422 HEROISM OF A "SHIP’S DOCTOR."HEROISM OF A "SHIP’S DOCTOR."

things, and I have been often personal, but I hope neverscurrilous. Nevertheless, to work with St. George’s men inSt. George’s Hospital has occupied the pleasantest hours of mylife. I thank you most sincerely for the honour and kindnessyou have shown me to-day in accompanying me round thewards for the last time in such numbers ; but I am not goingto be sentimental, gentlemen, so I wish you all farewell, andthank you once again for your kindly God-speed. Good-bye."Dr. Isambard Owen, the present dean of the school, hasbeen elected physician to St. George’s Hospital in the placeof Dr. W. Howship Dickinson; and Dr. Lee Dickinson, the sonof the retiring senior physician, has been elected assistantphysician. H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, a vice-presidentof the hospital, has accepted the presidency of a com-mittee which has been formed to present a testimonial toDr. Dickinson on his retirement.

things, and I have been often personal, but I hope neverscurrilous. Nevertheless, to work with St. George’s men inSt. George’s Hospital has occupied the pleasantest hours of mylife. I thank you most sincerely for the honour and kindnessyou have shown me to-day in accompanying me round thewards for the last time in such numbers ; but I am not goingto be sentimental, gentlemen, so I wish you all farewell, andthank you once again for your kindly God-speed. Good-bye."Dr. Isambard Owen, the present dean of the school, hasbeen elected physician to St. George’s Hospital in the placeof Dr. W. Howship Dickinson; and Dr. Lee Dickinson, the sonof the retiring senior physician, has been elected assistantphysician. H.R.H. the Duke of Cambridge, a vice-presidentof the hospital, has accepted the presidency of a com-mittee which has been formed to present a testimonial toDr. Dickinson on his retirement.

HEROISM OF A "SHIP’S DOCTOR."

IN the published narrative of the recent dangerous voyageof the Atlantic liner Cereccn no point is more striking thanthe credit given, and apparently with justice, to the ship’ssurgeon, Dr. Smith of Uddingston, near Glasgow. When inthe gales which have lately prevailed the ship’s stoke-holdwas flooded, the furnaces were extinguished, the enginesstopped, and the leak steadily gaining, the entire ship’screw and passengers being kept steadily night and day at thepumps, the "doctor" seems to have exercised quite an unusual

degree of influence over those who for the time were underhis orders. It is not often that medical heroism is thus

acknowledged :-" At this work [pumping] we continued thewhole afternoon and evening. Knocking off at 10 P. M. weformed ourselves into watches under the doctor and purserrespectively, and then worked at the pumps with a will.All the afternoon and evening of Wednesday and till earlymorning on Thursday did we passengers work methodicallyin gangs under the bossing of the doctor, a young fellow ofsplendid pluck and endurance, though he looked not over-strong. His duty was to beat us up at every spell, and as hewent about dressed like a collier or a fireman his own motherwould not have known him. Under his leadership Jewworked with Gentile, Irishman rubbed shoulders with Pole,the Pole with the Yankee, the Yankee with the Dane, andthe Dane with the German, and so on. No male passengerwas allowed to rest, and at every spell the doctor had to huntthem up to take to the pumps again, seemingly much againsthis will, as all were thoroughly done up. It was pitiful to

- see the engine-room as the men lay around in heaps asleep,waiting to be aroused when their turn came to go back to thepumps again."

-

IN the published narrative of the recent dangerous voyageof the Atlantic liner Cereccn no point is more striking thanthe credit given, and apparently with justice, to the ship’ssurgeon, Dr. Smith of Uddingston, near Glasgow. When inthe gales which have lately prevailed the ship’s stoke-holdwas flooded, the furnaces were extinguished, the enginesstopped, and the leak steadily gaining, the entire ship’screw and passengers being kept steadily night and day at thepumps, the "doctor" seems to have exercised quite an unusual

degree of influence over those who for the time were underhis orders. It is not often that medical heroism is thus

acknowledged :-" At this work [pumping] we continued thewhole afternoon and evening. Knocking off at 10 P. M. weformed ourselves into watches under the doctor and purserrespectively, and then worked at the pumps with a will.All the afternoon and evening of Wednesday and till earlymorning on Thursday did we passengers work methodicallyin gangs under the bossing of the doctor, a young fellow ofsplendid pluck and endurance, though he looked not over-strong. His duty was to beat us up at every spell, and as hewent about dressed like a collier or a fireman his own motherwould not have known him. Under his leadership Jewworked with Gentile, Irishman rubbed shoulders with Pole,the Pole with the Yankee, the Yankee with the Dane, andthe Dane with the German, and so on. No male passengerwas allowed to rest, and at every spell the doctor had to huntthem up to take to the pumps again, seemingly much againsthis will, as all were thoroughly done up. It was pitiful to

- see the engine-room as the men lay around in heaps asleep,waiting to be aroused when their turn came to go back to thepumps again."

