+ All Categories
Home > Documents > NOTES FROM INDIA

NOTES FROM INDIA

Date post: 04-Jan-2017
Category:
Upload: lamtram
View: 212 times
Download: 0 times
Share this document with a friend
2
404 problem was at once accepted by the then Minister of Education, Baron Gautsch, and it was his efforts mainly which caused the adoption of gymnastics as a is regular exercise in the higher schools. At the meetings of tb the above-mentioned committee several advocates of physical la culture expounded their views apart from medical evidence t, and the suggestions of teachers. Whilst one group advised E the so-called German system of gymnastics, another group el thought that only the Swedish system was reliable. The difference between the two systems consists in this-that the si German one lays most stress on the development of special h groups of muscles by making the pupils do different kinds tJ of exercises, whilst the Swedish system approaches medical side of gymnastics with a view to exercise the d whole body, especially those parts which are weakened. a Another valuable suggestion was made by several teachers a of gymnastics, who recommended open-air sports and t running as opposed to our present method of gymnastics in t the Turnhalle, or room fitted up with ladders, rings, ropes, r and bars with which the children perform various evolutions. f The time and duration of our present gymnastic teaching were 1 also severely criticised, and it was claimed that to devote an hour or two in the afternoon to bodily exercise every other day ( was more useful than to interrupt the hours of mental teaching by interpolating a few minutes of simple exercises for the arms and legs. Military drill was recommended by a number of experts, but the majority of the committee was opposed to the suggestion on the ground that such an experi- i ment has been made already in Vienna with about 16,000 : children boys between 10 and 14 years of age. As regards teaching of rhythmic actions and practice in walking, this method was good, but it was inefficient as a corrective of physical deterioration. Shooting and fencing were not con- sidered by the majority to be advisable for children, although they were very suitable for persons from 16 to 20 years of age. The procedure to which most importance was attached, and justly so, was reliable, repeated, and early examination of all school children by specially appointed medical officers. When it is considered that in Vienna alone there are , 250,000 children in schools, and that about 26 per cent. of them are underfed and without the benefit of pure air, it is evident that the first requisite is to supply pure air and pure food in sufficient quantities for them, and then to consider how to improve their development by bodily exercise. The outcome of the meeting was a resolution, addressed to the Ministry of Education, in which all the points mentioned above were elucidated, and financial support for the efforts which the committee is making was requested. As the re- commendations will be carried into effect in a short time the physical development of our school children will no doubt be materially improved. Jan. 31st. NOTES FROM INDIA. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) Plague. THE plague returns for the week ending Dec. 25th, 1909, show 6550 deaths, compared with 6159 in the week preceding. Bombay Presidency reported 602 ; Bengal, 656 ; the United Provinces, 3200 ; the Punjab, 1392 ; Burma, 61 ; the Central Provinces, 498 ; and Central India, 42. Health of Bombay. There was a slight increase in the death-rate in Bombay for the week ending Dec. 28th, 1909, but the general mortality in the city continues remarkably low. The total number of deaths in the week was 538, against 618 in the corresponding week of 1908 and a quinquennial average of 677. Plague remains practically non-existent, except for imported cases, and as we are now at the end of December there seems to be a prospect of another late, and short, plague season, as there was last cold weather. The plague deaths were only five, and of these two were among recent arrivals from Satara and Jamnagar. Last year the figure for the corresponding week was 4. The quinquennial average is 29. Small-pox shows a small, but unwelcome increase. There were 12 deaths for the week, which is four more than in the preceding seven days and twice the average for this time of year. , The Outbreak of Apparent Beri-beri at Calcutta. There is considerable doubt in Calcutta as to whether it s true that beri-beri has appeared in the native quarters of he town. Epidemic dropsy has certainly accounted for a arge number of deaths, but it is not yet established that .his is the disease which plays such havoc in the further East. Certain local native practitioners hold that. the epidemic is due to the adulteration of mustard oil, largely used in Bengal cooking, with surguja. It is significant that the large Marwari community in Calcutta have not been affected by the epidemic, and the fact that they do not use mustard oil is quoted in support of the medical theory. Captain E. D. W. Greig, I. M.S., is now on special duty in Calcutta investigating the causes of the epidemic, and his researches should show whether true beri-beri has appeared. There has been something like a panic among the Bengali middle classes, and it is most important to settle the point at issue. Meanwhile, the municipal authorities might devise means to stop the adulteration of mustard oil, for, whether it is responsible or not for the many deaths that have occurred, its purity should be secured. Even a small quantity of surguja in oil generally used for cooking purposes must have an injurious effect. Lahore Medical College. The Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab and Lady Dane attended the annual prize distribution of the Lahore Medical College and School recently. The function took place in the Library Hall. The Principal, Major H. G. Melville, I.M.S., with the College staff, received his honour and Lady Dane, and the Principal read the report for the past year. Sir Louis Dane distributed the prizes and con- cluded the proceedings with a short address. The College, he said, was one of the best known and finest institutions in the province. Referring to finances, his honour said he was glad that the Government of the Punjab was able to do something for the College during the past year, but the finances of the province, unfortunately, not being in as flourishing a condition as they might be, much expenditure in that direction was not possible. He congratulated the College on the three medical men who had been appointed to the staff during the year. With regard to one of the vacancies, he remarked that there was a good deal of com- petition for the post of professor of pathology, and Captain W. C. H. Forster, I.M.S., who now held that position, was a gentleman of not only local but of European reputation. He then referred to the very great loss which the College had sustained in their former principal, Colonel F. F. Perry, : LM.S. Last year, Sir Louis Dane continued, he told the : students that the hospital assistants in the Punjab were the best educated natives in the province. He was glad to think that this reputation had been kept up. He urged, however, that more students should take medical degrees, in which case their prospects on going in for private practice would be materially increased. Government would be glad to see a large increase of private practitioners, for which there was a great opening in the villages and towns of the Punjab. He hoped that Government would improve the salaries of hospital assistants, which had always been a reproach. In conclusion, Sir Louis Dane impressed upon the students that it was their duty to popularise scientific medicine amongst the people. Expanding Bullets for Frontier Tribes. A matter of military medical importance, and one of the worst features of the arms traffic to the Mekran coast and the Persian Gulf, is that much of the ammunition shipped from y Europe consists of cartridges with expanding bullets. The use of the dum-dum bullet by our troops has been forbidden by the British Government and cartridges fitted with it are no ie longer manufactured. But no such prohibition exists in )f Afghanistan or the tribal country, and our army would thus be handicapped in any future military operations on the North-West Frontier. They will have to rely upon the t, small solid bullet as against the expanding pattern, which ie is a "man-stopper" in the ugliest sense of the word. art So long as Muscat remains an open port and high re prices are paid by middlemen or Pathan traders for al modern rifles and ammunition it will be impossible to le stop gun running altogether; but action might be taken ur in England to check the export of cartridges with ge expanding bullets. Certainly no manufacturers should be allowed to supply these to the Amir of Kabul when he
Transcript
Page 1: NOTES FROM INDIA

