Oct. 23, i875.] THE BRITISH M.EDICAL yOURNAL.

institutions; and yet not one of them has ventured to institute a DR. JtNGKEN, the Senior Professor of the Faculty of Medicine in searching examination into the circumstances of their patients, but has the University of Berlin, died on September 8th, at the age of eighty- simply relied upon the impressions of those who they consider best two. capable of giving an opinion. The truth of the matter is that, for some THE order of the Red Eagle, of the third class, has been conferred reason or other, the lay-committees are inclined to avoid their legitimate on Dr. Litzmann, the well-known Professor of Obstetric Medicine in work by throwing too much responsibility upon the honorary medical the University of Kiel. staff, who are already overworked, and who have neither time nor in- clination to fill the rdle of amateur detectives. Two new medical journals have appeared in Paris, already well We shall not refer at length to the reports of the special committees provided in that respect. The new aspirants to professional favour are of the Royal Free, the Children's in Great Ormond Street, the Great Le Paris Medical, edited by M. Fort; and Le Yournal d'Hfygi?ne, edited Northern, and the last report of the Westminster Hospital because by M. Pietra Santa. they have all recently appeared in the JOURNAL. Let it suffice to say A NEW school of anthropology has been founded in Paris. Courses that the Westminster authorities will find, we fear, that the medical of lectures on the various branches of the science have been arranged, staff will be unable to perform all the work they have placed upon and are to be delivered at the tJcole Pratique by MM. Broca, Dally, them; and that the plan adopted (so recently as June 25th) at the Mortillet, Hovelacque, Topinard, and Bertillon. Children's Hospital, of prescribing for no patient a second time, unless the hospital letter have been stamped by the Committee of the Charity THE Royal Commission to inquire into the practice of subjecting Organisation Society for the district in which the patient lives, is live animals to experiments for scientific purposes, met at I3, Delahay worthy of the close attention of all hospital managers. Street, on Tuesday and Wednesday. There were present-Viscount The Royal Free Hospital, and the Queen's Hospital, Birmingham, Cardwell, Mr. W. E. Forster, Sir John B. Karslake, Mr. T. H. are the only two institutions where the authorities have had the courage Huxley, Mr. J. Eric Erichsen, Mr. R. H. Hutton, and the Secretary, to put this matter into the hands of an independent body familiar with Mr. N. Baker. the work of accurate investigation and the impartial weighing of evi- dence. In each case, the aid of the Charity Organisation Society has A LETTER published in the NVezo York Medical Record, states that been invoked, which has investigated, at the former, 64i, all free, and, Professor Gross's Manual of Military Surgery has been translated at the latter, 366, all ticket, out-patient cases. into Japanese. The Surgeon-General-in-Chief of the Sanitary Service The following table shows the result. of the Japanese gave orders for the translation to be made, and has forwarded a copy to Dr. Gross, with a very complimentary letter. ROYAL FREE. QuEEN's. THE first meeting of the Pathological Society for the season, under the Free Cases. Ticket Cases Total. presidency of Mr. Pollock, was very well attended. The papers, too, ._ . . . .. I. Number who could afford to pay a were of considerable interest. For want of discussion, however, the Private Practitioner...... 2 64 76 2. Number who can afford to pay to meeting flagged; and, although the sight of the very good specimens Provident Dispensary ...... 231 Not stated 231 shown, and the brief and accurate accounts given, well repaid the 3. Proper Applicants ...... i69 260 429 trouble of attendance, there was a want of animation in both speakers 4. Parish Cases ...... 57 6 63 5. False Addresses ...... o03 34 I37 and audience which must, in the end, affect the popularity of the 6. Information refused ...... 69 2 71 Society. For this state of things, various remedies may be found. In 64I 366 1007 the first place, speakers at the Pathological Society may with advan- tage, as a correspondent suggests, whose half-jocose criticism we print We have here reliable data upon which to ground an opinion. It next page, take a little more trouble in preparing their notes. There is a will be seen that, out of I,OOO cases, less than one half (429) are de- middle course between oratorical display which is out of place here, and clared to be fit applicants for relief; and this number would be con- studied neglect of all the graces of speech and manner which make siderably smaller if those of the Birmingham cases who could afford to even plain narratives acceptable; and young gentlemen fresh from the pay something to a provident institution had been deducted from the last number of Virchow's Archives or Stricker's Yearbook need not 260 who are declared, in the absence of such