-

THE FUNGUS KINGDOM.

ON the 12th, 14th, and 16th of the present month ProfessorCharles B. Plowright gave, in the theatre of the Royal Collegeof Surgeons, three lectures on the Structure, Development,and Varieties of Fungi. Professor Plowright has previouslygiven some valuable lectures on the subject of fungi as food-stuffs, a report of which will be found in THE LANCET ofFeb. llth, 1893. We can give in this place only a baresummary of the lectures. At the present time studentsof natural science are expected to possess a certain

amount of knowledge of the life-history of fungi, whereaswithin a recent period the mycologists in the United Kingdomcould be counted on the fingers. The terminology of thesubject is probably too elaborate, and it is in this way thatthe science is hindered rather than helped. The most triflingmodification in structure and the minute variations in themanner of growth of plants are frequently designated, byseveral names. The mere ability to learn the meaning of thevarious botanical terms does not make the student a botanist.

After giving an outline of the various structures of which

ON the 12th, 14th, and 16th of the present month ProfessorCharles B. Plowright gave, in the theatre of the Royal Collegeof Surgeons, three lectures on the Structure, Development,and Varieties of Fungi. Professor Plowright has previouslygiven some valuable lectures on the subject of fungi as food-stuffs, a report of which will be found in THE LANCET ofFeb. llth, 1893. We can give in this place only a baresummary of the lectures. At the present time studentsof natural science are expected to possess a certain

amount of knowledge of the life-history of fungi, whereaswithin a recent period the mycologists in the United Kingdomcould be counted on the fingers. The terminology of thesubject is probably too elaborate, and it is in this way thatthe science is hindered rather than helped. The most triflingmodification in structure and the minute variations in themanner of growth of plants are frequently designated, byseveral names. The mere ability to learn the meaning of thevarious botanical terms does not make the student a botanist.

After giving an outline of the various structures of which

fungi are formed and the principal modes in which their

spores are produced. Professor Plowright described thephycomycetes, or moulds, a group insignificant in appearanceand size, but which contain amongst their members someof the most interesting of the fungi, possessing in manyinstances the highest and most complex methods of spore-formation, culminating in the sexually produced spore. Theyinclude both saprophytic and parasitic species; amongstthe latter are the fungi which produce salmon disease, thepotato disease, and a condition known to gardeners as the"damping off of seedlings." On the human body favus andringworm are conditions too well known to need more thanallusion. Of the last-named disease, which is now known to.be caused by at least two species of trichophyton, differingvery markedly in the size of their spores, it was suggestedas probable that further research would show that other

species existed as human parasites, judging from the analogyof what happens with the parasitic fungi on plants. In the

second lecture the axomycetes were dealt with. Some>botanists include with these fungi the sacebarorayees,one member of which (Oidium albicans) was familiar.

Many plant diseases are caused by axomycetous fungi,such as the hop and vine mildews, the peach"blister"-an affection which is very destructive to the

foliage of our peach trees,-the so-called "pocket" or"bladder plumbs," the canker of our apple trees, the larchdisease, and the caterpillar Sphæria. Ergot was also derivedfrom this growth. The lecture concluded with an account ofthe remarkable family of lichen-forming fungi. The thirdlecture was on the Basidiomyces, amongst whose memberswe find those important plant parasites, the uredineæ and

ustilagineæ, the factors which produce the familiar diseases..

of our cereals-rust, mildew, smut, and bunt. The large:family of the hymenomycetes, of which the mushroom is themost highly esteemed member, in our country at any rate,was also discussed. After an account of the gasteromycetes,

E or pufE-balls, the nidulanese and the phalloidei, the lecture.

