694

Medical Diary of the Week.Monday, Nov. 11.

ROYAL LONDON OpHTHALMic HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.-Operations,10½ A.M.ROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.ST. MARK’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.MEDICAL SOCIETY ox LONDON.-8 P.M. Dr. Richardson, "On the Treat-

ment "in extremis" of Fibrinous Deposits on the Right Side of theHeart." - Dr. Routh, "On certain forms of Mental Decay and theTreatment."

Tuesday, Nov. 12.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC H 08PITA L, MOORFIELD.-Operations, 10½ A.M.ROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.GUY’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 p.M.NATIONAL ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.WEST LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 3 P.M.ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICA SOCIETY.-8½ P.M. Dr. Lockhart Clarke,

"On Progressive Muscular Atrophy, accompanied by Muscular Rigidityand Contraction of Joints."-And other papers.

Wednesday, Nov. 13.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HospiTAL, MOORFIELDS.-Operations, 10½ A.M.MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL.-Ophthalmic Operations,1¼ P.M.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1¼ P.M.ROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½; P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, It P.M.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.-Operations, 11 P.M.KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.GREAT NORTHERN HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.SAMARITAN FREE HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.-Operations, 2),k p.m.CANCER HOSPITAL.—Operations, 3 P.M.EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.-8 P.M.

Thursday, Nov. 14.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, 10½ A.M.ST. GEOSaH’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 P.M.ROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 11, P.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.RGYAL ORTHOPAEDIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.CIliNTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

Friday, Nov. 15.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.-Operations, 10½ A.MROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.Guy’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, la p.x.ROYAL SOUTH LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

Saturday, Nov. 16.HOSPITAL 7oit WOMEN, Soho-square.-Operations, 9% A.M.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.-Operations,10½ A.MROYAL WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.ST. HARTHOLOMEw’s HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1 ½ P.M.Klxa’s COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1’. P.M.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

Notes, Short Comments, and Answers toCorrespondents.

MILLET AS AN ARTICLE OF DIET.DR. JAMES WATSON, in his Report on the Health of Newchang, contained

in the official Medical Reports of the Customs Gazette for the half yearending March, 1872, records the result of an experiment made with millet,a grain extensively used by the Chinese as an article of diet. It showsthe effect of millet on European constitutions. A sailor, who had beenguilty of several serious offences, was sentenced to solitary confinementfor 49 days in the Consulate gaol. Permission was obtained by Dr. Watsonto feed him solely on millet and water, on his promising to change thefood at once if the man lost weight, or seemed in any way to suffer fromhis restricted diet. He entered prison on the 3rd April, when he weighed146 Ib. 8 oz., and he left it on the 22nd May, weighing 147 lb. 14 oz.Throughout this confinement he never weighed so little as on the day itcommenced, and this in spite of the depressing effects of solitude and themonotony of his food. Although the nights were sometimes cold, the cellhad no fire; the prisoner was, however, allowed as much warm clothingas he required. He ate about 3L. lb. of miilet daily; and when he leftprison he looked, as he said he felt, perfectly well. The experiment showsthat the grain which has been chosen by the people as their principalfood is capable of maintaining for a considerable length of time perfecthealth under very depressing circumstances.

A Constant Reader, if he had read as carefully as constantly, would haveseen that the subject of his communication has been referred to morethan once of late.

W. P., (Edinburgh.)-The case is a hard one. Cannot our correspondentget some Parliamentary friend to take up the matter ?

