341THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

Fellows are surgeons, the elect of their profession, the

glory of their country, and the pride of ourselves. We

congratulate them on their newly acquired distinction,and we congratulate our College on the distinction theybestow upon us. Let us drink to the health, long life, andhappiness of the Honorary Fellows of the Royal College ofSurgeons. I have now to call upon the Earl of Rosebery,Honorary Fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons of

England, to respond to this toast.The Right Hon. the Earl of ROSEBERY, K.G., K.T., Hon.

F.R.C.S., in responding, said that he had filled manyembarrassing positions, but he had never felt what em-barrassment really was until he had been made a Fellowof the College of Surgeons. The Honorary Fellows of theCollege, for whom he had been asked to reply, representedall the countries of Europe ; their names and distinctions

occupied three printed pages and constituted a numericalcatalogue with which he was not able to deal, but he wasglad to say that they had already replied for themselves in theafternoon. That left three Honorary Fellows. The Prince ofWales, however, had already replied, and so now the numberwas reduced to two-the Prime Minister and himself. He

hoped that no one would entrust a surgical case to either hisnoble friend or himself. The Prime Minister was creditedwith the intention of performing on the illustrious mother ofparliaments an operation which consisted in giving a newlease of life by first stopping that which now existed, andthen flinging it into that exhilarating cauldron which wouldreturn it to life. He did not know whether the scalpel orknife would be shortly applied in any such way as that,but that was the only surgical operation which he con-

sidered could with safety be entrusted to the noblemarquis. He thought that if political matters were con-

ducted on scientific principles it would probably bebetter for the peace of the world. Men of science knewnothing but peace. Science was sometimes defeated,but the defeats of science were the defeats of humanity

Iitself.The toast of "The Guests" was proposed by Mr. THOMAS

BRYANT, who said: The toast which it is my privilege togive on the present interesting occasion is that of "TheGuests," who I may honestly say are the choicest repre-sentatives of every learned, scientific, artistic, and usefulbranch of human endeavour which this metropolis cansupply. We have been led to make this selection under theconviction that the distinguished Honorary Fellows of thisCollege whom they have been invited to meet are men of equalcalibre-for the three professing but not practising Fellowswho head our lists are men whom all the world delight tohonour and who honour this College by becoming Fellows andthus partaking of its interests, whilst the remaining HonoraryFellows are the leading practising surgeons of the Europeanand American States and of our own much-beloved colonies.In fact, they represent, with the Fellows of this College, theworking bees of the surgical profession which utilise to thefull every science and art which our guests so ablycultivate, and cull from all branches of human industryeverything and anything which can possibly help towardsthe investigation, the prevention, and the cure of disease.Indeed, I like to think of them as the representatives of

applied science for the personal benefit of mankind. Theyat the same time recognise no rivalry, but only friendlycompetition which it is to be hoped, under the banner of theFellowship of the Royal College, will be encouraged for thebenefit of the world. The name I have to couple with thistoast is the representative of all that is good and all that isgreat in this highly-favoured Island State-the Lord HighChancellor of England—Lord Halsbury.The LORD CHANCELLOR briefly replied."The Royal College of Surgeons of England, coupled

with the name of the President," was proposed byLord SALISBURY, who received on rising a cordial

reception. He said that until he received the HonoraryFellowship of the Royal College of Surgeons he neverwas a surgeon or as a surgeon proposed the healthof surgeons. His colleague in the Honorary Fellowshipseemed to think that he (the speaker) knew when theDissolution would take place. He hoped to elicit from hima secret the knowledge of which he did not possess. Healso referred to the fact that the distinguished surgeons whobad that day received the Honorary Fellowship of the RoyalCollege of Surgeons of England had come from all countriesof the civilised world ; and with a few words of acknowledg-ment of the work and services of Sir William MacCormac

he proposed the health of the Royal College of Surgeons ofEngland coupled with the name of the President.The PRESIDENT, in replying, said : I venture to think that

the time for any further speech from me is almost passed,and that I shall do best if I but thank Lord Salisbury for thevery kind and handsome manner in which he has proposedthe toast which I will call the toast of the evening, the con-tinued prosperity of the Royal College of Surgeons. Theinclusions within its ranks of so many distinguished mento-day is a great pleasure and satisfaction to our College, andit is a further and a convincing testimony of the high esteemin which our College is held. As for myself I thank him inall sincerity and gratitude for the kind words he has spokenof me and I do this with all my heart.At the end of the dinner (during which a selection of

music was played by the band of the Coldstream Guards)each guest was presented with a volume containing theAddress of Welcome, Centenary of the Royal College of

Surgeons of England, by the President and also with aSouvenir of the Centenary of the Royal College of Surgeonsof England, 1800 to 1900.The accompanying picture of the dinner is from a photo-

graph taken by Messrs. Fradelle and Young.

