794 THE BATEMAN APPEAL.-PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

the rod, the latter, at the termination of the stirringof 15-20 c.cm. of blood, should have a thick coatingof fibrin around it. In any case, the stirring shouldbe continued for five minutes. Defibrination beingcomplete, the red cells may then be injected into thepatient to be treated. Since August, 1923, whenI commenced using this method, about 70 cases havebeen successfully inoculated with benign tertianmalaria.When it is desired to delay inoculation for any

great length of time the following procedure is usedat Claybury Mental Hospital. The defibrinated bloodis cooled to a low temperature and the tube packedin sawdust. I have found that it is unnecessary tofreeze the blood completely provided the temperatureis lowered to a few degrees above 0’ C. If there is asmall quantity of blood to be cooled, say 5-10 c.cm.,the process may be managed on a freezing microtome,such as a Cathcart. The platform should be removedso that the ether plays directly upon the walls of thetest-tube, the latter being held in the situation ofthe platform. With large quantities of blood themicrotome is less suitable.

Using the above method blood has been sent fromthe address below to Colchester, Birmingham,Warwick,and Exeter (170 miles). In most instances the bloodwas sent in the usual way through the post as apathological specimen. The inoculations have beensuccessful. I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

G. DE M. RUDOLF.Claybury Mental Hospital, Essex, April 4th, 1925.

TREATMENT OF ANOREXIA IN CHILDREN.7’o the Editor of THE LANCET. I

SiR,—I have read with great interest Dr. NeillHobhouse’s article on this subject published in THELANCET of March 7th, and take the liberty ofsuggesting that when considering the case of childrenrefusing solid food, he omits to call attention of thereader to a possibility which may account for thefact. Several cases under my care between the agesof 3 and 5 have shown a distinct distaste for solidfood, though at the same time they never complainedof sore-throat, and the mothers had never suspectedthat enlarged tonsils were the cause of the trouble,nor was this perceived until after careful examination.Although infective tonsils are to be considered asource of infection of the stomach which tend toupset the ordinary function of appetite, the cruxof the problem may lie chiefly in the mechanicalobstruction to which they give rise.

I am, Sir, yours faithfully,Rome, March 26th, 1925. WALTER BENZIMRA.

PETERBOROUGH WAR MEMORIAL HOSPITAL.-ThePeterborough Hospital Committee is about to begin theerection of a war memorial hospital to cost jE70,000.

ITALIAN SPAS.-The Italian State Tourist Depart-ment (known as the E.N.I.T.) is again organising an inter-national visit of doctors to Italian health resorts to takeplace from Sept. 5th to Sept. 21st next. Among the placesto be visited are S. Pellegrino, Fonte Bracca, Acqui, Alassio,San Remo, Ospedaletti, Bordighera, Pietra Ligure, Nervi,Rapallo, Santa Margherita, Portofino, Viareggio, Monte-catini, Monsummano, Chianciano, and Fiuggi. At each placea conference will be held, and each member of the tour willreceive a copy of the proceedings in his native language.A first-class special train will be provided, and the memberswill be accommodated at the best hotels. The party willbe limited to 200 persons, and a certain number of placeswill be reserved for members of the families of the doctors.The fixed charge for the tour, including cost of travel,railway, and hotel expenses in Italy, will be lire 1600 (about:&bgr;15). Members will be granted reduced rate tickets fromthe Italian frontier to Milan and from Rome back to thefrontier. Full particulars and application forms may beobtained from the Travel and Tourist Office of the E.N.I.T.,12, Waterloo-place, Regent-street, London, S.W. 1.

THE BATEMAN APPEAL.

As already explained in THE LANCET, it has beenfelt that material assistance ought to be offered toDr. Bateman to meet the legal expenses of his recentsuccessful appeal against conviction and to makegood the deficiency in his professional income.Accordingly, the Bateman Fund has been openedand lists of contributions have appeared in recentissues. We have received additional contributions asfollows :-

9 s. d.

