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thanks to the medical officer, and said that in spite of things l

looking dark he hoped they would avoid closing the insti- Jtution. Erith House Home is doing an excellent work, and doubtless if its advantages were more widely known it would be more liberally supported. :

DeatA of Mr. H. R. Hudson oj Newport, Mon. ’

Mr. Henry Rochfort Hudson, L.R.C.P., L,R.C.S. Irel., ofNewport, died in Ireland on Dec. 16th. Mr. Hudson was muchesteemed in Newport, where he had been for over twentyyears. He was public vaccinator for the Newport and St.Woolas District of the Newport Union and surgeon to severalclubs. Mr. Hudson was a native of Arklow, county Wick-low ; he had been in failing health for the past year, andlast summer he became worse and went to Ireland. Hewas forty-eight years of age at the time of his death, andleaves a widow and six children, for whom great sympathyis felt.

Death of illr. Thomas Brorvne Anstie, J.P., M.B.C.S. Eng.,L S’. A.

Much regret is felt in Devizes at the death of Mr. T. B.Anstie, J.P., M,R.C.S. Eng., L,S.A., which occurred on

Jan. 3rd. Mr. Anstie was one of the oldest inhabitants ofthe town and had been in practice in Devizes for over halfa century, when he retired. He was a magistrate for theborough and honorary consulting surgeon to the Devizes

Cottage Hospital. Mr. Anstie was educated at St. Thomas’sHospital and took the qualification of M.R.C.S. Eng. in1841 and the L.S.A. in the following year.

Jan. 4th.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary.THE annual meeting of the subscribers to the Edinburgh

Royal Infirmary was held on Monday last, the Lord Provostpresiding. The annual report showed that the total numberof in-patients treated during the year was 9478. Of thesethere were dismissed cured 3945, relieved 3482, and on othergrounds 807. There died in the hospital 596. The medicaland surgical cases were about equal in number. The averagedaily number of patients in hospital was 707, and theaverage time under treatment for each patient was 27’3 days.The number of deaths within forty-eight hours after admis-sion was 150. In the out-patient department 28,110 patientshad been attended to. The total ordinary receipts amountedto £30,682, which was a decrease of f.403 compared withthe previous year. Contributions and legacies under f.100amounted to .617,515. Regret was expressed that there hadbeen a falling off in church collections, while contributionsfrom employ6s in public works had increased. On feesfrom students there was a falling off of f.180. Theordinary expenditure amounted to .639,282, being a

decrease of £113 on that of the preceding year.The cost of maintenance was Is. 62d. more, and themedical expenditure 2s. 24¼d. less, per occupied bed. Thecost for the year of each occupied bed was C55 lls. 2 3/4 d.,which is 3s. 0 3/4d. above last year’s rate. This rise wasattributed to a higher contract price for butchers’ meat andbread. The Lord Provost, in speaking to the report, pointedout the increase in the number of out-patients, and suggestedthat persons went to the infirmary for advice who ought togo to their private medical attendants. Dr. Batty Tukeraised the question of the site of the proposed new laundryand objected to its being built in Lauriston-lane. He alsodrew attention to the out-patient department and dwelt

upon the need of increased accommodation. Miss LouisaStevenson also spoke of the discomfort to which out-patientswere exposed and held that it was of the utmost importancethat a new out-patient department should be established.This led to considerable discussion and the matter wasremitted to the committee of contributors. Five managerswere re-elected and a second lady was also added to theboard in the person of Mrs. Marcus Dodds, wife of aneminent theological professor in the Free Church College.

Annual Report of the University of Edinburgh.During the past year the total number of matriculated

students, including 188 women, was 2825. In the Faculty ofMedicine there were 1421 students ; of these 6L6 belongedto Scotland, 431 were from England and Wales, 91 from

Ireland, 55 from India, 202 from British colonies, and 26from foreign countries. The number of women attendingextra-academical lectures with a view to graduation in medi-cine at the University was 68. The McEwan UniversityHall is likely to be completed and inaugurated during thecoming spring. Reference is made in the report to variousincidents in the history of the University during the pastyear, all of which have already been noticed in THE LANCETfrem time to time and need not now be repeated.

-Dairy Prosecution in Dumfries.An important decision in a dairy prosecution case was

given in Dumfries last week. The charge was against adairy farmer for employing in his dairy a woman who was"suffering from a dangerous infectious disorder-namely,infectious tonsillitis," and also three other women to milk,in whose families there were cases of a similar nature. Theaction was taken by the local sanitary authority presumablyon the recommendation of their medical officer of health whowas a leading witness in the case for the prosecution. Severallocal medical men and others appeared for the defence whoseem to have taken up the position that the persons referredto were not suffering from an infectious disorder. The medicalofficer for Midlothian gave it as his opinion that tonsillitis,except where it existed as a symptom of scarlet fever, diph-theria, or typhoid fever, was not infectious. The sheriff dis.missed the complaint and found the local authority liable inexpenses.

