48 MANCHESTER.-SCOTLAND.

up the cases noted’ by the medical inspectors, to induce theparents to carry out the suggestions of the medical officers, andto persuade parents to enter their children as members ofprovident dispensaries or friendly societies. It is further

suggested that the local committees should endeavour to pro-vide the necessary help in special cases, and in cases ofcriminal neglect should report to the education committee.The scheme seems practicable and workable, and the planwill be awaited with interest. The position of the medicalofficer to the clubs must be protected if children are to besent to some of these institutions for treatment.

The South Staffordshire Small-pox Hospital.At a recent meeting of the South Staffordshire Small-pox

Hospital board a suggestion for the utilisation of the hospitalfor the treatment of phthisis from an educational point ofview was considered. The scheme emanated from Dr. GeorgeReid, the medical officer of health for Staffordshire, andits central idea is that phthisical patients should be sentto the hospital for a limited time, not especially for treatmentbut to be taught how they should live at home. The schemewould necessitate the erection of some shelters, a medicalofficer, a small number of nurses, and a domestic staff. Dr.Reid believes that it would be safe to use the buildings for thepurpose he desires provided certain parts are left vacant forthe reception of any small-pox cases which may arise, andhe thinks the cost in upkeep of 35 beds would not exceedI!.2767, whilst at present the upkeep is costing £1530, forwhich nothing is being obtained.

Torvn Funds and .Hospital Neoessities.The financial difficulties of the Walsall and District Hos-

pital led the committee of the hospital to apply to the

general purposes committee of the town council for an

annual grant towards the upkeep of the hospital. The

general purposes committee reported that it was unable toaccede to the request, and on the report being presented itwas proposed by a member of the council that the tradingcommittees of the corporation should be empowered tosubscribe to any of the charitable institutions of the townfrom which their employees received benefit. The suggestionobtained support, but it was pointed out that the eventualresult would be to place the hospital on the rates, and on avote being taken the motion was defeated by a large majority.June 29th.

__________________

MANCHESTER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

.Yreatm.6nt of Consumptive Poor.AT a meeting of the Salford guardians held on June 25th

it was decided to confirm the action of the general purposescommittee in approving the majority of the recommendationsissued by a committee appointed by the North-WesternPoor-law Conference in regard to special treatment of

phthisical cases. For the treatment of out-door poor coöpera-tion was urged between health authorities and guardians,separate sleeping accommodation for consumptives, the dis-tribution of helpful literature by relieving officers, and thesending of special nurses periodically to consumptive poorpeople. For the indoor poor, isolation and special treat-ment, especially as to open air, were urged. It was also

agreed to hold a special meeting of the general purposescommittee to discuss the need for more suitable accommoda-tion for the housing and treatment of consumptives at theHope Hospital, and to consider the advisability of utilisingsome land adjoining the hospital which belongs to the

guardians.Margarine and Butter.

The question of margarine v. butter, or of butter-cum-margarine, is one of considerable interest for a large sectionof the population of Manchester, so that the proceedings ofStanding Committee B of the House of Commons on June 21stmay fairly be noticed in a communication from a citywhich will be so largely affected as Manchester in the"Sale of Margarine Bill introduced by Mr. Kilbride. The

object of the Bill is to prevent margarine from being socoloured as to resemble butter, and so to prevent itsfraudulent sale as such. The opposition to the Bill on thepart of certain of the Members for Manchester was curious,and their reasoning, so far as reported, not easy to follow.Mr. Byles, one of the Members for Salford, moved to deleteClause 1, the operative clause of the Bill. He said that "the

fact that margarine was coloured to resemble butter did notmean that it was fraudulently sold as butter. Imitation wasthe sincerest form of flattery. Ladies who could notafford a silk dress sometimes wore mercerised cotton,and he did not think they should be prevented frombuying such an imitation. There was the artificial flowertrade. People were sometimes deceived in that way. Alittle while ago he bought on the kerbstone a penny bunchof violets. When he got it he found that it was made of

