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with them. 5. The men should be directed to search for

openings in the sewers, and to report immediately if anysewer is in a bad condition, either as regards depth ofwater, foulness of air, or"defects in brickwork.

Queen’s College, Belfast : Tlte President’s Report.From the report of the President (Dr. Hamilton), just

printed, I learn that the total number of students attendingthe College during the session 1888-89 was : in arts, 174; inmedicine, 222; in law, 22; in engineering, 11. As sevenstudents attended in more than one faculty, the entirenumber in attendance was 422. The average number ofstudents in attendance during each session of the first tenyears of the history of the College was 189’-1; during eachsession of the second decade, 368’2; in the third, 400’3; inthe fourth decade now ended it is found to have risen to473’4. During the forty years of its existence, 4681students altogether have entered the College. At the’examinations of the Royal University, held during thelast academic year, 393 students of the Belfast Collegepassed in the various grades. Of these 20 passed thefirst University examination in medicine, 30 the second,47 the third, and 30 medical degrees were obtained.After giving details of the successes of Queen’s Collegestudents at other universities, a special tribute is paid-to the memory of Dr. Porter, the late President, whosedeath in March last was such a serious blow to the ’,- cause of education in the north of Ireland. The re-

port concludes by calling attention to the great wantof an additional grant of money for providing increasedaccommodation in the chemical and biological laboratories.The required sum would be about E8000.

Presentation of a Park to Belfast.On Aug. 1st a letter was read at the monthly meeting of

the Town Council from Mr. R. G. Dunville, D.L., offeringto present to the city, free, a piece of ground containingfive or six acres of land, worth, it is said, E7000, for a public,park. The ground is situated in a district which is rapidlyincreasing in population. A hearty vote of thanks waspassed to Mr. Dunville for his generous gift.

Hospital Saturday.Notwithstanding that Hospital Saturday (Aug. 3rd) was

anything but a favourable day, the morning being very wet,a larger sum was realised than in either of the two previousyears. The total amount raised was about £300. Thisincludes, however, £38 contributed by the members of theQueen’s College Musical Society, as the result of an after-noon performance of "Maritana," given by them in theTheatre Royal on Saturday in aid of the funds of the hospital.

Hydrophobia.On March 14th a man, while walking along College-

square, one of the leading thoroughfares of Belfast, wasbitten by a dog snapping at his hand. The wound, whichwas at the root of the thumb, healed in ten days, andnothing further developed until July 28th, when he was’taken ill, and Dr. N. J. McDonnell pronounced the diseaseto be hydrophobia. He was brought to the Royal Hospitalthe next day (July 29th), when it was noticed that hehad difficulty in swallowing fluids, convulsive attacks, andpain and loss of power in the right arm. On the third dayafter admission he became delirious and violent, and thiscontinued until 2 A.M. on Friday, Aug. 2nd, when he died.Pneumonia set in previously to death. After hearing themedical evidence at the inquest, the jury returned a verdictthat he died from hydrophobia.

Belfast, Aug. 6th. _______________

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Cases of Poisoning at Hyéres and Havre.PROFESSOR BROUARDEL read his report at the Academy

of Medicine, giving the result of his investigations on thecases of the wholesale poisoning that took place a fewmonths ago at Hyéres and at Havre. He observed tlmtbetween the most acute forms of poisoning, those in whichdeath takes place in a few hours and those which determineaccidents the evolution of which is accomplished in someweeks and even months, there is a great analogy with thecases of poisoning at Hyeres, where, it will be remembered,

the medical men at first supposed that it was an epidemicof enteric fever, then they thought it was an epidemic of in-fluenza, finally an epidemic recalling acrodynia, but whensymptoms of paralysis showed themselves, all hypothesesdisappeared, and the truth was discovered. According to Dr.Brouardel there are four distinct periods in arsenical poison-ing : the first is marked by digestive troubles, the secondpresents eruptions and a laryngo-bronchial catarrh, the thirdis cliaracterised by sensory troubles, and the fourth period byparalysis ; but until this becomes manifest, one maybe led to believe that he has to do with some gastric dis-order, influenza, or with acrodynia. But the most remark-able part of Dr. Brouardel’s communication was thediscovery of arsenic in the osseous tissue, while there wasno trace of this substance in the viscera where it ishabitually found. M. Pouchet, who took up the chemicalpart of the researches with Dr. Brouardel, observed thatarsenic may be found not only in the principal viscera, theskin, and the hair, but also in the bones, and principally inthe spongy tissue, where it is to be found even when notrace is left in the viscera. Dr. Brouardel then indicatedthe means by which poisoning by arsenic may be discovered.He said that the linen which may be soiled by the dejectionsshould be secured ; the urine, which should be drawn off bythe medical man himself, should be analysed ; and searchshould be made in the hair for arsenic.

Heredity of Myopia.Dr. Motais of Angers read a note on the Heredity of

Myopia. The author had examined the families of 330young myopic subjects, and arrived at the following con-clusions : 1. The hereditary influence of myopia is manifest.2. It exists in 216 out of 330 families. 3. Hereditary myopiais cha,racterised by its early appearance, its comparativelyrapid development, and the high average of its degree.4. Myopia is transmitted by the father to the daughter86 times out of 100, and by the mother to the son 79 timesout of 100. Heredity is crossed.

