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Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.

A MEDICAL LIBRARY IN WAR-TIME.THE annual report of the Library Committee of the

College of Physicians, Philadelphia for the year 1917 reflectsthe difficulties of a medical library during a great war. Thelibrary, which now contains 119,000 volumes and 93,000pamphlets, has naturally been less used than in previousyears.A gradual decrease in the visitors and books consulted has been

reported since the effects of the war in Europe became evident, butwith the entry of the United States in the war, April 6th, 1917, thedecrease in the use of the library has been marked. Nearly one-half ofthe Fellowship of the College is under Government Service and a largeproportion of the usual workers in the Library, not Fellows, have alsovolunteered their service.The library has suffered most in respect of foreign medical

literature.The conditions covering the receipt of foreign medical literature have

been more restricted than during the previous year, particularly in thefield of periodical publications. Numbers are lost in transit, and thisloss is not known until the following number arrives. The end of thiswar will find many broken links that will have to be gathered togetherto form again the unbroken chain in their files of serial publications.The library that can afford to send a special representative abroad tocollect from its many sources the material issued in the variouscountries with which communication has been more or less interferedwith will have a great advantage.In spite of this the number of new publications received

during the year shows an increase of 30 on the previousyear, the actual numbers for the years 1915-17 being :-

1917. 1916. 1915.United States............ .. 456 ...... 425 ...... 283Great Britain ............ 121 ...... 161 ...... 100

France .................. 144 ...... 15 ...... 8Germany ............... 20 ...... 90 ...... 175Other countries ......... 23 ...... 43 ...... 8

764 ...... 734 ...... 574The 20 volumes credited to Germany being continuations of books

published in parts, received from agents in New York, the imprint in14 of them being 1915 and in the other six 1916. =

A useful addition to the library is stated to be a "Photostat,"installed in November, 1916, and described as a " practicallyautomatic photographic machine." By its means more than6000 prints have been made at cost price for the use ofFellows, and complete copies of a number of rare workswhich are now on exhibition in the reading-room, and aredifficult to distinguish from the originals.

COLONIAL HEALTH REPORTS.Leeward Islands (Antigua, St. Kitts, Dommica, Montserrat,

and the Virgin Islands).-According to the Blue-book, thetotal population of the Colony at the last Census was127,193. During 1916 no serious outbreak of illness wasreported from any of the Presidencies. .

A serious attempt was made in Montserrat to eradicate yaws by theuse of salvarsan, and Dr. J. C. McPherson wrote in November thatthe extermination of the disease was in sight. The campaign towardthe relief and control of hookworm was, by the generous aid of theInternational Health Commission, continued in Antigua under thedirection of Dr. Don Morse Griswold. The intensive plan was followed,the unit of operations being a group of villages. For the purposes ofthe work the island was divided into six areas. On account of thesparsity of population these areas were made as large as could be con-veniently handled from a central point. Work was completed in threeof these areas having an aggregate estimated population of 7565. 7477persons were examined and 2229 found infected; 2054 were given firsttreatment and 1973 cured.Admissions into the hospitals of the colony during the year numbered

4147, and there were 325 deaths in these institutions. There are twoleper asylums-one in Antigua and the other in St. Kitts. In the formerthe average daily number of inmates was 44 and in the latter 70.

St. Vincent.-In his report for 1916-17 Mr. AnthonvDe Freitas, the Acting Administrator, states that the esti-mated population is 49,422. The birth-rate for the yearwas 37’4 and the death-rate 19’4 of the estimated popu-lation. Of the births, 67-87 per cent. were illegitimate.The campaign undertaken by the International Health Board for the

eradication of ankylostomiasis has been continued by Dr. P. B. Gardner.Of 8834 persons examined, 4894 were found to be with hookworm. Thenumber treated was 3918. and of these 3335 were cured. In rhe Colonia)Hospital 1041 patients were admitted during the year. and the death-ratewas4’3per cent. of the cases treated. There were 49 lunatics underdetention at Fort Charlotte, and in the Leper Asylum 11 patients weremaintained. At the Yaws Hospital 97 cases were treate’, ot which 73were discharged cured. At the usual district dispensaries and atspecial travelling dispensaries 1621 other yaws patients were treated,616 of whom were cured. The Casualty Hospital at Georgetown, withfour beds, continues to fulfil its purpose ot providing the means oftreating emergency cases.An extraordinary rainfall was experienced in all districts during the

23 days from Oct. 21st to Nov. 12th, 1916; the total in that period,measured at the Botanic Gardens, near Kingstown, was 36’17 inches.The average for the year, as recorded at various places in the island,was 120-84 inches, as against 111-60 in 1915 and 86’71 in 1914. The meanmonthly temperature was 790 F.

