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promise and has attracted considerable interest andenthusiasm.

SellJage Interception ITTOrla.Some difficulty has occurred in this department of the

Health Committee’s work which may lead to eventual troubleof a serious kind, particularly in face of the fact that

zymotic diseases are exceedingly prevalent in the city andneighbonrhood at the present time. A strike of some fifty-six workmen who are engaged in removal of the pans showsa disaffection which should be got over at the earliest oppor-tunity. The work is not agreeable, and the limitationis confined to ash tubs and not to trade refuse. Upon thisdistinction the difference appears to have originated. It isto be hoped that in the interests of the public health it willbe of short duration.Feb. 18th.

LIVERPOOL.(FBOM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Liverpool Royal Inflr1lla’ry.THE annual meeting of the trustees and subscribers of the

Royal Infirmary was held on Jan. 30th. The treasurer, inhis report, states that the total number of sufferers who havebenefited by the charity has again increased. It will be seen,however, that, as compared with the previous year, thenumber of in-patients shows a reduction, although theaverage number of beds occupied has remained the same.This is accounted for by the increased proportion of seriouscases now attracted to the infirmary from a very wide area.The great increase of work, however, is most shown in theout-patient department, and is chiefly surgical, augmentedof late, no doubt, by the special treatment of eye, throat,and skin. Many cases which would have formerly occupiedbeds are now successfully treated in the out-patient depart-ment. This is of great value to the medical students, whosenumbers are constantly increasing, in anticipation, possibly,of the new medical school, which may be already spoken ofas practically even now under reconstruction in connexionwith University College, Liverpool. The financial positionof the institution has within the last few days been muchbrightened by a noble donation of .65000 from Mr. HenryTate, who has always been a staunch and liberal supporterof the charity. The funds of the institution have benefitedby the Hospital Sunday and Saturday collections to theamount of .62438, whilst the President, Mr. George Holt,contributes 500 guineas on his retirement from that office.

Liverpool Northern -hospital.The annual meeting of the subscribers to this hospital was

held at the town hall on the 7th inst. The committeeappeal to the public of Liverpool to contribute the necessaryfunds to enable them to avail themselves of the munificent

grant of .660,000 offered by the David Lewis trustees for thebuilding of a new hospital, the pressing need of which hasbecome so universally recognised. The following are someof the more prominent objects for which these further fundsare required-viz.: (1) to pay off the large debit balance dueto the bankers ; (2) to complete the furnishing and equip-ment of the new hospital buildings and nurses’ home ;(3) to provide the cost of purchase of the additional land forthe extension of the present site ; and (4) to establish amaintenance fund for the future working of the hospital.For these purposes a sum of at least .f:40,OOO will be requiredin addition to the grant of .f:10,OOO made by the corporation. I,Several subscriptions towards these objects have been

promised, comprising one of .65000 from Mr. Henry Tate, thewell-known philanthropist,

Tlte Royal Southern Hospital.The annual meeting of the friends and supporters of this

institution was held at the town hall on the 10th inst. Fromthe committee’s report it will be seen that the number ofcases treated again shows an increase, the total being10,745, of whom 2008 were in-patients and 8737 out-patients;the daily average of beds occupied was 171. The nursinginstitution connected with the hospital has well maintainedits reputation ; but, in order to meet recent requirements, ithas been decided, on the advice of the medical board, thatan extension of the term of training shall be given to thenurses in the hospital prior to their being admitted to theinstitution. The committee deplore the financial position of

the charity, which shows an adverse balance on the workingaccount of E3804 besides the debt on the nurses’ home.

Liverpool Convalescent Institution.At a meeting of the council of the Liverpool Convalescent.

Institution, Woolton, held on Saturday, 8th inst., it was.announced by the chairman that Mr. Henry Tate had

promised a donation of £1000 with which to endow two bed&in the institution.

North-Western Sanitary Inspectors’ Association.At a meeting of this association, held on the 8th inst., a

lecture on Milk in Relation to its Power of ConveyingDisease was delivered by Mr. Edward Sergeant, medicaofficer of health to the Lancashire County Council. Hementioned instances where the spread of epidemics tovarious localities had been clearly traceable to the con-

tamination of the milk-supply. In indicating the stepswhich ought to be taken to secure immunity from diseasesthus conveyed he suggested that not only should shipponsbe constructed on approved sanitary principles with regardto light, ventilation, and breathing space, but thoroughcleanliness should be observed by milkers in regularlycleansing both their hands and the cow’s teats, as well asthe milk vessels. He was sorry to say that not more thanhalf the local authorities in Lancashire enforced the workingof the Act as it ought to be done. The chairman, in thank-ing the lecturer for his address, said that he was convincedthat it was a much better plan for milk-sellers to make useof the tap system of distribution in preference to the opencan now employed, even though it entailed trouble in

cleaning out the tap.Additional Honorary Assistant Physician to the

Royal Infirmary.The committee of the Royal Infirmary, Liverpool, have

decided, owing to the great increase of work in the out-patient department, to recommend the appointment of anadditional assistant physician. The candidates for the newoost are John Hill Abram, M.D. Lond., M.R.C.P., patho-ogist to the Royal Infirmary ; Hugh R. Jones, M.A.,M.D. Cantab., Howard Medalist, Royal Statistical Society ; pand R. J. Buchanan, M.D. Vict., assistant physician to theLiverpool Hospital for Consumption.Feb. 10th.

