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an address to the assembled candidates. In his discourse during 1879. The deaths showed a further decline of 41 his lordship referred to the organisation of the school by his from the decreasing numbers returned in recent weeks. friend the late Lord Herbert, and its subsequent progress, The annual death-rate in the twenty towns, which had de. to the changes which had taken place in the medical de- creased from 37’0 to 23’1 in the four preceding weeks, partment of the army during recent years, and especially further fell to 22’1 last week. During the past nine weeks dwelt on the advantages which had been conferred on its the death-rate in these towns averaged 26’9 per 1000, against officers by the new Medical Warrant, and indirectly, he 25’8 and 27’0 in the corresponding periods of 1878 and 1879. believed, on the army at. large. He warmly congratulated The lowest death-rates in the twenty towns last week were the candidates who had just completed the final steps neces- 17’5 in Bradford, 18’8 in Bristol, 19’0 in Birmingham, and sary for obtaining their commissions in the various branches 19’4 in Portsmouth. The rates in the other towns ranged of the public medical service, and after some other observa- upwards to 22’9 in London, 24’6 in , 25’5 in tions on the careers which were now opening to them, Nottingham, and 28’5 in Plymouth. The death-rate in asked the gentlemen who had been named as the winners Plymouth has now shown a marked excess during many of the several prizes to step forward. With a few kind and weeks, owing mainly to an exceptional fatality of measles. flattering observations to each gentleman, his lordship handed The deaths referred to the seven principal zymotic diseases to them their respective honours. Mr. A. H. Keogh, of the in the twenty towns, which had slowly declined from 637 to Army Medical Service, carried off both the Herbert prize 467 in the four preceding weeks, were 466 last week; they and the Martin memorial medal; while Mr. G. Kirker, of the included 209 from whooping-cough, 99 from scarlet fever, Royal Navy, took the Parkes medal for practical hygiene. 74 from measles, and only 29 from fever, mainly enteric. The visitors subsequently adjourned to the officers’ mess- The annual death-rate from these seven diseases averaged room for luncheon. 3’2 per 1000 in the twenty towns, and ranged from 0’4 and The number of candidates during the session has been 0’7 in Portsmouth and , to 4’9 and 9’7 in very large-viz., 96. Of these 72 were probationers for the Hull and Plymouth. Whooping-cough showed the largest British service, 16 for H.M.’s Indian Army, and 8 for the proportional fatality in Salford, London, and Plymouth; Royal Navy. We publish elsewhere a list of the successful measles in Plymouth, Hull, and Nottingham ; and scarlet candidates for the Indian Army and Royal Navy. We have fever showed increased prevalence in Sheffield. Of the 13 already published the names of the gentlemen who com- deaths referred to diphtheria, 5 occurred in London, and 3 peted last December for commissions in the British service. in Manchester and Salford. Fever, principally enteric, caused 14 deaths in London, and 5 both in Liverpool and in Sheffield. Eight more fatal cases of small-pox were recorded in London, and one in Bristol, but not one TESTIMONIAL TO DR. FARR. in any of the eighteen other large provincial towns. The number of small-pox patients in the Metropolitan which had increased from 80 to SINCE the publication of our last issue, the following Asylum Hospitals, steadily 163 in the five weeks, further rose to 185 on names have been added to the committee which is being preceding Saturday last; 49 new cases of small-pox were admitted to formed for the purpose of raising, among his friends and these hospitals during last week, against 58 and 48 in the admirers, a testimonial fund for presentation to Dr. William two previous weeks. The Highgate Small-pox Hospital Farr, F.R.S. contained 12 patients on Saturday last, 10 of whom were Earl Granville, K.G., F.R.S. suffering from small-pox. Lord Houghton, F.R.S. The fatality of lung diseases showed a further decline last Lord Aberdare. week. The deaths referred to diseases of the respiratory The Right Hon. Sir Northcote, Bart, M.P. organs in London, which had declined from 1557 to 459 in The Right Hon. W. H. Smith, M.P. the four preceding weeks, further fell to 390 last week, and Thomas Brassey, M.P., President of the Statistical were 80 below the corrected average in the corresponding Society. week of the last ten years ; 258 resulted from bronchitis, and John Walter, M.P. 91 from pneumonia. The annual death-rate in London last William Spottiswoode, President of the Royal Society. week from diseases of this class was equal to 5’6 per JOOO, John Hainworth, F.R.S., Master of the Society of Apo- and corresponded with the death-rate from the same diseases thecaries. in Liverpool. William Clode, Secretary, Registrar-General’s Office. J. de Cappelain, Highgate. Professor W. T. Gairdner, M.D. Professor Frankland, F.R.S. Correspondence. Thomas Stevenson, M.D., F.R.C.P. J. Napier Higgins, Q. C. "Aurii alteram partem." R. Druitt, M.D., F.R.C.P., F.R.C.S. G. H. Philipson, M.A. M.D., F.R.C.P. FUSSY SANITATION. Cosmo G. Logie, M.D., F.R.S.E., Deputy Surg.-General. To the Editor THE LANCET. W. A. GreenhilJ, M.D. Oxon. of D. B. Balding, F.R.C.S., Coroner for Hertfordshire. SIR,-In the third leader of your last issue the following J. T. Clover, F.R.C.S. passage occurs :-" There are probably, as medical officers It is proposed shortly to call a meeting of the committee, of health will tell us, not a few things in which the law may of which due notice will be sent to its members, for the be amended in order to strengthen their hands in dealing with of an executive a purpose appointing committee; prelimi- infectious diseases, but if we are to give regard to history it nary subscription list will soon after be published, which will is that in so them the include all those subscriptions already promised, and any highly necessary strengthening Legis- that may be in the meantime notified to Mr. Noel A. lature should not at the same time foster that wild fear of Humphreys, of the Registrar-General’s Office, Somerset contagion that has been the bane of administrative efforts in W. C. House, all great epidemics. Yet there is reason to fear that the evil here referred to is being brought about amongst us." HEALTH OF LARGE ENGLISH TOWNS. Upon this text I, as an old sanitarian, having the addi- tional advantage of a great many years of active practice NINTH WEEK OF 1880. amongst all classes of the people, and, therefore, the oppor- tunity of observing the progress of the public opinion on THE rate of in our mortality large towns continues to medical and sanitary subjects, would venture to make a few decline. In twenty of the largest English towns, estimated observations. to contain in the middle of this year seven millions and a In the first place, I do not think that those remarks of with the caution are made a too half of persons, or nearly one-third of the entire population yours, they convey, day soon. With a Government in power which may any of and Wales, 5408 births and 3181 deaths were day England recur to the of sanitas sa7aitatrcna, omnia sanitas, it last week. The dogma registered births exceeded by 223, whereas behoves all who have the real progress of sanitary science at the deaths were 94 below, the average weekly numbers heart to see that that science will not be brought into con-