Remittances should be forwarded to the Managerof THE LANCET, 423, Strand, W.C.2, and madepayable to the " Bateman Fund Account."

Parliamentary Intelligence.HOUSE OF COMMONS.WEDNESDAY, APRIL 1ST.

Neurasthenic Patients at Saltash.Colonel DAY asked the Minister of Pensions whether he

was aware that during the past 14 months some 370 menhad taken their discharge from the Ministry institution forneurasthenics ; how many were discharged at their ownrequest; what were the principal reasons given for desiringdischarge ; whether he was aware that some of the men weremore than 350 miles from their homes ; and if he couldarrange for men from Scotland, Ireland, and the North ofEngland to be placed in an institution nearer their homes.-Major G. C. TRYON replied : The hon. and gallant Memberrefers, I presume, to the Ministry Institution at Salttsh.During the past 14 months 310 patients (not 370 as statedin the question) have been discharged from this institution.Of these, 171 either discharged themselves contrary tomedical advice, or did not return from the leave that hadbeen granted them. No record is kept of the reasons forthe discharge in the latter cases, but I am advised thatthey are ordinarily accounted for by the mental instabilityand restlessness associated with the condition for whichthey are receiving treatment. It is the policy of theMinistry as far as possible, and subject to medical require-ments, to treat neurasthenic cases in institutions near theirhomes, and in fact out of 791 cases of neurasthenia undertreatment from each of the portions of the kingdom referredto in the question the great majority are in institutions inthose parts, and only 37 are at Saltash.

Convictions for Drunkenness.Mr. GROVES asked the Home Secretary the number of

convictions for drunkenness, male and female, in the metro-politan police district for the calendar years 1923 and1924.-Sir W. JOYNSON-HiCKs replied : The total for themetropolitan police district of the figures given in Table VI.of the licensing statistics for 1923 is 23,414 males and 6610females. The total which it is expected the volume for1924, now in preparation, will show is 23,512 males and6536 females.

Progress of House Building.Mr. MACKENZIE LIVINGSTONE asked the Minister of

Health how many houses had been completed under theChamberlain and Wheatley Acts respectively; how farthis number was supplying the normal increase of thepopulation ; and how far it was overtaking the existingshortage of houses.-Sir KINGSLEY WOOD (ParliamentarySecretary to the Ministry of Health) replied : Up to March 1stlast the number of houses completed in England and Walesunder the Housing Acts of 1923 and 1924 was : Act of1923, 64,249 ; Act of 1924, 1285 ; total, 65,534. Consider-able numbers of additional houses are being erected withoutState subsidy. During the 12 months ending on Sept. 30thlast the total number of houses completed with and withoutsubsidy was approximately 110,000, and my right hon.friend would expect this number to be exceeded during thecurrent 12 months if present conditions continue. Inanswer to the second and third questions, I can only saythat on the present rate of construction house building is,in the opinion of my right hon. friend, providing for thenormal increase of population, and also making progress inovertaking arrears.

795PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

Clearance of Slum Areas.Mr. FENBY asked the Minister of Health what steps, if

any, were being taken to clear slum areas ; and how manyschemes had been started for this purpose since Nov. 1st,1924.-Sir KINGSLEY WOOD replied : Since Jan. 1st, 1919,

.69 slum schemes in various parts of the country have beenconfirmed, and further schemes are under consideration orin course of preparation. The number confirmed sinceNov. lst last is 11. Up to the end of January last part or Ithe whole of the areas had been acquired in the case of27 schemes, and clearance was in progress, or had beencompleted, in the case of 16 schemes. The only otherinformation that is available is that 2145 dwellings forrehousing persons displaced from slum areas had beendefinitely arranged for at the end of January.

THURSDAY, APRIL 2ND.

