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being developed and there were now two roof shelters Iin constant use for the children. One of these was

in full use last summer and many of the patients spentthe whole of their time in this way in the open air.Turning to the question of finance the chairman, who, as allwho are connected with the infirmary are aware, has broughtto bear on this question keen business faculties coupledwith an amount of large-mindedness not always associatedtherewith, said the weekly board had reason for congratu-lation that some success had attended its efforts towards

economy. In 1905 there was a reduction in ordinaryworking expenditure of E400 and in 1906, notwithstandingan increase of four in the number of occupied beds, there wasagain a decrease of .6410. He considered that this was duein part to a diminution in the cost of some of the articlesconsumed, but he credited the staff of the infirmary withsome share in bringing the result about. The total ex-

penditure for the year 1906 at the infirmary and at the twosemi-convalescent hospitals had amounted to .635,044. It wastrue that this included a sum of .61717, which might be re-garded as extraordinary expenditure, but he did not consider"extraordinary " expenditure should be regarded as a sourceof expenditure unlikely to recur. Of this sum E472 hadbeen devoted to the addition to the clinical laboratory. Thereceipts for the year amounted to C30,814, or 94200 belowthe expenditure, but he was not discouraged by an examina-tion of the details of the income. There had been, indeed,a slight decrease in the amount of the annual subscrip-tions and legacies amounted to only .61129, but the sub-scription from the Leeds Workpeople’s Hospital Fund was.E5250, which was the largest sum ever received from thatsource. The subscriptions from workpeople outside the cityhad also increased and amounted to .61439, while the

infirmary received about L1000 more from this class throughdemonstrations and galas which they promoted in the townsand villages round about. Two beds and one cot had beenendowed during the year by donations amounting to .82500.Among the factors which have contributed to the moreeconomical working of the charity during the last few yearsmust be included the systematising of the accounts whichhas been carried out by Mr. Blair, the general manager, andhis staff, under the direction and at the instigation of Mr.Lupton. As a result of this there is circulated every montha large sheet showing not only the daily average number ofbeds occupied and the average cost per bed occupied but theamount actually expended in connexion with every ward inthe infirmary, in the theatres, and in the various out-patientdepartments. Such sources of expenditure as provisions,dressings, drugs, massage, nurses’ salaries, including that ofextra nurses engaged, thermometers, glass urinals, &c., are

all separately dealt with and the sheet enables one at a

glance to see where undue expenditure appears to be goingon and cannot fail to lead to a wise economy. In Leeds itis happily the rule that every member of the honorary staffof the infirmary is a member of the board of manage-ment and in consequence of this it has been possible toinstitute a rule, excellent in its intention and fruitfulin its results, which it might have been otherwise difficult tointroduce without misunderstanding. This rule involves the

sending to every member of the staff a monthly, or in somecases a weekly, statement of the number of patients underhis care who have been in the infirmary more than eightweeks, of those who are having massage or any speciallyexpensive form of treatment, whether medicinal or surgical,and of those who are having stimulants. The members ofthe honorary staff would be the first to admit that extrasordered in suitable cases are occasionally through in-advertence continued when the necessity for them has ceasedto exist. As showing the importance of apparently smalleconomics Mr. Lupton in his address mentioned that theexpenditure of ld. more per head on one of the meals whichwas daily supplied to their patients, nurses, and staffservants, involved an increase of .61000 per annum.

Institution of Separate Professorship of Zoology and Botanyat the Unh’eritity.

Consequent on the resignation of Professor Miall, who hasoccupied the chair of biology since the inception of theYorkshire College in the early ’’ seventies," the conditions ofthe teaching in the two subjects of zoology and botany havebeen fully discussed and at the last meeting of the councilof the University it was decided to create separate chairsin the two subjects.March 25th.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Edinburgh Royal Infirmary: Nero Lady Superintendent ofNurses.

THE managers of the Edinburgh Royal Infirmary haveappointed Miss Annie Warren Gill, R.R.C., to be lady super-intendent of nurses in succession to Miss Spencer. MissGill is at present matron of the Royal Berkshire Hospital,Reading. She was trained in Edinburgh and was for sometime night superintendent and for three years assistantsuperintendent of the Nurses’ Home. She was in Africaduring the war as matron of the Edinburgh and Eastof Scotland Hospital ; she then returned to Edinburgh butwas again sent out to Africa, having been selected by theGovernment for service in the concentration camps in theOrange River Colony. For her services in South Africa shereceived the decoration of the Royal Red Cross.