CONVERSAZIONE AT THE MANSION HOUSE.

The concluding entertainment of the centenary celebrationstook the form of a conversazione given by the Lord Mayor ofLondon in the Mansion House on Friday, July 27tb. A con-siderable company was present, including many of the

Honorary Fellows and other persons of distinction.Altogether the Royal College of Surgeons of England and

its President, Sir William Mac Cormac, are to be congratu-lated on a biilliant celebration of the centenary.

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

VERY important and stirring events have taken place atthe seat of war since we last wrote. The unconditionalsurrender of Commandant Prinsloo and a large numberof Boers at Fouriesburg comes as a great relief after

the meagre news of desultory and indecisive movementsand fighting which have been taking place of late. Thewar has not only lasted much longer but has cost a far largerloss of life than it was originally supposed it would do. Stillit would now seem to be nearing an end. Further resistance,as far as the Orange River Colony is concerned, may bepractically considered as having terminated. It is tobe hoped that Lord Roberts will soon have the linebehind him restored, in which case he will be ableto move upon Koomati Poort and cut off the mainsource of Boer supplies and so convince Mr. Kriiger, whenhe can no longer communicate with Delagoa Bay, of the follyand futility of any further efforts on his part. We confessthat we have never been able to understand why a boldattempt in this direction has not been made before-byGeneral Buller’s force, for example. It is useless to

speculate on the probable capture of General De Wet’sforce or that of General Botha, because this has so

often failed of being accomplished when it seemed immi-nent ; still the chances of their being surrounded and

having to capitulate are increasing. The Boers are

still showing great activity in the vicinity of Rusten-

burg and they have succeeded again in temporarily surround-ing General Baden-Powell. All our campaigns in SouthAfrica have been attended with unforeseen difficulties andoccasionally with disasters. In spite of the fact, how-ever, that the Boers have succeeded in protracting thewar and inflicting a grievous amount of injury on thiscountry, they have not really succeeded in any of theirmore ambitious attempts and they have failed to exhibitany striking strategical ability. On the other hand, SouthAfrica has proved, as far as the British are concerned, thegraveyard of many military reputations. There has scarcelybeen any branch of the service in the field which has notcome in for some adverse criticism, and the commissariatand supply arrangements-especially these in connexion withGeneral Rundle’s force-have not escaped. A newspapercorrespondent has represented the soldiers of that force ashalf-starved and in a pitiable condition, and we know all

342 INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS ON MEDICAL ETHICS OR DEONTOLOGY.

that has been alleged about the shortcomings of themedical service. This is a very poor recompense forall the toil and hardship entailed by war. Accordingto our reading a clue to the explanation of allsuch occurrences will be found in the difficulties arisingfrom insufficient transport. It must never be forgottenthat the more rapid the movements of an army the harderit is for all transport and supply departments. Mr. JamesVan Alen, who has just returned to the United States afterhaving been present at Bloemfontein and Kroonstadt in

charge of his own field hospital, has stated that the con-dition of affairs there was worse than ought naturally to beexpected in even a rapidly moving army. He attributes thisto such causes as the neglect of the sick for the troops andthe preference given to the transport of ammunition ratherthan of hospital supplies, to the single lines of railroad, and tothe want of preparation for an epidemic. He thinks that itwas a fatal error to have neglected to protect and fortify thewater-supply at Bloemfontein and that this oversight accountsfor much of the sickness. It is quite possible that this viewmay be a substantially correct one.

It is clear that when the war is over there must be a veryexhaustive inquiry into everything connected with our entirearmy system and that wholesale changes and reforms will beintroduced into it. The progress made in all that relates tomodern arms and the munitions and systems of warfare hasrevolutionised our ideas. The fear is, perhaps, that thereforms in our own army will be based too much upon ourexperiences with the Boers, and that, as a consequence, wemay have in future an army admirably adapted fcr suchkinds of campaign but less effective for other kinds ofwarfare against trained European armies. Our armymedical system will, in any case, undergo great changes inthe way of development and organisation.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT LATELY