-

concluded with an account of that remarbable family of fungi, the myxomycetes, in the life-history of which so manypoints of resemblance to animal organisms are found that.

even the name mycetozoa has been suggested for them.

fungi are formed and the principal modes in which their

spores are produced. Professor Plowright described thephycomycetes, or moulds, a group insignificant in appearanceand size, but which contain amongst their members someof the most interesting of the fungi, possessing in manyinstances the highest and most complex methods of spore-formation, culminating in the sexually produced spore. Theyinclude both saprophytic and parasitic species; amongstthe latter are the fungi which produce salmon disease, thepotato disease, and a condition known to gardeners as the"damping off of seedlings." On the human body favus andringworm are conditions too well known to need more thanallusion. Of the last-named disease, which is now known to.be caused by at least two species of trichophyton, differingvery markedly in the size of their spores, it was suggestedas probable that further research would show that other

species existed as human parasites, judging from the analogyof what happens with the parasitic fungi on plants. In the

second lecture the axomycetes were dealt with. Some>botanists include with these fungi the sacebarorayees,one member of which (Oidium albicans) was familiar.

Many plant diseases are caused by axomycetous fungi,such as the hop and vine mildews, the peach"blister"-an affection which is very destructive to the

foliage of our peach trees,-the so-called "pocket" or"bladder plumbs," the canker of our apple trees, the larchdisease, and the caterpillar Sphæria. Ergot was also derivedfrom this growth. The lecture concluded with an account ofthe remarkable family of lichen-forming fungi. The thirdlecture was on the Basidiomyces, amongst whose memberswe find those important plant parasites, the uredineæ and

ustilagineæ, the factors which produce the familiar diseases..

of our cereals-rust, mildew, smut, and bunt. The large:family of the hymenomycetes, of which the mushroom is themost highly esteemed member, in our country at any rate,was also discussed. After an account of the gasteromycetes,

E or pufE-balls, the nidulanese and the phalloidei, the lecture.

-

concluded with an account of that remarbable family of fungi, the myxomycetes, in the life-history of which so manypoints of resemblance to animal organisms are found that.

even the name mycetozoa has been suggested for them.

THE DANGERS OF OUR CALLING.

IT is with sorrow that we add to our annals of misfortuneanother record of a promising career cut short by one of therisks attached to the work of our profession. Mr. Lewis

Burrow, a most able and painstaking senior student of

St. Thomas’s Hospital, while acting as post-mortem clerk ina case of suppurative peritonitis on the lst inst., infected a.small scratch upon the forefinger of his left hand. The place>was carefully cleaned and no further trouble was anticipated,but on the third day pain and tenderness were felt in the-forearm, extending to the axilla, and the temperature rose to103° F. at night. At this time the original point of inocula-tion was quite healed, and there were no signs of lymph*

, angeitis or enlargement of glands. He was admitted into>

C the hospital under the care of Mr. Anderson on the 4th., A puffy swelling had then appeared over the left axilla, with

extreme tenderness to touch and severe pain on moving-i the shoulder; there was high fever, the temperature rising-

to 104° in the evening, but the pulse was strong and the:i tongue clean. Free incisions were made into the swollens parts, but without reaching any collection of pus. During;t the next two days the oedema spread to the neck and side of

the chest, the affected area being acutely tender, but still!without any sign of suppuration. The bowels, previouslyconstipated, were acted upon, a very offensive motion being:evacuated. On the 7th a low delirium set in and evidences

. of pleurisy appeared, first on the left side and subse--

a quently on the right. The fever began to assume a typhoid

IT is with sorrow that we add to our annals of misfortuneanother record of a promising career cut short by one of therisks attached to the work of our profession. Mr. Lewis

Burrow, a most able and painstaking senior student of

St. Thomas’s Hospital, while acting as post-mortem clerk ina case of suppurative peritonitis on the lst inst., infected a.small scratch upon the forefinger of his left hand. The place>was carefully cleaned and no further trouble was anticipated,but on the third day pain and tenderness were felt in the-forearm, extending to the axilla, and the temperature rose to103° F. at night. At this time the original point of inocula-tion was quite healed, and there were no signs of lymph*

, angeitis or enlargement of glands. He was admitted into>

C the hospital under the care of Mr. Anderson on the 4th., A puffy swelling had then appeared over the left axilla, with

extreme tenderness to touch and severe pain on moving-i the shoulder; there was high fever, the temperature rising-

to 104° in the evening, but the pulse was strong and the:i tongue clean. Free incisions were made into the swollens parts, but without reaching any collection of pus. During;t the next two days the oedema spread to the neck and side of

the chest, the affected area being acutely tender, but still!without any sign of suppuration. The bowels, previouslyconstipated, were acted upon, a very offensive motion being:evacuated. On the 7th a low delirium set in and evidences