Re-opening of Medical Classes in Edinburgh.Most of the medical classes re-opened on Tuesday after

the Christmas vacation, but it is needless to say that all thestudents have not yet returned to work.

University of Glasgow.A statement showing the number of students in every one of

the University faculties has just been published, togetherwith the numbers of the previous seven years. It appearsthat, whereas in 1889 the number of students was 2101, in1896 it had fallen to 1602, a diminution of 499. Thisdecrease has been mainly amongst the arts students, thenumbers in this faculty in 1889 being 996 and in 1896571, and is, no doubt, due to the increased severity of theentrance examination and to the more severe conditionsdemanded of the student who desires his class attendanceto count towards graduation. In medicine the numbers.have fallen from 818 to 621 ; this is, in part, however,only an apparent decrease, as in 1889 students attendingchemistry, natural history, and other medical classes, with aview to graduate in science, were counted in the faculty ofmedicine, whereas now they are placed in the newly-formedfaculty of science. In so far as the decrease is real it

appears to be due to the institution of the five years’ cur-riculum and the increased stringency of the preliminaryexamination. It is generally allowed that this examinationhas been in certain respects too severe, and the student hasnow the option of taking it in two sections instead of beingcompelled to pass in all the subjects at a single sitting.The above figures do not include women students of whomduring the present session there are 245.

Glasgow Maternity Hospital. Mr. John Edgar, M.A., BSc, M.B. Gtasg., Professor of

Midwifery in Andersou’s College Medical School, has beenappointed assistant physician to the hospital, in succession toMr. R. Jardine, M.D. Edin., promoted to be physician.

Glasgow Eastern Medical Society.At a recent meeting of the society Professor Gairdner paid

an eloquent tribute to the memory of the late Dr. Mather,first president of the society, speaking of him as a sound,honest, and honourable practitioner, careful of every rule ofmedical honour, and a man of fine instincts and sympathies.

Christmas at the Glasgow Infirmaries.The annual meeting of the nurses was held on Dec. 26th,

. when an address was delivered by Mr. Jas. Boyd, vice-chairman of the board of management, and a musical pro-

,

gramme, under the direction of Mr. Allan Macbeth, Principal.

of the Athenaeum College of Music, was submitted. After-wards the gifts for the patients from the annual Christmastree were distributed and the visitors had an opportunity ofseeing the wards, which for the most part were brightly

, decorated. At the Royal Infirmary there was, as usual, ameeting on New Year’s Day, addresses being delivered to thenurses by the Lord Provost and others. Dr. Peace, organist

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to the cathedral, together with members of his choir, gave anumber of musical selections.

Glasgow Hospital Reports.It is understood that a movement has been inaugurated

with a view to collect and publish in an annual volume themost important results of clinical and pathological work atthe various Glasgow hospitals. There is a general feeling infavour of the movement, and the promoters have receivedpromises of sympathy and support from the leadingphysicians and surgeons. It is probable that an officialstatement will shortly be issued.

Aberdeen Royal Hospitalfor S’ic,k Children.The expenditure last year amounted to .E2633 9s. 5½d.,

653 patients having been treated at an average daily cost of2s. 3d. The new buildings for the accommodation of nurses(29) and servants (9) are expected to cost £3000, and the directors appeal to the generosity of the public of Aberdeenand districts for subscriptions, of which £1050 from sixdonors have already been intimated.

Hospital Sunday, in Aberdeen.On Sunday (Jan. 3rd) the church collections in Aberdeen

for the benefit of Aberdeen Royal Infirmary amounted in theaggregate to .6932 10s. 9d., but several congregations haveyet to send in a return.Jan. 5th.

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Main Drainage of Dublin.A REALLY serious effort to improve the sanitary condition of

the city and to lower its death-rate is now being made bythe Dublin Corporation. The main drainage works werecommenced on Aug. 24th last. After prolonged delaycaused by a building strike the first two contracts were

undertaken by Messrs. H. and J. Martin. These cover theconstruction of the sewers and auxiliary works for inter-cepting the sewage from the river Liffey and from thesmaller streams, the Toltga, Camac, and Poddle. Six gangsof men are now at work, four of these on the north quays,one at St. Michael’s Hill, and one near the KingsbridgeStation. The works at present cover in the aggregate abouta mile of ground, the average number of men employedbeing between 300 and 350. The cuttings along the quaysare necessarily very deep, and many difficulties have alreadybeen encountered owing to leakage of water from the Liffeyalongside. Every precaution to prevent serious interferencewith traffic is being taken, and at various positions, such asthe southern end of Sackville-street, the sewers are beingconstructed in tunnels.

