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honorary medical officers were thanked for their valuableservices.

The Outbreak oj Diphtheria at Gateshead.At the last meeting of the Gateshead Town Council the

sanitary committee submitted a report on the outbreak ofdiphtheria in the borough. The outbreak appears to havebeen connected with defective drainage at the Higher GradeSchool. Sixteen cases in all had occurred, and there hadbeen six deaths, but no fresh cases had been reported sinceOct. 5th. The council decided to adopt the InfectiousDiseases Act, including the Notification Clause, the same tocome into operation on Dec. 1st.

Diphtheria at Annan.The serious epidemic at Annan still prevails. Twenty cases

have been reported, some being very severe and some havinga fatal termination. The Annan Academy and all the burghschools have been closed by the School Board.

Microscopy.The Carlisle Microscopical Society has given its first demon-

stration of the season, when Mr. C. S. Hall, M. R. C. S. Eng.,kc., addressed the guests and a number of interesting objectswere exhibited.

Serious Accident to a Durham Surgeon,I regret to hear that Mr. Gardner of Washington, a well-

known surgeon in the county of Durham, has met with aserious accident. He was driving home from Newcastle onSaturday evening last when the coachman lost control of thehorse, with the result that both Mr. Gardner and his manwere thrown out of the vehicle. The latter was muchshaken, but was able to make his way for help, his mastermeanwhile lying on the road insensible. After some delayMr. Gardner was removed in an ambulance to his homeat Washington, where he was seen by medical friends fromNewcastle and Sunderland. He is in a very precarious state.

Medical Mayors in the North.I hear that Mr. Alderman Boyd, M.R.C.S., has been

nominated as mayor of the city of Durham for the fifth time.Dr. Armstrong also has been nominated for a similar office atAppleby.Newcastle-on-Tyne, Nov. lst.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Edinburgh University General Council.THE statutory half-yearly meeting of the General Council

of the University of Edinburgh was held on Friday of lastweek, the Vice-Chancellor, Principal Sir William Muir, pre-siding. The first business was the election of two assessors tothe University Court, in room of the Right Hon. J. H. A.

Macdonald, Lord Justice Clerk, and Mr. Thomas KcKie,Advocate. Mr. J. Hope Finlay, W.S., and Mr. A. TaylorInnes, Advocate, were nominated and agreed to. The ques-tion before the council which proved to be of most interest wasthat of tests in the theological faculty. The majority of thesub-committee appointed to consider and report on this advo-cated the entire abolition of tests in the universities, andalso the abolition of the Faculty of Theology altogether,some of the chairs to be retained and placed underthe Faculty of Arts. This was met by an amend-ment expressing "disapproval of any proposal to abolishthe Faculty of Theology in the Scottish universities ;and in regard to proposed changes in the constitutionof these Faculties the council meanwhile deems it inexpe-dient to pronounce any conclusive finding in the absence ofany immediate prospect of legislation in the matter." Thisamendment was carried by a large majority. The reports ofthe Committee on Ordinances were submitted and afterdiscussion agreed to. The most important of these, medicallyconsidered, was the draft ordinance dealing with the institu-tion of Boards of Studies in the Faculties of Medicine andScience, which is of sufficient importance to be given indetail.

"DRAFT ORDINANCE [General No. 14.-Institution of Boardsof Studies in the Faculties of Medicine and Science]." By the ordinances setting forth the regulations for degrees

in Medicine and in Science it has been provided that (1) itshall be the duty of the Senatus to determine, from time to

time, the number of meetings of which a full course in anysubject shall consist, and to report its determination to the-University Court for its approval ; (2) the Senatus, with theapproval of the University Court, may sanction half-courses ofnot less than half the number of meetings which consti-tute a full course in the subject, but two half-courses.shall be held to be equivalent to a full course in such cases-as the Senatus, with the approval of the University Court,may determine, and under such regulations as may from.time to time be made for that purpose ; (3) it shall be the-

duty of the professors and lecturers annually, at the endof each winter session, to submit to the Senatus a scheme.specifying what proportion of the courses shall be devoted’to lectures, practical demonstrations, examinations, andtutorial work respectively ; the Senatus to transmit such.scheme, with such observations as it may think fit to makethereon, to the University Court for its approval; and, lastly,-that it shall, in the Faculty of Science, be the duty of theprofessors and lecturers annually at the end of each wintersession to submit to their Faculty for its consideration a,

syllabus of the subjects and books proposed for the work oftheir classes during the next academical year ; the Faculty to-transmit such syllabus, with such observations as it maythink fit to make thereon, to the Senatus for its approval.Under these ordinances the University Court would thus.-have a controlling voice in regard to the following:matters : the number of meetings in each full course, thesanctioning of half-courses, the approval of two half-coursesas equivalent to a full course, the approval of schemes of dis-tribution of the respective proportions of the courses applicable to lectures, demonstrations &c. On the other hand,the University Court has been excluded from control overthe actual educational syllabuses. These are left as a.