provision, to be proper superciliously flourish the last long word or the newest fragment of a applicants. Again, this table clearly shows the truth of our assertion view under the noses of their seniors without deigning to explain what that provincial hospitals are chiefly abused by the well-to-do classes; for, they mean, or why they have "thought this specimen perhaps of some whereas the London hospitals do a large share of the Poor-law medical interest". The Society is very grateful to those who will take the officers' work, the pauper cases in London being five times more trouble to clothe their thoughts in neat and pointed phraseology, and numerous than at Birmingham, the well-to-do, on the other hand, to avoid the manner of "throwing bones to a dog" which has come to were ten times greater at the latter than at the former institution. be fashionable among a certain section of young pathologists. The It is worthy of remark that the abuse is equally great under the ticket meekness, patience, and bewilderment with which some of the less as under the free system. In the face of the facts here brought clearly learned members of the Society sit out these displays are worthy of before hospital managers, we appeal to them most earnestly to give the more compassionate consideration. The cheerful surprise and timid system of investigation as pursued at the Royal Free and Queen's applause which greeted some attempts of Dr. Greenfield to tell his Hospitals a fair and impartial trial, in the interests alike of the philan- story with something of point, finish, and scholarly grace, may en- thropic public who support these institutions, and of the really deserving courage others to follow his example. But nothing could move the poor, who, under the present system, are often debarred from obtaining Society to discuss; and so the meeting, though instructive, was de- that amount of attention which their cases so urgently require. cidedly dull. WE are very glad to hear that a well conceived effort will probably TIii:death of M. Marboeuf, the originator of creches, or infant be made by the Council of the Pathological Society, at the instance, nurseries, is announced. we believe, of Dr. Green, one of the secretaries, to elicit some organ- ised attempt at encouraging comment by classifying specimens. Thus TIHE French Institute has awarded the 'ecennial prize of 20,000 a night might be set apart for specimens of syphilitic pathology, a night francs (,8oo) for I875 to M. Paul Bert work on the effects of for specimens of cancerous disease, or of vascular disease, etc. Specimens barometric pressure. would be got together in greater numbers, and experts would be en- .532 THE BRITISH MEDICAL _OURNAL. [Oct. 23, i85 couraged to take an active interest in discussing collections of speci- THE CLINICAL SOCIETY. mens which specially touch their labours. This seems to us a practical IN addition to the subjects advertised last week in the BRITISH MEDI- and fruitful suggestion. CAL JOURNAL for discussion at the meeting of the Clinical Society to- night (Friday), Mr. Hutchinson will exhibit an infant with a very " AN 011 Maln from the Country" writes to us :-" I was last night curious tumour of the skull; and a patient with a peculiar sore upon again at the Pathological Society. It was very warm, very crowded, the tongue, of probably malignant nature. an(l, I suppose, very successful. But, as even success will bear to be enhanced, I should like permission to make a few ill-natured remarks, COVENTRY AND WARWICKSHIRE HOSPITAL. such as my age, ignorance, and condition suggest, and as their possible ON Tuesday evening, a deputation from the "working men" met the usefulness will perhaps excuse. As an old man, I am perhaps inclined general committee for the purpose of handing over the receipts from to resent the advantage which ' the boys' have over us oldsters at the the Hospital Saturday collection, a sum of /2i9: 12: 5. This is the Pathological Society. They have it all their own way, and do nearly all second year the working men have come forward to assist the funds of the talking and all the applause. I should not mind it so much-for I a hospital which has been hitherto considerably in debt, and the amount see my betters frequently sitting mum for a whole session at the feet of collected on the present occasion shows an increase of /5o on the re- very young Gamaliels-if the boys bore their blushing honours more sults of last year's Hospital Saturday, while the expenses of collecting gracefully or attractively. But there has gradually stolen over the have been, only /6 : Io: 6. One great element of success has been Pathological Society a mortal dulness and a cynical puritanism which the system of instituting periodical collections in the various manufac- make the meetings a very different sort of thing now from what they used tories and workshops, either weekly, monthly, or quarterly; and it is to l)e. At half a dozen meetings which I have attended during the hoped, as this idea becomes more ventilated and more earnestly last year, I have