404

problem was at once accepted by the then Ministerof Education, Baron Gautsch, and it was his efforts

mainly which caused the adoption of gymnastics as a isregular exercise in the higher schools. At the meetings of tbthe above-mentioned committee several advocates of physical laculture expounded their views apart from medical evidence t,and the suggestions of teachers. Whilst one group advised Ethe so-called German system of gymnastics, another group elthought that only the Swedish system was reliable. The difference between the two systems consists in this-that the siGerman one lays most stress on the development of special hgroups of muscles by making the pupils do different kinds tJof exercises, whilst the Swedish system approaches medical side of gymnastics with a view to exercise the dwhole body, especially those parts which are weakened.

aAnother valuable suggestion was made by several teachers aof gymnastics, who recommended open-air sports and trunning as opposed to our present method of gymnastics in tthe Turnhalle, or room fitted up with ladders, rings, ropes, rand bars with which the children perform various evolutions. fThe time and duration of our present gymnastic teaching were 1also severely criticised, and it was claimed that to devote an hour or two in the afternoon to bodily exercise every other day

(

was more useful than to interrupt the hours of mental teaching by interpolating a few minutes of simple exercisesfor the arms and legs. Military drill was recommended by anumber of experts, but the majority of the committee wasopposed to the suggestion on the ground that such an experi- iment has been made already in Vienna with about 16,000 :children boys between 10 and 14 years of age. As regardsteaching of rhythmic actions and practice in walking, thismethod was good, but it was inefficient as a corrective ofphysical deterioration. Shooting and fencing were not con-sidered by the majority to be advisable for children, althoughthey were very suitable for persons from 16 to 20 years ofage. The procedure to which most importance was attached,and justly so, was reliable, repeated, and early examinationof all school children by specially appointed medical officers.When it is considered that in Vienna alone there are