__________

WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Royal United Hospital. Bath.THE Mayor presided at the annual meeting of the sub.

scribers held on Feb. 6th at the Guildhall. The reportshowed that during 1895 1387 in-patients were admitted, andthe out-patients numbered 9912. Financially the expendi-ture had been kept within the receipts, but an over-draughtof .61017 remained from previous years. The donations andcollections had increased, but there was a falling off in theannual subscriptions. The nursing institute had done goodwork and handed over .8300 to the hospital. It was hoped toprovide new kitchens and a new sitting-room for the nurseswithout calling on the ordinary funds of the institution.

Analysis of the Water in the Bristol Channel.Visitors to Clevedon and Weston-super-Mare are frequently

struck with the dirty colour of the sea-water at these

watering places. A member of the district council of theformer town has made an analysis of the sea water and findsthat, although it has a dirty brown colour, the matter insuspension is very small-viz., 25-33 grains per gallon. Thesubsidence of the matter settled in from four or five hours,the water being of a greyish tint; the colour is mainly due tothe presence of iron.

The Proposed New Appointment at Cardiff.The promoters of the petition praying for the appoint-

ment of a female surgeon to the Cardiff prison have for-warded a very extensively-signed petition to the HomeSecretary. The signatures include those of members ofUniversity College, the board of guardians, the school board,and the members of committees connected with all kinds ofwomen’s work, and amongst others Mrs. Fawcett has greatlyinterested herself in the subject. It is stated that morewould have signed had they not previously promised theirsupport to some of the candidates applying for the now

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vacant post of prison surgeon. This suggested appointmentis an additional one, and would, it is alleged in the peti-tion, interfere but slightly with the duties of the ordinaryprison medical officer. The ladies are still actively engagedin the matter, and are sanguine that they will be able toinduce the Home Office to grant their request.

The Health of Bristol in 1895.The medical officer of health for Bristol, Dr. D. S. Davies,

reports that during 1895 the birth-rate in Bristol averaged28’9 per 1000 living, as compared with 28’2 in 1894, and thedeath-rate was 18’1 per 1000, against 17-2 for the precedingyear. The infant mortality, which had been 141 and 150 inthe two preceding years, fell again to 143 per 1000 births for1895. The zymotic death-rate, which had been 2-0 the pre-vious year, declined to 1-3 per 1000 for 1895, the deathsreferred to these diseases numbering 295, and including 171from diarrhoea, 21 from " fever," 16 from scarlet fever, and8 from measles.

Death of Mr. T. Edi.3, M.R.C.S., L.S.A., of Gloucester.Mr. Thomas Edis, M.R.C.S., L.S.A., died on Feb. 8th,

after a short illness, at the age of seventy-three years. Hereceived his education at St. George’s Hospital and quali-fied, taking the M.R.C.S. in 1847 and two years later theL.S.A. He practised at Brixton, Stokechurch, Oxford, andfor the past thirty-four years at Gloucester, where his

geniality and kindness made him a large circle of friends.The Horfield (Bristol) Drainage.

The Horfield Sewage Works, a short account of which wasgiven in THE LANCET of Dec. 7th, 1895, were formally openedon Feb. 10th in the presence of a large number of people,including representatives of the urban district council andother authorities. The scheme has been practically com-plete and working for two months, therefore it hadreceived a thorough testing before the official opening.The results have been satisfactory, the odour at theworks have been slight, the filtered effluent has beenclear, and there has been a good demand for the

compressed sludge, which is sold as garden manure. The

undertaking has involved a considerable outlay, but theoriginators are very sanguine that it will prove thoroughlyefficacious in meeting the requirements of the district, andthat it will be a useful object-lesson to other district councils.

Vaccination Grant.Mr. Edward J. Sheppard, L.R.C.P. & S. Edin., the public

vaccinator for the Clifton (Bristol) district, has for the thirdtime been awarded the extra Government grant for efficientvaccination.

