1330 NOTES FROM INDIA.

are rampant ? Why go to Scotland for malt whisky, whichwill cost 3s. or 4s. a gallon, when I can freely import Germanspirit at 6d. a gallon, made from potatoes or any farmyardrubbish, and sell it as genuine Highland malt’? Or if I shouldentertain any patriotic prejudice against the German article Ican obtain in England spirit distilled from molasses and evenhave it bottled and labeled as finest old Scotch in a Govern-ment bonded warehouse under the very eyes of the Govern-ment officials. And all this "huge systematic fraud " isallowed while the poor grocer is at once pounced on shouldhe sell, say, margarine (which is a wholesome substitute)for butter. Truly it does not lie with the whisky trade tocomplain of persecution or repression. It is, perhaps, the

only trade in the country to-day in which the most

elementary requirements of business can be safely ignoredand fraudulent descriptions affixed, not only with impunitybut under Government supervision, to what is sold to the

public. And this applies not alone to obscure dealers but tosome of the popular blends of the day which are sold undersuch terms as ’’Highland"

" or "malt" whisky when,

perhaps, only about one third or so is Highland or

malt, the rest being patent still spirit. But the stuffwhich is sent to our Colonies, to Australia, Canada,South Africa, &c., is usually much worse than thatretained for consumption at home. I have seen spiritmade up for the colonial market as Scotch and Irish

whisky which makes me shudder to think of any human

being drinking it. I do not object to people drinking patentstill spirit if they want it, but what I do protest against isthis spirit, or admixtures of it, being labeled as ’’ Highland

"

or "malt" whisky and fraudulently sold as such. But fromwhatever aspect the question is regarded it is a monstrousstate of things that the consumer of spirituous liquors hasabsolutely no protection as to the purity, genuineness, andwholesomeness of those liquors.

I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,May 4th, 1903. Lux.

NOTES FROM INDIA.(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

The Indian Research University near Bangalore.-The Im-provemertt of Bangalore City.-A Sci-’,ntijic ResearchDepartment at Pusa.-The Plag1lC Epide7itic.-NursingArrangements in the Calcutta Hospitals.THE site assigned in British India by the Mysore Govern-

ment for the location of the Indian University of Researcharising out of the offer of an endowment measures about 370acres and is situated in the north-west of the Bangalore Icantonment, about four miles beyond the municipal boundary.Besides this gift the Mysore Government has offered fivelakhs for initial expenses. There is no doubt that the fixingof this site for this university will prove of great advantageto Bangalore and to the Mysore State, as it will become thegreat centre in India of scientific thought and researchand a place of pilgrimage for all lovers of learning.Bangalore enjoys a climate suited to Europeans ; its situa-tion is central, and there are an abundance of availableland and an unlimited supply of good water. The annual

expenditure will be approximately £ 10,000, allowing salariesas follows : director, .61750 ; professor of chemistry, .61000 ;professor of experimental physics, E1000 ; professor of ex-perimental biology, 61000; three assistant professors atfrom 6450 to .6600 ; secretary, from E150 to .6200 ; glassexpert, from E200 to .6300 ; and six instructors at from .6720to E960 As to the future expansion of the University it ihbelieved that further specialisation will be called for in eachof the three departments of experimental science. In all

probability there will be separate professors for purechemistry, agricultural chemistry, metallurgy, general physics,electric engineering, animal physiology, vegetable physiology,and bacteriology.A large project, estimated to cost nearly 18 lakhs, is now

before the Government of India for the relief of the con-

gested areas of the civil station of Bangalore on the linesadopted by the Mysore Government in extending the habit-able areas of Bangalore native city. The present conditionsof overcrowding are appalling. The provision of buildingsites on open and high ground which was made by theMysore Government some time ago has been attended withexcellent results. The civil station can do nothing withoutthe help of the Government of India, as the municipal

commissioners are already suffering from a depletedexchequer and are engaged on drainage works and an

extension of the water-supply.The Government of India is now working out the details

connected with the Scientific Research Department whichwill be presently started at Pusa. The whole scheme willthen be submitted for the Secretary of State’s approval andsanction. It is probable that several European officers willbe appointed to Pusa if the Government of India’s sugges-tions are approved. No details, however, can be publishedat present.The unprecedented total of 34,110 plague deaths recorded

