-ment, by which two firemen lost their lives from the fumes.The superintendent (Matthews) and his men are slowlyrecovering. The Mayor of Newcastle held a meeting lastweek to promote a relief fund for the widows and orphans,and it at once received popular and influential support,Messrs. Mawson and Swan heading the list with thedonation of 250 guineas. In connexion with the acci-dent, it has been overlooked that nine of their assistantssuffered from the fumes severely. Many of them, however,returned to work the next day, but it was seen that theywere not in a fit condition to work, and were at once senthome.-The Elswick workmen injured on board the war-ship in the Tyne are also progressing satisfactorily towardsrecovery. It appears now that there was no boiler explo-sion, but, from some defect about the funnel, flames andvapour with ashes and hot coals were driven out of thefurnaces amongst the men.

Public Health Society.A Public Health Society has been formed at Newcastle,

on the lines of those existing in Manchester and Edinburgh.The first meeting was held to-day, under the auspices of theMayor and other prominent citizens. Mr. V. W. Rutherfordand Dr. V. H. Rutherford are hon. sees.

Lectures.’ The lecture season opened last week with two very ablediscourses. The first was by Mr. P. Hawkridge, M.A., B.Sc.,on Spontaneous Combustion. The lecturer showed veryclearly how certain compounds-requiring, as a rule,ignition-would at some temperatures and conditionsignite of their own accord, such as the ignition of tur-pentine and nitric acid. It is curious that the fatalaccident in Mosley-street from nitric acid fumes followedso soon upon this lecture. The lecture of Professor Stroud,delivered upon the opening night of the session of theNewcastle Microscopical Society, on " Polarised Light,"was also a valuable and instructive address, with experi-mental illustrations as to the value of polarisation in theestimation of oils, crystals, and many other substancesused in the arts and medicine.

Typhoid Fever on Teeside.Dr. Barry, the Local Government Commissioner, has

commenced an inquiry at Stockton, Middlesbrough, andDarlington, as to the prevalence of typhoid fever in thesedistricts. It appears that there have been, to Sept. 20th,fifty-eiglit cases in Darlington, eighty-three at Middles-brough, fifty-five at Stockton, as well as numerous othercases in the rural districts of Middlesbrough and North andSouth Stockton. Dr. Barry, who is about to make a

thorough examination of the districts, recommended carein the use of water and milk, and thorough flushing ofdrains and disinfection of waterclosets. He pointed outthat where there was an outbreak of that nature so evenlydivided according to the population that a common cause,such as defects in the milk or water, might be suspected,all should endeavour to discover this cause.

Alnu7ick-.Mr. C. Clark Burman, surgeon, of Alnwick, has received

a handsome testimonial, in the form of a splendid marbledining-room clock chiming the hours, and accompaniedwith suitable bronze ornaments &c. The presents are fromhis old friends and patients at Belford, where he practisedfor several years.

Sunderland: Suspected Poisoning by Tinned Sahiaon.A serious case of poisoning through, it is supposed, par-

taking of tinned salmon has just been reported in Sunder-land. The persons affected were an hotel landlord, his wifeand family, and a barman employed at the house. Theyappear to have all become ill after their tea one eveninglast week. The landlord was most seriously affected, and

,

all who partook of the tinned salmon suffered severely, buthave now recovered.

Bequests to Northern Charities.Under the will of the late Dr. Straughan of Great

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Usworth, county Durham, the Newcastle Royal Infirmaryand the Whitley Convalescent Home, North Shields,have received £450 each.Newcastle-on-Tyne, Oct. lst.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

St. Bernard’s Well, Edircb2ergh.AT the meeting of the Town Council last week a motion

was submitted, and unanimously adopted, that " as it ismost desirable to preserve the purity and medicinal pro-perties of St. Bernard’s Well, it be remitted to the LordProvost’s Committee, with powers to take such measures asmay be deemed necessary to ensure that the water shall notbe affected by any works in the channel of the adjoiningriver, which will shortly be commenced in connexion withthe Water of Leith Purification and Sewerage Scheme."

The Disposal of City Refuse.It was intimated some weeks ago that a deputation of the

Town Council of Edinburgh had been appointed to visitvarious towns, with a view to investigate the best means ofdisposing of the city refuse. The expenses of the deputationamount to £111 8s. They visited Newcastle, York, Leeds,Bradford, Manchester, Birmingham, and London. When theexpenses of the deputation were brought before the TownCouncil, Bailie Russell, M.B., who was one of the deputation,said that he felt ashamed at how little he and his friends weredoing to attack the problem of maintaining cleanliness anda low death-rate. If the cleaning department should reallyhave had its eyes opened to the efforts made by other townsin the matter of cleaning, and put forth greater and moreintelligent efforts to keep the city clean, the ratepayersneed not grudge the expense.

The Dean of Guild Court and the Royal Infirmary.The Dean of Guild Court has passed, with a bad grace,

and under protest, the plans submitted to it by themanagers of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary for the erectionof a Nurses’ Home. The managers have, however, beenfined £5 for proceeding with the building before obtainingthe sanction of the court.

