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order to supply the canal with an equivalent for the 26, 000,000gallons of sewage effluent sent down the culvert he wouldprovide a pumping station at Latchford to raise any required.quantity of water from the tidal level to the higher level

above the locks. If the pumping station or an " occasionaldischarge of the Manchester effluent water into the

canal" " were considered objectionable he would flush

the docks at Pomona with 10,000,000 gallons of Thirl-

mere water. Mr. Bradley is really advocating the planproposed by the Rivers Committee and emanating fromthe City Surveyor. It is a confession of failure over

which Mr. BradJey becomes rather eloquent. " When

they had the culvert they would be done with the difficulty,they would not be constantly harassed by law, they wouldbe perfectly free, and it would be as grand a thing for Man-chester (to pour their filthy effluent into the estuary of theMersey) "as was the bringing of pure water from Thirlmere."

"

He evidently looks with regret on the loss of the ancientprivilege of pollution, and speaking of the river, says : " It’1s the same stream that has for centuries conveyed the drain-age of Manchester to the sea, and it is especially unreason-able on the part of the majority of the Mersey and Irwellcommittee to oppose in Parliament and prevent one of themost important trading centres in the world from exercisingher ancient privileges." He would do away with the presentMersey and Irwell Committee, and proposes a new formof board constituted more in accordance with the require-ments of Manchester."

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CEREBELLAR FUNCTIONS.

IN a recent number of the Proceedings of the RoyalSociety a preliminary account appears of some interestingexperiments by Dr. Max Lowenthal and Mr. Victor Horsleyon the relations between the cerebellar and other centres,especially with reference to the action of antagonisticmuscles. These experiments were undertaken because of anobservation that when both cerebral hemispheres were

removed, and as a result active extension tonus of the limbswas obtained; faradaic excitation of the upper surface ofthe cerebellum caused immediate relaxation of such tonusso long as the current was applied, but as soon as the latterwas shut off the tonus was immediately re-established. Suchan observation, indicating, as it did, a distinct connexionbetween the cerebellum and the lower centres, made carefulexamination necessary, and it was found that such an effectwas constant provided the tonus was well established, andthe effect was not merely an actual relaxation of the triceps,but also a marked contraction of the biceps. Experimentswere arranged in which the effect could be graphioallyrecorded, and in the dog and cat it was found that excitationof the left motor cortex and of the left corona radiata pro-duced invariably symmetrical and synchronous contractionof the prepared muscles, biceps and triceps of the right side.Excitation of the crusta on the cut surface before the

.general tonus was established produced invariably con-

traction of both biceps and triceps ; excitation after itwas established, of the left crusta produced in thirteen casescontraction of the biceps and contraction of the triceps,in two contraction of the biceps and relaxation of the

triceps, and in one relaxation of the biceps and con-

traction of the triceps. Excitation of the cerebellum

produced very constant effects. After the tonus esta-

blished by removal of the cerebellar hemispheres waspresent excitation of the cerebellum caused a strikingand active relaxation of the triceps and an active con-traction of the biceps on the same side as that stimulated.sIn twenty-nine experiments it was found that the musclesof the right arm could be influenced by excitation of bothhalves of the cerebellum, but the effect was greater on thesaue side as that stimulated. In five experiments excitation

I of the left half of the cerebellum evoked relaxation of the

biceps on the opposite side. When the tonus producedby removing the cerebral hemispheres was not yet estab-

. lished excitation of the surface of the cerebellum constantlyproduced atonic contraction of either the triceps or biceps, or

i of both together. Synchronous excitation of the cerebral. area for the forelimb and of the cerebellar focus produced, in, cases in which the cerebellum is definitely excitable, an. addition to the tonus previously elicited from the cortex. cerebri. The inquiry is very interesting, and seems likely to. throw light upon some of the functions of the cerebellum

hitherto so obscure.

OXFORD GRADUATES’ MEDICAL CLUB.

THE summer dinner of this club was held at Limmer’sHotel on May 20th, Dr. Whipham being in the chair. Abouta hundred members and guests were present, among thelatter being Dr. Wilks and Mr. Clinton Dent. The toasts,which, according to the unwritten law of the club, were asfew as possible in number and proposed in the fewest

possible words, were given by Dr. Whipham, and consistedof "The Queen" and "The Club and its Guests." In pro-

posing the latter Dr. Whipham referred to the losses theclub had sustained by the deaths of Mr. George Child, ofOxford, and Dr. James Andrew.

