128 asylums, a reform of great importance. They strove, too, than their own. It is further asserted that even the for the betterment of the conditions of services of asylum mentality of the medical man in relation to the practice of attendants. In 1899 Dr. O’Farrell received the honour of his art would suffer from the absence of a classical educa. knighthood. Last year, on his retirement from office, the tion. For the making of a diagnosis is accomplished by an officials of the Irish asylums joined in a presentation to Sir intellectual operation which is in effect a hypothesis-that George O’Farrell in token of their appreciation of his work is to say, the medical man has to arrive at a conclu. as Inspector of Lunatics. sion from a part only of the elements of the problem. The Water-supply of Belfast. It is therefore necessary that his mind should have a in such as As is well all water are maintained previously undergone training reasoning known, undertakings the studies alone can In the the amount of rainfall available in each the six philosophic give. practice by during medical man of classical education is Dr. wet months-October to inclusive. The endowed, says March, remaining with faculties to those of his not six months-from to inclusive-are known Blondel, superior confreres April September, favoured. His culture, derived from as the six little water is similarly general dry months, during which very the ancient authors who have moulded the available. Previous to the the familiarity with present extraordinary year, mental faculties of all is lowest rainfall on record the six wet months was preceding European generations, during and for the in him of the from October to of and amounted certainly superior; developing March, inclusive, 1886-87, qualities of tact, discriminating compassion, and solace to to 17-20 in. rainfall ; the next driest was during the same those who suffer, nothing can replace them. The well- wet months in 1892-93, when the amount of rainfall was known surgeon, Dr. Labb6, president of the Academy of 18’21 in. ; while during the six wet months 1910-11 the Medicine, and Senator, will lay before the Senate a resnme of rainfall was 16 - 01 in., and this constitutes-as far as only the views of the medical syndicates and the medical press, the Belfast is concerned-the lowest rainfall on water-supply and will call upon the Minister to restore the former But even since the end of March there has been record. condition of little rain, hence the Belfast Water Commissioners have things. very The Services of Public Assistance. wisely advised that all water consumers should exercise the greatest economy in the legitimate use of water for all M. Mirman, Director of Public Assistance and Hygiene, purposes in order to avoid inconvenience at the end of the has presented to the Conseil Supérieur de 1’Assistance a present summer. report covering his entire services. The labours in pueri. July 4th. culture, maternal assistance, and the protection of children ______of tender age have lowered the infant mortality below one year. The mean yearly death-rate in communities with a PARIS. population of more than 5000 inhabitants was 258 from from and 164 (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) 1892-95 ; 229 1896-1900; from 1901-05. In 1906, 145 died; in 1907, 129; in 1908, 129; and in 1909, 117. The number of people receiving gratuitous Olassical Studies in the Preliminary Course for Medicine. medical aid increases constantly. The total of those so THE medical syndicates are protesting vigorously against assisted, either in their own homes or in hospitals, which in a decision announced last year by the Minister of Public 1905 amounted to 615,872, rose in 1909 to 996,539 by a con- Instruction. Up to now, in order to enter as a student in tinuous and almost regular increase of 27,000 per annum. the Faculty of Medicine it has been necessary to obtain a The increase in expense mounts by an even more violent special diploma, the certificate in physics, chemistry, and progression. Starting at 3,696,000 francs in 1895, it the natural sciences-commonly known as the P.C.N.- attained in 1909 the figure of 18,416,000 francs. Under the which is obtainable after a year’s work in a university law of 1905 for the assistance of the aged, the infirm, and faculty of science. The possession of a Bachelor’s diploma, the incurables, the number of beneficiaries does not cease to however, was a pre-requisite to beginning these studies. increase, though the rate of increase is receding, for since Now there are four kinds of baccalaureate, according to the third quarter of 1908 this figure, which was then the greater or less requirements respectively in Latin and 515,480, has increased in succeeding quarters by 25,000, then Greek, the pure sciences, and living languages. The 7000, and 6000, until at the end of the first quarter of 1911 admission to the course for the P. C. N. as a step the increase was only 77. The annual expense of the towards the study of medicine thus necessitated the acquire- administration of the law of 1905 is about 100,000 francs. ment of one or other of which of the three baccalaureates The of the Hotel Dieu. Latin and Greek form a for the Transformation component part; possessors The Public Assistance to devote to the work of of the fourth baccalaureate, obtainable on a curriculum of proposes the Hotel Dieu a of the funds that have science and living languages, without Latin, Greek, or transforming part been allotted to it out of the loan of and established for students on the municipal 900,000,000 philosophy, leaving francs. The chief feature of the consists in the superior primary schools without any training in classical plan installation of a of which the Hotel studies, were excluded. By a decree of April 16th, 1910, maternity department, Dieu has been since the of the annex it was decided to admit the holders of this reduced deprived demolishing in the Rue de la Bucherie. The new will be baccalaureate to the course of the P.C.N., and maternity consequently situated in the eastern of the to throw open to them the medical curriculum, so that in portion buildings overlooking the Qaai aux Fleurs. The also a consoli- future it will be no longer necessary to have undergone a plan contemplates of the services at disseminated classical course in order to enter on the study of medicine. dating ophthalmologic present This decision, prompted apparently by the political motive through the hospital, as well as the construction of a new linen and of two rooms furnished with of throwing open to the proletariat the liberal professions, department operating the barrier hitherto the modern apparatus and instruments, and equipped according by removing interposed by necessity to the desiderata laid down the staff. The for a classical education, has rise to the most by surgical greater preliminary given of the other lively protests. The various medical societies of the Arron- part services will be reinstalled under better con- dissements of Paris, the Syndicate of Physicians of the Seine, ditions, and a radiographic service will be established, so as to allow the to be examined at the Hotel Dieu itself, and even the Association of Students in Medicine, have passed patients resolutions this decree, and instead of their being sent to the central radiographic service protesting against demanding at the the Hotel Dieu will be fitted the restoration of Latin and Greek to a place in Salp6tri6re. Finally, compulsory with electric and steam heat. The esti- the medical curriculum. A communication on this has throughout light point mated be about The been Dr. Blondel to the Societe expense will 1,810,000 francs. plan presented by d’Enseignement the Administration of Public Assistance will which has been widely republished by the lay press. prepared by Supérieur, doubtless come before the Council its It is insisted therein that a course of medical I Municipal during satisfactory session. studies cannot be constructed or a medical present good practitioner July 3rd. trained except on the basis of a solid classical education. An acquaintance with Latin and Greek is indispensable for com- prehending and retaining the terms of medical nomenclature, NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE FEEBLE-MINDED, formed for the most part from one or other of these languages, -The Princess Christian’s Farm Colony will be opened and adopted bodily into the vocabularies of foreign tongues, by H.R.H. Princess Christian of Schleswig-Holstein on thus facilitating at least a superficial comprehension by next, July llth, at 3.30 P.M., at Hildenborougb, physicians of books and journals written in languages other TuesdayKent.