Health of Edinburgh.The mortality last week was at the rate of 15 per 1000.

Out of a total of 79 deaths, diseases of the chest accountedfor 25 and zymotic diseases for 6, of which 3 were due towhooping-cough. The intimations for the week comprised6 cases of typhoid, 6 of diphtheria, 19 of scarlatina, and 7 ofmeasles.

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IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Sir P. Dun’s Hospital.THE introductory address for the winter session was

delivered by Dr. E. H. Bennett on Wednesday, Oct. lst.The east and west wings, which have been recently erected,were opened the same morning. The east wing, whichis entirely isolated from all other parts of the hospital, willcontain accommodation for twenty fever patients.

Schools oj Surgery, Royal College of Surgeons.The session was opened on Wednesday by Mr. H. Gray

Croly, President of the College, who distributed the scholar-ships and prizes awarded at the termination of the summersession.

National Children’s Hospital.In order to clear off a debt of £500, which restricts the

usefulness of this charity, it is intended to hold a bazaarand fancy fair in November, which will be organised by theladies who visit the hospital.

Opening of the People’s Park, Kingsto2vn.The ceremony of opening this park took place on Monday

last. The park consists of some five acres, with a viewacross the Bay to Howth, nicely laid out with fountains,band-stand, covered stand for promenaders, and a handsomelodge for a caretaker. The cost has been about £4000.

Mater Misericordiœ Hospital.A bazaar will be held early in December in order to obtain

funds toward the erection of a fever wing to this hospital.

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

High Altitudes and Intellectual Capacity.M. JANSSEN, the well-known astronomer, read a paper at.

the last meeting of his academy at the Institute, in whichhe gave some interesting physiological details of his expe-riences during a recent ascent which he made of Mont Blanc..He made the ascent in a sledge of his own construction,which he had towed by guides. The primary object of hisundertaking was to carry out some spectroscopic researcheson points connected with the presence of oxygen in thisrarefied atmosphere. Having, however, been able to attainan altitude of about 4800 metres without any physicalfatigue, owing to the plan of ascent adopted, he found, con-trary to what is usually experienced, that he had preservedintact his intellectual activity, and that he was able to traceout his calculations and conduct his investigations forseveral days without experiencing any mental fatigue ordifficulty. On the contrary, he felt, he says, a sort.of " Psychical " excitation which facilitated the resolutionof abstract and complicated problems. Not that M. Janssen-enjoys any particular immunity in high altitudes, for inmaking ascents to much less elevated heights under-ordinary conditions of physical exertion he suffered fromthe usual train of symptoms, such as difficulty of breathing,feebleness of intellect, with inability to concentrate his,thoughts, &c. Moreover, in the journey lately accom-plished, and during which he lived several days on themountain summit, he found that the least effort brought-about rapid physical fatigue, with succeeding inability to-think. He concludes, therefore, that intellectual exertionis quite capable of being sustained at high altitudes, pro.viding one is surrounded by conditions which determinecomplete physical repose.

A Medical lllarz Consulting with Bonesetters.I read the following paragraph some days back in that,

most serious of all French papers, Le Temps. It certainlysounds, to borrow the current phraseology, fin du siècle." M. Ronvier. Minister of Finance, we regret to say, metwith an accident last Monday which, we are happy to-learn, however, is not likely to be followed by any serious.consequences. M. Ronvier was taking his usual morningride on horseback, when his horse stumbled, unseating its.rider and throwing him somewhat heavily on his right side.M. Ronvier was carried to his house, which was not far dis-tant, where it was found he had dislocated his right foot.His doctor was sent for, and at the same time apprised ofthe nature of the accident. The doctor was not long ill’arriving on the scene accompanied by a bonesetter whomhe had called in consultation." It is added that it was theconsulting bonesetter who reduced the dislocation, and thatM. Ronvier is making rapid progress towards recovery."’Indeed, I have since learned that his recovery was of thatphenomenally rapid kind which bonesetters alone are

capable of bringing about!Our Girl Graduates.

According to the last statistics, published by direction ofthe Minister of Education, there have been since 1866 20Gwomen graduates. Of these, 35 were doctors of medicine,69 bachelors of arts or sciences, 13 licentiates, and 2 phar-maciens. Of the 202, no less than 102 graduated at the Paris’University, 16 at Lyons, 12 at Nancy, 11 at Bordeaux, &c.Among the foreign lady graduates the great majority wereRussian or Roumanian. There were, however, several Poles,as well as a not inconsiderable number of English.Errata.-In last week’s Paris letter two typographical

errors require correction. In the paragraph announcing thedeath of Dr. Hardy, the word "clinical" should obviouslyhave been chemical. In the following paragraph, the name" Nonod" should have been printed Monod.Paris, Sept. 30th.

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BERLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Sixty-third Meeting oi the Society of German N aturali3tsand Physicians.

THE sixty-third meeting of the Society of GermanNaturalists and Physicians in Bremen began with a socialassembly on the evening of Sunday, the 14th inst. Thefirst of the scientific sittings took place on the 15th, and