1929

- contaminated than the crude sewage of Glasgow. " The

bacteria in one gramme of the worst specimen of un-

washed flock amounted at blood heat to 4,500,000, in

- Glasgow crude sewage they numbered 197,000, and in

the Loch Katrine drinking water 75." The fact is that

flock is made by the tearing to pieces of old rags, old

clothes, old bits of carpet-in fact, any sort of worn-out

useless tissue. This naturally is not only very dirty material,but it may contain specific pathogenic germs, as it includessometimes bandages that have been used for dressing woundsand unwashed underlinen soiled by persons suffering fromtyphoid fever and even from cholera or plague, for ragsare imported from distant countries. The only safety de-pends, therefore, on effective disinfection of such material.’The general process of manufacture is to beat these rags upin running water by which they are cleaned, though thewater may be contaminated. After rinsing, the rags aredried in kilns where the heat should reach 2100 F., and thesetwo operations are supposed to ensure not only perfectcleanliness, about which there can be no doubt, but

also sterilisation. Only when this has been done are

the rags, &c., torn to pieces by machinery and reducedto fluff or flock. To make a single bed 30 pounds and adouble bed 45 pounds of such flock are required. At thewholesale price of 1¼d. per pound the larger bed costs 56¼d.Our attention, however, was called to the fact that if the

rags were at once converted into flock, without anyprevious washing or drying, the uncleaned flock couldbe sold with as much or more profit at 3/4d. per pound.’Thus the material to stuff the mattress of a double

bed would not cost more than 33 3/4d. For the sake

of 2s. per bed, the public were asked to run grave risks, andeven when acquainted with the danger, and ask for and

express their willingness to pay for clean flock, have noguarantee that they obtain it. All these facts, with detailsand photographic illustrations, were set forth by our SpecialSanitary Commissioner, who inspected mills where the rawmaterial is washed and clean flock made, and other millswhere there is no washing process, while specimens of cleanand of uncleaned flock were analysed in our laboratory.’The results clearly showed that the latter could not be usedwith safety.

THE BENEVOLENT AGENCIES OF THE PROFESSION.

The various benevolent agencies of the profession havecarried out their good work unostentatiously during the pastyear, and it is perhaps owing to the fact that financial helpis rendered without undue publicity that many of the

provincial medical benevolent societies have to deplore apaucity of members. From the brief accounts that are givenbelow it will be seen that all the societies are worthy ofsupport, while some of the older ones are so well endowedthat the advantages offered to members are far beyond anythat can be given by insurance companies. One point towhich we wish to draw special attention is an excuse for

ceasing to subscribe which is sometimes advanced by an oldsubscriber-namely, that a decreasing income is a justifi-cation for the withdrawal of his subscription. One moment’s

consideration will show that such a financial position isthe strongest possible argument for continuing to subscribe,hence the maintenance of the subscription should be

managed at all costs. Those who reside in a county in whichthere is a medical benevolent society would do well to writeat once to the honorary secretary for particulars as to

membership, bearing in mind that’in having the opportunityof joining such a society they are in the majority of casesreaping the benefit of the hard work, the loyal support, andthe generous benefactions of those who have gone beforethem. In other words, membership of most of the medical

benevolent societies is a privilege of which those medicalmen who are more or less dependent upon the practice oftheir profession should be but too eager to avail themselves.If mechanics can see their way to save from 1 guinea to

2 guineas a year to contribute to their provident societies,and many thousands regularly do this, surely medical menought to manage to follow their example. Several of the

provincial medical benevolent societies appeal for contribu-

tions from persons who are not of the medical profession ;but whilst they are perfectly justified in doing this, medicalmen should show that they are themselves doing their bestto support their own societies.