Approved Societies and Hospital Contributions.Mr. TINNE asked the Mmister of Health whether he was

aware of the large unspent accumulated health insurancefunds ; and, having regard to the unremunerative servicesrendered by voluntary hospitals to insured persons, wouldhe bring influence to bear upon the approved societies tomake suitable contributions out of this surplus to the fundsof voluntary hospitals treating insured persons.-Mr. N.’CHAMBERLAIN replied : The answer to the first part of thequestion is in the affirmative. The answer to the secondpart is that for some time considerable sums have been paidyearly by societies to voluntary hospitals out of disposable:surplus, and I hope these sums may be increased in thefuture. The matter is, however, primarily one for con-sideration by societies, though it will no doubt, with othersimilar questions, be reviewed by the Royal Commission onNational Health Insurance now sitting.

Safeguarding Act and X Ray Apparatus.Dr. LITrLE asked the President of the Board of Trade

whether he was aware of the effect of the Safeguarding ofIndustries Act on X ray workers in this country ; that,in some cases, the actual tax which the consumer had to*pay, owing to various accessory charges, might be as high.as 60 per cent. ; that apparatus which was not being manu-factured in this country had this duty charged upon it;and whether, seeing that this made it difficult for medical-men practising X ray treatment to have the best modernapparatus, he would consider the advisability of removingfrom the schedule at any rate those types of apparatuswhich were not manufactured in this country by Britishfirms.-Sir BURTON CHADWICK (Parliamentary Secretaryto the Board of Trade) replied : I am unable to conceivehow the actual tax paid under the Safeguarding of IndustriesAct can possibly be at the rate suggested by the hon.Member. I am aware that certain special types of X rayapparatus are not at present produced in this country, buthaving regard to the purpose of the Act in question, I amnot prepared to introduce the legislation necessary to giveeffect to the hon. Member’s suggestion.

Health Insurance Benefits.Mr. VIANT asked the Minister of Health whether, on the

cancellation of their present scheme of additional benefitsunder the National Health Insurance Acts as from July 5th,1925, it would be possible for an approved society to transferthe balances on account in respect of non-cash benefitsfunds remaining at the expiration of their existing schemesto a special assistance benefit fund for the provision ofsimilar non-cash benefits to new entrants or, alternatively,to persons admitted as members in the interval between-.the date of valuation, Dec. 31st, 1922, and the date of the.coming into operation of the new scheme on July 6th, 1925.-Mr. N. CHAMBERLAIN replied : The balances in question,can only be applied in supplement of sums available for,distribution under a new scheme of additional benefits tomembers qualified to receive them in accordance with theAct and Regulations. A scheme cannot provide for theutilisation of this money for the provision of non-cash benefitsto new entrants from the date of their becoming members,but I may point out that persons admitted as members inthe years 1923, 1924, and 1925 will be entitled to participatein the benefits provided under the new schemes at varyingdates according to the duration of their membership.

Medical Officers of Health and Housing Shortage.Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLE asked the Minister of Health

if he would arrange that medical officers of health, in theirforthcoming and future annual reports, should state whetheror not there was, in their opinion, a shortage of housingavailable for the working classes in the several parts oftheir districts ; and whether he would define the standardof shortage for the purpose of such report.-Mr. N. CHAMBER-LAIN replied : I will give careful consideration to my hon.and gallant friend’s suggestion, but I doubt whether it ispracticable to define such a standard as is contemplated forgeneral application.

Antitoxin for Scarlet Fever.Lieut.-Colonel FREMANTLE asked the Minister of Health if

his department and the Medical Research Council havenow sufficiently examined the efficacy of the toxin and anti-toxin for test, prevention, and cure of scarlet fever, asofficially used in several of the United States of America ;and with what result.-Mr. N. CHAMBERLAIN replied :Investigations are being actively pursued in my depart-ment and by the Medical Research Council, and the resultswill be published from time to time as knowledge is gained.I am advised that these investigations entail prolongedlaboratory and clinical observations before a confidentstatement of the efficacy of these several procedures canbe made on the strength of their trials in this country.