matter within the control of the Senatus itself and,therefore, practically controlled by the members of each’

Faculty. But this control would again be merely nominal,for it can hardly be expected that any professors wouldinterfere with their colleagues’ discretion, except in caseswhere there happened to be some ill-feeling within the

Faculty, or some dispute as to overstepping the bounds ofany professor’s commission, to the annoyance of one or

other of his colleagues. But precisely in such cases thereought to be some independent authority, such as the

University Court, to settle the matter; and, further, theSenatus, after consultation with the Board of Studies, hashad jurisdiction given it over the teaching arrangements ofthe lecturers appointed by the University Court to lectureon particular subjects not already taught within the University, and any questions between them and the professorswere to be determined by the Senatus, with appeal to theUniversity Court. But, on the other hand, it is well knowsthat there are hardly any branches which are not claimedby one professor or another ; and the whole arrangementpresents a degree of complication which seems very liable-to lead to disputes or disagreement. Beyond that, the pro-fessorial control over the syllabuses of study would seem tohave a more far-reaching effect than could have been in-tended. The University Court has been enjoined not to grantor continue recognition to any institution or teachers unless.they are satisfied that their courses of instruction are

equivalent to the courses sanctioned in the universities ofScotland. This is a prohibition subject only to the satis-faction of a condition ; and the University Court might, incourse of time, find its discretion hampered by the actings ofthe professorial staff. Some such considerations as these

may have pressed upon the minds of the Commissioners, forthey have now issued the draft ordinance under notice.They proceed on the preamble that it is desirable that acertain number of lecturers and examiners who may not be-members of the Senatus Academicus should be associatedwith the professors in the Faculties of Medicine andScience in regulating the course of study qualifying forgraduation in these Faculties. They then purport to give-effect to the principle set forth in their preamble.It may be observed that the Commissioners have thus

departed from the principle of allowing each professor anuncontrolled discretion with respect to all subjects of studywithin the terms of his commission ; that they have departedfrom their previous proposal to give the Senatus controlover the teaching arrangements of the lecturers appointedby the University Court ; that they have admitted that the-independent examiners ought to have a say in the regulation of the course of study qualifying for graduation within,the University ; and that they have given their approval to

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the principle that a board ought to be instituted for the

regulation of the course of study within each Faculty, Muchboard to be professorial only in part. Their mode of,solving the problem is the following: A Board of Studies is tobe instituted in the Faculty of Medicine, and one in the Faculty- of Science. This board, in each of these Faculties, is toconsist of the professors of that Faculty (along with suchtprofessors in other Faculties whose subjects qualify for

:graduation in that Faculty, as the Senatus may from time totime appoint), together with such lecturers and additional- examiners as the Senatus may from time to time select ; and<the duties of the board are to consider the matters referredto above-the number of meetings &c.-and report theiropinion to the Senatus ; and also to receive from the pro-cessors and lecturers the schemes of study proposed by them,:and to transmit the same to the Senatus Academicus, withsuch observations as they make think fit to make thereon.Neither in its constitution nor in the powers which itis proposed that it is to possess does your committee see thepromise of a useful working board. Your committee adhereto the opinion, repeatedly affirmed by the council, that thewhole ultimate responsibility for the conduct of the univer-sity as an educational institution should rest with the Univer-sity Court ; but, failing this, they give their general assentto the principle laid down by the Commissioners in the

preamble to this draft ordinance. They are of opinion that,^while the professors ought to be amply represented onthe Board of Studies, the Board of Studies itself, if it is,to be of any real utility, and not merely a fifth wheelin the coach, should be an independent body vestedwith sufficient power to give effect to its opinion inthe particular matters in respect to which it has been- called into existence; and that all the lecturers appointedby the University Court, and all the examiners, shouldbe members of the board ew officio, or, if a selection from.among their number is considered desirable, that such.selection should be made by the University Court and thatnone of the non-professorial members of the proposed Boardof Studies should in any case owe their seats on that boardto the favour of the Senatus. They are of opinion thatsuch a board should, in the words of the ordinance, I regu-late the course of studies,’ with or without consultationwith the Senatus, and that the board should transmitits proposals to the University Court for its approval or- otherwise.’’

Another important draft ordinance dealing with supple-mentary powers of the University Court was favourably re-’portedon. This ordinance proposes: 1. That when a professor-ship becomes vacant the University Court may revise and adjustthe terms of the next commission, and that they may exercisethis power, whoever may be the patrons of the chair, pro-vided they give notice within four weeks after the vacancyhas occurred that they intend to do so. 2. That when theCourt founds a new chair it may appoint the professor for alimited term, renewable at the pleasure of the Court. Insuch a case the Court may make any arrangements aboutthe professor’s right to a pension, and may appoint him onthe terms that he is to have no such right.