ECHINOCOCCUS IN THE ORBIT.AT the August meeting of the Medical Society of Victoria, Mr. A. S. Gray,

M.R.C.S., brought before the notice of the members the history of twocases of this rare form of hydatid disease. The first case was that of a

boy, aged ten, who some years previously had suffered from a severeattack of ophthalmia. When he recovered he had a fall, striking his lefteye against a piece of wood. Soon after a swelling appeared in the upperpart of the orbit, gradually pushing the eye outwards. When he cameunder Mr. Gray’s notice, an elastic fluctuating swelling oceupied thesuperior and inferior walls of the orbit, extending outwards, downwards,and inwards, with eversion of the lower eyelid so great that the posteriorpart of the eyeball was anterior to the edge of the orbit. Pupil and irisnormal; no tenderness ; tumour unconnected with the eyeball. The boyhad never experienced pain, but there was a constant " watering." Thetumour was punctured, when three drachms of fluid containing echinococcicame away, and there was considerable diminution in the size of the tumour.Some days after, the tumour was excised, a second operation, however,being required. The case progressed favourably for three weeks, whenthe pressure of a large cyst on the floor of the orbit rendered a thirdoperation necessary. "The wound was kept open, suppuration was estab-lished, and he is now quite recovered, with useful vision." D’lring thetreatment strabismus (inwards) was developed, owing probably to para-lysis or atrophy of the external rectus muscle caused by the pressure ofthe tumour. In the second case, also that of a young boy, the structuresof the eye were completely disorganised when he came under Mr. Gray’scare, and eventually it was necessary to remove the entire contents of theorbit.

Dr. Macintosh, (Callington.)-Many thanks. It has been received.

HOSPITAL AND CLASS FEES.

To the Editor o/’THB LANCET.SIR,-I cannot help expressing a feeling of very great dissatisfaction at

the brusque conduct pursued at a hospital not very far from Gray’s-inn-road,which conduct I can characterise by no other epithet than the homely oneof " dog in the manger." On visiting the hospital, and expressing a wish tosee the medical patients, I was informed that it was not usual to grantsuch a privilege to anyone, though there was no objection, the physiciansaid, to my walking round with him on that day-a concession of which Iam somewhat ashamed to say I humbly availed myself.

Now, laying on one side my apparent seniority in age, I certainly think agraduate in medicine of one of the two oldest English Universities shouldnot be grudged the opportunity of brushing up his knowledge of clinicalmedicine (preparatory to an examination) by an alumnus of a Universitysome five or six hundred years junior to his own. For my own part I canonly say that I should have been delighted to render a similar service to,anyone from his University, though the claim of consanguinity can scarcelybe allowed to hold ground in that case. I must say, however, that I thinkmen who are about to offer themselves for the M.R.C.P. examination shouldbe allowed attendance at the larger non-educational hospitals, as a fewyears generally elapse between the time of their graduation and that oftheir offering themselves for that examination ; and I think it will generallybe allowed that it is not quite desirable to compel them to reiterate theirformer beats in the old wards, especially when such hospitals as the GreatNorthern, the Royal Free, and one or two others seem so well adapted totheir wants. I am, Sir, yours obediently,

November, 1872. EXPERTUS FIT EXPERIENDO.

P.S.-I may also add that I was very glad to observe in a letter insertedin THE LANCET of the 12th ult., that "from time immemorial the lecturesand practice in the metropolitan schools of medicine have been freely openwithout fee to all legally qualified practitioners of medicine and surgery":also that it is my intention to bring the subject before the committees atthe non-educational hospitals.

WAITING FOR THE INSPECTOR.A CORRESPONDENT of the Builder states that the Town Council of Louth

have invited a Government inspector to visit the town and report uponits sanitary condition; but that six weeks have elapsed, and still he doesnot come. We surmise that the Town Council must have asked to have a

medical inspector sent to them, not knowing that medical inspectors areout of favour with our Public Health Minister, who will probably com-mission one of the lawyers or soldiers of his staff to visit Louth by-and-by.

M.R.C.P.-A physician can scarcely be expected for a guinea fee to bothsee the patient and write to her general adviser.

Indophilos.-Yes.DR. DOMETT STONE.

