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THE SERVICES.

ROYAL NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE.THE following appointments have been notified :-Staff-

Surgeons : J. D. Keir to Hyacinth and J. R. Clark-Hall toDolphin. Temporary Surgeons: J. J. Gasperine, W. W. K.Brown, A. W. Walker, and E. M. Harrison.

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.

Major 1. A. 0. MacCarthy is retained on the Active Listand to be supernumerary.A. E. Ward to be temporary Honorary Captain whilst

employed at the Springburn and Woodside Central RedCross Hospital.Temp. Captain G. F. Darker relinquishes his commission.Temporary Lieutenants to be temporary Captains: T.

Perrin, R. D. Lawrie, R. N. Thomson, and C. C. Holman.Temporary Honorary Captain R. W. Collum relinquishes

his commission on ceasing to be employed with St. JohnAmbulance Brigade Hospital.Temporary Lieutenants H. Parsons and C. Cooper

relinquish their commissions.Canadian Army Medical Corps: Major W. H. Merritt,

from Canadian Artillery, to be temporary Major.Captains to be temporary Majors: R. M. Gorssline, E. C.

Cole, A. W. McPherson, and J. S. Jenkins.INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.

The King has approved the promotion of R. J. Macnamarafrom Lieutenant-Colonel to Colonel.The King has approved the grant of the temporary rank of

Lieutenant to Narayan Mahadev Bodas, Jatis ChunderChukerbuti, Saroj Kumar Sanyal, Bangalore PasupuletiBalukrishna Naidu, Dhanjishaw Phirozshaw Karaka, A. W.Panton, Abani Mohan Ghosh, Tanguturi Janakiramiah,Philip de Mello, Jehanjir K. Moolan-Feroze, N. B. Kolsavala,Chembil Vittil Appunni Menon, A. C. L. La Frenais,Jesuduson Sellyah David, Munguldas Tuljaram Khandwalla,Kalyallpur Harihar Bhat, Premai Trambakrai Majmundar,and Rustom Pestonjee.

SPECIAL RESERVE OF OFFICERS.

Royal Army Medical Corps.Cadets to be Lieutenants : W. L. Ingham and C. W.

Dudley, from Leeds University Contingent, Officers TrainingCorps ; C. Rudd, from Birmingham University Contingent,Officers Training Corps; H. G. Broadbridge, from Univer-sity of London Contingent, Officers Training Corps; W. C. C.Easton, from the Manchester University Officers TrainingCorps; and the following from the Edinburgh UniversityOfficers Training Corps: M. Foster, J. Bennet, A. K. Gibson,B. J. Ryrie, J. M. Smellie, D. G. Stoute, J. A. Mackenzie,W. N. Greer, D. G. Duff, A. McL. Ferrie, I. MacKenzie,E. A. Mills, C. Milne, J. Milne, C. P. Penberthy, E. W. Fish,W. Corner, and R. R. S. Weatherson.To be Lieutenants: J. A. Nicholson and M. Stewart.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

Army Medical Services.

Major (temporary Colonel) F. J. Brown relinquishes histemporary rank on vacating the appointment of AssistantDirector of Medical Services.

Royal Army Medical Corps.East Anglian Field Ambulance: D. F. Torrens to be

Lieutenant.London General Hospital: Captain C. A. Pannett is

- seconded while holding a temporary commission in theRoyal Army Medical Corps.Wessex Casualty Clearing Station: Lieutenant C. A.

