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for the efficiency of his department, and in whose hands thegeneral direction of the medical service should be vested.The present medical boards are of little use; their opinions

- carry no weight, and are seldom acted on unless they happento square with the views of the government officials; besides,they are decidedly disadvautageons to the members of theservice generally, by retarding promotion.To the present constitution of the medical services may be,

in a great measure, attributed the sinful apathv which has beenshown by the authorities on the subject of the prevention ofdisease amongst the soldiers in India, particularly cholera;the heads of the medical department have not an opportunityof bringing to the notice of the commander-in-cluei, exceptthrough the misty medium of the office of the adjutant-general, the suggestions contained in the numerous reports ofmedical officers, which are constantly forwarded to them, andof enforcing, by personal representation, the importance ofattention being paid to such points. A director-general wouldgo at once to the fountain-head, and in person urge the neces-sity of carrying out the views of the executive medical officera.The medical board are a deliberative assembly, and can actonly through their secretary.Your correspondent, " Reformer," of Madras, I conceive,

only objects to the selection to the higher grades of staff-promotion being vested in the hands of the governor, insteadof a director-general. "Reformer" well knows the jobbingwhich has always been carried on in the distribution of theonly situations in the medical service worth having—viz., presi-dency appointments; how the sons-in-law and brothers-in-lawof men in high situations have been foisted over the heads oftheir superiors in intelligence, and those having claims forgood service; how appointments have been sold with the con-nivance and cognizance of governors and their private secre-taries, to the injury of the medical service at largo; and know-ing these things, lie fears, and with good reason, that the samecontrivances will be resorted to for the purpose of obtainingthe higher staff-situations. Knowing the good effect whichhas, in many instances, been produced by the press noticingthe defective points in the various departments of the Indianarmy, I hope that you will occasionally resort to this subject.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,March, 1849. A RETIRED SURGEON OF TIIE INDIAN ARMY.

MEDICAL ORGANIZATION IN FRANCE.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—In the Minutes of Evidence before the Medical Regis-tration Committee, dated July 4, 848, and inserted in THELANCET of April 7, 1849, I perceive that Mr. Edwin Leeanswered to the first question of Sir Henry Halford, about theOfficiers de Sante, of France, that he (Mr. Edwin Lee) believedthey had been done away with of late. When Sir Henryasked again, at question 5233, Did I understand you to saythat Officiers de Santé are done away with?" Mr. Lee answered,"Yes." And when Sir Henry said, question 5234, "By law ?"the answer was as follows:—" Yes; I believe those already ex-isting are allowed to go on, but there is to be no further exa-mination for them; those already existing are allowed to go ontill they die off." Now I regret to say that this improvementhas not yet been effected, and Mr. Edwin Lee must have beenmisled by the fact of the entire abolition of this class ofmedical practitioners having been proposed in the medicalreform bill which M. Salvandy brought forward in 1847. Thisbill, however, did not pass, and medical organization has notundergone any modification of late. In referring to theAlmanach Générale de Médecine for 1848, published byDomange Hubert, in Paris, Mr. Edwin Lee will find that thenumber of Officiers de Santé received by the Medical Jury ofthe Seine was 45 for 1847, and 47 for 1848.

I remain, yours very truly,London, April 17,1849. M.D.

NAVAL ASSISTANT-SURGEONS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Allow me, through the medium of your journal, tocorrect any mistake that may have arisen from the ambiguouswording of the Admiralty order of February 1st, 1849, withreference to assistant-surgeons, in which it is stated, thatduring the first year of an assistant-surgeon’s servitude, " he isonly entitled to mess with midshipmen," leading one to infer,that after his novitiate of one year in the midshipmans’ berth,he is entitled to mess in the ward-room. One is inclined toconsider that this memorandum was issued at this particular

time to induce our friends, who are prepared to advocate ourcause, to believe that our grievances have been partially re-moved. Such, Sir, is not the case, as their lordships still con-tinue to reject the respectful petitions of the senior and juniormedical officers, as well as those of the medical colleges ofGreat Britain.Our Transatlantic brethren suffered the same degradation

as we do now; their grievances were remedied chiefly throughthe medium of their colleges. Are the medical men of GreatBritain inferior to them ? Certainly not. Let not their cause,then, be forsaken through the intentional ambiguity ofauthorities. I remain, Sir, your much obliged servant,

April, 1849. M.D., R.N.

SUMMARY PROCESS BY THE SOCIETY OFAPOTHECARIES.

To t7te Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The Apothecaries’ Company having frequently (andperhaps sometimes justly) incurred the odium of the profes.sion for their apathetic indifference to the interests of theirlicentiates, I have the greater pleasure in soliciting space inyour columns for the inclosed correspondence, and remain,

Sir, your obedient servant, JOHN BROWN.Lower Islington, April, 1849.

_

(COPY.)’ I (corr.)