To the Editor o/’THB LANCM.SIR,-You are right in your conjecture. The circulation of the so.called

halldbill, a reprint of which appears in your impression of this day, has note my sanction ; indeed, I am at a loss to understand how you have becomel possessed of a copy. My perplexity is worse confounded when I recall to my mind the histury of the said document. The facts are briefly these.tshortly after the announcement in The Times of the honour meutioned, I

received a copy of the Wiltshire Independent containing the article ins

question. In tourtesy 1 ound, I wrote to the publisher of the paper, thank-l iug him for the notice, and requesting a few uutmbers. In reply to myt letter, that gentleman informed me that he had not a single copy of the

Independent left, but that he would be happy to "pull me a few slips." ’This was done, and it only remains fr me to repeat that, if they have been

edistributed, it, has been wii hout my sanction. It may, however, be well toe and that cf the number received only four have passed out of my hands.

The word " circulation" " is therefore clearly as great a misnomer as to call

it a " slip " a " handbill."-I am, Sir, your obedient servnt W. DOMETT STONE.

OxKHd-tertiMe, Hyde-park, W., Nov. 2nd, 1672.

695

THE SANITARY CONDITION OF MILE-END.

Ds. CoRNER’s last Report of the health of Mile-end Old Town states thathe deaths from all causes during the year amounted to 2200, beingslightly in excess of the mortality for the preceding year. The excess wa!chiefly attributable to small-pox, which assumed a threatening aspect inthe early part of the year, causing some uneasiness, and means werEadopted for meeting an expected extension of the disease, which, howeverquickly subsided. The water supplied to the hamlet was fairly good. Apoint worthy of attention in Dr. Corner’s Report, and one on which h(animadverts, is the power possessed by water companies of cutting ofthe supply of water from small houses should the landlord fall in arrear!with his water-rate, the burden falling grievously on the poor tenant, wh(is often obliged to beg or borrow from his neighbours. This power cer

tainly does seem a monstrous evil, as it obviously places a weapon in thEhands of the landlord, who, should he desire to get rid of a tenant, halonly to stop payment of his water-rate to render the holder’s positioIsupremely uncomfortable.

A. B.-We have frequently ansvrered the question already. Indeed it seem:scarcely necessary to say that a man has no right to assume a title thalhe does not really possess. It is obvious that licentiates of a College o:Physicians are not, as such, entitled to append M.D. to their names.

Dr. C. S. Jeaffreson is thanked for his paper, which shall receive insertion.H. T.-No.

CONDENSED :MILK AND ARTIFICIAL FEEDING.

To the Editor of THa LANCBT.SIR,-Dr. Daly’s very practical remarks on the use of condensed milk as a

food for infants are worthy of serious attention. I, therefore, hope that hisletter in your last number will elicit the experience of many medical men a,to the relative value of the various forms of artificial food at present in useThat condensed milk possesses many good qualities is undeniable. I have

occasionally found it agree when all other foods have been rejected, and inmany cases it undoubtedly checks obstinate diarrhoea. On the other hand,I have noticed that it is too constipating. I can bear testimony to the factmentioned by Dr. Daly, that "children like condensed milk better thancow’s milk, that they thrive well on it, and, as a rule, get much fatter thaneven on the breast." Dr. Daly observes truly, " To look at, childrenbrought up on condensed milk are extremely healthy."The questions naturally arise: Are the children so fed only healthy-

looking, not so in reality ? Is this fatness due altogether to the good effectsof the diet ? Or is it not unnatural, and mainly caused by the large quan-tity of cane-sugar which all condensed milk contains ?

It must be admitted that fat children, like fat adults, are not the mostlikely to withstand successfully a severe attack of disease. Experience hastaught me this, and I fully believe that whilst infants apparently thrive sowell on condensed milk, and by their very fatness gladden their mothers’hearts, they are not really so healthy, nor are their powers of vitality sogreat, as those who are fed differently. I admit that condensed milk mixedin proper proportions with water is a better diet for the first few monthsthan the various farinaceous foods so constantly given, because the latter(with all due deference to the opinions of others), I cannot help thinking,are perfectly unnatural. When a child for any reason is unable to leave thebreast, the course which suggests itself to me as being the most rational isto prepare a food which shall be as similar as possible to the woman’s milk.On this ground alone I almost invariably object to farinaceous diets duringthe earlier months of infancy.Before I speak of the combination which I have found most useful for

2rtificial feeding, it may be well to compare woman’s milk with cow’s andcondensed milk, showing the defects of the latter.