An Important Medico-legal Case.An important trial has been concluded in Edinburgh

which from its medico-legal aspect is worthy of note. Thecase was known as "The Cumnock Shortbread PoisoningCase." When the man, who was charged with having sentthe shortbread, was brought into court for trial it was sub-mitted by the Crown that he was insane and this was

supported by two medical certificates. Counsel for the

prisoner opposed this view and insisted that the prisoner hadconsistently maintained his innocence and had instructedhis agents and counsel to maintain his innocence. Thecourt decided against the Crown ’and allowed the trial toproceed. The evidence against the accused was generallyregarded as very weak, but the judge in instructing the jurypointed out to them that they had to consider whether theprisoner was insane or not. The jury, instead of returningone of the three ordinary verdicts, decided that the prisonerwas insane, with the result that he is detained as a criminallunatic during the King’s pleasure, with the double stigmaof insanity and criminality.

Demonstrations on Diseases of the Loroer Ânimals.At the request of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons,

Glasgow, it has been arranged that the corporation veterinarysurgeon should give a series of demonstrations to medicalmen on diseases of the lower animals, more especially withreference to those which are transferable to man. In con-nexion with this subject it is interesting to note that theIncorporated Sanitary Association has also approached thetown council of Glasgow. The association is at present con-sidering the questing of instituting an examination for acertificate of competency in inspecting meat and other foods.For such an examination it is necessary that candidatesshould undergo a course of practical tuition in the varioussubjects of examination, such as the signs of health anddisease in animals, dead or alive, intended for food,the names and situations of the organs in the bodies ofanimals, the duties of meat inspectors, &c. The associationthinks that in the interests of public health the time hasarrived when such a course of teaching should be estab-lished by the corporation and believes that it would be wellsupported.

The Royal Hospital for Sick Children, Glasgow.At the invitation of the Lord Povost a conference of repre-

sentative citizens was held in the municipal buildings lastweek to discuss the scheme for the foundation of a new andlarger hospital for sick children in Glasgow. The presenthospital, situated in Garnethill, contains 74 cots, while at thecountry branch of the hospital at Drumchapel there are

24 additional cots, making 98 in all. At the presentmoment there are 140 cases awaiting admission to the

hospital, and some idea of the immensity of the workcarried on by the institution can be gathered from thefact that during last year alone 11,600 patients were

treated at the outdoor department. The present hospital,which was erected in 1882, is unfortunately situated inthe centre of a densely populated district and is over-shadowed by tall tenements on either hand. The directorshave therefore determined, if possible, to erect a larger hos-pital on a new site in Glasgow and also to extend the branchin the country at Drumchapel. To be at all adequate thenew hospital will require to contain from 200 to 250 cots andto erect such a building on a suitable site and make the

915

requisite extension at Drumchapel will cost about 100,000.It is gratifying to note that at the meeting the Lord Provostwas able to intimate a list of subscriptions already receivedamounting to <&29,500.March 25th.

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IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Univers’ity Education in Ireland. -

IT might have been thought that the announcement inParliament that this question would not be dealt with forsome time would have lessened the interest in it in Ireland.It has not had that effect, for the most influential of themorning papers here contain daily columns of letters inreference to what is called "Mr. Bryce’s scheme," althoughnobody knows what it may precisely prove to be. Manymeetings have been held here, in England, and even inCalcutta, but the question remains unaltered because of theabsence of definite knowledge. On March 22nd two demon-strations were held in Trinity College to protest against Mr.Bryce’s scheme, as it is generally interpreted to be. TheProvost presided over the principal meeting, which was heldin the examination hall, and the resolutions were spoken toby Lord Ashbourne, Lord Iveagh, Sir Edward Carson, M.P.,and many others. The noli me tangere policy has been fullyadopted by the University of Dublin. It may succeed, or itmay not, but the existing conditions have certainly workedwell here for 300 years.

Motor-ear Accident in D2cblin.

Lady Thomson, wife of Sir William Thomson, was

knocked down by a motor-car on March 23rd, just in frontof their residence in Stephen’s Green. The staff ofSt. Vincent’s Hospital, situated a few doors off, were quicklyin attendance. Sir William Thomson and her brother, SirThornley Stoker, arrived soon and it was ascertainedthat the patient, although badly bruised, was happily notseriously injured. The owner of the motor-car, who was alsoits driver, was brought before the chief magistrate on

March 25th and remanded on bail pending the convalescenceof Lady Thomson and her ability to appear in court.

The Belfast Health Commission.

During the past week the members of the Health Com-mission have spent their time in visiting mills, slums, andother places referred to in evidence. They also held onenight sitting on March 20th, when some of the labour partytendered evidence as to work in the mills and as to filled upground. The Commission, owing to the Easter holidays, willnot sit again until April 8th, when it meets in the City Hall,Belfast. The Ulster Medical Society has nominated a

number of members, Dr. A. Dempsey, Sir John Byers,Professor J. A. Lindsay, Dr. W. Calwell, and Dr. J. McCaw,to give evidence; and Dr. H. Stevenson, the honorarysecretary, is to present a series of resolutions passed atvarious times by the Ulster Medical Society in regard toquestions of public health.