, 250,000 children in schools, and that about 26 per cent. ofthem are underfed and without the benefit of pure air, it isevident that the first requisite is to supply pure air and purefood in sufficient quantities for them, and then to considerhow to improve their development by bodily exercise. Theoutcome of the meeting was a resolution, addressed to theMinistry of Education, in which all the points mentionedabove were elucidated, and financial support for the effortswhich the committee is making was requested. As the re-commendations will be carried into effect in a short time thephysical development of our school children will no doubt bematerially improved.Jan. 31st.

NOTES FROM INDIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Plague.THE plague returns for the week ending Dec. 25th, 1909,

show 6550 deaths, compared with 6159 in the week preceding.Bombay Presidency reported 602 ; Bengal, 656 ; the UnitedProvinces, 3200 ; the Punjab, 1392 ; Burma, 61 ; the CentralProvinces, 498 ; and Central India, 42.

Health of Bombay.There was a slight increase in the death-rate in Bombay

for the week ending Dec. 28th, 1909, but the generalmortality in the city continues remarkably low. The totalnumber of deaths in the week was 538, against 618 in thecorresponding week of 1908 and a quinquennial average of677. Plague remains practically non-existent, except for

imported cases, and as we are now at the end of Decemberthere seems to be a prospect of another late, and short,plague season, as there was last cold weather. The plaguedeaths were only five, and of these two were among recentarrivals from Satara and Jamnagar. Last year the figurefor the corresponding week was 4. The quinquennialaverage is 29. Small-pox shows a small, but unwelcomeincrease. There were 12 deaths for the week, which is fourmore than in the preceding seven days and twice the averagefor this time of year. ,

The Outbreak of Apparent Beri-beri at Calcutta.There is considerable doubt in Calcutta as to whether it

s true that beri-beri has appeared in the native quarters ofhe town. Epidemic dropsy has certainly accounted for aarge number of deaths, but it is not yet established that.his is the disease which plays such havoc in the furtherEast. Certain local native practitioners hold that. the

epidemic is due to the adulteration of mustard oil,largely used in Bengal cooking, with surguja. It is

significant that the large Marwari community in Calcuttahave not been affected by the epidemic, and the fact thatthey do not use mustard oil is quoted in support of the medicaltheory. Captain E. D. W. Greig, I. M.S., is now on specialduty in Calcutta investigating the causes of the epidemic,and his researches should show whether true beri-beri hasappeared. There has been something like a panic amongthe Bengali middle classes, and it is most important to settlethe point at issue. Meanwhile, the municipal authorities

might devise means to stop the adulteration of mustard oil,for, whether it is responsible or not for the many deaths thathave occurred, its purity should be secured. Even a small

quantity of surguja in oil generally used for cookingpurposes must have an injurious effect.

Lahore Medical College.The Lieutenant-Governor of the Punjab and Lady Dane

attended the annual prize distribution of the Lahore MedicalCollege and School recently. The function took placein the Library Hall. The Principal, Major H. G. Melville,I.M.S., with the College staff, received his honour and

Lady Dane, and the Principal read the report for thepast year.

Sir Louis Dane distributed the prizes and con-cluded the proceedings with a short address. The College,he said, was one of the best known and finest institutions inthe province. Referring to finances, his honour said he wasglad that the Government of the Punjab was able to dosomething for the College during the past year, but thefinances of the province, unfortunately, not being in as

flourishing a condition as they might be, much expenditurein that direction was not possible. He congratulated theCollege on the three medical men who had been appointedto the staff during the year. With regard to one of the

vacancies, he remarked that there was a good deal of com-petition for the post of professor of pathology, and CaptainW. C. H. Forster, I.M.S., who now held that position, wasa gentleman of not only local but of European reputation.He then referred to the very great loss which the Collegehad sustained in their former principal, Colonel F. F. Perry,

: LM.S. Last year, Sir Louis Dane continued, he told the: students that the hospital assistants in the Punjab were

the best educated natives in the province. He was gladto think that this reputation had been kept up. He urged,however, that more students should take medical degrees,in which case their prospects on going in for privatepractice would be materially increased. Government wouldbe glad to see a large increase of private practitioners, forwhich there was a great opening in the villages and towns ofthe Punjab. He hoped that Government would improvethe salaries of hospital assistants, which had always been areproach. In conclusion, Sir Louis Dane impressed upon the

’ students that it was their duty to popularise scientific

medicine amongst the people.Expanding Bullets for Frontier Tribes.

