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1569 persons the establishment of a nursing home or private hospital, where they could be lodged and boarded at rates varying according to the privacy and accommodation demanded, where they would be under the care of their own medical man at a rate of fees arranged by mutual agreement and where they would be attended by trained nurses, would be a boon. ____________ THE ROYAL MILITARY TOURNAMENT. THE sanitary arrangements at the Royal Agricultural Hall, Islington, when occupied by the troops taking part in the Royal Military Tournament, have been described in these columns on so many occasions that it is hardly necessary to refer to them again in detail. The building is ill adapted for the housing of troops, but under the able advice of Surgeon- Major Alexander, of the Coldstream Guards, who is assisted by Surgeon-Major James, A.M.S., the sanitary conditions of the hall have been made as perfect as the circumstances will allow. Four new ventilators have been constructed in the roof of the building, and a great improvement has been made in the ventilation of the arcade by the construction of sixteen swinging "lights," eight on either side. This part of the building, where many cubicles are placed, has hitherto suffered greatly from want of fresh air, and though there is still room for improvement, we are glad to note that some of our suggestions have taken practical shape. It is a pity, however, that those in charge of the Tournament cannot see their way to remove it to more commodious premises. As we have said, the building has no doubt been made as sanitary and as comfortable for the troops as circumstances will allow, but apart from the fact that some 870 men and 400 horses here find a home-far too large a number for the amount of accommodation, we think-the building is altogether unworthy of what has now become, perhaps, one of the most important naval and military gatherings of the year. We say most important advisedly, because it is evident from the enthusiasm of the public that the Royal Military Tournament has become one of the greatest factors in popularising the navy and army. To prove this would require too long a digression, but it will, we believe, be generally admitted. The watchword of the present committee seems to be "economy." For the first time the catering for the troops is done by the military authorities themselves, and with the most satisfactory results. The cost per man is ls. 3d. per diem, and the food supplied is greatly appreciated by the men. The work of economy is seen, too, in other directions. The scenery, which in previous years has formed a sort of background to the combined display of all arms, has been dispensed with, and in its place there have been erected a number of seats which probably bring in not less than L200 per night. This of course, adds greatly to the coffers of the participating charities, but decreases the amount of air pace in the building. With regard to the medical aspect of the arena little is to be said. The performance which has in it the greatest element of danger, though not perhaps so apparent to the eye as in other performances, is the trotting and galloping practice by the artillery. There is, of course, considerable risk to the men engaged in the practice, but in one respect there is more risk to the spectators. Should by chance the wheels of the gun carriage strike against the I obstacles " through which the wheels pass and splinter the wood there is every chance of it being har]ed through the air and striking the spectators. Galloping by the artillery under these circum- s ances should be eliminated from the programmes ; the " trotting " is quite exciting enough, as the tremendous applause which greets the successful avoiding of the obstacles demonstrates. Of the condition of the stables, which are under the charge of Veterinary-Major Rowe, A.V.D., there is nothing to complain. Upon the whole we can congratulate Colonel F. Lorn CI mpbell, the Commandant; Major F. Lloyd, the treasurer ; I L’eutenant-Colonel E. W. D. Ward. C.B., the honorary se(retary; and the other members of the stafE who have as.’ isted in the organisation of this year’s tournament. The Tournament will close on June 10th, and those de: irous of viewing one of the best sights of the year should bo(k seats at once, as the hall is filled to overflowing at each pe formance. VITAL STATISTICS. HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS. I IN thirty-three of the largest English towns 6226 births and 3492 deaths were registered during the week ending May 29th. The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which had been 16-5 and 17’2 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, declined, again last week to 16’6. In London the rate was 14-9 per 1000, while it averaged 17’7 in the thirty-two provincial towns. The lowest death-rates in these towns were 6-9 in Croydon, 9’5 in Cardiff, 12-5 in Swansea, and 12’9 in Portsmouth; the highest rates were 22’1 in Burnley, 23-2 in Gateshead, 23-6 in Bolton, 24-0 in Sheffield, and 28-6 in Salford. The 3492 deaths in these towns included 355 which were referred to the principal zymotic diseases, against 341 and 357 in the two preceding weeks ; ; of these, 111 resulted from whooping-cough, 97 from measles, 57 from diphtheria, 39 from diarrhoea, 32 from scarlet fever, and 19 from "fever" (principally enteric), No fatal case of any of these diseases was recorded in Croydon; in the other towns they caused the lowest death- rates in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Bradford, Bristol, and Leeds, and the highest rates in Manchester, Bolton, Oldham, and Salford. The greatest mortality from measles occurred in West Ham, Oldham, Birkenhead, Bolton, Man- chester, and Salford; from scarlet fever in Huddersfield ; ;. and from whooping-cough in Plymouth, Halifax, Manchester, and Salford. The mortality from "fever" showed not marked excess in any of the large towns. The 57 deaths from diphtheria included 36 in London, 4 in Birmingham, 3 in Leicester, and 3 in Burnley. No fatal case of small- pox was registered last week in any of the thirty-three large towns. There were 12 cases of small-pox under treatment in the Metropolitan Asylum Hospitals on Saturday last, May 29th, against 11, 14, and 13 at the end of the three preceding weeks ; no new cases were admitted during the week. The number of scarlet fever patients in the Metropolitan Asylum Hospitals and in the London Fever Hospital at the end of the week was 2546, against numbers increasing from 2380 to 2508 on the four preceding Saturdays ; 278 new cases were admitted during the week, against 231, 239, and 311 in the three preceding weeks. The deaths referred to diseases of the respiratory organs in London, which had been 198 and 220 in the two preceding weeks, declined again last week to 196, and were 108 below the corrected average. The causes of 49, or 1-4 per cent., of the deaths in the thirty-three towns were not certified either by a registered medical practitioner or by a coroner. All the causes of death were duly certified in Leicester, Oldham, Bradford, Sunderland, and in nine other smaller towns ; the largest proportions of uncertified deaths were registered in West Ham, Swansea, Birmingham, and Sheffield. HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS. The annual rate of mortality in the eight Scotch towns, which had increased in the three preceding weeks from; 20-7 to 22-3 per 1000, declined again to 21 7 during the week ending May 29th, but exceeded by 5-1 per 1000 the mean rate during the same period in the thirty-three large English towns. The rates in the eight Scotch towns ranged from 10-2 in Perth and 18-9 in Paisley to 26’9 in, Edinburgh and 30’4 in Leith. The 648 deaths in these towns included 34 which were referred to whooping- cough, 24 to measles, 21 to diarrhoea, 5 to diphtheria, 4 to "fever," and 3 to scarlet fever. In all, 91 deaths resulted from these principal zymotic diseases, against 102 and 110 in the two preceding weeks. These 91 deaths were equal to an annual rate of 3-1 per 1000, which was 1-4 above the mean rate last week from the. same diseases in the thirty-three large English towns. The fatal cases of whooping-cough, which had been 29 and 35 in the two preceding weeks, were 34 last week, and included 18 in Glasgow and 9 in Edinburgh. The deaths referred to measles, which had increased in the three pre- ceding weeks from 29 to 49, declined again last week to 24, of which 16 occurred in Edinburgh, 4 in Glasgow, and 3 in Leith. The 5 fatal cases of diphtheria corre- sponded with the number in the preceding week, and included 3 in Glasgow and 2 in Edinburgh. The deaths referred to different forms of ,fever," which had been 1 and 3 in the two preceding weeks, further rose to 4 last week, all of which were registered in Glasgow. The deaths.