Ulster Eye, Ear, and Throat Hospital.At the annual meeting of the friends of this charity held

on March 21st it was reported that there had been 2170extern and 340 intern patients during the past year. Thedebt has been reduced from L324 10s. 6d. to E230 9s. 7d.212 operations were performed.

The Public Health of Belfast.At a meeting of the public health committee of Belfast held

on March 21st the superintendent medical officer of health pre-sented a dismal report, The death-rate for the week endedMarch 16th from all causes was 22’ 3 and from the principalzymotics 1 4. There were 18 cases of typhoid fever, ten ofscarlet fever, 11 of diphtheria, and 24 of epidemic cerebro-spinal meningitis, as compared with 11, 13, three, and 31 forthe previous week. The total number of cases of "spottedfever" since the outbreak of the disease was now 201, andthere had been 107 deaths. The medical officer of health re-ported that there was great difficulty in persuading parents ofchildren suffering from cerebro-spinal meningitis to have thepatients removed to Purdysburn fever hospital for treatment,and he asked for instructions on the point, but after discussion

it was decided to leave the matter in his hands. It wouldhave been better had he explained the objections that theparents of the patients have in regard to the hospital, butthis will doubtless come out at the inquiry before the HealthCommission. At Purdysburn fever hospital, which accom-modates 168 patients, there are now 122 cases ; of these 25are suffering from typhoid fever, 39 from scarlet fever, 15from diphtheria, and 39 from cerebro-spinal fever.

Cerebro apinccl -Fever.

Despite the fact that the disease is notifiable, that isola-tion is being promptly used, that it has been advised to boilthe water and the milk, and that disinfectants are beinggiven away profusely-so profusely that a deputation ofchemists has complained to the public health committee ofthe unfairness of such lavishness-and, finally, that theweather has become much milder, cerebro-spinal meningitiscontinues its course apparently unchecked. Five deathswere reported on March 25th and six fresh cases were

notified, and up to the present (March 26th): the totalnumber of cases reported is 218, with 118 deaths. Both themedical profession and the public fear that the measures

employed are not resulting in the stamping out of theepidemic.March 26th.

__________________

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Aneu,rysm of the Ophthalmio Artery cured by Gelatin.M. Lancereauxand M. Paulesco communicated a paper upon

the above subject at the Academy of Sciences on March 4th.They gave the patient injections of gelatinised serum of astrength of 2 per cent. and after 41 injections arrived at acomplete cure. Two hours after the first injection the bloodin the aneurysmal sac coagulated, with the result that theaneurysmal bruit and the beating sensation disappeared, butas the coagulum contracted after seven or eight hours thesac filled again with blood. Repeated injections graduallycaused the sac to become quite full of clot, with the resultthat the bruit gradually got weaker, changing in quality,and finally the sac became completely and definitelyobstructed.

A Possible Antidote for Strychnine.On March 12th M. Pouchet communicated to the Academy

of Medicine a letter addressed by the French consul atBatavia to the Minister for Foreign Affairs. Certainplanters whose cocoa plantations had suffered much from theattacks of monkeys laid strychnine for them. It was thennoticed that after the monkeys had eaten the strychnine theymade for certain trees which they climbed and of which

they proceeded to eat the leaves. Such monkeys nevershowed any symptoms of poisoning and continued their gamesas before. M. Pouchet thought that it would be interestingto get specimens of the leaves of these trees so as to seewhether they really had any antidotal properties forstrychnine.

Small-pox and Traecination at Laos.M. Kermorgant read a communication sent in by

M. Rouffiandi, a medecin m{1jor of colonial troops, before theAcademy of Medicine on March 12th on the subject of small-pox and vaccination at Laos from 1889 to 1906. The countryin question, the area of which is 267,000 square kilometres,has only 500,000 inhabitants. The villages are, therefore,very distant the one from the other. ’1 here are only fivemedical men throughout the whole territory and they haveto go their rounds either by horse or by elephant, or

occasionally by steamer. In 11 years these medical menhave performed 196,830 vaccinations with 49 per cent. ofsuccess, but it must be remembered that the vaccine whichcomes from Saigon is often from 55 to 60 days old. Thesemedical men have also to resist strenuously the practice ofsmall-pox inoculation which is still widespread in the

country, but they have made one great step in advance, forat Hieng-Kbouang on the plateau of Tranninh, which is1200 metres above the sea, they have started a vaccinestation which since the year 1905 has been able to furnishthe whole of Haut-Laos with vaccine lymph.March 25th.