A matter of military medical importance, and one of theworst features of the arms traffic to the Mekran coast and thePersian Gulf, is that much of the ammunition shipped from

y Europe consists of cartridges with expanding bullets. Theuse of the dum-dum bullet by our troops has been forbiddenby the British Government and cartridges fitted with it are no

ie longer manufactured. But no such prohibition exists in)f Afghanistan or the tribal country, and our army would thus

be handicapped in any future military operations on theNorth-West Frontier. They will have to rely upon the

t, small solid bullet as against the expanding pattern, whichie is a "man-stopper" in the ugliest sense of the word.art So long as Muscat remains an open port and highre prices are paid by middlemen or Pathan traders foral modern rifles and ammunition it will be impossible tole stop gun running altogether; but action might be takenur in England to check the export of cartridges withge expanding bullets. Certainly no manufacturers shouldbe allowed to supply these to the Amir of Kabul when he

Page 2: NOTES FROM INDIA

405

sends his indents to English firms, and no large quantitiesnominally for sporting purposes should be permitted to leavethe ports. It is bad enough that magazine rifles in tens ofthousands should have reached Afghanistan and the tribalhinterland, but the danger of the position will be aggravatedif cartridges of the dum-dum pattern become common inthese tracts. Traders now undertake to give at least 100cartridges with each rifle sold, and it is only too certainthat many of these are of the kind which all civilised powershave agreed not to use in warfare.

Dec. 31st, 1909. __________________

AUSTRALIA.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

British Association for the Advancement of Science.A DEPUTATION recently waited on the Commonwealth

Prime Minister to place before the Government a proposalthat 100 members of the British Association should be askedto visit Australia in the year 1912. A similar visit to SouthAfrica had cost about .6000, and it was estimated that a sumof £10,000 would be required to defray the expenses of anAustralian gathering. The Federal Government was askedto provide this sum for travelling expenses, and the entertain-ment of the visitors would be undertaken by private citizensand State and municipal bodies. Mr. Deakin gave a favour-able reply to the request, and it is probable that satisfactoryarrangements will be made to bring about what will be aunique assembly in the history of Australian science.

Home for Aged and Infirm.The Melbourne Argus has drawn attention to the unsatis-

factory condition of the Victorian Home for the Aged andInfirm, an institution which receives derelict invalids andinfirm panpers. An inmate was recently found dead in bed,and according to the report" visitors who saw this patientbefore his death state that his body was covered with bed-sores and that the only treatment he received while lying ona straw mattrass was the most elementary treatment fromunskilled hands." An inquiry was held at which the officialsand the visiting medical officer denied there was neglect,but the admissions disclosed a very undesirable condition ofaffairs. It is said that the position will be remedied by theconstruction of the new Benevolent Asylum which is beingproceeded with.

Bush District Nurses.A meeting was held by invitation at Federal Government

House, Melbourne, to discuss the proposal to provide districtnursing in outlying bush districts which has been inauguratedby Lady Dudley. A very representative gathering resulted,and Lady Dudley herself laid the outlines of her schemebefore it. The proposals were sympathetically received, and inresponding Lord Dudley said that it was intended to appoint acommittee of two or three Australians to consider Australianneeds and conditions. Upon the committee a representativeof Canada and a representative of England would be invited tosit in order to see how far methods adopted in those countrieswould be applicable. A constitution would be drafted andsubmitted to a much larger committee. Eventually a Royalcharter would be applied for, which would give dignity to theorganisation, status to the nurses, and power to the manage-ment. With regard to finance, it was impossible now to sayhow initial expenses were to be met, but present anxiety hadbeen removed by the offer of <&500 from the trustees of theEdward Wilson estate, and a further sum if it were required.