Raison, from South Midland Casualty Clearing Station, to beLieutenant.East Lanes Field Ambulance: Lieutenant C. Hibbert to

be Captain.West Lanes Field Ambulance: Lieutenant R. Findlay to

be Captain.Lowland Casnalty Clearing Station: D. Cameron and

J. Chalmers to be Lieutenants.North Midland Casualty Clearing Station: Lieutenant

C. S. J. Kearney to be Captain.Northumbrian Field Ambulance : Major (temporary

Lieutenant-Colonel) P. R. Ash relinquishes his temporaryrank on ceasing to command a Field Ambulance.West Riding Field Ambulance : Captain (temporary Major)

H. N. Goode relinquishes his temporary rank on ceasing tocommand a Field Ambulance. Major F. Whalley to betemporary Lieut. -Col. whilst commanding a Field Ambulance. I,Wessex Field Ambulance: Major E. B. Bird to be

temporary Lieutenant-Colonel whilst commanding a CasualtyClearing Station. Major (temporary Lieutenant-Colonel)E. B. Bird relinquishes his temporary rank on ceasing tocommand a Casualty Clearing Station.

Attached to Units other than Medical Units.-W. A. Milne(late temporary Lieutenant, R.A.M.C.), C. E. Proctor, andP. G. Phillips to be Lieutenants.

JOURNAL OF THE ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.First place is given in the July issue of this journal

to a well-illustrated paper by Captain David Thomsonand Captain J. Gordon Thomson on Protozoological Re-searches, including investigations on the sand in Egypt,undertaken to elucidate the mode of spread of amoebicdysentery and the flagellate diarrhoeas. The conclusions ofthe authors regarding the sanitary measures necessary forthe prevention of these diseases are on lines " identical withthose required to prevent the other intestinal scourges, such astyphoid fever and bacillary dysentery." The authors advocatea larger sanitary staff in warm climates with bad sanitation.In a paper on the treatment of gonorrhoea Lieutenant-ColonelL. W. Harrison describes successful results from treat-ment by intramuscular injections of mercury succinimideadministered in a 5 per cent. solution either in three doses of50 milligrammes or two of 75 milligrammes at intervals ofthree days. A paper on the Surgical and AntisepticValues of Hypochlorous Acid (Eusol), by Captain John Fraserand Captain H. J. Bates, discusses the use of this antiseptic.Preliminary Observations on Disinfection of the Naso-pharynx of Meningococcus Carriers by means of Air Saturatedwith a Solution of Disinfectant are contributed by Lieu-tenant-Colonel M. H. Gordon; and a paper on Malingering, bySir John Collie, deals with the examination of the upperextremities. Fly Traps for Camps, Hospital Precincts, andTrench Areas form the subject of an illustrated paper byColonel Andrew Balfour, C.M.G., and the Louse Problem atthe Western Front is very fully dealt with by Lance-SergeantA. D. Peacock, M.Sc., formerly entomologist to the Govern-ment of Southern Nigeria, lecturer in zoology at the Uni-versity of Durham.

VITAL STATISTICS.

VITAL STATISTICS OF LONDON DURING JUNE, 1916.IN the accompanying table will be found summarised

complete statistics relating to sickness and mortality inthe City of London and in each of the metropolitan boroughs.With regard to the notified cases of infectious diseases, itappears that the number of persons reported to be suffer-ing from one or other of the 10 diseases specified in the tablewas equal to an annual rate of 4-8 per 1000 of the civil popula-tion, estimated at 4,310,030 persons; in the three precedingmonths the rates had been 5’6, 5-3, and 4-7 per 1000 respec-