Woman’s Milk. Cow’s milk.Caseum ............ 1.52 ............ 4.48Butter ............ 3.55 ............ 3.13Sugar of milk......... 6’50 ............ 4’77Various salts ......... 0’45 ............ 0’60Water............... 87’98 ............ 87-02

100’00 100.00

By adding to 100 parts by weight of the condensed milk 274:76 parts (byweight) of water, we have a fluid containing the same proportion of butter&s cow’s milk, and 100 parts of the fluid so formed contains-

Caseum ............... 4’07Butter ........... 3’13Sugar of milk............ 4’33Cane-sugar ............ 7’86Salts .................. 061Water ............... 80’00

100’00

By these analyses it will be seen that in cow’s milk and condensed milkwe have an excess of caseum, and a deficiency of butter and sugar of milk.In the latter we have 7’86 per cent. of cane-sugar, of course not found ineither of the others. It is the presence of this cane-sugar that I attributethe remarkable fattening property of condensed milk; and as this cane-sugar is necessarily used in the manufacture of all condensed milk, its pre-sence is really abnormal, and is not a natural ingredient of the child’s food.The food which I have referred to as forming the best substitute for

breast-milk, and by analysis most closely resembling it, is prepared bymixing cow’s milk and water in equal proportions, and then adding 4’12per cent. of sugar of milk. The analysis of this food is as follows.

Caseum ............... 2’24Butter ............... 1’56Sugar of milk............ 650Various salts ............ 0’30Water ............... 89’40

100’00

The deficiency of butter may be made up by the addition of a small quantityof cream. By a combination of this description the caseum of the cow’smilk is reduced to a minimum, and the sugar of mik (which I look upon as

a most necessary and essential ingredient) exists in its proper proportions.The latter I believe to be absent from all prepared foods, except mineasea,which most probably owes its efficacy to its presence in large proportions.

I shall be exceedingly glad to see the questions of wet-nursing and theartificial feeding of children fully discussed in your columns. The subjectis one of vast importance, not only to the health, but to the lives of thousandsof children, who annually die because they are fed upon food which in manyinstances has little or no resemblance to that supplied by nature.

I am, Sir, yours, &c.,Adelaide-road North, N.W., Nov. 4th, 1872. WILLIAM H. PLATT.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-I cannot agree, as far as my personal experience goes, with some ofDr. Daly’s remarks about the effects of condensed milk (Aylesbury or Swiss)on children.

Before stating more, I would say that I have four children, the youngestnearly a year old, all of whom I have brought up entirely on the Aylesburyand Swiss milks, which was their only food for the first six months, andhealthier children could not, I believe, exist. My experience, certainlylimited, does not enable me to endorse Dr. Daly’s remarks about childrenthus brought up sinking so rapidly under diarrhcea. Two of mine havesuffered from this disease, and one rather severely whilst in America duringthe very hot summer of 1868; still I did not have great difficulty in sub-duing the disease with the ordinary remedies. During the six months thatI was clinical assistant in the out-patient department of the Children’sHospital in Great Ormond-street, when treatment of this malady in theordinary manner was unsuccessful, I often found great relief given if I wasfortunate enough to induce the parents to leave off the fearfully adulteratedmilk (?) sold in this city, and put their child on "condensed milk" for- awhile. If given to a child in proper proportions, gradually increased withthe child’s age, and out of a bottle (Maw’s "Alexandra" is what I haveused), which, with the tube, is kept thoroughly clean and sweet, I do notthink this invention can be too highly spoken of. My children are not allparticular about requiring sugar with their other food; for though theyhave not had, nor I believe ever tasted, any other milk since their birth, sohearty are their appetites that they are ready for perfectly plain (un-sweetened) biscuits and even dr.’1J b1’ead almost any time of the day; and Ithink they are better without much, for that in the milk appears quitesufficient without adding much in their other diet. None of them havingyet had any of the graver diseases referred to by Dr. Daly, such as measles,whooping-cough, &c., I cannot speak of the manner in which they willmeet them. I am, Sir, yours, &c.,November 6th, 1872. S. A. W.