for the week ending April 4th has been followed by a sharpdecline. For the past week only 27,787 deaths have beenreturned. In the corresponding week of last year therewere 24,380 deaths. The Easter holidays and the greatMahomedan Mohurram festival may account for the greatreduction officially returned. The decreased mortality hasoccurred in the Bombay Presidency, in Bengal, and in theUnited Provinces, and both the cities of Bombay andCalcutta record a lower mortality. The few details publishedthis week are : in the Punjab 13,225 deaths as against14,604 last week, in the Bombay Presidency 4405 as against6098, in the United Provinces 3211 as against 5130, and inBengal 2445 as against 3387. Calcutta showed 819 deathsas against 980, and Bombay about 1500 as against 1858.Karachi is still suffering severely, but the cities of Poona andBangalore are now practically free.The nursing arrangements for the principal hospitals in

Calcutta have undergone thorough revision during the pastyear. The Calcutta Hospital Nurses’ Institution since itsfoundation in 1859 had been managed by a committee ofladies who succeeded in raising about Rs.15,000 per annum,and the institution was subsidised by the Government. Oflate years a larger staff of nurses has been necessary and lastyear a new committee was formed in order to bring thepublic more into cooperation and to raise the amount ofthe funds. The ladies’ committee continues the internal

management of the nursing arrangements. There are about100 nurses employed in the different Calcutta hospitals andabout one lakh of rupees is required yearly. The Govern-ment has increased its subsidy from Rs. 37,500 to Rs. 50,000per annum. During the past ear the new committee hassucceeded in largely raising the income of the institution, butit appeals for more support from the native communityseeing that more than half the beds in the Medical Collegeand Eden Hospitals are occupied by Indian patients.April 17th.

VITAL STATISTICS OF JAMAICA.-In his reportfor the year ended March 31st, 1902, Mr. S. P. Smeeton, theRegistrar- General of Jamaica, states that the population of theisland as estimated to the date mentioned was 770,242. Thenumber of marriages registered in the year was 3202, giving arate of 4’1 per 1000 persons living, the number and rate forthe previous year having been 3221 and 42 respectively.The births registered in the year numbered 31,268, giving abirth-rate of 40 - 9 per 1000. Of these births 20,022 wereillegitimate, so that the illegitimacy rate was 64 per cent. ofthe total births, being the highest proportion recorded in theoffice. The Registrar-General here remarks that this is a veryunsatisfactory sign taken with the fact that the marriage-ratefor the year was, with the exception of the year 1897-98, lessthan at any time in the past 23 years One of the tablesshows that during the ten years 1892-1902 in the 14 Jamaicaparishes the lowest illegitimacy rate was 49 6 per cent. of thetotal births in the parish of St. Andrew in 1892-93, whilst thehighest rate was 75’7 per cent. of the total b)rths in the parishof St. Thomas in 1901-02. The parish of St. Andrew mustbe the most moral portion of the island, for it is the only onein which the illegitimate births seem never to have exceeded54’3 per cent ot the total. The deaths recorded in the yearnumbered 16,756, giving a death-rate of 21 per 1000. Withregard to the causes of death, the largest numbers enteredunder any two headings were 3327 returned as "fever

(undistinguished)" and 2005 returned as "other ill-definedand not specified causes." Under "miasmatic diseases"33 deaths were attributed to measles, 156 to influenza, 71 toenteric fever, and 6 to yellow fever. Of the total deaths inthe year 13,358, or 79’7 per cent., were registered withoutany medical testimony as to the cause of death beingobtainable. The names of four practitioners were added tothe Jamaica Medical Register, two deaths occurred, and128 names remained on the Register on March 31st, 1902.

1331THE FOURTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF MEDICINE.

THE

FOURTEENTH INTERNATIONALCONGRESS OF MEDICINE.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)Madrid, May Ist.