tively. The lowest rates during the month were recorded inKensington, Hammersmith, Fulham, the City of West-minster, and Stoke Newington; and the highest rates inShoreditch, Bethnal Green, Stepney, Bermondsey, andDeptford. The prevalence of scarlet fever showed no varia-tion from that recorded in the preceding month; among theseveral boroughs this disease was proportionally most pre-valent during June in the City of London, Bethnal Green,Stepney, Deptford, and Lewisham. The MetropolitanAsylums Hospitals contained 1256 scarlet fever patients atthe end of the month, against 1735, 1608, and 1325 at the endof the three preceding months; the weekly admissionsaveraged 159, against 208,190, and 155 in the three precedingmonths. The prevalence of diphtheria showed only a triflingdecrease in June; this disease was proportionally mostprevalent in Hampstead, Shoreditch, Bethnal Green,Stepney, Bermondsey, and Greenwich. The number ofdiphtheria patients under treatment in the MetropolitanAsylums Hospitals, which had been 1417, 1331, and 1242 atthe end of the three preceding months, had risen againto 1313 at the end of June; the weekly admissionsaveraged 152, against, 160, 149, and 152 in the three pre-ceding months. Enteric fever showed a slightly increasedprevalence as compared with that recorded in other recentmonths; of the 35 cases notified during June, 4 belongedto Paddington, 4 to Stepney, 3 to St. Marylebone, and 3 toHackney. There were 44 enteric fever patients undertreatment at the end of June in the Metropolitan AsylumsHospitals, against 46, 39, and 30 at the end of the threepreceding months; the weekly admissions averaged 7,against 7, 7, and 5 in the three preceding months. Erysipelaswas proportionally most prevalent in Shoreditch, BethnalGreen, Poplar, and Deptford. The 20 cases of puerperalfever included 3 in Greenwich and 2 each in Islington,Holborn, Poplar, Battersea, and Camberwell. The 44 casesof cerebro-spinal meningitis included 5 in Stepney, 4 inIslington, and 3 each in Poplar, Southwark, Bermondsey,and Lambeth. The 4 cases of poliomyelitis belongedrespectively to Bethnal Green, Stepney, Bermondsey, andCamberwell.The mortality statistics in the table relate to the deaths of

persons actually belonging to the several metropolitanboroughs, the deaths occurring in institutions having beendistributed among the boroughs in which the deceasedpersons had previously resided. During the four weeksending July 1st the deaths of 3787 London residentswere registered, equal to an annual rate of 11’5 per1000; in the three preceding months the rates had

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ANALYSIS OF SICKNESS AND MORTALITY STATISTICS IN LONDON DURING JUNE, 1916.

(Speoially oompiled (0’1’ THE LANCET.)

* Including membranous croup.been 18-1, 17-2, and 12-9 per 1000. The death-rates inJune ranged from 7-8 in Hampstead, 8-9 in Wandsworth,9-0 in Lewisham, 10-1 in the City of Westminster, 10-3 inPaddington, and 10-4 in Battersea and in Camberwell, to12-7 in Chelsea and in Poplar, 13-2 in Kensington and inSouthwark, 13-7 in Shoreditch, and 16-3 in Finsbury. The 3787deaths from all causes included 235 which were referred tothe principal infectious diseases; of these, 74 resulted frommeasles, 7 from scarlet fever, 30 from diphtheria, 60 fromwhooping-cough, 7 from enteric fever, and 57 from diarrhoeaand enteritis among children under 2 years of age. Nodeath from any of these diseases was recorded during themonth in Stoke Newington or in the City of London ; amongthe other boroughs they caused the lowest death-rates inHampstead, Holborn, and Woolwich ; and the highest ratesin Chelsea, Islington, Finsbury, Southwark, and Bermondsey.The 74 deaths from measles were 58 fewer than thecorrected average number in the corresponding period ofthe five preceding years; this disease was proportionallymost fatal in St. Pancras, Islington, Hackney, Southwark,Battersea, and Greenwich. The 7 deaths from scarlet feverwere 11 below the corrected average number, and included2 in Battersea and 1 each in Poplar, Lambeth, Deptford,Lewisham, and Woolwich. The 30 fatal cases of diphtheriashowed a decline of 8 from the corrected average number;of the 30 deaths from this disease 5 belonged to Southwark,3 to Bermondsey, 3 to Wandsworth, and 2 each to Islington,Shoreditch, Poplar, and Greenwich. The 60 deathsfrom whooping-cough were 12 below the average ; thegreatest proportional mortality from this disease wasrecorded in Hammersmith, Islington, Finsbury, and Poplar.The 7 deaths from enteric fever were equal to the correctedaverage number, and included 2 in Stepney and 1 each inKensington, Chelsea, the City of Westminster, Islington,and Camberwell. The 57 deaths from diarrhoea and enteritisamong children under 2 years of age were 14 below thecorrected average number ; this disease was proportionallymost fatal in Paddington, Kensington, Fulham, Chelsea, theCity of Westminster, St. Marylebone, Islington, Finsbury,and Bermondsey. In conclusion, it may be stated that theaggregate mortality in London during June from theseprincipal infectious diseases was 30-5 per cent. below theaverage.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