AT THE BASE.)The feeling that pervades the whole of the medical

staff, both civil and military, who are doing, and havebeen doing, their best in this country for the past ninemonths, on reading the telegrams from home during the pastweek is beyond description. They have disheartened beyondmeasure those of us who have borne the burden and heat ofthe day. Any stick, we are told, is good enough to beat adog with, and on this occasion the stick seems to be the so-called society ladies" whose concentrated wrath has beenpoured on the whole Ro3 al Army Medical Corps withoutrhyme or reason. Of course it is not difficult to trace thereason which prompts this semi-hysterical onslaught, and tothose of us who are behind the scenes there is a tinge ofamusement pervading our resentment ; but to the generalpublic, whose only means of knowing what work is beingdone is by the medium of the daily papers, these accusa-tions and allegations must bear the stamp of genuineness.I am not going to trouble your readers with any defence orexcuse with regard to these monstrous complaints. Thiswould only be an insult to a body of officers and men whohave loyally, courageously, and with a devotion whichwould be hard adequately to praise, done their dutyin the face of difficulties and dangers that anyone who hasnot been on the spot can have no idea of. On every hand, Iam glad to say, amongst officers and men who have passedthrough our hands we are daily receiving indignant protests,and they, and they alone, are best able to judge if there hasever been a campaign in the memory of man when officers,non-commissioned officers, and men have been looked afterso well and more consideratly treated than in this. How-ever, this is our reward, and I am afraid that after thiscampaign is finished it will take more blandishments thanthe War Office or Treasury possess to induce worthy men toenter a service the only reward in which is abuse.

I am glad to say that there is a steady diminution ofenteric fever in this place, and that the number of admis-sions to hospital is declining ; but of course we are send-

ing home large numbers of men weekly who are unfit togo to the front again. I need not say that we shall gladlywelcome the time when once more "peace reigns in theland." .

There is a good deal of sickness in Johannesburg andPretoria, but ample accommodation exists in the various

splendid buildings that are found in these two towns, and astrains are now running with regularity, no want of supplies

or comforts will be found. Whilst on the subject of com-forts, I may say how grateful the men of the Ro3al ArmyMedical Corps are for the generous gifts that have been sentout to them, showing that in spite of all some people at homeappreciate their efforts.Bloemfontein, July 8th.

THE FIRST INTERNATIONAL CON-GRESS ON MEDICAL ETHICS OR

DEONTOLOGY, HELD ATPARIS, JULY, 1900.

(FROM OUR SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

MASSAGE, QUACKS, AND NOSTRUMS.

ON Wednesday afternoon, July 25th, the Congress dividedinto two sections, and as complaints had been made that thediscussions had assumed a purely French and local aspect itwas decided that subjects of this nature should be debatedin the first section and questions of a more general characterin the second section. Consequently I attended the secondsection. The afternoon was mainly devoted to the con.

sideration of the many and various forms of competitionfrom which medical men have to suffer.

Dr. DIGNAT (Paris) urged that nurses and others whoapplied water and electric cures were practising medicine,though they were not properly qualified. There was nodenying that these agencies might do a great deal of good or,if wrongly applied, a great deal of harm. Then there were theprescribing druggists and the covering doctor. All thesewere the parasites of the medical profession. Under the

supervision of medical men their work was sometimes legiti-mate and useful, but they had no right to go to families andpropose to treat patients unless called in by a qualifiedmedical attendant.

, Dr. SALOMON, of the department of the Sarthe, mentioned

a medical man who employed a masseur to administer chloro-form and a postman who acted both as a masseur anddoctor.

Dr. BENEDICK (Vienna) urged prudence. He had alwaysfound that the conviction of mesmerists only served to increasethe number of their clients. In one case the public prosecu-tor who had secured a conviction subsequently went himselfto consult the quack in question. In Austria also there weremany eminent scientists who were not doctors of medicine,and in certain mountainous districts there were no medicalmen at all. But there were families who had inheritedcapacities which were probably in the origin based on a trueknowledge of medicine. When there was no medical manavailable the sick could not be prevented from consulting .

such persons. Also, there were peasants who undoubtedlywere wonderful bone-setters-one of them had been nomi-nated honorary doctor by the University of Prague so greatwas his skill. It was wiser to show some toleration to thosewho outside the profession undoubtedly had renderedservices.

Dr: OTTOLENCHI, from Italy, ’delivered an amusinglyinconsistent speech. He lamented the ignorance of the pro-fession in regard to the so-called occult topics-hypnotism,mesmerism, faith-healing, suggestion, &c.-and then urgedthat no one but medical men should be allowed to practisethose very methods about which he had declared they knewso very little.

Dr. VANDAM (Brussels) argued that there were two sortsof massage, scientific and non-scientific. The former couldonly be attempted by medical men with perhaps some slightindulgence towards aids. Massage was a specialty in

, medicine, just like dentistry, and he was of opinien that. medical men only should be dentists.

Dr. SEQUEL (Paris) thought that students were too soonallowed to administer chloroform, and this led them to be

r careless in after life as to whom they employed for thispurpose.

Dr. BEPTIL BUHRE (Sweden) explained that in his countrydiplomas were given to gymnasts ; consequently they

, ventured to treat patients without referring their cases to

s a medical man. On the other hand, as the masseur

s received no diploma he did not dare to act on his own