March 23, 1849.GENTLEMEN,—I have this day been summoned to a case of

epilepsy, which, I am informed, has been under the treatmentof a person named "Sutton," who resides at the corner ofShepperton-street, in this neighbourhood, and who, I believe,is employed in your laboratory.The father of this patient has also been under the medical

care of the same individual, who blazons forth his spuriouspretensions to professional skill, not only by the use of thewords " Apothecaries’ Hall" in large letters over his door,but bv the ceaseless iteration of the incontrovertible fact thathe is officially connected with your veritable " Hall" at Black-friars.Now, gentlemen, as one of your licentiates, I confidently

appeal to you for protection from this man’s unjust competi-tion for public favour-a protection which can be most easilyaccorded by enforcing his acceptance of the alternative, eitherto relinquish his illegal practices, or his position in yourestablishment. I have the honour to be, gentlemen,To the Master &c. of the Your obedient servant,Society of Apothecaries. JOHN BROWN.

(COPY.)April 11, 1859.

GENTLEMEN,—Not having been favoured with any acknow-ledgment of the receipt of a communication which I addressedto you on the 23rd ultimo, respecting the illegal practice of aperson named " Sutton," I beg respectfully to inquire whe-ther it has reached your hands, and if so, what steps youhave taken with a view to the redress of the grievance com-plained of. I have the honour to be, gentlemen,To the Master &c. of the Your obedient servant,Society of Apothecaries. ————— JOHN BROWN.

(COPY.)Apothecaries’ Hall, April 17, 1849.

The treasurer of the Society of Apothecaries presents hiscompliments to Mr. Brown, and begs to acknowledge the re-ceipt of his two letters, dated respectively 23rd March, andllth April, instant, addressed to the Master of the Society,who, from long illness, has been unable to place them in thetreasurer’s hands until this day. Regretting this delay, thetreasurer has now to acquaint Mr. Brown that Mr. Suttonhas been dismissed the service of the Society.

REMARKS ON POOR-LAW MEDICAL RELIEF.A CORRESPONDENT, referring to a letter signed An Ex-Guardian," in THE LANCET of August 19th last, makes thefollowing remarks :-

I do not think the proposed plan would work well for theprofession; neither do I see the benefits so evident, as doesan " Ex-Guardian." I do not believe one guardian in everyboard would sleep a whit less soundly, by being informed thata pauper was under the treatment of a farrier or an old woman,instead of an educated medical man. I think there are othermethods more likely to lighten the rates than centralizing.Let the medical man have it in his power to order support,

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without the round-about method now adopted, and allow noithe tools of the guardians to question his order,-let somesuch humane plan as- this be adopted, and there will be feweiinstances of heads of families perishing of starvation, (whichI have witnessed in two instances, where both were insensibleand helpless, in typhus fever, and where they were allowedto die like dogs, with nought save water for their parchedtongues. I was engaged in a neighbouring village during thelatter part of their miserable existence.) There is no justicein refusing payment for important services rendered to thepoor by others than the Union doctor. What body of men,I ask, calling themselves honest, humane, and Christian, wouldrefuse payment for cases of midwifery, dislocation, fracture;or retention of urine, except a board of guardians of the poorof this most Christian country ? Out upon them !-theiihonesty is not, their humanity is a farce, and their Christianityan empty word.

If the extras in any union amount to as much as the salary,I pity the recipient, or his patients, for one must inevitablysuffer.

I agree most cordially with the " Ex-Guardian" in hisstern opposition " to that most objectionable item," theguardians’ subscription to the county hospital. It is a mostvile trick, adopted for a most despicable purpose. They ridthemselves, at a small cost, of their pauper diseased, andcrowd with chronic ulcers the beds of hospitals intended forfar different cases. This used to be carried on to a scanda-lous extent in Lancashire.

I cannot agree, however, with the " contrast" of the " Ex-Guardian." His improved expenditure is too low-the itemfor drugs, I imagine, is so, unless fevers of an inflammatorytype generally prevail, when I believe tartar-emetic and salt-petre are generally considered a cheap and efficient febrifuge.But I have too frequently seen diseases of a different type,requiring quinine, hyoscyamus, ether, &-.c.,-not to mentionmany new and invaluable remedies, but not fitted for paupers’stomachs, on account of the expense. Hay, sufficiently boiledtill the colour is extracted, and mixed with Epsom salts, alsoforms a most excellent remedy for many complaints incidentalto the poor!I confess it would be much more to the advantage of the

poor to be treated in a well-appointed hospital, instead oftheir sad, wretched homes, could other points be renderedequal. It must be remembered that the poor have their feel-ings of like and of dislike, of confidence, and the reverse.Let this be granted, and I argue that the forced attendanceof the poor, to seek advice at a more central point than theynow do, without the choice of their medical man, will givegreater power to the blast of incendiarism, which is graduallyrousing the poor to deeds of madness and crime.The centralizing system will tend to assimilate the surgeon

to the workhouse master-an officer not generally veneratedby the poor.