The Spahlinger Treatment.Mr. THOMAS WILLIAMS asked the Minister of Health

what steps, if any, he had taken to secure a supply of theSpahlinger treatment for tuberculosis sanatoria in thiscountry ; and whether he would give financial assistanceto any local authority who obtained a supply of this serumfor the use in their institutions.-Mr. N. CHAMBERLAINreplied : As regards the first part of the question, I maysay that all practicable steps have been taken by my depart-ment to secure a supply of M. Spahlinger’s preparations forscientific investigations, and I regret that I am still withoutinformation as to when such a supply will be available inthis country. As regards the second part of the questionthis will be considered if and when it arises.

Small-pox Outbreak at Kettering.Sir MERVYN MANNINGHAM-BuLLER asked the Minister of

Health if he could give the number of cases of small-poxdue to the outbreak in Kettering, and the percentage of thepersons thus affected who had been vaccinated.-Mr. N.CHAMBERLAIN replied : Up to March 30th 71 cases of small-pox were notified in the urban district of Kettering andseven in the rural district. Of the total of 78 patients thevaccinal condition of one was doubtful, 11, or 41-1 per cent.,were stated to have been vaccinated in infancy, and one at5 years old. It should be stated that none of thesevaccinated patients had been re-vaccinated, and all ofthem, with the exception of one patient aged 25, were over39 years of age.

External Examinations at London University.Mr. HARRIS asked the President of the Board of Educa-

tion whether any formal communication had parsed betweenLord Ernle, the late chairman of the Departmental Com-mittee on the Constitution of the University of London,and the Chairman of the Convocation of the Universitywith regard to the future of the external side of the Univer-sity ; and, if so, what was the nature of such communica-tion.-Lord E. PERCY replied : The late chairman of theDepartmental Committee addressed a letter to the Chairmanof Convocation on Jan. 27th last inviting Convocation togive evidence before the committee. In the course of thatletter it was stated that the committee hoped that Con-vocation would not undertake the labour of preparing andgiving evidence on the general question of the continuanceof the external examinations conducted by the University,because in the view of the whole committee those examina-tions had in the past served, and would in the future serve,a useful purpose.

Proposed Legalising of Hospital Tombolas.Colonel Sir ARTHUR HoLBROOK asked the Home Secretary

if he was aware that hospital tombolas, which had been themeans of raising several hundred pounds to promote thework of hospitals, had been repressed by the police authori-ties ; and whether he would consider the issue of regulationsthat these voluntary efforts to assist hospitals should notbe discouraged.-Sir W. JOYNSON-HICKS replied : I haveno authority to issue instructions which would have theeffect of exempting offenders of a particular class from thepenalties prescribed by law.

Scheduling of Cannabis Indica.Mr. FoR,s,EST asked the Home Secretary whether he was

aware that, in consequence of the scheduling of cannabisindica as a poison, all firms using it, even for minor manu.factures of a non-deleterious nature, had had only fromFeb. 26th to April 3rd to label millions of articles ; andwhether, in view of the impossibility of conforming withinthis time with the regulations, he would postpone the dateof their enforcement and in the meantime investigate theneed for their existence in these specific cases.-Sir W.JOYNsoN-HicKs replied : I am afraid there is no power topostpone the operation of this Order. Under the statutethe resolution of the Council of the Pharmaceutical Societyfor the inclusion of a substance in the Poisons Scheduletakes effect one month after the Order of the Privy CouncilOffice approving it has been advertised in the LondonGazette. As the resolution was passed as long ago as lastAugust, ample notice has been given to all interested

796 OBITUARY.-MEDICAL NEWS.

parties ; and there do not appear to be any grounds onwhich the Government could properly intervene now. Iam sure that no harsh measures will be taken by the Pharma-ceutical Society in the enforcement of the law.