The British Medical Benevolent Fund.This society makes grants of money to distressed members

of the profession, their widows or orphans, and providesannuities for them after they have reached the age of 60years. The report of the committee presented to the lastannual meeting shows that in the grant department therewas last year an increase of 193 in the receipts, the totalamount of grants distributed being £ 1727. It further showsthat the annuity department was satisfactory, the number ofannuitants having increased by three, bringing the total

number up to 126. The amount distributed in this depart-ment was £ 2459. The grants are paid out of the subscriptionsand donations of the year, and are made either in single sumsor in monthly instalments, the amounts given ranging from 5 5to £ 20. The legacies and large donations are invested, andit is from the income derived therefrom that the annuitiesare paid. The membership subscription is 10s. a year, and adonation of .65 constitutes a life member. The honorary sec-

’ retary of the Fund is Mr. W. E. SARGANT, St. Bartholomew’sHospital, London, E.C. A guild has recently been formed in

, connexion with this Fund to make it more widely known and’ to supplement its work by giving help and practical

sympathy to its beneficiaries of a more personal characterthan is possible in the case of the parent fund. Contribu-

’

tions may be forwarded to the honorary treasurer, Dr. MAYTHORNE, 148, Harley-street, London, W. ; parcels of clothingshould be sent care of Miss RUTH WEST, 11, Chandos-street,Cavendish-square, London, W.

Societyfor Relief of Widows and Orphans of Medical Men.The report for the past year states that there are 286

members, which is but a very small proportion of the’ medical men who are eligible for membership. The sub-

scription is 2 guineas a year, 25 annual payments con-

t, stituting a life member. Membership is open to any) registered medical practitioner who at the time of his

election is resident within a radius of 20 miles from CharingCross ; but should any member move beyond the limits he doesnot forfeit his membership. The invested funds amount to

: £ 100,071, bringing in annually £ 3121 interest ; subscriptionsand donations amounted to £ 645. As the society disbursed

r last year in grants £ 3017, the value of membership is very) grcat, hence the directors urge upon members of the pro-

fession, especially the younger ones, the desirability of

joining the society. The secretary is Mr. E. J. BLACKETT,. 11, Chandos-street, Cavendish-square, W.

THE LANCET Relief Fund.The twentieth annual report of the almoners of this Fund

, states that the amount distributed since its inauguration in1889 is £ 6119. Last year the number of applicationsfor assistance received was 48, but 19 of these had either tobe rejected as being outside the scope of the Fund or to be

. declined for other reasons ; 9 of the forms of application sentout were not returned to the secretary, probably owing tothe fact that the applicants realised that they were not

l eligible for the benefits, and the remaining 20 applicants wereassisted by gifts or loans of money ranging from £5 to £ 25.

l As hitherto, the assistance was rendered in some cases within

1930

a few hours of the application being received, and in more-than one instance the financial help enabled the applicant tokeep his practice together when pressing monetary difficultieswould otherwise have broken up his home and ruined hischance of making a livelihood. The almoners once more

emphasise the fact that the Fund is not intended to relieve

persons who are in what may be termed a chronic conditionof distress, but solely for cases of sudden emergency, wheretimely financial help is likely to result in permanent benefit.It will therefore be a kindness if those who are asked to recom-mend cases will bear in mind that poverty alone is not aclaim for help from this Fund ; if it were, the available fundswould be exhausted in the first month of the year. The

almoners are the President of the Royal College of Physiciansof London, the President of the Royal College of Surgeonsof England, the President of the General Medical Council,and the Editor of THE LANCET. The secretary is Mr. C.GOOD, THE LANCET Office, 423, Strand, London, W.C.

Royal Medical Benevolent Fund Society of Ireland.The sixty-seventh annual report of this society states that

grants were made by the committee amounting to f.1166,and that subscriptions, donations, and bequests amounted tof.748. In moving the adoption of the report last June thePresident of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland statedthat there are approximately 3000 members of the professionon the Medical Register in Ireland, but there are less than500 contributors to the society for which he was appealing.He said that the old story of increased expenditure inawards and of diminished receipts in subscriptions wasmuch more marked that day. The contribution that madea subscriber to the Fund was so small that no man had an

excuse for not being able to help it, at some time or other,at any rate. He attributed the lack of support given to thesociety to the fact that many medical men do not know ofthe existence of the charity, and many more do not realisethe value and importance of the charity and of the workdone. The subscription for membership is 1 guinea annually,or for life membership E10 in one payment. The secretaryis Dr. CHARLES M. BENSON, 65, Lower Baggot-street, Dublin.

