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ordinary sinns fully accounted for the fractures not havingbeen detected during life.

Health of Belfast.The death-rate for the week ending Jan. 20th has been

from all causes 24 ’1 and from the principal zymotic diseases23 per 1000. This is less than the average annual death-rateof the 23 principal urban sanitary districts, which was 31-4per 1000 during the same time. As it appears that there isa large number of deaths of children under six years of ageinstructions have been given by the public health committeeof the city corporation for returns relating to infant mortalityto be prepared and submitted to the committee for considera-tion at their next meeting.

The Belfast Maternity Hospital.A sale of work in aid of this charity was held in Belfast on

Jan. 25th, which it is hoped will bring a large addition tothe funds of a very deserving and necessary institution.The committee are most anxious to start the building of anew hospital, which is necessary alike to the poor women ofBelfast and to the medical school, but a delay has arisen asthey have discovered that they cannot retain the site of theold one without paying a rent equal to the market value ofthe land which would now be very high. Several new pro-jects are being considered, but nothing so far is finallysettled.

The Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.At the annual meeting of the friends of this hospital, held

on Jan. 26th, it was reported that in 1879 there were treatedin the wards 474 children (243 medical, 220 surgical, and11 eye and ear cases), while in the out-patient rooms 5007new cases were seen (3011 medical, 828 surgical, 863 eyeand ear, and 305 dental cases). Dr. Leathem has beenelected on the physicians’ side, a vacancy having occurredthrough the resignation of Dr. F. Howard Sinclair. There isa large clinical class of senior students. New cots havebeen placed in the surgical ward during the year of the mostmodern design. Financially there is a deficit of £100 owingto the increase of both intern and extern cases; but the

legacies of the year enabled all debts to be paid.The Samaritan Hospital, Belfast.

The annual meeting of the friends of this hospital washeld on Jan. 29th. It was reported that 771 patients hadbeen treated in the extern department and 203 in the wards,and of these 180 were operated on. In spite of the gravenature of these operations (35 were abdominal) the death-rate vas under 22 per cent. Financially there was a netbalance of about £136. A ladies’ committee has beenformed and has been found most advantageous to the hos-pital. They have spent a sum of E200 on necessary repairsto the building. The debt at the end of 1898 was £200.which, thanks to the exertions of a member of the ladies’committee (Miss F. Henderson), has been more than paidoff. Dr. J. St. Clair Boyd, one of the retiring surgeons, wasre-elected.Jan. 30th.

________________

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

A Victim to Professional Ditty. 0DR. DEVAY, medical officer in charge of the lunatic

asylum which is maintained by the Brothers of Saint-Jean-de-Dieu at Lyons, was recently assassinated by one of thepatients. On Jan. 23rd Dr. Devay was vaccinating the pay-ing patients of the institution and while performing thisoperation a patient struck him a violent blow in theabdomen with some sharp instrument which he had con-cealed under his clothing. The wound was very severeand the bowel was perforated. Dr. Devay was at onceremoved to the Hotel Dieu and Dr. Jaboulay performeda laparotomy, but in spite of all Dr. Devay succumbedto acute peritonitis. Dr. Devay occupied a prominent placeamong the ranks of specialists in mental diseases and formany years had contributed most valuable papers to theArchives of Neurology, more especially one in 1897 entitled" Melancholia and Exophthalmic Goitre." At the Congressof Alienists and Neurologists of Bordeaux held in 1896 hecommunicated another very notable paper upon Melancholiain Syphilitics. Besides these occupations he edited withgreat skill a monthly journal of medicine, the Echo Medical

de Lyon, which is in its fourth year of publication. Thetragic death of so distinguished a professional brother hasnaturally been the cause of much sorrow among the pro.fession in Lyons.

The Budget of the Assistance Publique.Dr. Napias, the director of the Assistance Publique at

Paris, has just issued the annual report upon the generalexpenses of the organisation for the year 1899. The

expenses, which increase year by year, amount to a totalof 23,033 050 francs. This is equivalent to a sum of 8f. 93c.for each inhabitant. In 1891 the rate was 7f. 41c., and in 18765f. 49c. Dr. Napias attributes the increase to the creation ofnew departments and the perfecting of the old ones. In hisstatement Dr. Napias counts upon a great augmentation ofincome for the year 1900 owing to a large increase in theyield from the droit des pauvres. These dues enable a taxof 10 per cent. to be levied upon the gross receipts of alltheatres and places of amusement. Taking into considerationthe number of such places which will be open during theforthcoming exhibition Dr. Napias counts upon a revenuefrom this source of 1.,500,000 francs in excess of the ordi-nary revenue. This estimate, which seems at first sightenormous, is not really so if the receipts in former exhibitionyears be taken into account. In 1878 the droit des pauvresrealised 3,906,342 francs, whereas in the preceding yearthe figures were 2,728,C 54. In 1889 the assets were 4,438,142francs and in the preceding year 3,023,430, showing adifference of 1,414,712 francs. Even if there be alloweda sum of 30,000 francs for increased expenditure during thisperiod, as Dr. Napias assumes, it will be seen that theincrease which he hopes for is by no means unreasonable,although there will no doubt be increased expenses owing tothe strain which will be thrown upon the hospitals.