MONDAY, APRIL 6TH.

Pay of Indian Army Medical Officers.Brigadier-General CHARTERIS asked the Under Secre-

tary of State for India whether he was aware that therecent augmentation of pay of British officers in India,both of the British Army and of the Indian Army, appliedto all officers except those of the Royal Army MedicalCorps, the Indian Medical Service, Army Dental Corps,and the Royal Army Veterinary Corps ; that this wascertain to prejudice future recruitments for these essential Iservices in India ; and would he state the reason for thisdecision.-Earl WINTERTON replied : Officers of the IndianMedical Service in military employ have been granted thesame pay concession as those in civil employ as a resultof the recommendations of the Commission on the SuperiorCivil Services in India, and the same passage concessionsas have recently been granted to officers of the Indian Army.The case of the other services mentioned has been reservedfor further consideration as there is a possibility of changesaffecting them in the near future.

White Lead Convention.Mr. GEORGE HARVEY asked the Home Secretary whether

His Majesty’s Government proposed to give effect, either inwhole or in part, and to what extent, to the proposals of £the draft convention of the International Labour Conference(Geneva, 1921) as to the use of white lead in paintingbuildings.-Sir W. JoYNSON-HiCKS replied : I am consider-ing the introduction of a Bill to give effect to those proposalsin the draft Convention as to which there is general agree-ment, in order that the agreed regulations for the protectionof the workers may be brought into operation as soon aspossible.

Insanitary Houses.Viscountess ASTOR asked the Minister of Health in how

many cases objections to notices served by local authoritiesupon the owners of insanitary property, with a view tohouses being put into order, had been raised on appeal tohis department; and how many of these appeals have beenrejected.-Sir KINGSLEY WOOD replied : During the yearended Dec. 31st, 1923 (the last year for which figures areavailable), notices requiring-repairs, &c., under the HousingActs were served in respect of 25,277 houses. During thisyear 37 appeals were received by the department, five appealswere formally dismissed, three allowed, and four allowed inpart. The remainder were not proceeded with.

Salaries of Health Ministry’s Medical Staff.Colonel Sir ARTHUR HoLBROOK asked the Minister of

Health whether the increase of salary of 250 per annumto be given to full-time medical officers of the Ministrywhose services were being retained was in lieu of bonus orgratuity; and, if not so granted, would he explain why itwas granted, seeing that the work had been and was steadilydiminishing in comparison with that of the past five or sixyears.-Mr. N. CHAMBERLAIN replied : No such increase ofsalary as is mentioned in the first part of the question has beengranted in my department; the second part does nottherefore arise.

Juries at Coroners’ Inquests.Mr. CHARLETON asked the Home Secretary whether his

attention had been called to the consistent refusal of certaincoroners to empanel a jury at inquests even in serious cases ;and whether he would take steps to ensure that, wherebereaved relatives or representatives acting on their behalfexpressed the desire for the coroner’s inquest to be conductedwith the aid of a jury, this should be done.-Sir WILLIAMJoYNSON-HlCES replied : The answer to the first questionis in the negative. With regard to the second I hope shortlyto introduce a Bill which will deal with this and other partsof the law relating to coroners’ inquests.

COLLEGE OF PESTOLOGY GOLD MEDAL.-At a

luncheon of the College held at Pagani’s Restaurant.London, on Monday, March 30th, Sir William SimpsonVice-President, in the chair, Sir Ronald Ross presented thegold medal of the College for the best essay on the preven-tion of malaria to Mr. C. P. Shute, of 82, Pothes-road,Dorking, Surrey. The prize-winning essay had been selectedfrom those of well over 300 competitors in all parts of theworld. Honourable mention was made of four otheIessays submitted, the writers being Mr. E. H. Black, healthofficer and chairman to the Mosquito Destruction Board atKuala Lumpur, F.M.S. ; Mr. C. Pearce, city engineer oiGibraltar ; Dr. Waugh Scott, and Mr. G. Fox Wilson, oi

the Royal Horticultural Gardens at Wisley.