As already mentioned in previous letters, much inevitableconfusion prevailed on the morning of April 24th when the16 sections met in the library and museum and attemptedto get to work. To begin with, and in spite of posters andvarious other indications, it was no easy matter to find anyone particular section, for the building is such a large one.Three sections met in what might be described as in the base-ment, among exhibits of fossils, stuffed animals, elephants,crocodiles, tigers, crystals, minerals, and assorted butterflies.Other sections met on the first or ground floor where thereare appurtenances of the library, but the greater numberwere gathered together in the magnificent saloons devoted tothe exhibition of modern paintings which are on the higherfloor. A great number ot chairs had been brought in andthere was a long table provided in each section where thechairman or president sat, surrounded by the secretaries,presidents of honour, and other officials. But there were nopress tables and such journalists as were present had toscribble as best they could on their knees. Each day ajournal, the Diario Ofieial of the Congress, was published,which for each section gave the names of the papers whichwere to be read. This, however, was but a vague indication,for so much depends on the length of the papers, the discussionthat follows, and whether the authors happen to be present atthe moment when they are called upon to speak. Not a littlealso depended on the fact whether the author and the chair- iman were able to understand each other. Through the diffi- 1culty of languages many mistakes were made, members goingaway when they ought to have remained or remaining whenthere was no necessity for doing so. One of the greatesthindrances, however, was due to the fact that in several casesit was impossible to reach one section without walking right Iacross the rooms in which other sections met. This was

. particularly the case in the picture galleries and as therewere not only the different sections to visit but also the

magnificent pictures to look at the temptation to strollfrom room to room was very great. Some of the pictures arejustly celebrated, though others, it must be admitted, arescarcely worthy of being placed in such a magnificent gallery.Nevertheless and considering that the museum was only con-cluded in 1896 the collections that have already been placedthere are an honour to the country. But to admire these I!things was to neglect the Congress and to disturb somewhatthe proceedings of the sections.

It must be confessed, however, that the work of thesections was often carried on before very small audiences.The many empty chairs were silent witnesses to the numberof desertions. This is not surprising. The Congress beingheld at Madrid, the majority present were Spaniards andspoke in Spanish. There were very few foreign memberswho understood Spanish and the temptation was verystrong for foreign members to get up and to look at thepictures instead of listening quietly to what was to them

incomprehensible. Add to this excursions to the Escorialand to Toledo and this supplies an ample explanation for ’

the small number of foreigners who attended the meeting iof the sections. Others having papers in English or somelanguage not likely to be understood by the majority of those i

present were sometimes content to get up, to bow, and as amatter of form to read the titles of their papers and then topresent them to the chairman. Thus these papers will in ;

any case be published in the report of the proceedings, wheredoubtless the foreign element will make a better show thanit did in the sections and in person.

In regard to the pictures, some of them were not inappro- 1.priate. There were dreadful scenes of butchery where surgical i

help was urgently needed (Fig. 1). In the section of legal tor forensic medicine there is a large picture in which the gfigures are about life-size and which represents a duel. One t

of the adversaries has been shot while his enemy seems to be Lstruck with remorse, a scene that suggests at once the needof prompt medical aid and of the intervention of the law. Inthe section of hygiene, on the other hand, there is a pictureof young women enjoying a romp in an open field which is c

certainly a very hygienic pastime. The section of medicinemet in one of the largest rooms with statuary in its centleand I am sorry to say that some of the members showed butlittle respect for the nude forms of the marble nymphs but

I FIG. 1.

Meeting of the Section of Legal Medicine.

placed hats and cloaks upon them in a most mcongruousmanner. The psychologists or neurologists secured a quieterthough less attractive meeting place (Fig. 2). They raisedaround themselves a wall of glass cases containing preciousmanuscripts and the people who passed in and out of theroom had to go by on the other side of this partition ;

FIG. .

-Nleeting of the Section of eurolog-.

however, few people attended this section. What with theinsufficiency of light and the constant movement, ot the peoplepresent it was almost imoossib’e to take a snapshot photo-graph of the sections. Nevertheless and in illu-tration ofthe above de-criptinn I made a few attempts with more orless imperfect results. -

Madrid, May 2nd.

Apart from the ordinary sights, such as the magnificentcollections of the old masters for which the picture galleries