"HOSPITAL SUNDAY."Cornubiensis will find in THE,LANCET of 22nd January, 1870, an account ofthe plan upon which " Hospital Sunday" is worked at Birmingham. The

honorary secretaries of the Liverpool organisation for the same purposeare the Rev. W. Banister and the Rev. Charles Beard. Mr. F. W. Lowndes,M.R.C.S., of that city, was a prominent advocate of the measure, andwould, no doubt, give our correspondent some useful hints. The namesof the Rev. John Henn, B.A., of Manchester, and Dr. Henry Barnes, ofCarlisle, occur to us in connexion with the movement in those two places.We shall be glad to hear that our correspondent’s efforts are successful.

A Young Surgeon should suggest that a dentist had better be consulted inthe matter. It is a very common mistake, owing to the early age at whichthe first permanent molars appear, for decay in them to be thought of noimportance because they belong to the temporary teeth.

Mr. Basil Ringrose is thanked for his communication.

DEATH CERTIFICATES AND CLUBS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-I shall feel obliged if you will kindly give me your opinion on thefollowing case.During last week I was attending a case of small-pox, which I saw daily.

On Friday night the patient, who was eight months gone in pregnancy, wastaken in labour, and died immediately after delivery. The husband havingfetched an unqualified practitioner to her, without acquainting me, I findupon inquiries that as soon as she was delivered, the " doctor" sat her up inbed, and put a chair behind her. The husband came to me on Saturdaymorning, stating that his wife died the previous night-that she was choked;and as she had symptoms of laryngitis when I visited her, I returned herdeath as small-pox and laryngitis, quite in ignorance of her having beenconfined. I also gave three certificates for death funds in clubs. I am think-ing of summoning the husband before the magistrates for obtaining certi-ficates under false pretences. Dou you think I have a case ? î’

Yours faithfully,October 16th, 1872. MEDIC US.

*** The system of small life insurances will have to be checked by very’, careful inquiry as to the causes of death. Otherwise, unprincipled people

will make bad uses of it. Medical men should be reasonably paid by theOffices for giving certificates in more detail than the ordinary death certi-ficate. As regards this case, our correspondent would be justified instating the facts to a magistrate or to the clubs interested.-ED. L.

A. A.-The law requires that medical officers of health be legally qualifiedmedical practitioners.

M.R.C.S., L.S.A. - An unqualified assistant should seek to be qualifiedbefore going in search of a foreign degree.

A Grub.-The paragraph forwarded regarding the expulsion of any "insectwith twelve joints, eight legs, and four claws with fangs," is too ridiculousfor notice.

AN APPEAL.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-The poor doctor for whom I made an appeal is dead. I have toacknowledge two more donations-one of three guineas from Dr. Kidd, ofBlackheath, and one of one pound from a gentleman at Banbury. Dona-tions for the widow and her three children will be thankfully received by,

Yours truly,7, Trinity-square, S.E., Nov. lst, 1972.

Yours truly, D. HoorEB.

696

SUNDERLAND AND BISHOPWEARMOUTH INFIRMARY AND,

DISPENSARY.

DURING the year ending June 30th, 1872, 54-1 patients were admitted intothe above infirmary, of which number 110 were medical cases, 444 weresurgical cases, and 282 accidents. The number of dispensary patientswith tickets this year has decreased from 4166 to 2065, the cause beingthe abolition of gratuitous advice; but the number seen by tickets hasincreased from 2063 to 2065, thus indicating that many people previouslywere receiving advice from the dispensary who were above seeking aticket, and were in a position to consult their own medical attendant. Award containing eight beds is being fitted up for the sole use of children.