Melboicrne Hospital.The plans for the new building are now complete and

tenders for the erection of the first portion will be calledearly in 1910. Some delay was caused by an expression ofopinion that the operating theatres were placed too far awayfrom the surgical wards, but this has been adjusted to thesatisfaction of the surgical staff, and the plans were adoptedat the last committee meeting without further comment.

Strange Diseccse among Wild Fowl.A strange outbreak of disease is reported from Benalla in

Victoria. The wild fowl frequenting the Winton swamp arestated to be dying in hundreds, and the mortality is greatestamong young birds. A clutch of young household duckswhich had been quite healthy made off to the swamp, andall died there. A resident noticed a three-quarter grownteal ailing, and on picking it up found that it was paralysed

in the legs. It died within a few minutes. During the recentprevalence of epidemic anterior poliomyelitis in one countrydistrict it was said that various animals suffered.

Ice Cream Malfacture.A case came recently before a magistrate in Sydney which

he characterised as the worst that he had ever bad to dealwith. An Italian ice cream vendor was charged with havingmanufactured his wares in a stable, on the floor of whichwas a large quantity of manure, and amid atrocious sanitaryconditions generally. He was fined .625 or imprisonment fora period of three months.

Personal.

Professor R. J. A. Berry, the professor of anatomy in theUniversity of Melbourne, has been granted a year’s leave ofabsence, and has with his family proceeded to Europe on aholiday trip. Professor Berry was entertained at dinner bythe members of the medical profession prior to his departure.- Dr. F. D. Bird of Melbourne has been appointed one of thevice-presidents of the section of Surgery at the next annualmeeting of the British Medical Association. Dr. Bird, whohas recently returned from a trip to England, will return totake up the duties devolving on him at the Association meet-ing next July.

Jan. 2nd.

Obituary.WILLIAM WARWICK WAGSTAFFE, B.A. LOND"

F.R.C.S. ENG.Mr. William Warwick Wagstaffe, whose enforced retire-

ment from the active practice of his profession in 1878caused such general and sincere regret, died on Jan. 22ndat Sevenoaks. Born in 1843, the son of Mr. Wagstaffe ofKennington, he was sent to Epsom College at the time ofits opening. He had there as school fellows Sir AugustusHemming, Sir Henry Morris, Dr. F. Taylor, and Dr. J. F.Goodhart, who, in common with many other early friends,remained in touch with him during the long period of hisretirement. Wagstaffe attained an excellent position at

Epsom College, alternating for the first place with Mr.Marshall, for many years resident medical officer atSt. George’s Hospital. He became prefect, also captainof both the cricket and football teams, and his love forphysical exercise and proficiency in games continued untilthe ability to indulge in them was taken from him. After

leaving school Wagstaffe worked at home for two years,attending lectures by Professor Tyndall and Professor Hoffmanat the School of Mines, and also at King’s College, and in 1861he obtained a first class in the examination for the B.A. ofLondon University. He entered at St. Thomas’s in the same

year, obtaining scholarships in classics and mathematics,natural science, and modern languages. Throughout his

subsequent course he kept the first position in the school andmaintained himself without any further expense to his parents.He became a Member of the Royal College of Surgeons ofEngland in 1864 and proceeded to the Fellowship in 1868.At the University of London he obtained honours in thePreliminary Scientific and First M.B. Examination, but heearly undertook so much work in his hospital and school thathe was never able to complete his Bachelor of Medicineexaminations. On qualification he became house surgeon tothe hospital, and then, following the time-honoured course,surgical registrar and demonstrator of anatomy. In 1871 hesucceeded Mr. John Croft as resident assistant surgeon, andin that position moved to the new hospital, while onthe retirement of his most trusted friend and adviser,Mr. Le Gros Clark, he was appointed assistant surgeon.In 1868 Sir John Simon gave him the post of medicalofficer under the Privy Council, which he held as a summerappointment until 1870 inclusive. Then the full appoint-ment was offered to him, but he preferred to take upthe post of resident assistant surgeon at St. Thomas’s andstart upon a purely surgical career. He was appointedlecturer on anatomy in the medical school, in conjunctionwith Francis Mason, became a member of the Board of Exa-miners in Anatomy and Physiology at the Royal Collegeof Surgeons of England, and in 1875 surgical secretaryto the Pathological Society of London, holding office duringthe presidencies of Sir W. Jenner, George Pollock, andCharles Murchison. In 1878 a sudden breakdown in health


Recommended