paper. He did not suggest, however, that Parliament shouldinterfere." Such reasoning as this would justify anyamount of adulteration. If the resemblance of margarineto butter were made close enough it would at any rate makefraud easy and make it tempting. The illustration given byMr. Byles does not apply, and is therefore irrelevant.Ladies do not buy mercerised cotton thinking it silk. Mr.Harwood said that the people guilty of fraud were notthe makers of margarine but those who bought it andmixed it with butter. Mr. A. H. Scott opposed the Billbecause he said it proposed to injure 90 per cent. of honesttraders for the sake of getting at a small proportion of dis-honest people," and he told the story of two clever youngIrishmen in Manchester, who have been heard of before,who bought margarine to sell it to retailers, and they inturn bought it to sell to the public as butter. Theysold 20 pounds or 30 pounds a week to each retailer,and undertook themselves to pay any penalties thatmight be imposed on the retailers if they were foundout. It was easy to convict the retailers, but so far it hasbeen impossible to catch the two clever Irishmen. Sir F.Cawley opposed the Bill as he said his constituents wouldhave to pay more for their butter if it were passed. Some ofour legislators do not take a very stern view of adulteration,but it is satisfactory that the penal clause was passed by23 votes to 13. If margarine is sold on its merits all welland good, but if it is sold as butter the fraud should bepunished.

Town Planning Bill.A petition in favour of the Town Planning Bill has been

forwarded to the House of Commons by the Manchester andSalford Sanitary Association and will be presented by Mr.Joynson-Hicks, M.P.

Should Hospital Patients S’moke ?One of the medical officers of the Hope Hospital has

recommended to the committee of the Salford guardians thatif the luxury of smoking be allowed it should take place onlyout of doors. This rather hard measure has not been metedout to the inmates, chiefly through the sympathetic pleadingof one of the lady guardians. She pointed out that it wouldbe a great hardship on the paralytics and bed-ridden, and itwas finally determined that regulations should be drawn uppermitting bed-ridden patients to smoke at certain hours andgiving reasonable latitude to those desirous of smoking inthe day rooms.

Langho Reformatory.Regrets have often been expressed that the results of

detention at the Langho Reformatory for Inebriates have inso many cases been apparently nil, but an effort is beingmade to do something more than keep these poor womenthere for a time, and then dismiss them without anyattempt to help them to resist their special temptation.The Chief Constable of Manchester, Mr. A. Peacock, haswritten to the board of management suggesting that it

might be possible to get together a number of ladies to takean interest in women patients after their period of detentionhad expired. Through them the women might be keptstraight and honest work might be found for them. It issaid that the board favours the idea, and it is earnestly to behoped that it will be carried out. A tactful, strong, butsympathetic influence is just what is required in many ofthese cases to prevent the victim of drink from falling backinto the old ways.June 29th.

_________________

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Death of Professor D. J. Cunningham.As was recently noted in THE LANCET, the state of

health of Professor Cunningham, who occupied the chairof anatomy in the University of Edinburgh, was giving

49SCOTLAND.

his friends the gravest anxiety. He had sojourned in

Egypt during the winter without material benefit, and whenhe returned to Edinburgh it soon became known that

only one issue of his illness was to be looked for. He diedon June 23rd, and was buried on the 26th in the Dean

cemetery. The funeral service was conducted in St. Cuthbert’sChurch. The principal part of the service was taken by theRev. Professor Taylor, the prayers being highly impressiveand appropriate to the occasion. The members of the Uni-

versity, including the Court and the Senatus, were present inlarge number. The Presidents of the Royal Colleges of

Physicians and of Surgeons were present in academiccostume and attended by their mace-bearers. The studentswere present in large numbers and many public bodies wererepresented. In the whole Edinburgh School of MedicineProfessor Cunningham’s death is not only deeply mournedon account of his personal attractiveness, but it is felt thatthe medical faculty of the University has sustained analmost irreparable loss.

Death of Two Edinburgh, Medical Men.At Boscombe, Bournemouth, on June 25th, there passed

away in the person of Peter Alexander Young, M.D. Edin.,F.R.C.P. Edin., one who was well known in Edinburghmedical circles for many years. Dr. Young graduated inmedicine at Edinburgh in 1867. He practised in Portobellofor many years, but over 20 years ago removed to Edin-

burgh, where he had a large general and family prac-tice. For many years he was honorary treasurer to the