THE DANGERS OF CELLULOID.

WE drev attention last week to the extreme inflamma-

bility of the substance called celluloid, and we pointed outthat though the celluloid films of the kinematographemployed on the occasion of a demonstration at the Bazaarin Paris, where such an awful disaster happened, might nothave been the primary cause of the fire yet doubtless thepresence of long sheets of this highly inflammablematerial accentuated the rapidity and fierceness of the

conflagration. Could nothing be done, we urged, to makecelluloid less inflammable without impairing its transparency.We believe that by interposing a b’lth of alum solu-tion b3t!veen the source of light and the pictures a

great proportion of the hea’j rays would be filtered out sothat little heat would be concentrated upon the inflammablescreen. The danger is no imaginary one, and all such publicdemonstrations should, we consider, be subjected to rigidinspection and control. Another fire at Paris was reportedin the papers on Tuesday last arising from the probablycareless handling of a kinematograph. It so happened thatthere were only thirty spectators present, which consider-ably lessened the chance of a serious p3.iio. The kinemato-

graph as a source of amusement and, we may add, ofinstruction is being very largely employed in crowded placesof public resort, and it is imperative, we think, that someaction should be taken to provide as far as possible for thesafest possible conditions of carrying out this kind of

entertainmsnt. ___

THE BECKENHAM AND PENGE MEDICALSOCIETY: THE BATTLE OF THE

CLUBS.

A VERY useful and sensible di5:135ian followed the

annual dinner of the United Bsckenham and Ponge MedicalSociety, at which Mr. Frank Suurges ptti-ided. The health

of the society was proposed by the R",. Charles Green,vicar of St. Paul’s, Beckenham, in a speech which showedgreat appreciation of the profession and the vdue of 10C.11

medical societies in promoting good rellowship and pro-fessional harmony. He alluded to what seems to

have been a somewhat warm newspaper discussion onmedical clubs and the objections of the profession to unfitpersons as members. He rightly observed that mere temperwould not solve such questions, unless, indeed, it is that

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good temper which comes of a good cause and a generousdisposition to be reasonably accommodating to those

who need our services. Mr. Sturges, in his reply,stoutly maintained the duty of the medical profession to i

defend itself against a small minority who are ready toaccept any terms in medical aid associations, even

in those which work by paid canvassers canvassingthe patients of private practitioners. A gentlemanhad lately been imported from such an association to theneighbourhood full of sympathy with clubs in their wrongsat the hands of a cruel-hearted profession, and willingto accept all their appointments on their own terms.This was most unsatisfactory just when the principal clubsof the district had come to terms with a very united pro-fession. Mr. Sturges sees the difficulty of legislation in thismatter and suggests that Universities and qualifying bodiesshould insert a clause in their degrees or diplomas underwhich no one could accept an appointment which in theopinion of the profession is derogatory without risk of losinghis degree or diploma. Already most of the qualifying bodies-not universities -have power to censure or punishbehaviour or methods of practice inconsistent with the

dignity of the profession. They need to be stimulated toaction by such societies as that of Beckenham and Penge.Meantime the public opinion of the district must find

expression-dignified and calm, as Mr. Green suggested, butclear and decided, as Mr. Sturges, representing thirty-fivemedical men. exemplified.

PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS AND ATMOSPHERICIMPURITY.

THERE has just been issued by Dr. A. K. Chalmers, themedical officer of health of Glasgow, a report upon the dis-tribution of turberculous diseases in that city. Glasgow,with its wide area, its numerous sanitary districts, andexcellent sanitary organisation, is just the place for an inquiryof this kind, since the various districts exhibit markedcontrasts in respect to density of population, social status oftheir inhabitants, and in the class of dwellings. Dr.Chalmers deals with all forms of tuberculous disease, group-ing its varieties in the categories of pulmonary phthisis,tabes mesenterica, tuberculous meningitis, and other forms,"including "scrofula." He shows that the mortalityfrom all these affections has very markedly diminishedof late years, the average annual death-rate per million

living having been for phthisis 2849 in 1883-88, and2318 in 1889-94, a reduction of 18’6 per cent. Similarlythere has been a fall in the death-rates from all theother forms of tuberculous disease, amounting in the