been painfully affected by the solemn gloomi of worked, a considerable income will be derived from this source. The the proceedings. Deadly liveliness is perhaps the natural character- working men are represented on the managing committee of the hos- istic of these scientific funereal rites over post mortem specimens. But pital, four being elected annually, so that they may have a voice in the even the manner of the undertaker varies, and not all his men are disposal of funds which they have collected. mutes. The approved oratorical method which has gained favour at RECENT URBAN MORTALITY. the Pathological Society of late years is a sort of bald and lingering DURING last week, 5,323 births and 3,489 deaths were registered stutter. There is no attempt to give completeness or point to the de- in London and twenty other large towns of the United Kingdom. The scription, nor any effort to please, interest, or animate the audience by annual average rate of mortality was 24 per 1,ooo persons living; and such attention to manner, diction, and method as may clothe the dry varied as follows: in Portsmouth it was I7; Edinburgh and Glas- bones of a post moritlem note with busy interest. The discussions which gOW, 21 ; London, Birmingham, and Sheffield, 22; Leicester and follow-if discussions they can he called, in which nothing is discussed Wolverhampton, 23; Newcastle-upon-Tyne, 24; Norwich, 25; Sun- -are commonly intervals of painful silence, in which the President derland and Manchester, 26; Dublin, Leeds, Liverpool and Hull, 27; slowly peruses the faces of the uneasy persons before him with an ever- Bristol, and Oldham, 30; and deepening expression of sadness, until the despairing conviction that Bradford, Nottingham, 28; Salford, 3i. The annual zymotic death-rate in the i8 English towns ranged nobody has anything to say on the last mooted ' subject of interest' from 2.5 and 2.9 in Norwich and Wolverhampton, to and 9.2 in overpowers him, when lie whispers solemnly to the secretary, and proceeds 9.o Oldham and Salford. The fatality of scarlet-fever continues to in- with the announcement that, 'as no gentleman has any observation to crease, and was greatest in Bristol, Bradford, Oldham, Nottingham, make, we shall pass on to next the specimen'. It does, however, in my and Salford. Enteric fever is somewhat prevalent in Portsmouth. In experience sometimes happen that a gentleman rises precipitately from London, 2,325 births, and 1,442 deaths were registered. The births a back bench at the last moment, and, from a safe corner, asks ' whether exceeded by 24, and the deaths by 41, the average numbers of the week. in the last case (one of broken ribs) the speaker examined the urine', The i,442 deaths included one from small-pox, 23 from measles, 122 or if it were a case of, say, intestinal obstruction, ' whether lie used from scarlet-fever, 9 from diphtheria, 37 from whooping-cough, 29 the ophthalmoscope during life'. The answer is sometimes a triumph- from different forms of fever, and 78 from diarrhua ; in all, 299 deaths. ant affirmative, and sometimes a disconcerted negative, on receiving Scarlet-fever wvas least fatal in the central, and most so in the south, which the querist subsides without further comment. I am, for my groups of districts; the fatal cases were especially numerous in Hag- part, howvever, obliged to him for having broken the His suc- spell. gerston, Rotherhithe, Peckham, and Deptford. Different forms of vio- cess generally induces some one at a later to ask ' vhether else, stage, lence caused 44 deaths. The Asylum District Fever and Small-pox Mr. A. has looked through the Transactions of the Society for the last Hospitals at Homerton and Stockwell contained 320 patients on the twenty years before bringing forward his specimen; if he had, he would i6th instant, of which 53 were under treatment for fever, 250 for scarlet- have found that he (Mr. B.), fifteen years ago, described a specimen fever, and one for small-pox. In outer London, 460 births and 228 which, in various particulars, did not greatly differ from that which deaths were registeredl; and the general death-rate and zymotic death- Mr. A. has to-night showvn'. I do not know whether this style of rate were I5.6 and 3.5 per i,ooo respectively, against 21.8 and 4.5 in discussion is as agreeable to all the other members of the as it Society inner London. At Greenwich, the mean reading of the barometer was is to me ; but I often think that, although the sight of the preparations 29.29 inches; the mean temperature of the air was 45.8 deg., or 4.9 deg. has been very instructive to me, it hardly repays me for the mental below the average of the week; the mean degree of humidity of the torture which I have suffered from the gaucwr-ie, coldness, and mis- air was 82; the direction of the wind was variable; the horizontal nmanagemeint which often make perhaps the most valuable of our Loisdon movement of the air averaged 10.3 miles per hour; and rain fell on societies one of the least attractive." five days, to the amount of .48 of an inch.