Dinncr to Professor Symington.Last Saturday Professor Symington was entertained to I

- dinner by past and present pupils. The dinner was hurriedlyarranged for ; but, notwithstanding this, there were aboutone hundred present, including some of Professor Symington’s,colleagues in the school. The chair was occupied byLord Provost Russell, M.D., and among those present wereSir W. Turner, Professor Chiene, Dr. W. Russell, Dr. G.Mackay, Mr. Caird, and Professor Geddes. The chairmanproposed the toast of the evening in very suitable terms, andit was received with great enthusiasm. Professor Symingtonin an excellently conceived speech traced his connexion with’the Edinburgh school and acknowledged the encouragementhe had received during the whole period of his connexionwith it. The evening was a memorable one, full of song andhumour.

Tlie Edinburgh Health Society.This Society, after a year or two of dormant existence,

which was probably regarded by many as final extinction, hasagain sprung into life and has issued quite a novel syllabus oflectures, the first three being by Professor McFadyen of theRoyal Veterinary College of London, who will deal with sub-jects he is so well fitted to handle. He will be followed byDr. Noel Paton with two lectures on Work.

Oct. 31st.

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Royal Un,i-ucrsitf of Ireland.A PUBLIC MEETING for the conferring of the degrees of the

Royal University of Ireland was held in the University build-ings last week, and presided over by Lord Morris, in place ofthe Vice-Chancellor. The chairman, in his address, statedthat the total number of candidates who were examined lastyear was 2857, while this year they numbered 2879 ; that thenumber of graduates who were admitted to degrees last yearwas 201; and that this year there were now attending for thepurpose of having degrees conferred on them 211, of whom 36were ladies. By the Charter of the University its degrees wereleft open to women, and even at that time many personsentertained doubts as to whether it was advisable thatfemales should engage in academic struggles. The questionwas no longer one of argument. It had become an accom-

plished fact, and the Royal University of Ireland had doneits part in that achievement, because from the list whichhe would read to them it would appear that the ladieswere able to hold their own with the other sex, for which itwas previously supposed academic degrees were reserved. Ofthe 36 females upon whom degrees were to be conferred noless than 14 had achieved remarkable and striking successes.That university was not founded as a teaching university,which was the primary definition, he believed, of a univer-sity&mdash;namely, a school for universal learning ; but it had beenmost successful in the department for which it was founded-namely, as an examining university.

The Dublin Water-supply.Both north and south sides of the city are supplied from

the Grand and Royal Canals respectively, and chemical andmicroscopical analyses have shown that both these suppliesare extremely pure and waters of a very high class. Sofar the city is safe, but the townships which depend onthe Vartry-e.g., Pembroke, Blackrock, Kingstown &c.-aresuffering a good deal; only four hours’ water in the twenty-four hours is allowed, and the Vartry reservoir, should norain fall in the interval, will be unable to supply any waterafter sixteen or twenty days. There is practically no othersupply available at the present time.

Death, of Mr. Samuel Henry Webb, A.B. T. C.D.. FR. C. S.I.I record with deep regret the death of Mr. Webb, which

sad event took place on Saturday last at his residence,27, Harcourt-street, Dublin. He possessed a strong andvigorous constitution, and enjoyed remarkably good health.For some time he acted as a Demonstrator of Anatomyin the Ledwich School of Medicine, and lately he was anExaminer in Physics and Chemistry at the Royal Collegeof Surgeons in Ireland. He leaves a wife and one childto deplore his untimely decease.

The Water-supply of Belfast.At a meeting of the Water Commissioners held on

Oct. 30th it was decided that it was absolutely necessaryto push on the execution of the Mourne works at a greaterrate than hitherto. This had been decided on, owing to the

. fear that if the city suffered, as other places had, from scarcity, of water, business would be paralysed. Originally the ideawas to bring the Mourne water to Belfast in seven or eight.

years, but it had now been arranged that this new supply musti be in the city much sooner. In order to do this capital would

be raised by an addition of twopence in the pound to the rates. of the city. With reference to the present supply, it was

stated that they had received no additional store in theiri reservoirs during the past six weeks ; the fall of rain hadi scarcely been sufficient to supply the immediate wants of the, city. They were not, however, so badly off as some of theiri neighbours. They had out of their reservoirs been able toL meet the demands of the city for eight months ; but for a

long time yet the city would have to subsist on a diminishedsupply.

, Opening of the -ilretlical Session.The medical session opened on Tuesday, Oct. 31st, when

f Dr. Sinclair, Professor of Surgery, delivered an introductoryaddress in the theatre of the Royal Hospital, which was

- crowded with students. Nearly all the members of themedical staff were present. After welcoming the studentsto work again, Professor Sinclair addressed himself speciallyto the junior men, to whom he gave some admirable advice as