The Trial of the Maguires for JIurder.Two long and also strong letters have recently appeared in

the Dublin daily papers in connexion with this case-one fromthe solicitor to the prisoners and the other from Dr. Thompsonof Omagh, one of the witnesses for the defence. Mr. F. J.O’Connor reminds the public that there were two trials inwhich he acted for the prisoners, one at Omagh in July, andthe other recently in Belfast. He then goes on to complainstrongly of the expressions used at the latter trial by theAttorney-General in his opening address, in which heattributed vanity, pretension, and ignorance to the medicalmen-namely, Dr. Thompson of Omagh, Dr. HenryBewley of Dublin, and Dr. Lorraine Smith of Belfast.Dr. Thompson in his letter bitterly resents the obser-vation by the judge, Sir Peter O’Brien, to the jurythat " he hoped that he (Dr. Thompson) was an honourableman and that he would be successful with his patientsin the district to which he belonged." This remark seemscertainly to have been, to say the least of it, uncalledfor and, moreover, proved that the learned judge was not atall familiar with the north of Ireland, where Dr. Thompsonhas been for many years very well known and very highlyesteemed.

The Funeral of the late Sir George Owens.The funeral of the late Sir George Owens, M.D , J.P.,

which took place on Saturday morning, was very largelyattended and testified to the high esteem in which thedeceased was held by the citizens of Dublin as well as bythe members of his own profession. The Lord Major,

the high sheriff, Lord Ardilaun, Sir William Kaye, C.B.,Sir Andrew Read, Sir Robert Forster, the Solicitor-General,the Dean of the Chapel Royal, Sir Frederick Falkiner, SirFrancis Brady, Sir William Porter, Bart., Sir Robert Sexton,D.L., &c., &c., were present, while among medical men therewere the Presidents of the Royal Colleges of Physiciansand Surgeons and the best-known members of the professionin Dublin.

The Sanitary State of Belfast.At the Belfast police courts on Dec. 29th, the owner of

property in Hopp’s-court was summoned by the BelfastCorporation for having premises in a state injurious tohealth and unfit for habitation, and the magistrates madean order closing them. It is stated that there will be anappeal.

The Nen Infirmary for Omagh.At a meeting cf the executive committee, held on

Dec. 30th (the Duke of Abercorn in the chair), it was

reported that the contractor refused to take the contracton the original terms, whereupon it was decided to increasethe contract by f.234, which would raise it to a total of

£8000, added to which the architect’s feeq and heatingwould bring the total cost of the Infirmary to £10,000. Thiswould leave a deficit of £4000, which it is hoped that sub-scribers in the county of Tyrone will make up.

The Notification of Infectious Diseases.The city corporation of Belfast at their first meeting this

year adopted the Notification of Infectious Diseases Act, 1889.by 18 to 8 votes. At the same meeting it was announcedthat the annual death-rate, calculated on a population of300,000, was 22 5 per 1000, the lowest for many years past.In the previous year it was 24’8, calculated on the same

population. In his address, reviewing the events of theprevious year, the Lord Mayor spoke of the desirability ofgranting a portion of the site of the present District LunaticAsylum as a site for a general hospital, and he thought thatthe corporation might make a grant out of the gas profits underSection 59 of the Act of 1874, which says : In any yearin which the average price charged for gas shall not exceed3s. 9d. per 1000 feet the surplus profits from the manufactureof gas may be applied by the corporation to public pur-poses." He thought there could be no more beneficentpurpose to which to apply them.

Progrèss and Prosperity of Belfast.Belfast has made great advances in the past year. The

number of buildings for which plans were approved was3118, as against 3011 in 1895; the number of streets con-structed was eighty-five, as compared with forty-three in theprevious year ; and the valuation of the city has increasedby over R53.COO. The great shipping firm of Harland andWolff, of which the Lord Mayor is a partner, has launchedthe largest amount of tonnage that has ever been producedby one firm in a year, the record including the largest vesselafloat. The five great Government dockyards of Englandhave only produced 71,000 tons, against 81,000 tons byHarland and Wolff.

Urtrained Xidwires.At an inquest held in Belfast on Dec. 21st in reference to

the death of an infant a woman was examined who said thatshe was a housekeeper and practised as a midwife. Shecould read, but could not write. She attended as a midwifeat the birth of the child whose death was under considera-tion. The child was born in a dying condition, but she didnot send for a medical man, and she did not advise thatone should be sent for. She could not say what was thematter with the child; at birth the infant simply gasped.She did not understand the term "artificial respiration."Dr. S. Alexander, dispensary medical man of the districtin which the child died, said the father of the child and themidwife came to register the infant’s death with him,and as they had no certificate he refused. Subsequentlythe father brought him a letter from a medical man

stating that he saw the child seven hours after death and: that he believed death was due to natural causes as far as he

could judge from a superficial examination of the body. He(Dr. Alexander) then gave information to the police. Dr.Alexander said a large number of so-called midwives prac-

, tised in Ireland without qualifications of any kind. He had,

reason to believe that many children who were buried asstillborn had been born alive and owing to want of proper

’ treatment they had died and were registered as stillborn. Hethought the best remedy would be to have all women