HEALTH AND FOOD NOTES.A PAPER prepared by Mr. George Martineau was read by

the President of the West Indian Chambers of Commercebefore the Royal Society of Arts on May lst, in which it wasstated that the world’s production of sugar was now nearly8,300,000 tons. Nearly two-thirds of this came from thebeetroot fields of Northern Europe and to a small extent ofthe United States. The great development of beet sugarwas the result of energy, ability, efficiency, and, more thanall, persistent scientific research. In Germany the dutylevied upon the roots instead of upon the manufacturedsugar had stimulated the farmers to produce the richestquality of root and the manufacturer to extract the largestquantity of sugar. The gradual development of the doublecarbonation method of purifying the juice had producedgood results, and the cane sugar industries were now able toextract 95 per cent. of sugar juice and were ready to fight thebeetroot industry. These figures may usefully be sup-plemented by those contained in a summary recently com-piled for the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which gave theamount of sugar consumed in the United States during theyear 1917 as 88’3 lb. per head of population, comparedwith 84-7 lb. in 1916. This represents nearly 4 oz. a day,and is equivalent to 440 calories, or about one-seventh of atotal daily fuel demand of 3000 calories.It has been announced by the Food Controller that the

potato acreage for 1918 will exceed that of 1917 by about25 per cent. This figure is based on the return of thenumber of persons farming one acre of land and upwards inGreat Britain, and does not take into consideration theproduce of allotments and cottage gardens. With theseincluded, it is estimated that the total potato acreage willbe about 900,000. _

A Horticultural Advisory Committee has been appointedto advise the Board of Agriculture and Fisheries on allquestions connected with horticulture, particularly withregard to the distribution of produce in the situation createdby the war.It has been decided that no further land from the parks,

gardens, and open spaces under the control of the LondonCounty Council Ehall be taken over for allotments.

GAS INFECTION IN GUNSHOT WOUNDS.IN the Corresp.-bl. f. Schw. Aerzte of April 6th, 13th, and

20th Dr. Paul G. Nigst, of Berne, has collected all that is atpresent known of the putride Phlegntonen of war from agarrison hospital in Germany. The literature is enormous,and students of the subject will be grateful for the care-fully compiled summary, with a bibliography running intohundreds of items. Dr. Nigst’s conclusions are disappoint-ing, although no one will venture to quarrel with them." Opinions and views on the etiology [of this condition] aredivergent and, if anything, more in need of clearing upthan before the war." He hopes that a causal prophylaxismay be found on the same lines as that applicable to tetanusin man and anthrax in animals.

THE COST OF WAR PENSIONERS IN HOSPITALS.THE Medical Committee of the Royal Hampshire County

Hospital, Winchester, finding that the grant of 5s. 6d. perman per diem offered by the Ministry of Pensions for themaintenance of war pensioners will only just cover theirmaintenance in hospital, have passed a resolution that themedical treatment of pensioners should be paid for by anadequate and direct remuneration of the staff on a separatebasis from that of maintenance.

LECTURES FOR INTENDING BABY WEEKSPEAKERS.

WB are asked by the National Baby Week Council toannounce that the lectures to prospective speakers Interestedin the baby week campaign to be given on Mondays at Dr.Williams’ Library, 14, Gordon-square, London, W.C. (seeTHE LANCET, April 27th, p. 626), have been rearranged asfollows :-May 13th: Miss Alice Elliott. As already announced." 20th : Cancelled... 27th " Provision for Maternity," Dr. J. H. Fairbairn.

June 3rd : " Civic Responsibility with Regard to Child Welfare,"Dr. Harold Scurfield.

" 10th "The Working-class Mother’s Point of View," Mrs. H. B.Irving.

" 17th: "Factors of Infant Mortality," Dr. C. W. Saleeby.Cards of admission free on apllication to the secretary,

National Baby Week Council, 27A, Cavendish-square,London, W. 1.At Lincoln a special course of lectures on infant care will

be held, under the auspices of the National Society for thePrevention of Infant Mortality, at the municipal technicalschool for nurses, midwives, health visitors, and others, fromMay 27th to June lst. The lecturers include Lady Barrett,Sir Francis Champneys. Miss M. B. Douie, Dr. D. Forsyth,Dr. A. R. Hallam, Major G. H. Pooley, R.A.M.C. (T.), Dr. EricPritchard, Dr. Clive Riviere, and Mrs. Shepherd. The feefor the complete course, comprising 16 lectures, is 7s. 6d., orIs. for a single lecture.