ACON ITE. GERMAN ASSOCIATION OF NATURALISTS AND PIIYSICIANS. FROM an elaborate series of obsersatiomis (St. Th/omias's HospitalRe- TIlE forty-eighth annual meeting of the German Association of Natur- /ots, Newv Series, sol. v), Dr. John Harley reports conclusions which alists and Physicians was held in Gratz from September i8th to 24th. indicate that, if it be conceded that aconite ameliorates the febrile The session was opened with an address by Professor Rollett; after conditioi, it does not much control it ; and that it cannot in any which the Association was welcomed by the Statthalter of Styria, the degree anticipate or cut short the pyrexial stage in a disease (relapsing Burgomaster of Gratz, and the Governor-General (Landeshauptmann) fever) against which, if it did possess the febrifuge properties ascribed of the province. It was announced hthat considerable sums had been to it, its influence ought to be most marked. contributed towards defraying the expenses of the meeting by the Em- OCt.Oct.15.23 THTHE RTS MEDICAL 23, 1875-1 BRITISH EICL-UNL.70VRNAL. 533 peror of Austria, the landtag of Styria, and the municipal authority of were found four poisonous plants; viz., Conium mzaculatutn, Clematis Gratz. A letter was read from Herr Stremayr, Minister of Instruction, vitalba, Colchicunt autumnale, and Plumbago Europaea. On making expressing his regret that his official duties prevented him from accept- a chemical examination of the milk and also of the vomited matters, ing the invitation to he present which had been offered to him. There Professor Ratti found in both colchicin, the passage of which into the were no fewer thani twenty Sections, among which the following were milk was thus most probably the cause of the poisoning. It is well of medical interest:-Section 7. Anatomy and Physiology: President, known that goats can eat with impunity hemlock and tobacco; but Professor Stilling. Section 9. Internal Medicine and Dermatopatho- that they also eat colchicum, which acts as an intense poison on cows logy: President, Professor Korner. Section io. Surgery: President, and other animals, was hitherto unknown. It has been suggested Professor Gurlt. Section i i. Ophthalmology and Otology: Presi- with reference to these cases, that Alfomo;dica elate-iumn may have dent, Professor Blodig. Section I2. Gynoecology and Obstetrics : Pre- played a part in them as well as colchicum; but Professor Ratti has sident, Professor R. von Helly. Section 13. Psychology : President, shown that the elaterium is avoided by goats wvhen they meet with it Professor von Krafft-Ebing. Section I4. State Medicine, including in their pasture. Hygiene and Veterinary Medicine : President, Professor A. Schauen- stein. Section I5. MIilitary Medicine : President, Professor Mundy. NEWS OF LOUISE LATEAU. LETTER Section 20. Diseases of Children : President, Dr. Steffen. It was A from Dr. H. Boens of Charleroi to M. Festaerts, editor of decided to lhold the next meeting in Hamburg. The Vienna medical the Scalpel, gives some details of the actual state of Louise Lateau, " of papers, in giving a summ-lary of the proceedings, comment on the some- the mystic Bois d'Haine". During an illness whiclh lasted about what defective character of the arrangements; pointinig out especially a month, the "stigmatic" bleeding stopped, and the " ecstacies" were that the sittings of the medical sections are so timed as to clash with replaced by hysterical faintings. Afterwards, the former state of thinlgs M. one another, and that sufficient information as to the place and time of recurred. Boens, who has set a watch on the family, declares that meeting, and of the subjects, is not given; and that the " daily journal" he is in a position to affirm and prove that Louise Lateau eats and drinks and all the of nature. is devoted to relating what has been done instead of-what is rightly re- copiously, performs ordinary functions He adds that " she rubs and scratches her nails and garded as of more importance-giving notice of what is to be done. We frequently with with a the the shall endeavour to give a notice of some of the papers read in the rough cloth, especially during the night, places where sections. blood flows; and keeps up on these spots, even mechanically during sleep, pressure with her fingers, so as to maintain a condition of local TIIE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. congestion". Dr. Bourneville, in a recent monograph (Science et Miracle), describes a of M. who THIS Societyopened its session onMondayin its rooms in Chandos Street. hysterical patient Charcot, likewise suffers from of the and There was a strong muster of the members of Council and of Fellows, bleeding skin, preceded by pain convulsive phe- nomena, with hallucinations. The here