Royal Medical Foundation of Epsom College.At the last annual general meeting of the governors the

council presented a satisfactory report, showing that therewas a surplus on the ordinary income and expenditureaccount last year of .E432. The fact is emphasised that asum of E4500 must be obtained annually by means of volun.tary contributions in order that the council may maintainthe full number of 50 pensionerships of £ 30 a year for agedmembers, or widows of members, of the medical pro-fession and the 50 foundation scholarships providing board,education, and clothing free of charge at Epsom Collegefor necessitous sons of medical men. There are also 25other beneficiaries whose annuities are provided out of

special funds, and 17 pensioners have their annuities

increased from other funds, the amount being raised in 14cases to E50 a year. The council is erecting a new

gymnasium, new music rooms, and a new workshop, and areproviding a central heating plant having sufficient power tcheat all the new buildings, together with Granville House,the large school, and the chemical laboratory. These ex.tensions and improvements, which are now nearing comple.tion, will probably cost over £ 8000 ; but though the sum is

large the council feels assured that a consistent and definitEscheme of extension is the most economical course that carbe followed. They urge upon all friends of the institution t(do their best to secure fresh annual subscribers to th

Foundation, since death removes annually many who hambeen staunch supporters. The secretary is Mr. J. B. LAMB

37, Soho-square, London, W.

PROVINCIAL SOCIETIES.

Birmingham Medical Benevolent Society.The eighty-seventh annual report shows that in 1908 there

was a falling off in subscriptions of .654 as compared with1907, but it is explained by the fact that in the latter year alarge number of arrears were paid up. The total number of’benefit members for the year remained unchanged. Theinvested funds amount to .615,940 ; the total of the grantsvoted in 1908 was .6757. The directors draw attention to the

very large number of practitioners in the district who havenot yet availed themselves of membership of the society.The value of the relief granted can be appreciated from thefollowing cases : a surgeon’s widow received in grants 61295after only .67 7s. had been paid in subscriptions ; a widowreceived in grants .B1247 after R15 15s. had been paid in sub-scriptions ; an invalided member received .B686 after payingB15 15s. in subscriptions. The annual subscription is1 guinea ; the honorary secretary is Dr. J. E. H. SAWYER,93, Cornwall-street, Birmingham.

The Devon and Exeter Benevolent Medical Society.This society was founded in 1806, and has invested funds

to the value of £ 3287. The subscriptions for the past yearamounted to .64019s., and the total of the annual grants votedwas .670. The subscription for membership is £ 11s. annually,or life membership may be obtained by paying a donation of921. The honorary secretary is Mr. ELGAR DOWN of Wing-field House, Stoke, Devonport. The annual meeting is heldin one of the principal towns of the county, as may be

appointed by the president.Essex and Herts Benevolent Medical Society.

This society, which was instituted in 1786, granted in 1908E320 in seven grants, ranging in amount from .620 to 680,and received f.98 in subscriptions and donations. The

capital is represented by £ 11,103 2 per cent. Consols. The

membership subscription is 1 guinea annually, but personsnot of the medical profession who subscribe half a guineaper annum are constituted governors of the society and areentitled to vote in all its transactions. The secretary is Mr.VERNON AUSTIN of Hertford.