694

OUR HOSPITAL MILK-SUPPLY.DURING the past few months the Lister Institute of Pre-

ventive Medicine has examined for the National Clean MilkSociety samples of milk as they were received by 21 Londonhospitals, with a result that in 10 per cent. of the samplestubercle was found, and in all cases the Baczllus coli waspresent. The same quality milk is, of course, supplied tothe ordinary consumer. This is a very serious condition ofthings, and it is certainly strange that, as the report pointsout, while the public can be earsily aroused to take aninterest in the question as to whether a milk combine mayor may not be allowed to exist, the fact that milk isdelivered to them in a-condition which may cause diseaseand death is received with apathy. The National CleanMilk Society, whose aim is to raise the hygienic standardof milk and milk products, in calling attention to thematter deserves the thanks of all who value health and life.

THE DECIMAL ASSOCIATION.THE secretary of the Decimal Association draws attention

to the following extracts from the report of the committeeappointed to inquire into the position of Natural Science inthe Educational System of Great Britain :-"Great importance should be attached to sound work in elementary

mathematics and phvsicat measurements and to familiarity with theuse of decimals and the metric system.The question as to the advantages and disadvantages of the metric

system of weights and measures has many aspects which it is notwithin our province to discuss. As far, however, as education is con-cerned, the introduction of the metric system would be attended withgreat advantages. Arithmetic would be much simplified and timezaved, which could be devoted to other subjects.The present chaos of English weights and measures causes waste of

time and confusion of thought, and there are strong educationalreasons for the adoption of the metric system."

MEDICAL SICKNESS, ANNUITY AND LIFE. ASSURANCE FRIENDLY SOCIETY.

THE thirty-fifth report and statement of accounts for theyear ending Dec. 31st, 1917, was presented at the annualgeneral meeting of the members held on May 3rd. Thetotal number of members at the end of the year was 3314.There were 55 deaths, 18 lapses, 2 resigned, and 24 reachedthe age of 65 and went out of benefit. In the Sickness andAccident Fund premiums received were £23,557, interest£7484, and claims paid £17,932. 706 claims were paid.29 members were on the Fund for the whole year, butdeducting these the average duration of illness was 5 weeks2 days. The estimated number of members on activeservice is 1500. The total of the Fund was .S176.105. In theAnnuity Fund the total amount paid was £3676, the numberof members drawing annuities was 92, and the total of theFund was =E69,236. In the Life Assurance Fund thepremiums received were £1532 and interest £922; 8 claimsarose amounting to .E1825, and the total of the Fund was.E21.141. The total assets in all branches amounted tojE288,037. In the year the Investment Reserve Fund hasbeen increased from £10,000 to JE20.000. The depreciationwhich has occurred in all stocks since the 1913 valuationprompted the committee to have a new valuation, which hasbeen made by Mr. S. G. Warner, F.I.A., president of theInstitute of Actuaries. The members are assured that thesociety is in a sound financial condition. The managementfund expenses amounted to JE2687, but included subscriptionsof 100 guineas each to Epsom College and the Royal MedicalBenevolent Fund.

DENTAL CLINICS.THE metropolitan borough of St. Pancras, among the

first in founding maternity and child welfare centres, hasnow extended the excellent work that these centres aredoing by establishing a municipal dental clinic for themothers and children. On the advice of the medicalofficer of health, Dr. T. Shadick Higgins, the publichealth committee decided that the work could be carriedon more efficiently in connexion’with an existing institutionthan by setting up a separate clinic for the purpose.Advantage was taken of the fact that the British Dentists’ Hospital, the only public dental service in the metropolis, issituated at 31, Camden-road, in the centre of the boroughand easy of access from all parts. Arrangements have beenmade with the council of the hospital for the use of a surgeryon one afternoon a week. The borough council appoint their own staff and provide materials, and the hospital Isupplies equipment, attendance, &c. Mrs. Murch, L.D.S.,has been appointed dental surgeon and Dr. J. Maughananæsthetist. Work began on April 15th, and judging by thenumbers already attending the success of the scheme isassured. The Lewisham borough council have recentlyopened a maternity and child welfare centre, and here alsothe British Dentists’ Hospital has beeu approached to under-take the dental treatment at the clinic at 46, Rushey Green.Definite arrangements are not yet made, but it is expectedin this case that the patients will be treated by the hospitalstaff, the council paying a capitation fee. It will beinteresting to compare results when both schemes areworking, in order to ascertain which is the more satisfactoryto all concerned.