. of pleurisy appeared, first on the left side and subse--

a quently on the right. The fever began to assume a typhoid

423COAL DUST EXPLOSIONS.COAL DUST EXPLOSIONS.

character on the 9th, and on the night of the llth thedelirium passed on to coma and Mr. Burrow died. The

blood-poisoning was evidently of a very intense cha-

racter, and the virus passed into the circulation without

giving rise to a protective inflammation in the lymphaticglands. The septic oedema of the trunk did not appear untilthe fourth day, and to the end there was no formation ofabscesses. It is singular that even in the early stage of theillness the unfortunate sufferer developed a conviction of hisapproaching death, and, while submitting courageously andgratefully to all the measures adopted for his relief, madehis preparations for the end. Cases of this kind are terriblyfrequent, and unnecessarily so. It appears to be very importantthat the habitual use of protective gloves of indiarubber

should be made the rule for all who are actively engaged inpost-mortem examinations, and especially since experiencehas proved that after a little practice the necessary manipula-tions can be performed without difficulty and with almostabsolute safety. The inevitable dangers of our calling arealready too numerous, and it is sad to add to them this seriesof fearful calamities, which may be escaped, or at any rateminimised, by a simple precaution.

character on the 9th, and on the night of the llth thedelirium passed on to coma and Mr. Burrow died. The

blood-poisoning was evidently of a very intense cha-

racter, and the virus passed into the circulation without

giving rise to a protective inflammation in the lymphaticglands. The septic oedema of the trunk did not appear untilthe fourth day, and to the end there was no formation ofabscesses. It is singular that even in the early stage of theillness the unfortunate sufferer developed a conviction of hisapproaching death, and, while submitting courageously andgratefully to all the measures adopted for his relief, madehis preparations for the end. Cases of this kind are terriblyfrequent, and unnecessarily so. It appears to be very importantthat the habitual use of protective gloves of indiarubber

should be made the rule for all who are actively engaged inpost-mortem examinations, and especially since experiencehas proved that after a little practice the necessary manipula-tions can be performed without difficulty and with almostabsolute safety. The inevitable dangers of our calling arealready too numerous, and it is sad to add to them this seriesof fearful calamities, which may be escaped, or at any rateminimised, by a simple precaution.

COAL DUST EXPLOSIONS.ALL doubt that coal dust is the frequent cause of disastrous

colliery explosions is set at rest by the striking experimentswhich are the subject of a report drawn up by Mr. Henry Hall,one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Mines, by desire of theSecretary of State on behalf of the Royal Commissionappointed to inquire into this subject. Experiments on alaboratory scale, notably those of Professor Thorpe,which have already been described in the columns ofTHE LANCET,1 have demonstrated the extreme probabilityof coal dust igniting with explosive violence when freelymixed with air, as in well-ventilated mines, but the recentexperiments recorded in the report referred to furnishevidence of a practical and conclusive kind since they wereconducted in a main shaft placed at Mr. Hall’s disposalby the proprietors of the White Moss Colliery, Skelmersdale,in which the working conditions of a mine in active operationwere as nearly as possible realised. It is impossible to dealat any length with the very exhaustive series of experimentscontained in the report, but the conclusions and recommenda-tions which are appended are so important in connexionwith the prevention of loss of life in collieries from theterrible explosions which unfortunately in recent yearshave shown little abatement in their frequency that we

give a brief summary of the results. The flame froma blowing-out gunpowder shot in the presence of drycoal dust is always found to ignite more or less such

dust and to increase the burning and charring effects of

the shot. When a large flame such as that of a blowing-outgunpowder shot or the flame from the ignition of a smallquantity of fire-damp traverses an atmosphere containing avery moderate quantity of dry coal dust, the dusty atmospherewill explode with great violence, and the explosion will con-tinue and pass throughout any length of such atmosphere, itsviolence and force increasing as it progresses. The coal dustfrom several seams in certain different districts is almost assensitive to explosion as gunpowder itself, the degree ofsensitiveness increasing in proportion to its high qualityand freedom from impurities. In mines which are brisklyventilated there is a greater probability of explosion,while in such cases it is generally more severe. Oneof the most important results of the experiments madehas been to demonstrate that certain "high explosives" "