Annual Meeting of the Taunton and Somerset Hospital.The annual meeting of this institution was held on

Feb. 12th, the Mayor of Taunton presiding. The receipt ofa legacy bequeathed by the late Mr. Thorn of Utica, America,of £1017 enabled the committee to have a balance in handof .8100, but the urgent need of increased support was

pointed out. An alteration was made in the rule to preventthe election of any undesirable person on the staff of thehospital, as might possibly have occurred under the presentrule. The committee state that some opportunity of out-door recreation had been provided for the nurses. Dr. E.Liddon, J.P., was elected president for the year.Feb. 19th. ________________ ’

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Health of Edinburgh. .AT the meeting of the public health committee of the

Edinburgh town council last week the medical officer ofhealth reported that the total number of deaths recorded lastmonth was 340, a death-rate of 14 75 per 1000, as comparedwith 542 in January, 1895, and 433 in January, 1894, theaverage death-rate during January for the last five years pre-ceding 1896 having been 21’52 per 1000. As regards theperiod of life at which death occurred, 112, or 32 94 percent., of the total deaths were registered as over sixty years ;86, or 25’29 per cent., between thirty and sixty; 37, or 10-88per cent., between five and thirty; and 105, or 30 88 per cent.,under five years. Deaths from zymotic diseases amounted to19, or 5-58 per cent. of the total mortality, while 119, or 35 00per cent. of the whole, were due to diseases of the chest, and

56, or 16’47 per cent., to debility and old age. The birth-ratefor the month was 25’82 per 1000, the total number of birthshaving been 595. It was also reported that during themonth 12,840 lbs. of unsound meat were seized or deliveredup in the city.

The Morison Lectures.Dr. A. Bruce continued his lectures on the Nerve Tracts

on Feb. 14th and 18th. He completed the consideration ofthe tracts in the cord, and passed on to the tracts andnuclei in the medulla. The lectures were richly illustratedby sections and diagrams shown by means of lime-light.

Queensberry House, Edinburgh.The report by the directors of the House of Refuge,

Queensberry House, Edinburgh, for last year states that 385persons were admitted to the institution during thatperiod, and the daily average of inmates was 276. In the

report by Dr. William Russell, the visiting physician, itis stated that on the termination of the frost in Marchof last year there was a smart outbreak of influenza bothin the house and hospital, more of the inmates havingbeen affected than in the preceding years when influenza wasprevalent. The cases were. as a rule, mild, but four werefatal from pneumonia. These occurred in persons fromeighty to eighty-seven years of age. The total number ofdeaths during the year was 28, one-third of the deathsbeing in persons over eighty years of age and 70 3 percent. in persons over seventy years. Of the causes ofdeath, as tabulated, none are ascribed to senility pure andsimple. It is suggested that arrangements should be madeto provide more suitable accommodation for the treatmentof cases of acute disease occurring amongst the inmates.

Edinburgh and Leith.The authorities in Leith have at last decided to withdraw

their opposition to the erection of the temporary hospital atQuarryholes required by Edinburgh.

2??*. J. B. Russell on the Prevention of Tuberculosis.The Medico-Chirurgical Society of Glasgow some time ago

submitted a series of resolutions to the health committee ofthe town council calling their attention to the fact that" tuberculosis is now fully recognised as an infectiousdisease," and asking the committee " to take the matter intotheir serious consideration with a view to the protection ofthe community from the infection." The memorial was

remitted to Dr. J. B. Russell, the medical officer of health,who has just issued a report dealing with the whole subjectof the relation of the public authorities to tuberculosis.Dr. Russell introduces his report by a short statement of thenature of tuberculosis, and by an account of the life historyof the bacillus and of the conditions which determine thespread of the disease. He recognises that the chief sourceof infection is the sputum of phthisical patients which,allowed to dry, distributes the bacillus in the atmosphere.The milk and flesh of tuberculous animals must, however,be regarded as such distinct sources of infection that there isample ground for public interference to prevent the spread ofthe disease through their use. To deal with the two last-mentioned sources of infection Dr. Russell contends that theselection for purposes of human food of portions of carcasesin any part of which tubercle has been found mustbe done, "if at all," by properly qualified officials. He

urges the necessity of taking immediate action to elimi-nate tuberculous cows from dairies in the city and neighbour-hood and to enforce sanitary reform in the construction andcondition of the byres. For these purposes he advises theappointment of a skilled veterinary expert and the use oftuberculin as a diagnostic agent. With regard to the posi-tion of tuberculosis as an infectious disease, Dr. Russellinsists that even in the form of phthisis the disease, "thoughin all cases caused by infection," -is not infectious in thepopular sense, and that the indiscriminating application ofthe term ’’ infectious " to the disease is already causing muchpain and prejudice to individuals, and is injurious to thepublic interest. It is not the phthisical patient, but hisbad habits-resulting from ignorance-which are a sourceof danger. Let the sputa be properly dealt with and thepatient is no longer a danger to the community. Regardingphthisis, therefore, as infectious only in the academic sense, thereport proceeds to consider how far the various administrativesanitary measures are applicable to tuberculous patients.The doctrine of the extremists" recommending compulsorynotification and isolation is declined as unsuitable to such achronic disease as phthisis, as still less applicable to other