Justitia.-It is impossible to say what the Local Government Board will door will not do. It acts according to its " own sweet will." But it wouldnot be right for it to countenance the sale of Poor-law appointments, orthe exertion of undue influence on members of dispensary committees.The charges made by our correspondent, supposing them to be facts, arenot likely to reach the Board through any ordinary channel, and, if they are to be made, the maker of them should be prepared to substantiatethem.

Inquirens.-Our correspondent is entitled to the fee, according to the judg-ment of most County Court Judges, but not of all.

VACCINE DIRECT FROM THE COW.

W. W. L. writes to state that for information on this subject applicationmay be made to Mr. Greene, Friday Bridge, Birmingham.

POISONING FROM CALVERT’S CARBOLIC ACID; FREE ADMINISTRATION OFOIL ; RECOVERY.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-On September 5th, G. B-, aged four years and a half, drank aportion of carbolic acid which had been kindly given to his mother by Dr.G. Calvert for disinfecting purposes. Shortly after swallowing the poison Iwas sent for, and found him lying on his back, severely convulsed andfrothing at the mouth; the skin, particularly of the face, was blue; and thetongue, which was immensely swollen, reached nearly to the chin. In short,the symptoms resembled those of a person deeply under the influence ofchloroform. With much difficulty I gave him about eight ounces of oliveoil and an emetic of sulphate of zinc. The result was an immediate cessa-tion of the convulsions, and the return of the tongue to its natural size.Feeling convinced that the oil had neutralised the poison, I felt anxious toinduce vomiting, the sulphate of zinc not having acted; but as all myefforts proved abortive, and not having a stomach-pump at hand, I dissolveda grain and a half of tartrate of antimony in a little water, and with ahypodermic syringe injected it under the skin over the stomach. Vomitingshortly took place, and the little sufferer presently revived. The vomitedmatter consisted of shreds of mucous membrane, oil, and part of the child’sdinner. The administration of oil was continued during the night; sub-sequently glycerine, with tincture of chinchona and liquor of citrate ofammonia, with a free allowance of milk. The recovery of my little patientwas retarded in consequence of the injurious effects of the acid to themouth and throat, causing a difficulty in swallowing, and by a sharp attackof pneumonia which set in on the fourth day.

I remain, Sir, yours truly,Bradford, November, 1872. HENRY H. TOYNE, L.F.P.S.G.

Student.-We fear there is no royal road to learning the "nerves, muscles,arteries, &c." - 1. Heath’s Anatomy, with either Flower’s Tables of theNerves or Ellis’s Illustrations of Anatomy, will help our correspondent;but he can only learn them properly from the body. - 2. Lessons inElementary Botany, by Prof. Oliver, 18mo, 4s. 6d.

Ifr. Barringer.-31r. Justice Quain is brother to Mr. Richard Quain, F.R.S.,Surgeon Extraordinary to the Queen; and uncle to Dr. Quain, Physicianto the Brompton Hospital.

A Candidate should apply to the Colonial Office.W.A. D., (St. Bartholomew’s.)-We quite concur with our correspondentin thinking that the handbill enclosed by him is a very discreditable pro-duction.

Mr. I2. L. Bailey is thanked for his communication.A Student may obtain Watson’s Elements of Plane and Solid Geometry of

the publishers, Messrs. Longman, Green, and Co.

HYDROPHOBIA AMONG CHILDREN.