ARABIC MEDICAL TRACTS.IN the Lista dei Manoscritti Arabi Nuovo Fondo della

Biblioteca Ambrosiana of Milan, published in the RivistaOrientale of the University of Rome, several Arabic medicalworks are catalogued which, although of no scientific value,will be of interest for the history of medicine. There aresome, however, which are worthy of attention becausestated to be copies of Greek works. Of these, No. 410 in thelist in the Rivista seems the most important. It professesto give a work, the Libro dei Cauterii, of a medical authornamed Plato (Ifiatun al-hakim). It is a short treatisehitherto lost, but which Arabic writers had stated to betranslated into Arabic. The Fihrist alludes to it as Ktab al-Kaij, and says its author was a certain Plato. He also com-posed a work upon phlebotomy of which a Hebrew fragmentis extant and may be found in Steinschneider’s Die ArabUebersetzungen aus dem Griechischen, iii., 26. The Arabictract at Milan preserves, the Cauterii complete in 33paragraphs.Another manuscript, No. 351, gives a mystical commentary

upon 45 verses of the Aphorisms of Hippocrates. TheJournal Asiatique has been printing a summary of the manyMusulman manuscripts collected by M. Decourdemanche,who acquired them with the view of perfecting his theory ofthe origin of the Arabic numerals. Several of them containmedical matter probably, from M. E. Blochet’s admirablenotes, worthless. No. 1322, a treatise on various subjectsdedicated to Mohamed III., and so dating from the sixteenthcentury, has a natural history section, and in this is takenup the medicinal value of plants and oils. Its author isMohamed Takir ibn Sheikh Nour Alla al-Nadjibi. Anothercodex, Supplement Turc 1341, is a treatise entirely uponpharmacy and medicine by Abu Bekr Nousrat Efendi. Thereare no less than 98 pages. The date of its engrossment is1810, but certainly its lore was copied from much earliersources. Such Semitic works as these deserve carefulscrutiny. A valuable MS. is No. 1876, which purports tocure diseases by means of precious stones and is writtenaccording to the doctrines of Paracelsus.

POPULATION OF AN ALPINE HEALTH RESORT.IN the last week of April there were 970 visitors at Arosa

(6000 feet above sea-level) distributed as follows amongthe various nations : German, 589: Swiss, 270; Austro-Hungarian, 46 ; English, 23; other nationalities, 42. Besidesthe voluntary visitors there were 170 invalided Swisssoldiers and 121 interned German prisoners.

CENTENARIANS.Mrs. M. Farmer, of Colyton, Devonshire, celebrated the

hundredth anniversary of her birthday on April 27th.-Mr.William Williams, who was born on Jan. 3rd, 1818, has diedrecently at Helston, Cornwall.-William Skindle, who diedat Heene, Worthing, on April 26th, aged 100, followed thecalling of a postillion, his father being employed at one ofthe posting houses at Hounslow. He had resided at Worthingsince 1873, and in retirement since 1884.

Lieutenant-Colonel T. Wallace, R.A.M.C. (T.) has beenpromoted from honorary serving Brother to Knight ofGrace of the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England.A SUPPLEMENT to the Nederl. Tijdsch. v. Geneesk. for

March 30th, 1918, gives the detailed programme of thesixty-ninth annual conference of the Maatschappij totBevordering der Geneeskunst, which is to be held, in spiteof war conditions, in one of the Zalen van Artis atAmsterdam, on July lst-2nd, and, if necessary, 3rd.

F. G. P.-There are two units in common use: (1) the smallcalorie or, as it would be better called, the gramme-calorie;(2) the large calorie or kilo-calorie. The small calorierepresents the amount of heat required to raise thetemperature of 1 gramme of water by 1° C. and is theordinary standard of exact experiments. For measuringthe heat value of foods the kilo-calorie has been adopted-i.e.,the amount of heat required to raise 1 kilo of water by 1° C. or(which happens to be the same thing) 1 lb. of water by 4° F.

M E T E O R O L O G I C A L R EADI I N G S.(Taken daily at 8.30 a.m. by Steward’s Instruments.)

THE LANCET Office, May 8th, 1918.

Other Information which we have been accustomed to give in these"Readings" is withheld for the period of the war.