Spectacles cotd Eye-glasses.Dr. G. J. Bull, M.D., of the Faculty of McGill’s University

(Montreal), has lately taken his degree in Paris, and chosefor the subject of his inaugural thesis, "Spectacles andEye-glasses." After having practised about twenty yearsin America, the greater part of which time Dr. Bull prac-tised ophthalmology in New York, he came over to Paris,and perfected himself in this branch under the guidance ofDr. Javal, the celebrated ophthalmologist, with whom heworked at the laboratory of the Sorbonne. Thcse who wishto learn how to wear spectacles and eye-glasses should readDr. Bull’s newly published work, which is the reproductionof his thesis, containing, in addition, an introduction byDr. Javal. The work is most interesting, and of greattheoretical and practical value, particularly to those affectedwith astigmatism. According to the author, for some yearsa more precise knowledge of astigmatism has produced acomplete revolution in the science of ophthalmology. Hesays it is important to draw the attention of the public tothe existence of this optical defect, which is more frequentthan myopia and than presbyopia, and which is correctedby means of special glasses, cut to measure, after the indi-cations of the oculist. As regards myopia, Dr. Bull statesthat infants are not born myopes; with very rare exceptionthey become so with age, and more frequently because theyacquire the habit of reading and writing at too short adistance. The eye, therefore, becomes developed in adefective manner. It is often said that myopia andpresbyopia are two affections opposed and incompatible;but the author affirms that this is not the case, the realstate opposed to myopia being hypermetropia. Dr. Bull isthe inventor of a new optometer, a full description of whichwill be found in his work, where other useful hints aregiven for the preservation of the eyesight.

Tuberculosis.The second Congress for the Study of Tuberculosis will

be held at the end of the month of July, 1890, under thepresidency of Professor Villemin, when the followingquestions will be submitted for discussion: — 1. Theidentity of tuberculosis in man and that of the bovines,gallinacæ, and other animals. 2. The bacterian and morbidassociations of tuberculosis. 3. The hospitalisation oftuberculous subjects. 4. Agents capable of destroyingthe bacillus of Koch, non-injurious to the organism, asregards the prophylaxy and the therapeutics of human and

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animal tuberculosis. Intimation of intention to be presentand subscriptions (20 francs) should be forwarded to M. G.Masson, Treasurer, 120, Boulevard Saint Uermain, andthat communications which concern papers should beaddressed to Dr. L. H. Petit, General Secretary, 11, RueMonge, Paris.

Deatlt of M. Armand Hayem.Death of M. Armand Hayem.A case of suicide, under most painful circumstances,

occurred on Saturday last, in the person of M. ArmandHayem, brother of our esteemed co7yrcrc Professor Hayem.The deceased gentleman had only recently been electeda member of the Academy of Sciences. He had been forsome time labouring under great mental depression, whichwas accompanied by symptoms of dyspepsia, for which liewas treated by some of the leading members of the faculty.He, however, fell into a melancholic condition, and being,as he said, afraid of dying of inanition, he put an end to hislife by shooting himself, the bullet passing through hisright temple.Dr. Sydney Ringer of London has been elected Corre-

sponding Member of the Academy of Medicine.Paris, Aug. 6th.

________________

THE SERVICES.

ARMY MEDICAL STAFF.-The Commission of HonoraryBrigade Surgeon Benjamin Lane as Assistant Surgeon isantedated to May 8th, 1852, such antedate not to carry backpay or allowances prior to June 5th, 1882; Sergeant-MajorDavid James Gillman, Medical Staff Corps, to be Quarter-master, with the honorary rank of Lieutenant, vice HonoraryLieutenant W. Murray, retired (dated Aug. 7th, 1889).VOLUNTEER CORPS. —Artillery: 3rd Volunteer (Kent)

Brigade, Cinque Ports Division, Royal Artillery: Theundermentioned Acting Surgeons to be Surgeons: C. Arrol(dated Aug. 3rd, 1889); R. J. Bryden (dated Aug. 3rd, 1889).lst Midlothian: Surgeon P. A. Young, M.D., to be Surgeon-Major, ranking as Major (dated Aug. 3rd, 1889).—Rifle:2nd Volunteer Battalion, the Queen’s Own (Royal WestKent Regiment): Acting Surgeon D. T. Playfair to beSurgeon (dated Aug. 3rd, 1889).-2nd Volunteer Battalion,the Prince of Wales’s (North Staffordshire Regiment): Sur-geon W. G. Lowe, M.D., to be Surgeon-Major, ranking asMajor (dated Aug. 3rd, 1889).

Obituary.CHARLES SAMUEL WEBBER, F.R.C.S.