Obituary.ABRAHAM EMRYS JONES, M.D. EDIN., J.P.,

LATE SENIOR SURGEON, MANCHESTER EYE HOSPITAL.

Abraham Emrys Jones, in his time one of the best knownophthalmic surgeons in Manchester, died on March 31st atthe age of 73. He was born at Llanarth, Cardiganshire,and received his medical education at the Universities ofGlasgow and Edinburgh, graduating M.B., C.M. at thelatter in 1875. A year later he took the M.R.C.S. Eng.,and became house surgeon at the Royal Eye Hospital,Manchester, and in 1879 was appointed honorary assistantsurgeon at that institution, having obtained the M.D. Edin.with commendation in 1877. He devoted his attention todiseases of the eye, and soon acquired a large consultingpractice in the city. He held the office of consultingophthalmic surgeon to the Bolton Infirmary, was honoraryoculist to Barnes Home Industrial Schools and the Ware-house and Clerks Schools. He was a J.P. of the city ofManchester and a referee under the Workmen’s Compensa-tion Act. He served on the Medical Board of the Univer-

sity of Wales, and also on the University Court. Besidesbeing actively engaged in eye work in hospital and inprivate practice, his abundant energy found other outlets,including much work done for the Manchester and SalfordSanitary Association, of which he was one of the secretariesfor 12 years and president for one year, and he contributedpapers on literary subjects to the Manchester LiteraryClub, of which he was a member. In 1911 he was presidentof the Manchester Medical Society. He was a clear andeffective platform speaker. Several years ago he resignedthe active duties as senior surgeon at the Manchester RoyalEye Hospital, and later gradually retired from privatepractice. Some of his popular lectures were published bythe Manchester and Salford Sanitary Association. One ofhis addresses on the Disposal of the Dead had far-reachingeffects ; it led to the formation of the Manchester CremationSociety, and the subsequent erection of the Manchester

Crematorium, of which he was one of the directors. Anenthusiastic Welshman, a lover of music, and deeply in-terested in all that concerned the interests of Wales and the

Welsh, he was a patron and president of the Welsh NationalSociety of Manchester. His remains were cremated at theManchester Crematorium on April 3rd, the Royal EyeHospital and the Manchester and Salford Sanitary Associa-tion being represented by former colleagues. Dr. EmrysJones leaves a wife, a son, and a daughter.

Medical News.UNIVERSITY OF LIVERPOOL.-At examinations held

recently the following candidates were successful :-DIPLOMA IN TROPICAL MEDICINE.

J. Black, E. J. Crawford, Mary W. Ellam, F. N. Green, J. T.Johnson, Elizabeth K. Mackay, K. S. Shah (recommendedfor A. H. Milne Medal), C. H. B. Thompson, and J. J.de Waal.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON.-An extraordinary Comitia was held on April 6th,Sir Humphry Rolleston, the President, being in the chair.He referred to the loss the College had sustained by therecent death of Dr. J. A. Ormerod, the Registrar, and, onthe motion of the Second Censor, a resolution expressingcondolence with his family and referring to his services inthe office of registrar for more than 16 years was passed.The President then delivered the annual Presidential address.He referred to the fact that there are now 373 Fellows asagainst 91 a hundred years ago, and that the Members nownumbered 658, while there was still one Extra-Licentiate.He referred to the work of the College during the past year,mentioning the special alteration of the by-laws, permittingthe admission of women to the Fellowship. He thendelivered obituary addresses upon the 11 Fellows who diedduring the presidential year-namely, Dr. Hugh Walsham,Dr. R. Hingston Fox, Sir Sydney Russell-Wells, Dr. SidneyH. C. Martin, Dr. Henry Gervis, Dr. J. F. W. Tatham, Dr.