Kent Benevolent Medical Society.This society, which was instituted in 1787, is actively

’ engaged in carrying on its good work. The funded

property of the society is represented by £ 8650 22 per cent.Consols and .61200 India 3 per cent. stock ; a sum of 6330

.

was spent last year in grants. There are 105 members whosubscribe £ 11s. annually; and the value of membership may

be seen from the fact that since the foundation of the society-

no fewer than six families have received relief exceeding’ 61000 in amount, whilst 16 others have received Z500 and

e upwards. There are three honorary secretaries-namely, for5 the eastern district, Mr. H. G. SADLER of Canterbury; forthe middle district, Dr. CHARLES E. HoAR of Maidstone;sand for the western district, Mr. H. C. BURTON of LeePark. The assistant secretary is Mr. JAMES WILTSHIER of 25, St. George’s-place, Canterbury.e

0 Lincolnshire Medical Benevolent Society.

:, At the 106th annual meeting of this society held last July:. grants to the extent of E120 were voted to widows of;. members in the substantial sums of .B30, 640, and 650Ls respectively. There are 93 subscribing members of the

e society, the annual subscription being 1 guinea. The value

n of the investments is 63505 ; the honorary secretary is Dr.o W. A. CARLINE of Lincoln.

Medical Benevolent Society for the East and North Ridings of’e Yorkshire (inculding the City of York).3, The first annual report of this society shows that good

process has been made. There are over a hundred

1931

members and many more medical men have promised to

’become subscribers, so that the prospects are favourable.

The balance in the hands of the treasurer is £ 164; the

annual subscription is 1 guinea. The committee expressesthe hope that a personal canvass will soon be made, with aresulting large increase in the membership. It also

appeals for donations and benefactions from those who are

not members of the medical profession, observing that theneighbouring West Riding and Lincolnshire benevolent

medical societies have received very large sums in this way.The honorary secretary is Dr. EDWARD TURTON of 1, Albion-street, Hull.

Jfedioal Charitable Society for the West Riding of the Countyof York.

The eighty-first annual report of this society states thatalthough the list of applications for assistance is slightlyshorter than that of the preceding year, the general tendencyfor many years has been in the direction of a rapid andalmost annual increase. Whilst the society is in a positionto meet any immediate requests for assistance, it must beremembered that the sum received from annual subscriptionsin recent years has not equalled one-half the amount dis-tributed in grants, and that as membership increases so doesliability to claims for help. At the last annual meetinggrants were made to the extent of £ 1625 ; the total value ofthe investments is £ 29,464 ; the annual subscription for

membership is 1 guinea. The honorary secretary is Mr.MICHAEL A. TEALE of Park-square, Leeds.

Tile Norfolk and Norwich Benevolent Medical Society.This society was established in 1786 for the relief of

members who are incapacitated from continuing to practise,and of their widows and orphans if these do not marry. Full

particulars as to the conditions of membership can be

obtained from the honorary secretary, Mr. C. J. MURIEL,42, St. Giles-street, Norwich. The annual meeting is heldin the month of July.

The Surrey Benevolent Medical Society.This society was instituted in 1812, and the last statement

of account shows that in 1908 a sum of E90 was distributedin three pensions of £ 30 each, a sum of £ 70 was expendedin grants to members, and three scholarships for girls andtwo extra scholarships for boys cost E224. The society hasthe right in perpetuity of nominating four scholars to EpsomCollege. The invested funds amount to Ell,875, and thereare 61 members. The entrance fine is £ 5, and the annualsubscription £ 2, but the latter may be commuted accordingto a fixed table. The subscription is not payable for longerthan 30 years, after which time the subscriber is considereda life member. A payment of E30, in addition to the entrancefine of £ 5, constitutes the contributor a member for life. The

honorary secretary is Mr. W. A. BERRIDGE, of Redhill,Surrey.

The Sussex Medical Benevolent Society.In submitting the fourth annual report the executive

committee states that the relief of necessitous members will

begin, in accordance with the rules, on May 1st, 1910. Thereare at present only 62 subscribing members and the investedfunds amount to £ 302. The committee, therefore, appeals fornew members in order that the society may become a

prosperous one. We cordially endorse its appeal, and trustthat medical men in Sussex will endeavour to secure

contributions from those outside their profession, since thispolicy has helped to establish some of the strongest medicalbenevolent societies. The importance of a substantialreserve fund cannot be over-estimated. The annualsubscription is 1 guinea; the secretary is Dr. L.’A. PARRY, of83, Church-road, Hove, Sussex.

