62
only be secured under various restrictions under the specialActs of that company and, of course, at very considerablecost. Under the yoke of these disadvantages severalattempts were made to place the Newcastle company understatutory obligations to supply the Tynemouth borough, butthe Newcastle company was joined by the corporations ofNewcastle and Gateshead in active resistance to any suchscheme. Thus the Tynemouth borough had no alternativebut to secure an independent supply. Accordingly in 1897the corporation acquired the old company’s works andin the following year procured from Parliament power toproceed with the scheme which is now being actively pushedforward. The Font is a mountain stream of pure water whichflows down from the hills to join the river Coquet a few milesbelow the town of Rothbury. This stream is being dammedto form an artificial lake, the water from which hasto travel a distance of 25 miles to the distributingreservoir at Moor House, near North Shields. The works atthe Font include filter-beds and the long line of pipe-tracknecessary. The contract time for the completion of theworks is July, 1907, but it is confidently expected that theywill be in working order before that date. Already theborough is receiving overflow water to the extent of half ofits daily supply and in wet weather the excess is enough toeffect a saving of something like £100 a week in thelessened quantity required from the Newcastle Company.Financially the scheme is a costly one, having alreadyinvolved expenditure amounting to £415,900, and the totalis expected to reach £500,000 before completion of the work,this representing the cost for a rateable area of 63,000inhabitants. To make the scheme a monetary success it iwill be necessary to sell the surplus water to the many smalltowns and villages within the possible supply area, includingAshington, Morpeth rural, Newbiggin and Tynemouth ruraldistricts, and to this end terms are now being discussed. Itis calculated that if all the surplus water be sold it willamount to an available profit of £4000 per annum, whichwould mean a reduction of 5½d. from an otherwise necessary8d. water-rate.
Lecture on Aphasia and Cerebral Speech Mechanism.On Dec. 7th Dr. Byrom Bramwell visited Newcastle-upon- I
Tyne as the guest of the Clinical Society and delivered in theCollege of Medicine a very well-attended lecture on Aphasiaand Cerebral Speech Mechanism. The lecturer did notbelie his reputation and delighted his large audience with aclear and highly interesting dissertation on this difficultsubject, deriving much aid in making points clear by refer--ence to a series of ingenious diagrams which he had broughtwith him. In moving a vote of thanks Professor GeorgeR. Murray said he had been privileged to hear manynotable authorities lecture on aphasia, both in this
country and abroad, but he had never listened toa more lucid disquisition. He also claimed some of thecredit for the Newcastle School on the ground that Dr.Bramwell’s study of the stlbject had been begun when heacted as physician to the Royal Infirmary in Newcastle.In seconding the motion Dr. Thomas Beattie remarked onthe stimulating effect of such an address on those privilegedto hear it. In reply, it was with no little feeling thatDr. Bramwell referred to his early connexion with New-castle, and he went so far as to confess that he had oftendoubted the wisdom of the step he took when he left it.In the evening the guest was entertained at dinner at theCounty Hotel, there being a very large attendance.Jan. 2nd.
____ _____
WALES AND WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)
Death of Mr. M. H. Greener, M.B., C.M. Glasg.THE death of Dr. Michael Hindmarsh Greener on
Dec. 26th, 1905, came as a great shock to the medical pro-fession in Cardiff. He succumbed to an attack of broncho-pneumonia after an illness of less than a week’s duration.Born in Alnwick in 1858 he graduated as M.B. and C.M. atthe University of Glasgow in 1884 and almost at once beganto practise in Cardiff. He was on the staff of the CardiffProvident Dispensary and was honorary medical officer of theconvalescent home at Dulwich House. He was buried atDinas Cross in Pembrokeshire, where he had built a house andusually spent his holidays. He leaves a widow, a son, anda daughter to mourn their loss.
Legacies to Bristol Ilospitccls.Miss Matilda Mercer’of Clifton has left sums of R1000 to
the Royal Infirmary and General Hospital, Bristol, and .f.200to the Bristol Royal Hospital for Sick Children and Womenand to the Clifton Dispensary. Subject to the life interestof her sister the Royal Infirmary and the General Hospitalwill each benefit to the extent of £4000; the Women andChildren’s Hospital will receive R1500 ; the Queen VictoriaJubilee Convalescent Home .f.3000; the Westonsuper-MareSanatorium, the Bristol Orthopmdic Hospital, and the BristolEye Hospital R1000 each ; and the Clifton Dispensary £500.