Dissensions between Medical Men.An unfortunate state of matters has arisen between the

medical man in charge at the Blind Children’s Instituteand his second in command. As a rule, when thereis a chief and a second in command the latter succeedsto the post of the former at his death or his resigna-tion. But at the Blind Children’s Institute there seemsto be a tradition that the senior post should be farmedby members of the same family without any considerationfor the rights of the assistant medical officer. In1872 Dr. Lombard, the senior medical officer, resigned infavour of his son-in-law, Dr. Claisse. Dr. Brognard, thejunior medical officer, being left out in the cold, resigned.In 1898 Dr. Claisse resigned, nominating as his successor hisson, Dr. Paul Claisse, without regarding the claim of hisjunior, Dr. Watelet, although the latter was an elderly manand well known, while Dr. Paul Claisse is but 33 years ofage. Dr. Watelet protested against this arrangement, and itwas determined, with the concurrence of Dr. Paul Claisse,to submit the matter to the arbitrament of the medical menof the Seine. These gentlemen decided against Dr. PaulClaisse and in favour of Dr. Watelet. Dr. P. Claisse, however,in spite of this opinion stuck to his post. Dr. Watelet wrotehim a letter marked "personal and private," in which hereproached him for his action in not abiding by the resultof an arbitration accepted by him. Dr. Claisse thereuponsent this letter to the Minister of the Interior, M. WaldeckRousseau, with an intimation that he took it as an act ofinsubordination on the part of the junior medical officer.M. Waldeck Rousseau has just intimated to Dr. Watelet, whois able to count 30 years’ service, that he must apologiseto Dr. Claisse or resign. This unfortunate incident, whichis the subject of much comment in the public press, hasmade a great sensation in Paris.

Reform in the Provision for Medico.Legal Expert Evidence.At a recent meeting of the Forensic Medical Society the

introduction of an amendment to the new law concerningexpert evidence was discussed on the motion of M, Jacomy.The society considered that the words "expertise contta-dictoire" should be expunged from the text of the regula-tions as defective and leading to misunderstanding. Thechief part of the discussion was, however, taken upin considering the length of time allowed to the accusedfor making up his mind as to the choice of an expert

iwitness. M. Jacomy considered that the period of three

days allowed to the accused -- which were in reality, five days, viz., three days in which to make up his mind,

one day to notify his choice to the judge, and one day for! the notification of the expert chosen by the judge to the

349

accused-was much too long, for at an interval of five daysafter death expert evidence was not of any use. M. Jacomyconsidered that the examining magistrate should be

empowered to nominate a provisional expert on behalf ofthe accused as soon as he should signify his choice aftercotif-ultation with his solicitor. Professor Brouardellnid great stress upon the necessity for making expertexaminations at as early a date as possible, forthe earlier they were made the more valuable theywere. Especially was this the case in the country wherethere was a lack of freezing apparatus, and in such circum-stances bodies were almost always in a state of decomposi-tion by the time they were submitted to the expert. It isalmost impossible to make satisfactory expert examinationsfrom June to October. Even in Paris 48 hours generallyelapsed before any examination could be made, and if asecond expert were necessary who could not begin his workbefore the lapse of five days expert evidence would be animpossibility. In the interests of justice the choice of asecond expert should be made within 24 hours. After a veryinteresting debate the above conclusions were unanimouslyagreed to.

Jan. 29th. ________________

BERLIN.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Sale of Secret Preparations.A BILL relating to the sale of secret preparations is being

introduced by the German Government. According to thePharmaceutische Zeitung its principal provisions will be asfollows. The central authorities of each State of the empireshall register the medicinal compounds which are to be

regarded as of secret composition. Substances which arecontained in the German Pharmacopoeia or are generallyrecognised as remedies by medical science, or are intendedonly for disinfectants or cosmetics, however, may be soldwithout registration. The public advertisement of medicinesof secret composition is prohibited. The bottles, boxes,&c., must bear only the, name of the compound, thename of the maker, and the price. It is strictlyprohibited to affix to the bottles or boxes labels con-

taining recommendations, professional opinions, expressionsof thanks by patients, or any other statement by which aspecial action of the compound is announced. Licenseddruggists may sell secret preparations only on the writtenprescription of a medical man. The sale of secret preparationswhich are prejudicial to health is prohibited. The medicaljournals generally are in favour of the new Bill; they recom-mend, however, that the registration of secret preparationsshould be undertaken not by the individual States of the- empire but by the Imperial Health Office for the wholeterritory of the empire so as to avoid the anomaly that acompound may be regarded as a secret preparation in oneplace whilst it may be sold without restriction in a ne:gh-bouring town belonging to another State.