-

HONOURS TO MEDICAL MEN.

, Strictly speaking, there were no New Year honours, but: early in January Surgeon-General BOMFORD, C.LE., the,

Director-General of the Indian Medical Service, was pro-,

moted to a Knight Commandership of the Most Eminent

, Order of the Indian Empire, while Major HOOD ORR, LM.S.,

: civil surgeon of the Bohraich District United Provinces, and,

Lieutenant-Colonel JOHN TASMAN WADDEL LESLIE, 1. M.S.,,

Sanitary Commissioner with the Government of India, wereappointed Companions of the same Order.

Birthday Honu2crs.The June list of honours contained the names of Mr.

HENRY MORRIS and Sir DYCE DUCKWORTH, uponwhom baronetcies were conferred. Lieutenant - ColonelW. B. LEISHMAN, R.A.M.C., received a knighthood;Surgeon-General LIONEL DixoN SPENCER, LM.S., was

made a Knight Commander of the Bath ; and Surgeon-General HAYWARD READER WHITEHEAD, R.A.M.C.,and Colonel DE BURGH BIRCH, A.M.O. Territorial Force,were made Companions of the same Order. Lieutenant-Colonel ROBERT NEIL CAMPBELL, I.M.S., and Mr. EDGARTHURSTON, L.R.C.P., received Companionships of the Orderof the Indian Empire; Professor WILLIAM JOHN RITCHIESIMPSON, M.D., C.M. Aberd., F.R.C.P. Lond., a Companion-ship of the Order of St. Michael and St. George; and Dr.TEMULJI BHIKAJI NARIMAN the Kaisar-i-Hind gold medal.Sir HENRY MORRIS, the late President of the Royal Collegeof Surgeons, is well known to all medical men as surgeon,anatomist, and authority on medical education, as well asfor his munificent gifts to the Middlesex Hospital and hisenergetic work in support of Epsom College. Sir DYCE

DUCKivoRTH is well known as a consulting physician to

St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, and has been medical referee

to the Treasury since 1894 and treasurer of the RoyalCollege of Physicians of London since 1884. Lieutenant-

Colonel Sir W. B. LEISHMAN is distinguished for his

researches in bacteriology and protozoology, as appearsfrom other sections of this annual summary. Surgeon-General Sir LIONEL DIXON SPENCER is an honorary surgeonto His Majesty. Surgeon-General HAYWARD READER WHITE-HEAD is principal medical officer, Southern Command ;Lieutenant-Colonel ROBERT NEIL CAMPBELL is officiatingInspector-General of Civil Hospitals in Eastern Bengal andAssam ; and Mr. EDGAR THURSTON is the superintendent ofthe Government Central Museum of the Province of Madras.Professor WILLIAM JOHN RITCHIE SIMPSON has doneadmirable public service in plague.

In the November list were the names of Mr. HENRY WILLIAM

NEWTON, L.F.P.S. Glasg., Mr, JAMES MATTHEW MOODY,L.R.C.P. Edin., M.R.C.S.Eng., Mr. GEORGE HERBERT

POLLARD, M.P., M.D., C.M. Edin., who received the honourof knighthood, and Mr. JAMES AUGUSTINE HARAN,M.D. Dub., who was made a Companion of the Most Dis-

tinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. Sir HENRY

WILLIAM NEWTON is the "father" of the city council ofNewcastle and has done excellent work in the interest of

public health. Sir JAMES MATTHEW MOODY has been themedical superintendent of Cane Hill Asylum for a quarter ofa century. Sir GEORGE HERBERT POLLARD, M.P., is a

barrister-at-law of the Inner Temple, and has been a Memberof the Eccles Division of Lancashire since 1906. Mr. JAMES

AUGUSTINE HARAN is a medical officer of health at Mombasa

in the East Africa Protectorate.

Royal Victorian Order.

In connexion with the visit of the King of Portugal to

this country His Majesty the King conferred uponDr. DE MELLO BREYNER, Physician in Ordinary to King