Poor-la7v Relief in Bristol.Reference has already been made 1 to the increasing
amount of pauperism in the city of Bristol. The recom-mendations of a special committee appointed by the board ofguardians to consider the question were discussed at a
meeting of the board held on Dec. 29th. It was decided toestablish a new relief depot and to increase the numberof the relief committees with a view to make closerinquiries into the circumstances of applicants for relief.The proposal to appoint a superintendent relieving officerat a salary of .6175 per annum was, however, negatived by 36votes to 17 in spite of its advocacy by the Local GovernmentBoard inspector (Mr. E. B. Wethered) who was present atthe meeting and who compared the cost of pauperism in theBristol and Aston unions. The population of the former is339,000 and of the latter 312,000. During the six monthsending March 25th last the in-maintenance in Bristol cost£16,047 and in Aston .f.l0,877, while during the same periodthe Bristol out-relief cost .f.20,759 and that at Aston only£4303.
Poor-law Guardians on the Vaccination Acts.The subject of vaccination is frequently discussed at
meetings of the Poor-law guardians in the West of Englandand at the meeting of the Devonport board held on Dec. 29thit was decided by a large majority to support the reso-
lution which the Runcorn union is sending to the LocalGovernment Board urging that the principle of vaccinationand revaccination in force before the Vaccination Act, 1898,came into operation should be reverted to."Jan. 2nd.
SCOTLAND.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)
Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh.AT the last ordinary meeting of the Royal College of
Physicians of Edinburgh Dr. John Playfair was re-electedPresident of the College, Dr. Thomas S. Clouston, Vice-President, and Sir Thomas R. Fraser, Sir John Batty Tuke,Dr. Charles E. Underhill, Dr. James Ritchie, and Dr.R. W. Philip were elected to the Council with the Presidentand Vice-President. The Council subsequently made thefollowing appointments for the ensuing year: Dr. Peter A.Young, treasurer; Dr. Harry Rainy, secretary; Dr. D.
Berry Hart, librarian ; and Sir John Batty Tuke, curatorof the research laboratory.-At an extraordinary meeting ofthe College held on Dec. 19th, the College unanimouslyappointed Dr. James 0. Affleck and Dr. Charles E. Underbillto be representatives of the College on the board of manage-ment of the Royal Infirmary.
Two Glasgow Medical Practitioners Suedfor £20,000.It is with considerable interest that the medical profession
in the West of Scotland has watched the progress in theCourt of Session of an action brought against two Glasgowmedical practitioners, and the verdict has been hailed with acertain amount of relief, although it is difficult to see how itcould have been otherwise. The action was raised at theinstance of a Clyde pilot who sued Dr. Marion Gilchrist, apractitioner in the West-end of Glasgow, and Mr. John Cars-well, an expert in lunacv of the same city, for £10,000 eachfor alleged unprofessional conduct in granting certificates tothe effect that the pursuer was of unsound mind and therebycausing his incarceration in Gartnavel Lunatic Asylum fromSeptember, 1903, to January, 1904. The pursuer’s case wasthat the defenders acted negligently and unprofessionallyand made no independent or adequate inquiry into the
pursuer’s statements or ascertained definitely the pursuer’s
mental condition and that they did not consult his own
1 THE LANCET, Dec. 23rd, 1905, p. 1868.
63
medical adviser. Evidence was led at considerable lengthand amongst other witnesses two medical men, one of themSir Henry D. Littlejohn, were called by the pursuer to giveevidence as regards his sanity. The case dragged over manydays and heavy expenses were incurred on both sides. LordPearson, before whom the case was tried, gave his decision tothe effect that the certificate was not granted wrongfully orwithout due inquiry and examination, and that on the variousdates on which the pursuer was separately examined by thedefenders the pursuer was insane and suffering froman attack of subacute mania with homicidal tendencyand was a proper patient for admission to, and detentionin, Gartnavel Asylum. Although after the evidenceon both sides had been heard there was no doubt inanyone’s mind as to what the decision would be, yetthere is reason for satisfaction that Lord Pearson in theterms of his judgment took up a position so precise anddefinite. Such a judgment is of the first importance to thepublic and to the medical profession. With the public, inits desire to safeguard its own interests and liberty, onehas every sympathy, but with the medical practitioner inthe discharge of duties of this kind one has still more
sympathy. Had the decision in this case gone otherwisethe medical practitioner dealing with a case of lunacy wouldhave been on the horns of a dilemma. To grant a certificatemight mean being sued for £10,000, while to withhold it, aswould be his natural inclination, might mean a worsecatastrophe in the shape of homicide, in which case hewould not be held blameless. Dr. Gilchrist and Mr. Carswellare to be congratulated on the verdict in what must havebeen to them a very annoying and expensive lawsuit.