To the Editor o/TBE LANCET.SIR,-In THE LANCET for last week, I am accused of making the

"astounding assertion" that hydrophobia is unknown among children.With your permission I ask Mr. Ellis to read my paper once more, and Idesire to inform him that I still held to my opinion, and that exceptionsprove the rule. Where the vital power is below par, the disease has everychance of showing itself, whatever the age may be, and hence its exceedingrarity among children. The vitality of childhood is so considerable that itcan only be such an accident which induces the disease to assert itself atthis tender period. Mr. Ellis also takes exception to the following remark-" That it is still to be shown whether hydrophobia is at all influenced bythe administration of chloral hydrate." Now, Sir, in your correspondent’scases the benefit derived may have been more apparent than real. Bardsley(Cycl. Pract. Med., art. "Hydrophobia") says, "in some cases the patientbecomes tranquil, and most of his sufferings subside or vanish; he can eat,drink, or converse with facility, and former objects associated with the ex-cruciating torture of attempting to swallow liquids no longer disturb hisfeelirgs. From this calm he sinks into repose, and, suddenly wakingfrom his sleep, expires." This calm before death in most cases is attributedto the particular medicine which has been used, when in all probability thesame thing would have resulted had the case been let alone. It is a mistaketo trim facts to suit preconceived ideas.

I am, Sir, yours truly,Stanhope, Durham, Nov., 1872. TnonAg LIVINGSTONE, M.B., C.M.

HEALTH OF HACKNEY.DR. TRIPE, medical officer of health for the Hackney district, in his latestReport to the vestry, makes the satisfactory announcement that duringthe fortnight ending September 19th the mortality in his district was,making allowance for the increase of population, the smallest that hadbeen recorded in the corresponding period for many years past. In thesame report mention is made of the fact that 138 nuisances had beenabated and 41 discovered since the former meeting of the vestry. It wouldseem to be perfectly fair to regard the abatement of nuisances and theincreased health in this instance as, to some extent at least, bearing therelation of cause and effect.

Anticipator.-Aconsiderate examination might be expected. Inquire of theSecretary of the College.

THE PREVALENCE OF STONE IN TEE BLADDER,To the Editor qf THE LANCET.

SIR,-In your impression of the 26th ult. a lecture by Mr. Cooper Forsteris given, wherein he states the number of stone cases in Norfolk is greaterthan in any other county of England, the cause of which seems at presentuncertain. May not the cause lie in the great absence of milk diet in thiscounty. The peasantry in Norfolk live to a great extent upon vegetablefood, including dumplings. The latter are made with flour and water, andthen boiled, the water containing a large quantity of mineral matter. Itwould be of great interest to procure statistics of the number of stone casesin Leicestershire, and other counties where large dairies of cows are kept.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,Norwich, Nov. 5th, 1872. T. H. COLMAN, M.R.C.S.E.

Mr. John Johnson, (Jewin-street.)-Healthy exercise of mind and body is allthat is required.

Dr. Page, (Newcastle-on-Tyne.) - Our correspondent’s important lettershall be inserted and commented on next week.

A "HOME" FOR AN EPILEPTIC.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-I want to find a " Home" for a very poor but respectable youngwoman affiicted with occasional but, I fear, incurable epileptic attacks. Ifany of your readers can tell me of any institution which will take in such acase, I shall feel much obliged. Yours obediently,November, 1872. OXONIENSIS.

ERRATA.-It is scarcely necessary to say that Mr. Rigden, referred to in ourleading article of October 26th on Puerperal Mortality, practises not inBirmingham, but in Canterbury. - In our last issue the signature to theletter headed Hydrophobia among Children," page 659, should havebeen " Henry W. T. Ellis," not " Edis," and the address given as CrowleHall, Doncaster.