Royal College of Physicians, and in that capacity hadfrequently to represent the College on public occasions,a duty which he always performed with dignity andacceptance and to the satisfaction of the Fellows. Hewas a keen Volunteer and took an active part in ambulancework. He was a justice of the peace for the County of theCity of Edinburgh. He took an active part in various

philanthropic movements. His genial and friendly bearingmade him a favourite with his brethren, and his patientswere much attached to him. Failing health compelled himto resign his connexion with his College, and soon thereafterled him to abandon practice and to seek the milder climateof Boscombe, where his death took place.-On June 24th,at Newton, Nairn, William Alexander Finlay, M.D. Edin.,F. R. C. S. Edin., recently of Trinity, near Edinburgh, passedaway. Dr. Finlay came of a medical family and suc-

ceeded his father in general practice in Trinity. Untilhis health began to fail he was the leading practitioner inthe district and was well known to his brethren in Edinburghas an excellent practitioner. Some years ago he was one ofthe surgeons to Leith Hospital. He died at the house of hisbrother, Sir Robert Finlay, himself at one time a studentof medicine and Attorney-General in the last UnionistGovernment.

The Responsibility for the Treatment of Consumptives inGlasgow.

The parish council of Glasgow has felt for some timethat too much of the responsibility for the treatment of

consumptives rests on its shoulders. It does not fallwithin the powers of the council to undertake the treatmentof the consumptive at the period of his illness most likely toresult in recovery-i.e., when he is still able to work ; but ata later period, when the disease is so advanced as to renderhim unfit for work and correspondingly more unlikely torecover, he is sent to one of the parish hospitals fortreatment, and his wife and family are thrown upon therates for support. As the council has not the power tointerfere at the earlier stage of the disease, while the manis still a possible wage earner, it has for some timebeen urging upon the corporation that it is its dutyto undertake the responsibility of these cases in theearlier stages. It is impossible to deny that such a

course is economically as well as medically sound, and inorder to consider the whole matter the corporation’s sub-committee on the prevention of tuberculosis has had a

meeting with representatives of the parish councils ofGlasgow and Govan, the National Association for the Pre-vention of Consumption, Quarrier’s Homes, and the Lanfineand Bellefield sanatoriums. As a result of this meeting amemorandum has been prepared by Dr. A. K. Chalmers,medical officer of health of Glasgow, suggesting the follow-ing points for consideration: (1) That phthisis be includedamong the notifiable diseases for a period of three or five

years ; (2) that in addition to the tuberculosis dispensary,at present conducted in the sanitary chambers, similarfacilities be provided in the eastern, western, andsouthern districts of the city; (3) that a nurse be

appointed to each dispensary for systematic visitation ofthe houses and families of those in attendance thereat ;(4) that the work of home visitation be placed under thecharge of a medical assistant appointed for the purpose ;(5) that until additional hospital accommodation is availablefor infectious diseases the parish councils of Glasgow andGovan be invited to consider the conditions under whichcases of the class formerly admitted to Baird-street Recep-tion House may be accepted by them ; and (6) that the localbranch of the National Association for the Prevention ofConsumption and the friendly societies be invited to a con-ference to consider the question of making further provisionsfor assisting the consumptive worker to obtain the benefits ofsanatorium treatment.

Abuse of JTedacczt Charities.At a recent meeting of the Glasgow and West of Scotland

branch of the British Medical Association the branchcouncil reported on its inquiry into the alleged abuse ofmedical charities. It stated that circulars were issued tomembers of the medical profession in Glasgow and theneighbourhood asking for specific instances of the abuse ofmedical charities. The Council received only 49 replies to600 circulars. In face of so limited a response it thinks thatit can hardly be asserted that the medical profession inGlasgow suffers to any large extent from the abuse ofmedical charities. It appears, however, that there is a

certain amount of abuse, and unfortunately it is frequentlyassociated with cases recommended by medical men. The

general view appeared to be that such abuse as exists isconfined mainly to outdoor departments and dispensaries.

Medical Tutors for the University of Glasgow.Under the will of Dr. John Hall, a graduate of the Univer

sity of Glasgow, who died last April, the University will ulti-mately benefit to the extent of about .640,000. This sumhas been left to the Senate of the University of Glasgow as anendowment for the foundation of tutorial fellowships in con-nexion with the study of medicine, surgery, and midwifery atthat University, to be called the 11 Hall Tutorial Fellowships,"as has been already announced in the columns of THE LANCET.The Fellows are to be medical graduates of the Universityof Glasgow of not more than five years’ standing. Theelection is to be made by a body consisting of the pro-fessors of surgery, medicine, and midwifery. The fellow-ships are to be awarded after examination (eitherspecial or part of the graduation examination) and each ofthe fellowships is to be of the value of £200 per annum, pay-able in advance at the beginning of each session. The

fellowships, of which there are to be as many as the incomewill permit, are to be held for three years, and may not beheld with any other scholarship, bursary, or other educationalemolument. Also the Fellows are to live within three

statute miles of the University and are to devote their wholetime to practical instruction of students under the directionof the professors, and may not engage in any private practiceor tuition.