Population of Glasgorv.Dr. A. K. Chalmers, the city medical officer of health, has
just’issued his annual report with reference to the populationof Glasgow. It is of an exceptionally interesting nature anddeals at considerable length with the remarkable displace-ment that is going on throughout the city and suburbs. A
significant fact mentioned is that the population of the citywithin the municipal area as at June last was 785,474,compared with 785,465 for the corresponding date in 1904,representing a difference of nine persons only in favour oftLe present year. In other words, the population has onlybeen saved from a numerical reduction by reason of anincrease in the number of persons resident in institutionsand in consequence removed from opportunities of dis-
charging many of the responsibilities of citizenship. Thisis the first natural interruption to a period of growth whichhas been continuous since 1887. It is noteworthy that inmany of the suburban wards, on the other hand, there is adistinct increase. The depletion of the central districts isno doubt in large part due to increased facilities in travellingwhich enable the working man to live at a greater distancefrom his work and from the point of view of the generalhealth and well-being of the community it is not to be
deplored.The Post Office and Bacteriological Specimens.
Recently an order was issued by the Postmaster-General inwhich conditions were laid down for the transmission by postof articles sent for medical examination or analysis. It is
thought that one of these conditions will render useless allthe arrangements of the sanitary department for expe-ditiously dealing with the material sent for bacterialexamination. A subcommittee has been appointed by theGlasgow corporation to take such steps in the interests ofpublic health as may be thought advisable.Jan. 1st.
IRELAND.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)
Presentation to Dr. J. C. Martin.ON Christmas Day Dr. J. C. Martin, on his home-coming
after a protracted illness, was presented by his numerousfriends in Portrush with a silver casket suitably inscribedand containing 250 sovereigns.
Health aT Belfast.At a meeting of the city corporation of Belfast, held on
Jan. lst, reports were read which indicated, as the chairmanof the public health committee stated, "that the presentstate of affairs in the catchment area (at Stoneyford water I
reservoir) was a menace, but the corporation were not thesanitary authority for the district and they had no power toput the law in force." It appears that liquid matter from amanure heap at a farmhouse in the Stoneyford catchmentarea " flows over the surface of the ground into a water-course ; at the other side of the dwelling house the cowshedis situated within a few feet of the stream. This streamis part of the Belfast water-supply " (report of inspector).In reference to a national school in the same district : " Theprivies are situated over an old watercourse which connectswith a small stream that forms part of the Stoneyford water-supply. The liquid matter from the privies gets into thewatercourse." Then as to another house : " There is a
large quantity of manure lying on the brink of a stream;the liquid filth is flowing into the stream. This is a badcase of pollution. The cowshed, dwelling-house, and pre-mises are in a filthy state." The inspector adds: "I I
may say I have made reports on above houses at intervalsduring the past seven years and the sanitary stateof the premises is as bad as ever it was." One ofthe water commissioners present said that not a single dropof the impure matter got into the water-supply of Belfast.The water commissioners were not, in his opinion, to doLisburn work (the catchment area is in the Lisburn district).It was not, he said, really their business whether these farmswere in a sanitary condition or not. That was the duty ofthe local authority having charge of the district. In other
words, a vile nuisance may exist in one of the catch-ment areas supplying the citizens of Belfast with waterand typhoid fever may arise, as it did before, and owingto some small detail as to who has authority over
the district hundreds of lives may be lost. It is
hoped, as it was suggested at the council meeting,that the Local Government Board will interfere andorder an inquiry and place the blame upon the properauthority. It is believed by many that the great epidemicof typhoid fever in Belfast several years ago took its originfrom cases that were proved to have existed in this samecatchment area, though the excuse then was, as now,that nothing got into the water reservoir. During the fourweeks (Nov. 19th to Dec. 16th) reported upon to the city cor-poration of Belfast on Jan. lst it was stated that the numberof cases of infectious diseases notified was more numerousthan in the last report, and while cases of typhoid feverand simple continued fever (whatever nondescript is meantby continued fever) have considerably increased, those fromscarlet fever and erysipelas have decreased. Owing to themildness of the season deaths from chest diseases still keeplower than usual. The death-rate was 20.1 per 1000 andconsidering the time of the year the health of Belfast may bedescribed as fairly satisfactory.
Royal University of Ireland.Judge Shaw, who has been a representative of Convocation
on the Senate of the Royal University for the last 20 years,has written to the clerk of Convocation resigning his posi-tion, on the ground that " he cannot remain a member of agoverning body which is liable to be defied and insulted bythose whom it is supposed to govern and which either has,or believes it has, no power to repel or punish such defianceand insult."
Jan. 2nd.
PARIS.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Hygienic Measures at Cherbourg.THE admiral who is the maritime prefect of Cherbourg
has recently issued an order containing the following regula-tions for the observance of hygienic measures. Firstly, itis of the greatest importance to prevent men by everypossible means from drinking at the standpipes (bornes-fontaines) in the arsenal; the dockyard, or the town. In thearsenal the various shops will be supplied with distilledwater from the ships in the port which will be told off forsuch duty by the naval officer in charge (major-général).Depôt No. 1 will supply boiled water to men working bythemselves in the same way as it now does wine. The
dietary of every mess is not to contain either salads orvegetables which are eaten raw, such as radishes or arti-chokes. All inhabited places are to be kept in a proper stateof cleanliness and special care is to be exercised in the