COMMUNICATIONS, LETTERS, &c., have been received from-Mr. T. Holmes;Dr. Anstie; Dr. Cappel; Mr. Preston, East Grinstead; Dr. J. C. Black,Glasgow; Mr. Granton; Dr. Gray, Oxford; Mrs. Collins, Twyford;Dr. Gray, Oxford; Dr. Cowen, Holloway; Dr. Bruce, Birdwan; Dr. Adie,Coventry; Dr. M’Carthy, Bandon; Mr. Sainter, Macclesfield; Dr. Leslie;Dr. Waters, Liverpool; Dr. Van Best, Aberdeen; Mr. Cosburn, Newbnry;Mr. Thomas, Worksop; Dr. Bonner; Mr. Jones, Hallaton; Mr. Eaiman,Wednesbury; Dr. Watson, Manchester; Dr. Boldero, Madrid; Mr. Jones,Carnarvon ; Mr. Chapman; Mr. Atkinson; Mr. Clarke; Mr. Simpson;Dr. Thomson, Dumfries; Dr. Maclaughton; Dr. Jeaffreson ; Mr. Heaton ;Mr. Murray, Dublin; Dr. Gross; Dr. Rigden, Canterbury; Mr. Harman;Dr. Smith, Haverstock-hill; Mr. Thexton, Sutton; Mr. Jones, St. Austell;Dr. Keith, Edinburgh; Dr. Duncan, Richmond; Dr. Dixon, Waterford;Dr..Hardie, :Manchester; Mr. Gorton; Mr. Hayman; Mr. G. Van Abbott;Mr. Sullivan, Malabar; Mr. Slater; Mr. Barringer; Dr. Purdon, Dublin;Dr. Clouston, Carlisle; Mr. Grayson ; Mr. A. S. Gray, Melbourne, Victoria;Mr. Grayling, Forest-hill; Mr. Wigg, Southminster; Mr. Pitcairn, Little-borough ; Mr. Temple; Mr. Atkins; Mr. Ward, Birmingham; Dr. Hooper;Dr. Mackintosh, Callington; Mr. Smith, Glasslough; Mr. A. Ebsworth;Mr. White; Dr. Clarke, Drogheda ; Dr. Platt; Mr. Hunter, Mowsley;Dr. Schlaefer, Berlin ; Mr. Harland; Mr. Clarke, Dudley; Dr. S. C. Reed;Mr. Fleming; Dr. Kemmerich, Bonn; Dr. Dolan; Mr. Wharton, Oxford;)vlr. Livingstone, Stanhope; Mr. Bateman, Worthing; Mr. B. Andrews;Hartlepool; Dr. Evans, Narberth; Mr. Hall, Chatham; Mr. Brown;Mr. Colman, Norwich ; Dr. Lowe, Ferryhill ; Mr. Stowers ; Dr. Menzies,Naples; Mr. W. D. Bateman, Peterborough; Mr. Marriott, Swaffham;Mr. Michell; Mr. Devenish, Colchester; Mr. Potter, Forres; Mr. Wilson,Canterbury; Mr. Coppinger; Mr. T. Morgan, Hartlepool; Dr. Clapham,

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Wakefield; Mr. Holt, Dudley; Mr. W. Kendrick; Mr. Rogers, Sleaforth;Dr. Davis, Frankford-on-the-Maine; Mr. Tickler; Mr. Walker, Henfield;Mr. Greensill ; Dr. Thornton; Dr. Hyslop, Church Stretton; Mr. Taylor,

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’ Wellington; Mr. Bellamy; Dr. de Launey, Brussels ; Mr. Crews, Tiverton;Mr. Warne, Malton; Mr. Benson ; Mr. Wharton, Hythe; Mr. M. Nelson;Dr. Maenab; Mr. Johnson; Dr. Hovell; Mr. Storey; Mr. Barlow, Guy’s ;Honestus ; R. S. P. T.; M.R.C.S., L.S.A.; Veritas ; A Student; Vigilans;

, The Corporation of London; Indophilos; G. P. G.; Justitia; F.R.C.S.;

, Cornubiensis; Aliquis; Xenos; "Mark Tapley"; Arachnida; Juniora;.

Dispenser; S. A. W.; Paganini Redivivus; Alpha; &c. &c.

British Journal of Dental Science, Boston (U.S.) Medical and SurgicalJournal, Free Lance, Sporting Times, Bury Free -Press, Buxton Advertiser,Indian Medical Gazette, Halifax Reporter (Nova Scotia), Guy’s Hospital

, Gazette, Cork Examiner, New South Wales Medical Gazette, Irish Tiraer,Penrith Observer, Pontifract Advertiser, Loose Leaves, and Food, Water,and Air have been received.