’

The Remuneration of Medical Officers of S’chools.A meeting was held in the Medical Club, 22, Cariton-

place, Glasgow, on June 29th, of representatives from all themedical societies of Glasgow to consider the question ofmedical inspection of school children, and more espe-cially the remuneration that it was proposed to giveto the medical officers about to be appointed. Anumber of gentlemen spoke, and while several were of theopinion that no part-time appointments should be made, onthe motion of Dr. W. A. Caskie it was unanimously resolvedthat the remuneration to the quarter-time medical officers,whom the School Board propose to appoint, be made on thebasis of a sum of half a guinea per hour. It was furtherunanimously agreed that a small committee be appointed todraw up a memorial embodying the views of the meeting asexpressed by Dr. Caskie, and that this same committee beempowered to go as a deputation to the School Board shouldthey consider it advisable.

Surgical Operation in the Street. ,

At Dumbarton recently a most unfortunate accidentoccurred to a boy through standing on the step of a friend’$

50 SCOTLAND.-IRELAND.

bicycle. The boy was barefooted, and his right foot becameentangled with the chain and gear-wheel and was severelycrushed. Although medical assistance was at hand the footcould not be released without amputating the great toe, andthis operation was carried out on the pavement, after whichthe boy was removed to the cottage hospital.

Treatment of the Insane in the Rathven Colony.Attention is called in the report of the General Board of

Commissioners for Lunacy for Scotland to the success whichhas attended the efforts of the parish of Rathven to providefor its patients under private care. 50 per cent. of the insanechargeable to it are thus provided for. In the present yearthe total chargeable insane of the parish is 56, an increase in14 years of no less than 126 per cent., of whom 28, or 50 percent., were met with in private dwellings. The colony,numbering 44 patients (26 males and 18 females), is scatteredover a district six miles by five situated in the parish ofRathven. The patients are lodged with crofters and smallfarmers. Of the ailments 27 were imbecile, 9 demented,4 maniacal or melancholic, delusional insanity accounted for1, while there were three ill-defined types. The ages werefrom 15 to 80. Six were paid for at the rate of 3s. per weekand under, five at a rate exceeding 3s. and under 5s., 24exceeded 5s. and under 6s., and ten from 6s. to 7s. As

regards the productive capacity of the patients, 7 per cent.are classed as very good, 24 per cent. as good, 21 per cent.as moderate, and 48 per cent. as useless. The movementto develop and to extend the family care of the insane, at firstlooked at somewhat askance, has been approved, encouraged,and developed to the extent indicated chiefly owing to theenlightened management of the colony.

Forfarshire S’chool Boards and the Medical Inspection ofSchool Children.

A conference of the Forfarshire school boards with theForfarshire secondary education committee was held onJune 23rd to consider the question of the medical inspectionof school children. It was agreed to appoint Dr. N. J. Sinclair,medical officer of health of the county, chief medical officerat a salary of .E200. He will be expected to devote abouthalf his time to the work of supervising the medical inspec-tion of the children. It was also decided to give Dr. Sinclaira male and a female assistant, whose whole time will begiven to the examination and supervision of the children. Itwas agreed that the first male assistant should be appointedat a salary not exceeding E250 and that the second assistantfemale should be appointed at a salary not exceeding £150.It was also agreed that the sum of £150 per annum shouldbe assigned for travelling expenses for the school medicalofficer and his assistants, and that the sum of L120 should beassigned for the payment of the salary of a clerk-typist andfor the expenses of stationery and printing. It was alsodecided to provide each school in the county with a weighingmachine and a measuring rod.

Outbreak of Typhus Fever in Dundee.An outbreak of typhus fever has been reported by Dr. C.

Templeman, medical officer, Dundee. There have been ninecases, and the infection is believed to have been traced tothe selling of the effects of a person who had died fromit. Comment was made in the meeting of the publichealth committee as to the sales of old clothes, &c., on

ground let by the town council for the purpose, and onthe dangers of infection therefrom, and the question wasraised as to whether the sanitary authorities had not

power to put a stop to it. The outbreak has so far beenconfined to two families.