In the 96 English and Welsh towns with populationsexceeding 50,000 persons at the last Census, 7929 births and3469 deaths were registered during the week ended Saturday,July 29th. The annual rate of mortality in these towns,which had been 11-1, 10-9, and 11-1 per 1000 in the threepreceding weeks, fell in the week under notice to 10-4per 1000 of their aggregate civil population, estimated at17,312,295 persons for the year 1915. During the first fourweeks of the current quarter the mean annual death-rate inthese towns averaged 10-8, against 10-7 per 1000 in London.Among the several towns the death-rate last week rangedfrom 3-2 in Oxford, 3-4 in Enfield, 3-7 in Wimbledon, 3-9 inIlford, and 5-5 in Southport, to 14-7 in Middlesbrough andin Burnley, 15-1 in Sunderland, 15-4 in Cambridge, 16-4 inDarlington, and 22-8 in Bury.The 3469 deaths from all causes were 206 below the number

in the previous week, and included 221 which were referredto the principal epidemic diseases, against numbers decliningfrom 335 to 212 in the eight preceding weeks. Of these221 deaths, 72 resulted from infantile diarrhoea] diseases,64 from measles, 36 from whooping-cough, 35 from diph-theria, 9 from scarlet fever, and 5 from enteric fever, butnot one from small-pox. The annual death-rate from thesediseases was equal to 0-7, against 0-7, 0-7, and 0-6 per 1000in the three preceding weeks. The deaths attributed toinfantile diarrhoea, which had been 54, 51, and 46 in thethree preceding weeks, rose to 72, of which 16 occurredin London and 5 in Liverpool. The deaths from measles,which had been 60, 62, and 59 in the three preceding weeks,rose last week to 64, and included 14 in London, 11 inSheffield, 6 in Liverpool, 5 in Manchester, and 4 in WestHam. The fatal cases of whooping-cough, which had been61, 40, and 42 in the three preceding weeks, fell to 36, andincluded 4 each in London, Birmingham, and Liverpool,and 3 in West Ham. The deaths from diphtheria, whichhad been 36, 47, and 43 in the three preceding weeks, fellto 35 last week, and included 12 in London, 3 in St. Helens,and 3 in Middlesbrough. The deaths from scarlet fever,which had been 4, 15, and 17 in the three preceding weeks,fell to 9 last week, of these 9 deaths 3 belonged to London.The fatal cases of enteric fever, which had declined from

244

13 to 5 in the five preceding weeks, were again 5 last weekand showed no excess in any particular town.

The number of scarlet fever patients under treatment inthe Metropolitan Asylums Hospitals and the London FeverHospital, which had declined from 1303 to 1216 in the fivepreceding weeks, rose slightly to 1221 on Saturday last; 171,new cases were admitted during the week, against 170,150, and 172 in the three preceding weeks. These hospitalsalso contained on Saturday last 1288 cases of diphtheria,184 of measles, 153 of whooping-cough, and 40 of entericfever, but not one of small-pox. The 878 deaths from allcauses in London were 17 fewer than the number in thepreceding week, and corresponded to an annual death-rateof 10-6 per 1000. The deaths referred to diseases of therespiratory system, which had been 95, 117, and 99 in the,three preceding weeks, fell to 90 in the week under notice.