(roburite, ammonite, &c.) are incapable of igniting or

exploding coal dust. Mr. Hall, in face of these facts, istherefore led to urge the total abolition of gunpowder from

ALL doubt that coal dust is the frequent cause of disastrouscolliery explosions is set at rest by the striking experimentswhich are the subject of a report drawn up by Mr. Henry Hall,one of Her Majesty’s Inspectors of Mines, by desire of theSecretary of State on behalf of the Royal Commissionappointed to inquire into this subject. Experiments on alaboratory scale, notably those of Professor Thorpe,which have already been described in the columns ofTHE LANCET,1 have demonstrated the extreme probabilityof coal dust igniting with explosive violence when freelymixed with air, as in well-ventilated mines, but the recentexperiments recorded in the report referred to furnishevidence of a practical and conclusive kind since they wereconducted in a main shaft placed at Mr. Hall’s disposalby the proprietors of the White Moss Colliery, Skelmersdale,in which the working conditions of a mine in active operationwere as nearly as possible realised. It is impossible to dealat any length with the very exhaustive series of experimentscontained in the report, but the conclusions and recommenda-tions which are appended are so important in connexionwith the prevention of loss of life in collieries from theterrible explosions which unfortunately in recent yearshave shown little abatement in their frequency that we

give a brief summary of the results. The flame froma blowing-out gunpowder shot in the presence of drycoal dust is always found to ignite more or less such

dust and to increase the burning and charring effects of

the shot. When a large flame such as that of a blowing-outgunpowder shot or the flame from the ignition of a smallquantity of fire-damp traverses an atmosphere containing avery moderate quantity of dry coal dust, the dusty atmospherewill explode with great violence, and the explosion will con-tinue and pass throughout any length of such atmosphere, itsviolence and force increasing as it progresses. The coal dustfrom several seams in certain different districts is almost assensitive to explosion as gunpowder itself, the degree ofsensitiveness increasing in proportion to its high qualityand freedom from impurities. In mines which are brisklyventilated there is a greater probability of explosion,while in such cases it is generally more severe. Oneof the most important results of the experiments madehas been to demonstrate that certain "high explosives" "

(roburite, ammonite, &c.) are incapable of igniting or

exploding coal dust. Mr. Hall, in face of these facts, istherefore led to urge the total abolition of gunpowder from

1 THE LANCET, April 2nd, 1892.

coal mines for blasting purposes and the substitution of certain,"high explosives " - precautionary measures which manylarge firms have already adopted. Apart from the danger ofusing gunpowder arising from the ease with which it startsa dust explosion, it appears that in mere handling alone 400’lives have been sacrificed during the last twenty years, whilethe loss of life from explosions caused by gunpowder duringthe same time has been at least one half of the total loss-

viz., 4098 persons. With regard to preventive measures everypossible effort, it is recommended, should be made, either bywatering the dry dust or removing it to avoid accumulation, so’that any accidental ignition of fire-damp may be limited in its.effects and prevented from developing into a sweeping ex-plosion through the agency of dust. In view of the factthat the results of these experiments coincide in a remark-able manner with the facts in the previous history of theseams as regards explosion, there can be no doubt at all ofthe great practical value of the report, and the commission)are to be congratulated on having selected Mr. Hall as their-expert in this matter, he having exhibited unquestionable skill’and tact in the carrying out of these most important experi-ments. The report is accompanied by some excellent andstriking photographs taken at the time of the experimentalexplosions, and in some cases it is shown that the flame-

emerged some sixty feet above the mouth of the shaft when.quantities of from 3 ewt. to 2 cwt. of coal dust were firedat the bottom of the pit by a cannon charged with 12 lbs. ofgunpowder.