Death of Dr. William Hunter of Hong-Kong.The death of Dr. William Hunter, Government bacteri-

ologist, Hong-Kong, has been announced by a cablegramdated June 10th. It must be feared, since his professionalduties called upon him to visit natives suffering from plagueand other infectious diseases, that his death was due toinfection in some form. Dr. Hunter was the son of the lateRev. William Hunter, Macduff parish church, and had asuccessful career at the University of Aberdeen. In 1896 hewon the John Murray medal and scholarship, and in 1897 theGeorge Thompson Fellowship, graduating the same year withhonourable distinction. He is survived by his wife and onechild. While he and his family were home on holiday lastyear in London, the other of his children met death by fallingdown a lift.June 29th

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Dublin Municipal Improvements: Extension of MainDrainage System.

AN inquiry of great importance to the Dublin ratepayerswas carried out last week in the city hall before the chiefengineering inspector of the Local Government Board. Itdealt with the application of the corporation for sanction ofthe following loans : £100,705 for extending the electriclighting mains and plant ; £100,000 for completing the maindrainage ; £17,400 for erecting lodging-houses for the work-ing classes at Inchicore; £10,633 for completion of refusedestructor ; £10,000 as advances under the Small DwellingsAct; £10,000 for carrying out street improvement works;£1320 for the lighting of Drumcondra and the NorthCircular-road by electricity ; £1006 for private improve-ment expenses; and £2365 for carrying out street im-

provement works at the Ranch, Drumcondra. Regardingthe provision for completion of the main drainage, evidencewas given of the particulars of the population of each ofthe new districts which it was proposed to connect withthe main drainage scheme ; also of the quantities of sewage-which would be carried in the new mains. It was estimated,that the total accession of sewage would be to the amount of3,697,200 gallons. The population already connected was.

215,065, and the number which it was now proposed to con.nect was 88,424. When the drainage was completed thetotal flow would be 15,187,200 gallons per day. The in-

spector asked whether the additional connexion would havethe effect of making the Liffey brighter and purer than it is-at present. The reply was an unhesitating affirmative, whichwill be confirmed by all who remember the June odours ofthe Liffey a few years ago, and the improvement which has-already arisen from the drainage works.

Death. of a Crimean Sister of Charity.By the death of Sister’ Theresa, Reverend Mother of the-

Sisters of Charity in charge of the nursing of the Cork North,Infirmary, a notable personality has passed away. Duringthe Crimean war, when she was quite a young nun, she-volunteered to go to the front to nurse the sick, the wounded,.and the dying. She partook of the great privations of thetroops, and her bullet-pierced garments, affectionately pre-served by the members of her order, are a proof that in thecause of mercy and charity she did not hesitate to advanceinto the fighting-line. About 12 years after her return fromthe Crimea she was appointed Sister Superintendent at the-Cork North Infirmary and brought to the discharge of herduties a clear intelligence combined with a most kindly-

disposition. Many past students of the hospital will hear ofher death with regret.

Fever Cases in Londonderry.At a meeting of the Londonderry board of guardians held’

recently a report was adopted, by 16 to 15 votes, with refer-ence to the proposed amalgamation of the City Fever Hospitalat Foyle Hill and the Union Fever Hospital. The guardiansoffer to pay .S75 per patient annually out of the Unionfunds on condition that the corporation take over their entire-liability in respect of hospital accommodation for fever andother infectious diseases, and that the corporation provide-for and maintain all poor persons suffering from such diseasesfor the treatment of which the guardians are at presentresponsible ; and, further, that any fever patients residing inthe rural districts who are able to pay for treatment and wishto go into the Foyle Hill Hospital shall be admitted andcharged no more than the scale of charges which applied tothe city patients. The corporation is asked also to providefor all improvements and enlargements to be made at FoyleHill Hospital at a cost of not less than f.,1500, subject to theapproval of the Local Government Board. A committeewas appointed to confer with the representatives of the

corporation on the matter.The Preventinn of Tuberculosis (Ireland) Act.

At the weekly meeting of the rural council of Omagbheld recently, a letter was read from the Local Govern-ment Board in the form of a memorandum on the objects ofthe Tuberculosis (Ireland) Act, 1908, to which was appendeda summary of its provisions and also a copy of an ordermade by the Board prescribing the forms and stages of