Of the 3469 deaths from all causes in the 96 towns, 136resulted from violence, 296 were the subject of coroners’inquests, and 1054 occurred in public institutions. Thecauses of 31, or 0’9 per cent., of the total deaths werenot certified either by a registered medical practitioner orby a coroner after inquest. All the causes of death wereduly certified in London and its 14 suburban districts,in Bristol, Leeds, Sheffield, and 60 other smaller towns. Ofthe 31 uncertified causes, 7 were registered in Birminghamand 6 in Liverpool.

HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

In the 16 largest Scotch towns with an aggregate popula-tion estimated at 2,372,000 persons at the middle of this year,’1029 births and 566 deaths were registered during the week..ended Saturday, July 29th. The annual rate of mortality in.these towns, which had been 12’4, 12’6, and 11’2 per 1000 inthe three preceding weeks, rose to 12-5 per 1000 in the weekunder notice. During the first four weeks of the currentquarter the mean annual death-rate in these towns averaged12-2, or 1-4 per 1000 more than that recorded in the largeEnglish towns. Among the several towns the death-ratelast week ranged from 5’7 in Perth, 9-0 in Dundee, and

’,9-2 in Coatbridge, to 17-4 in Greenock and 18-7 in/Hamilton and in Ayr. - ,

The 566 deaths from all causes were 55 above the-number in the previous week, and included 37 whichwere referred to the principal epidemic diseases, against44 and 39 in the two preceding weeks. Of these 37 deaths,15 resulted from infantile diarrhoea! diseases, 7 from measles,6 from diphtheria, 5 from scarlet fever, and 4 from whooping-cough, but not one from either small-pox or enteric fever.The annual death-rate from these diseases was equal to 0’8,against 0-7 per 1000 in the large English towns. The deathsattributed to infantile diarrhoeal diseases, which had been5, 8, and 7 in the three preceding weeks, rose last week to 15,and included 9 in Glasgow, 3 in Edinburgh, and 2 in Ayr.The deaths from measles, which had declined from 19 to 18and 17 in the three preceding weeks, further fel to 7 last week,and included 5 in Glasgow. The fatal cases of diphtheria,which had been 5, 3, and 6 in the three precedingweeks, were again 6 last week; 2 deaths occurred in Glasgowand 2 in Edinburgh. The deaths from scarlet fever, whichhad been 5, 7, and 3 in the three preceding weeks, rose to

. 5 last week, and included 3 in Glasgow The fatal cases ofwhooping-cough, which had been 8, 8, and 3 in the threepreceding weeks, were 4 last week; all 4 deaths were

registered in Glasgow.The deaths referred to diseases of the respiratory system,

which had been 64, 50, and 62 in the three preceding weeks,declined to 40 in the week under notice, and were 6 belowthe number registered in the corresponding week of lastyear. The deaths from violence numbered 32, against 16

. and 22 in the two preceding weeks.

HEALTH OF IRISH TOWNS.

In the registration area of Dublin 193 births and 110 deathswere registered during the week ended Saturday, July 29th.The annual rate of mortality, which had been 17-6,18-8, and

15.2 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks, fell to 14-4 per1000 in the week under notice, against 10’6 and 12’4 per 1000in London and Glasgow respectivelv.Of the 110 deaths at all ages, 22 related to infants under

1 year and 25 to persons aged 65 years and upwards. Fourdeaths of infants (under 2 years of age) were referred todiarrhceal diseases.The causes of 4 deaths were uncertified, and 4 others were

the subject of coroners’ inquests, while 49. or 45 per cent.,of the total deaths occurred in public institutions.

During the same period 155 births and 93 deaths wereregistered in the city of Belfast. The deaths correspondedto an annual rate of 12’4, or 2-2 per 1000 less than in theprevious week, and included 17 of infants under 1 year ofage and 18 of persons aged 65 years and upwards. Onedeath was referred to measles and 1 each to scarlet fever,whooping-cough, and infantile diarrhoeal diseases. The causeof 1 death was uncertified and 4 others were the subject ofcoroners’ inquests; 34 deaths occurred in public institutions.