aggregate to 18’7 per cent., the reduction being most markedin the class of tabes mesenterica and least in that of

meningitis. The main part of his report, however, deals withthe incidence of fatal cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in thevarious districts, in comparison with the liability of thecommunities to the inhalation of atmospheric air renderedimpure by respiratory exhalations. He arrives at this

approximately by determining, not only the populationdensity of each district, but also what he terms the roomdensity "-that is, the average number of persons per room inthe houses of the district. This calculation cannot, of

course, take account of the actual cubic space of

the dwellings, or of the greater or less facilitiesfor ventilation; but neglecting these and other modifyingcircumstances it yet comes out very clearly that the amountof phthisis does vary proportionately to the room-density.This is well shown by his conclusions, which we cannot dobetter than quote. They are :-

1. The room-density of the whole city fell from 2’040 in1881 to 2-033 in 1891, or a decrease of 7 persons per 1000rooms, and its phthisis-rate from 268 to 230 per 100,000living.

2. All districts, save one, having a phthisis death-rateabove the mean have a room-density also above the mean.St. Enoch-square district is the only exception to this.

3. In all these districts, save St. Andrew’s-square, theroom-density was greater in 1881 than in 1891.

4. Eleven districts have a phthisis death-rate below the-mean ; five of them have a room-density in excess of themean, which is tending toward increase in three of them.

5. These exceptions are sufficiently large to show thatthe relationship between room-density and phthisis is nota simple one, and that excessive density is not at onceresponded to by an increased phthisis-rate ; but in ninedistricts where the room-density increased between 1881 and1891 the phthisis death-rate fell 13 per cent., whereas in,fourteen districts where the room-density was reduced thephthisis-rate fell 16 per cent.Thus, as Dr. Chalmers says, the death-rate from phthisisis decreasing more rapidly in those districts which have aconcurrent decrease in room-density. His report is amplyfurnished with statistical information that bears out the

conclusions at which he has arrived. The practical lessonis of the greatest importance. It is that which we fear isnever considered in the building of great towns, where thetendency is to encroach upon air-space, and if not to causean increase in the actual density of the population, to at.any rate diminish the opportunities for that thorough per-meation of pure air in and around dwellings which is themain element in all the prophylaxis of pulmonary tuber-culosis.

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THE ALDERSGATE-STREET EXPLOSION.

THE evidence adduced at the inquest held upon the bodyof Henry Pitts, who lost his life in the mysterious ex-plosion on the underground railway on April 26th, con-firms unfortunately the views which we expressed in ourissue of May lst in regard to the origin of this occur-

rence. We feared then that everything tended to show thata dastardly and cowardly miscreant was at large amongst usa.and that he had employed a powerful explosive, adjusted toexplode at a certain time, for his hellish and insane purpose.The same conclusion has been arrived at by Sir

Vivian Majendie, Her Majesty’s Inspector of Explosives.At the inquest he said that "he had no doubt in

his mind that the explosion was due to a high explo--sive, which had exploded on the floor of the carriage,and which high explosive was not contained in a metal

case, but was fitted with a fuse and put into the train."Further evidence given by railway officials appeared to

distinctly confirm this view. Sir Vivian Majendie remarkedthat this was the fourth explosion on the underground.railway, and all that remained was to find the perpetratorof the outrage. The only consolation to be derived from theissue of the occurrence is that not more lives than one were-

lost, and considerable praise is due to that engine-driverwho, as soon as he was aware of what had happened, turnedon his whistle, and so warned other trains not to enter thestation. In the confusion that prevailed the results of atrain entering upon the scene of the explosion at thatmoment might have been disastrous indeed.

ENLARGEMENT OF FUNCTIONS OF THE METRO-POLITAN ASYLUMS BOARD.

No student of disease, or even of sociology, can fail towatch the work of the Metropolitan Asylums Board. Thereis not much new to report in respect of its ordinary workin the fortnight ending on May 20th. The cases notified tothe Board and the cases admitted were both a little morenumerous than in the preceding fortnight. Of the 1429 casesnotified to the Board, as against 1341 in the preceding-fortnight, 749 were received into the hospitals of the Board.The meeting had unusual interest on two grounds. First,.the presentation of the annual report by the chairman ; and, .