I consider the plan quite practicable of giving tickets to thesie7j, and let them apply to any qualijied man. Confidence has agreat deal to do with curing the poor as well as the rich.

I have trespassed more than I had intended; and am, Sir,yours &c.,

ONE WHO CANNOT AFFORD TO BE APOOR-LAW SURGEON.

SUGGESTIONS ON MEDICAL REFORM.’1’0 the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—The following are some suggestions I would offer onmedical reform; I believe they will meet the views of allparties, save the office-hunters of the Institute. Should youthink them worthy of a place in your columns, you will obligeme by inserting them.-I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

St. Agnes, Cornwall, April, 1849. IIENRYWHITWORTH, M.D. &c.

1. That the rights of present qualified practitioners besaved.

2. That there be equality and intercommunication of rightsand privileges between the various parts of the United King-dom of Great Britain and Ireland.

3. That all acts of parliament and royal charters which giveauthority to other bodies than the universities to license topractise, be repealed.

4. That after a certain date, (say the 1st of January, 1850,)every one commencing the study of the medical professionshall give evidence of his knowledge in Greek, Latin, andthe mathematics, and furthermore shall manifest a perfectacquaintance with either the French or the German language;

these acquirements to be tested by an examination at a uni-versity, and a certificate of proficiency: the said certificatemight be the degree of B.A. or A.M.

5. That after the said date the only licence to practise shallbe the degree of M.D. obtained after a due course of study,and strict examinations per universam medicinam.

6. That in all the universities of Great Britain and Ireland,a system of examination analogous to that of the University ofLondon be adopted, so that the examiner may not feel theinterest of a teacher in the success of his pupil, nor be inclinedto pass a candidate for the examination fee.

7. That the examinations for the degree of M.D. take placetwiceayear,and that at each university a censor from the RoyalCollege of Physicians, and another from the Royal College ofSurgeons of that part of the-kingdoni, be present during thewhole course of the examinations, to supervise and, if neces-sary, take part in the same.

8. That after five years,-or any more lengthened period ofgeneral practice, any Doctor of Medicine, on producing satis-factory testimonials of moral conduct and gentlemanly beha-viour, be entitled, without further examination, to enter theCollege of Physicians or the College of Surgeons in that partof the empire where he may reside.

9. That the fee of admission to each institution be the same- say £100, and that the only designation be Fellow of theRoyal College of Physicians, or Surgeons, as the case may be.

10. That all the fellows in each college be eligible to alloffices, and have a vote in the election of all officers; also thatthe president and council hold office from year to year, to bere-elected or not, as the fellows may decide at their annualmeeting.

11. That the duty of the president and council be, 1st, thatof attending to the general affairs of the college; 2nd, that ofimproving by all possible means that branch of the professionto which the college is attached, and its accessory sciences;3rd, that of superintending the examinations at the univer-sities, and if necessary reporting thereon to the Council ofHealth; 4th, that of holding communication with and advisingthe Council of Health on all questions affecting the publichealth.

12. That a National Council of Health be established, con-sisting of her Majesty’s Secretary of State for the Home De-partment and other members, two-thirds of whom shallbelong to the medical profession, and shall, with the othermembers, be chosen by her Majesty, by and with the consentof the Privy Council.

13. That the duties of the National Council of Health be-1st, that of attending to all questions of public health; 2nd,that of regulating medical education, examinations, and prac-tice ; 3rd, that of superintending the medical relief of the poor,the licensing and inspecting lunatic asylums, et Aoc qenu8omne;4th, that of superintending a registration of the profession.A class system of registration might be arranged, under the

heads of physicians, surgeons, and doctors of medicine. Thepresent general practitioner might be classed alphabetically,under the third head; thus-John Jackson, M.D., WilliamJames, M.R.C.S., L.A.C. This seeming incongruity wouldafter a time disappear, and with it the force of the objectionsto one general alphabetical registration.

HAY FEVER.To the Editor o-j WWE LANCET.

SIR,—I am a sufferer from a complaint that, as yet, hasbeen deemed incurable-viz., hay fever. It is a most dis-tressing one, and attacks the patient in the heat of summer,producing intolerable irritation of the nerves of the nose,causing violent sneezing, and occasionally asthma. If any ofyour correspondents could suggest any remedy, through themedium of the valuable publication conducted by you, itwould greatly oblige me.

I have tried a residence by the sea-side, and find it answers,as long as I am continually on the shore, by the sea; but asmy avocations call me to reside in the country the whole year,I cannot avail myself of it.

I am, Sir, your obedient servant, HAY FEVER.Edinburgh, April, 1849.

THE EXPENSE OF A PHYSICIAN’S DIPLOMA.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—In the last number of your periodical, your M.D.correspondent finishes up a note to you by stating that heupposed I must make up the cost of my M.D. degree one