llledical Journals in Germany.The Berlin medical press has been increased by the issue

of a new periodical entitled Die Medicinische Woche (The ’,Medical Week), which is to appear every Monday. Theeditor is Dr. Paul Meissner of Berlin. The first numbercontains a leading article by the editor, an address byProfessor von Bergmann on first-aid service, originalarticles by Professor Brieger and Dr. Friedjung, togetherwith other matter consisting of reports of meetings ofmedical societies in Berlin and abroad, reviews of books,and other miscellaneous subjects. The number of medicaljournals has greatly increased of late years. Apart fromthe surgical, obstetrical, and other specialist weekly, fort-

nightly, or monthly periodicals, there are now many journalsdealing with medicine and professional matters. Up to1864 there was only one journal of this kind, the AllgemeineMedicinische Central Zeitung, which still continues to appearand is now in its sixty-eighth year. In 1864 the BerlinerKlinische Wochenschrift was founded by Dr. L. Posner, thetather of the present co-editor, Professor C. Posner. This wasthe first important medical journal in Berlin and was the onlyone till 1875, when the late Dr. Borner founded the DeutscheMedicinische Wueleenschrift, which was afterwards edited byDr. Gutmann ; the present editors are Professor Eulenburgand Dr. Julius Schwalbe. The two last-mentioned

periodicals are the leading medical journals of Berlin,and together with the Münchener Medicinische Wochen-schrift are the leading medical journals of Germany,occupying a position in this country equivalent to thatof THE LAKCET and the British Medical .Journal in

England. A few months ago a similar journal called theDeutsche Aerzte-Zeitung appeared under the editorship ofProfessor Stadelmann ; it is somewhat smaller and thereforecheaper than those above mentioned. Another paper con-

taining fewer original articles but devoting much attentionto reports and reviews of books, German and foreign litera-ture, and medical societies is the Deutsche Medicinal.Zeitungconducted by Dr. Grosser. The contents of all these medicalweekly papers are almost exclusively scientific, and, con-trary to the customs of the British medical press,the space allotted to the social and economical interestsof the profession is relatively small. On the otherhand, there are a number of papers which are devotedexclusively to professional as distinguished from scientificmatters. Most of them are distributed free of charge to theBerlin practitioners either because they derive their incomefrom advertisements or because they are supported by pro-fessional societies. To the latter class belong the BerhnerAe7-,te-Correspondenz, the organ of the Berliner Standes-vereine, edited by Dr. Joachim, the Medicinische Reform,the official organ of the Free-choice Society, the DeutscheMedicinische Presse, and others. The Aerztliches T7er6inS-blatt, which is the official organ of the German Practitioners’Association, and the Aerztlicher Central-Anzeiger, which isspecially devoted to the interests of country practitioners,are edited not in Berlin but in Hamburg.Jan. 29th.

____

ROME.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

A Congress of International Hygiene.THE invitation addressed to the European Governments

by their Italian sister to give an opinion as to the oppor-tuneness and advisability of convening a Congress of Inter-national Hygiene similar to that held at Venice in 1897, totake measures for the defence of Europe against the

pestis bubonica," seems, according to information derivedfrom the Consulta (the Foreign Office), to have elicited

replies favourable to such a project. From the samesource I learn that the Italian Government has had

quite sufficient encouragement from the Powers to

employ itelf in formulating a 11 questionario " or

schedule of debateable points in view of the Congressbecoming a fait accompli. Among these points the chief,I understand, are quarantine, and the rules to be enforcedagainst the diffusion of plague or contagious maladiescapable of assuming an epidemic form. Minor points forthe consideration of the Congress are said to be "it com-mercio delle specialità medicinali, delle acque minerali, e

degli altri articoli farmaceutici" (the trade in medicines of aspecial kind, in mineral waters, and in other articles sold bypharmaceutical chemists). On the completion and distribu-tion of the " questionario " the Italian Government will nextpropose to the Powers the place at which the Congress shallmeet and the time at which to hold it. This latter detailwill, as THE LANCET 1 has abundantly shown, be the mostdifficult to settle. The tension between several of the greatPowers is at present too severe to conduce to amicable dis-cussion of such topics as 11 international sanitation " These,as late events have shown, may be highly debateable-eventhe organisation of the Red Cross having had to lay itsaccount with the susceptibilities of Powers more or less closelyidentified with alliances " dual " or " triple." Postponementto a season when the political atmosphere is less chargedwith explosive element is, as THE LANCET suggested, thecourse least open to difficulty in convening the proposedCongress ; and, indeed, it is significant that in their repliesto the Italian invitation the sister Powers, while unanimousas to the " advisability" of holding some such meeting,appear to be, one and all, silent as to its " opportuneness."

Influenza.Not only epidemic but pandemic, influenza is master of the

situation. Nearly every public interest or occupation has to

1 THE LANCET, Dec. 2nd, 1899, p. 1534.