AMONGST the many men in our profession full of quietand unobtrusive goodness and kindness, few, if any, havepossessed these qualities in a higher degree than did CharlesSamuel Webber, who died on the 20th ult. Of late years,owing to a very painful affection, he had been compelled toretire absolutely into private life, and he was thereforeknown but little to the medical men of the present day;but those who did know and see him found him, in themidst of his sufferings, always full of patience and kindness,desirous to work for others as far as his strength allowed,and always intelligently interested in all that concerned hisprofession. He was born at Hopton, Suffolk, on Aug. 7th,1809, and was the only son of Samuel Webber, surgeon,of that place, who was Colonel Commandant of theBlackwater Regiment of Volunteers, and deceased in 1822.Mr. Webber entered at Guy’s and St. Thomas’s Hospitalsand subsequently studied in Paris. He joined the Societyof Apothecaries as long ago as 1831, and became M.R.C.S.in 1836, and a Fellow of the College in 1864. In the earlierpart of his career he assisted Mr. Samuel Randall of Orford,Suffolk, but subsequently obtained an appointment, thenmuch sought after - namely, that of Surgeon-Superin-tendent under H.M. Colonial Lands and Emigration Com-mission. It is almost needless to say that he was a greatfavourite and very popular with the emigrants ; and that_he well utilised his time is proved by the fact that theresults of his experience were published under the title of"A Journal of a Surgeon Superintendent by the Com-missioners. He had previously ublislied in THE LANCETan interesting and instructive "Case of Strangulated Hernia

successfully treated by the Exhausting Syringe attached toan O’lleirne’s liectat Tuhe." He was a member, andformerly Vice-President, of the Ilarveian Society.

In 1849 Mr. Webber married" Elizabeth, daughter ofMr. M. J. Itaynes, of Norwich, and he at that timeresided in Connaught-square. Some years afterwards hetook into partnership Dr. John Easton, and, in doingso, the scrupulous and punctilious honour and truthful-ness which pervaded his character were conspicuouslyshown, for in the negotiations which took place he wasespecially careful to under-state and to under-estimatethe value of his practice rather than to exaggerate itsworth ; and, as a matter of fact, the result of the firstyear’s partnership proved that the assets were very notablybeyond the amount at which Mr. Webber had stated them.Thus he partially retired from practice, and after a whilefelt obliged, owing to the state of his health, to altogetherrelinquish it ; and he subsequently changed his residence to23, Abbey-road, N.W., where he died. His long malady,dating so far back as almost twenty years, was a very peculiarone, and greatly exercised the diagnostic skill of many of hismedical brethren. His friend and neighbour, Dr. RichardNeale, with his son, Dr. William Henry Neale, were alwaysready to assist him in any and every difficulty, and he wasnot unfrequently seen by Dr. Hare, who alike valued thefriendship of the patient and felt a deep interest in the case.He suffered from severe pain, which always appeared to haveits centre at the left nipple line, about two inches below thecostal cartilages, and from thence it seemed to pervadealmost the whole of the left upper abdomen. The painswere almost always worst in the forenoon, and graduallygot better after the bowels had been relieved, so that he wascomparatively easy in the latter part of the day ; but theregulation of his bowels was a matter of great difficulty, andhe was obliged almost always to have recourse to enemata.Though he was a very uncomplaining man and possessed ofmuch endurance, the pain-always more or less of the samecharacter and in about the same position---was so severethat he was obliged to have recourse to opium andultimately took very considerable doses of it. But thisgreat remedy made his life endurable and at times coul-paratively comfortable, so that he was able in the latterpart of most days to occupy himself in some useful (oftencharitable) work; and it without doubt prolonged his lifeby some years. The most rational diagnosis, and that whichbest covered and explained his many symptoms, was thathe had some constriction—possibly from a former ulcer, butcertainly non-malignant -- of the large intestine somedistance above the sigmoid flexure, and one very ablemedical man even advised thatcolotomy should be performed.1’,repeated and very careful examinations of the abdomenalways failed to find any mass or tumour or, indeed, any-thing abnormal in the region of the pain, so that thephysical signs were of an absolutely negative character. Apost-mortem examination of the abdomen was made, andthe writer is assured that nothing whatever was found inthe intestines or elsewhere to explain physically those manyyears of terrible suffering.But though Mr. Webber was compelled by his health to

retire early from practice, he by no mean retired, so long asmoderate strength remained to him, from work. Heespecially devoted himself to that remarkable medicalcharity, the British Medical Benevolent Fund, which, doingan immense amount of good, is conducted with such a,

minimum of expense that it may be considered in thisrespect a model to all the charities of the country. It oughtto receive the support of every medical man in the countrywho can afford to give anything to charities ; and it oughtalso to be supported by many outside the profession, as somemark of their gratitude towards those who, devoting them-selves to the welfare of others, are often so ill-rernuneratedthat they cannot lay up in store for their families or even forthemselves if they attain old age. Mr. Webber was HonoraryFinancial Secretary to the Fund for several years up to 1877.The otlices are entirely honorary, and it had been foundthat attention to the cases and to the money managementof the Fund involved such an immense amount of work andtime that no medical man ought to be asked to take thewhole on his shoulders. The work was therefore divided,and Mr. Webber undertook the duties of " Financial Secre-tary." By his business habits, his thought and his hardwork (notwithstanding that this was often done in themidst of much pain), it is not too much to say that lie

revolutionised, and yet wonderfully simplified, the mode of