--

coal mines for blasting purposes and the substitution of certain,"high explosives " - precautionary measures which manylarge firms have already adopted. Apart from the danger ofusing gunpowder arising from the ease with which it startsa dust explosion, it appears that in mere handling alone 400’lives have been sacrificed during the last twenty years, whilethe loss of life from explosions caused by gunpowder duringthe same time has been at least one half of the total loss-

viz., 4098 persons. With regard to preventive measures everypossible effort, it is recommended, should be made, either bywatering the dry dust or removing it to avoid accumulation, so’that any accidental ignition of fire-damp may be limited in its.effects and prevented from developing into a sweeping ex-plosion through the agency of dust. In view of the factthat the results of these experiments coincide in a remark-able manner with the facts in the previous history of theseams as regards explosion, there can be no doubt at all ofthe great practical value of the report, and the commission)are to be congratulated on having selected Mr. Hall as their-expert in this matter, he having exhibited unquestionable skill’and tact in the carrying out of these most important experi-ments. The report is accompanied by some excellent andstriking photographs taken at the time of the experimentalexplosions, and in some cases it is shown that the flame-

emerged some sixty feet above the mouth of the shaft when.quantities of from 3 ewt. to 2 cwt. of coal dust were firedat the bottom of the pit by a cannon charged with 12 lbs. ofgunpowder.

--

HOSPITAL v. HOME MORTALITY IN INFECTIOUSDISEASE.

WE have received from Dr. Hope of Liverpool a copy of a..

pamphlet prepared by him with a view of contrasting themortality amongst patients treated at home with that of thosetreated in hospitals for infectious diseases. The LiverpoolHospitals Committee appear to have been much struck withthe comments which have lately appeared in the lay press asto the alleged excessive mortality amongst fever patients atthe Asylums Board Hospitals, compared with the mortality ofthose treated at their own homes. They have, therefore,.most wisely directed their medical officer to investigate the-whole question with the help of statistics derived not onlyfrom Liverpool infectious hospitals, but also from similarinstitutions in other large manufacturing towns, such as.

Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Shemeld, and, of course..the metropolis. After obtaining the necessary statistics.from the various hospitals, and comparing them with.similar data from the hospitals of his own city, Dr.

Hope properly insists upon the observance of certain well-known precautions before accepting as conclusive the:results of comparison between different groups of statistical facts. In particular, he draws attention to the dis-turbing influence of social conditions on the mortality ofinfectious disease in different localities, and he points out that.in Liverpool, which he states to be " by far the most denselypopulated city in Great Britain," the population is far less.

favourably situated (in respect, we suppose, of density))"than London, which has a population to the acre onlyone half as dense." We must here digress for a momentin order to inquire what is the exact meaning that Dr. Hope-attaches to the word " density." If he means that the mean.

density of Liverpool is greater than that of London thestatement may not mean more than that London contains.within its area a larger number of open spaces than Liver-pool. What we want to ascertain for the purpose of com

paring the two towns is whether in the poorer districts, which,as Dr. Hope shows, furnish the majority of the fever cases,the number of persons living on an acre in the one caseexceeds that in another. Estimated in this way, we fancythat there are parts of London and of other great cities.

WE have received from Dr. Hope of Liverpool a copy of a..

pamphlet prepared by him with a view of contrasting themortality amongst patients treated at home with that of thosetreated in hospitals for infectious diseases. The LiverpoolHospitals Committee appear to have been much struck withthe comments which have lately appeared in the lay press asto the alleged excessive mortality amongst fever patients atthe Asylums Board Hospitals, compared with the mortality ofthose treated at their own homes. They have, therefore,.most wisely directed their medical officer to investigate the-whole question with the help of statistics derived not onlyfrom Liverpool infectious hospitals, but also from similarinstitutions in other large manufacturing towns, such as.

Manchester, Birmingham, Leeds and Shemeld, and, of course..the metropolis. After obtaining the necessary statistics.from the various hospitals, and comparing them with.similar data from the hospitals of his own city, Dr.

Hope properly insists upon the observance of certain well-known precautions before accepting as conclusive the:results of comparison between different groups of statistical facts. In particular, he draws attention to the dis-turbing influence of social conditions on the mortality ofinfectious disease in different localities, and he points out that.in Liverpool, which he states to be " by far the most denselypopulated city in Great Britain," the population is far less.

favourably situated (in respect, we suppose, of density))"than London, which has a population to the acre onlyone half as dense." We must here digress for a momentin order to inquire what is the exact meaning that Dr. Hope-attaches to the word " density." If he means that the mean.

density of Liverpool is greater than that of London thestatement may not mean more than that London contains.within its area a larger number of open spaces than Liver-pool. What we want to ascertain for the purpose of com

paring the two towns is whether in the poorer districts, which,as Dr. Hope shows, furnish the majority of the fever cases,the number of persons living on an acre in the one caseexceeds that in another. Estimated in this way, we fancythat there are parts of London and of other great cities.