also fre- with an unusually large number of visitors. The consequence was that religious bleedings occur at the " localities. the ventilating arrangements of the room were severely taxed. Since quently stigmatic" the last session, Tobin's patent tubes have been applied, but the current RAT-EATERS. of cold air so supplied was quite inadequate to the requirements of the A SOCIETY has recently been formed at Gembloux, in Belgium, of rat- audience. The escape of foul air is met by the shaft of the star burner, eaters (rato-phages). The members meet once a week: each miieeting but that will not secure a sufficient supply of fresh air. The necessary enids with a grand repast, in which the rat occupies the principal place. supply of fresh air into the highly heated apartment was wanting in the This society, following the example of the Sciet Hippopi agique, wishes new arrangement, which might not be in efficient working order. One of to destroy the prejudice attaching to the flesh of these little animals. the speakers alluded to the warm reception given to the Fellows, but With this object, a Belgian savant relates that the ancient Romans ate the oppression was too pronounced to permit the double entfendre to grey mice, seasoned with acorns and chestnuts. Buffon tells that the be accepted as a joke. After the exhibition of a case of cleft-palate, inhabitants of Martinique take pleasure in eating mice, and hold the the President, Dr. Routh, gave an address on the interesting subject of musk-rat in esteem as an article of diet. Climbing rats formii one of the Surgical Hyperpyrexia. The subject matter was furnished by five cases staples of food in Cuba and Jamaica. Rat's flesh, however, counts its which had recently occurred under his care. In several of the cases, the enemies as well as its friends. A medioeval Arab writer, Eby-Bacthar, sharp uprise of sudden hyperpyrexia was well shown. The treatment declared that eating rat's flesh produced great intellectual weazkness. adopted was that of the iced-water bath, and in every case the cold bath was followed by a decided and immediate fall of the tem- TIIE LATE DR. EDWARD JOHNSON. perature, which in one or two instances did not rise again to the same WE have this week to record the death of Dr. Edward Johnson, aged height. In several cases, the difference of temperature in the vagina 6o, who died on Saturday, the i6th instant, at his residence, 19, anid axilla was well marked, and several degrees of difference were found Cavendish Place, where he had been in practice for fifteen years. Dr. at times; the vaginal temperature being invariably above that of the Johnson was well known in professional circles as an able practitioner axilla. In one case, the new apyretic agent jaborandi was given with and an accomplished gentleman ; these qualities, together with his marked effects. The different points touched upon in the paper gave amiable disposition and high character, endeared him to a large circle roomii for a discussion, in which many present took part. From a copy of friends, by whom his loss will be deeply felt. He was a graduate of of the bye-lawvs, wvith proposed amendments, being hunig up for the in- Edin-burgh, but had also studied in Dublin and Paris, and in hlis earlier spection of the Fellows, it appears that extensive chaniges are to be years had served in the navy as assistant-surgeon ; but the humiliating made in them. treatment to which in those days assistant-surgeons were subjected in- duced him to leave the service. He comiimenced practice in Lonidon in POISONING I1Y GOAT'S 'MILK. the neighbourhood of his late residence, anid rapidly succeeded. For ACCORDING to recent Germiiani jollilrals, several cases of poisoninlg by many years, his practice wtas large, and clhiefly amonigst the mid(dle goat's milk have occurred in Rlomc. The cases, which all occurred in and upper classes. llis patients were personially attaclhed to him11, not one locality (B3orgo Rione), had the character of cholerine, and some only as a kind and skilful medical attendant, but as a friend upon whose of them that of well marked cholera. In somi-e of the cases, recovery took advice and judgment they could at all times depend. His death was place in twenity-four lhours; but most of the patients were ill four or caused by aneurism of the aorta, involving the innominata and pressing five days. The severity of the symptoms was in direct relation to the on the trachea, as well as interfering with the pileulmiogastric nierves. quantity of milk used. On veterinary examination, the goats were Several prolonged attacks of asplhyxia occurred during the two days found to be in perfectly good condition. In their pasture, however, preceding the fatal event. 534 THE BRITISH MEDICAL _OURNAL. [OCt. 23, 1875.