Obituary.SIR WILLIAM HENRY POWER, K.C.B., F.R.S.,

F.R.C.S. ENG.,LATE PRIXCIPAL MEDICAL OFFICER OF THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT

BOARD.

IT is with feelings of the deepest regret that we announcethe death, in his 74th year, of Sir William H. Power, K.C.B.,who died at his residence in East Molesey on July 28th.

Sir William Power had the distinction of belonging to anold medical family, and was the fifth representative of theprofession in direct succession from father to son, beginningwith John Power, a surgeon in Warwickshire, born in 1730.He received his early education at University College School,after which he became apprenticed, as a medical student,to his father, Dr. William Henry Power, of Ladywell,Kent. Later, he entered St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, andqualified as a Member of the Royal College of Surgeonsand as a Licentiate of the Society of Apothecaries in1864. He devoted the next six years to the practice ofclinical medicine and surgery, and held several importanthospital appointments. For some years he was residentmedical officer to the Victoria Park Hospital for Diseases ofthe Chest, and here he acquired that intimate knowledge ofpulmonary tuberculosis which proved so useful to him in hissubsequent investigations of problems associated with thatdisease. By a strange coincidence, Power commenced hislife’s work in the very year that the Local GovernmentBoard was created by joining the medical department,as a temporary medical inspector, in 1871. In that yearthe medical department of the Privy Council had beentransferred to the newly formed Local Government Board,and comprised such well-known men as John Simon, Seaton,Buchanan, Thorne, Netten Radcliffe, and Ballard. Withthese distinguished men as colleagues Power commenceda public health career, which was destined to be fruitfulin advancing our knowledge of all branches of preventivemedicine and in evolving the organisation of the publichealth administration of this country. The aims and objectsof these pioneers were well expressed in the writings ofSir John Simon, who stated: "I I believe we had thecredit of earnestly endeavouring to learn the truth, and tellthe truth, as to the matters which our inquiries regarded."Power was a real prophet and professor of truth. He

possessed in a remarkable degree the faculty of observa-tion, doubtless first awakened by a love of natural historywhich remained with him a passion throughout his life,while his ability to weigh facts and adduce from themcorrect conclusions has rarely, if ever, been excelled byany worker in medical research. These rare gifts were

applied by him in elucidating many problems connectedwith infectious diseases, the far-reaching results of his workin this connexion being well known to every student ofpublic health.Perhaps one of the most striking of Power’s inquiries was

that in relation to the part played by small-pox hospitals ininfluencing the distribution of the disease in their neighbour-hood. He found that increased incidence of small-pox inthe surrounding districts followed the admission of acutecases into Fulham Hospital, and that if the surroundingarea were divided into zones by means of circles drawn uponthe map, with the hospital as a centre, and a quarter, half,three-quarter, and one-mile radii respectively, the proportionof invaded houses to the total number of houses in each zonediminished as the distance from the hospital increased, andthat this relation held good in each quadrant of each zone.The distribution of the cases was not such as to suggestany relation to lines of traffic to and from the hospitalor to ambulance routes. These remarkable facts formedthe basis of the theory of aerial convection of small-poxinfection which was formulated by Power and led to resultsof great practical importance. The small-pox hospitals ofthe Metropolitan Asylums Board were formerly situatedwithin, or in the outskirts of, London, and were in mostinstances surrounded by thickly populated areas. Power’sstatistics of small-pox incidence in the registration districtsof London during the years 1876-85, relatively to the opera-tion of small-pox hospitals in the metropolis, proved that,for whatever reason, the local distribution and intensity ofsmall-pox during the epidemics which occurred in the periodunder review had been influenced in large measure by the