THE "CORNWALL" OUTBREAK OF TYPHOID. tion of cases like the present, so that, if the necessity should again SINCE the date of our last report, more cases of typhoid have occurred arise, they may be prepared to meet the emergency with promptitude on board the school ship Corzzwall, stationed off Purfleet, six of which and efficiency. have been admitted to the Seamen's Hospital, Greenwich, making, with those previously in the hospital, twenty-six. As many as twenty- SCOTLAND. eight, however, remain under treatment at Purfleet, where the boat- house lhas been fitted for their accommodation on shore, nurses being THE Kilsyth Local Authority met on Friday to consider what steps obtained from an institution in town. The entire number of sick at pre- should be taken to prevent the spread of small-pox, which has assumed sent to or about one-fourth of amounts, therefore, fifty-four, the number an alarming phase during the past week-upwards of eighteen cases of on board. The cause of the outbreak is boys being investigated by were reported. It was resolved to call a special general meeting of the sanitary authority of the river; meanwhile, suspicion is directed the Local Authority for the purpose of erecting a hospital for the in to the water-supply, which is obtainecl the following manner. An small-pox and fever patients, and a committee was appointed to look twelve-oared is towed empty open pinnace by another boat every out for a site. morning from the ship to a jetty, where water is conveyed by pipes above to the river side; India-rubber hose is then attached to the A CENTENARIAN. terminal pipe, the stopcock is turned, and the empty boat partly filled, THERE died a few days ago in the Tobermory poorhouse, a man, taken back to the slhip, and the water pumped out into iron tanks on named John McMillan, who had reached the age of 104 years. He the lower deck, wlhence it is distributed by pumping when required, was a native of the parislh of Kilmore, and had spent the greater part the boat lying alonigside uncovered till niext day, when the journey is of his life there. Till within the last few months, he retainied all his repeated. This mo(le of water-carriage is open to grave objection ; for faculties, and was able to walk about and do the ordinary work of the an uncovered boat, occasionally used (as we understand that this one is) for poorhouse. the conveyance of passengers and stores, is exposed to sources of con- THE SANITARY CONDITION OF CARLUKE. tamination, such as cannot fail to suggest themselves to anyone acquainted AT the last of the Committee for the of Car- with the most elementary principles of sanitary science. We under- meeting Sanitary parish luke, Dr. Littlejohn's report of his visit to Carluke oln the 25th ult. stand that a similar mode of conveying water in bulk in an open boat was read. The a one, wvent to show that the vil- was formerly employed by the lWsrsAi1e training-ship, and that, during document, long was in a very unsatisfactory condition as to saniitary matters. its continuance, diarrlhcea was extremely prevalent among the boys, lage The lower portions of the village were especially bad, the whole sewage although the boat was supposed to be cleaned out regularly. It was from the to the lower streets. In Street, there then determined to well whitewash the boat, and cover it in, and since flowing higher John was a most smell. In the school, he found this has been done it appears that cases of gastric irritation have greatly disgusting sewage public the air and and saw of children diminished. We are glad to find that the Corn?wall has, since the out- vitiated, stifling, unbearable, relays at the door to air. He had of four wells tested break, effected a reform in this particular, and that the water is now standing get samples one of them was founid to be a brought from shore in casks. We trust that the authorities of the by an analyst; only "fairly pure water" for purposes-all of them were unsuitable for washing. various other training-ships on the Thames will profit by the lesson drinkilng The condition of the could never be on a afforded by the Cor-nwall, and look carefully to the purity of their sanitary place put satisfactory unless water were in the Local as the water-supply. We learn that, setting aside the present outbreak, footing brought by Authority, supply from wells was inadequate. The report was laid on the table to only one stationary ship, during the present year, has furnished a be considered at a future case of zymotic disease to the Seamen's Hospital, namely, the meeting. Arethusa, which sent a boy suffering from typhoid in January. The WEST OF SCOTLAND CONVALESCENT SEASlDE HOMIE. first case of the Cornwall series was sent to the hospital on Sep- AT the sixth annual meeting of this institution, Sir Peter Coats, who tember 2ISt. It was a well marked and rather severe case of enteric presided, stated that, since the opening of the institution six years fever, with the usual symptoms. On October 5th, four others were ago, the past year had been the most satisfactory both in the number admitted; and, finally, the number reached twenty-six. These cases of patients admitted aiid in the support of the public in contributionis. presented considerable variety as to symptoms, complications, and The number of convalescents taken in was I,547, an increase of 323 the the course, majority presenting ordinary clharacters of rose rash, over the previous year, being made up of 742 men, 726 women, and 79 usual and diarrhbea, temperature, variationi, course; others, again, were children. There were I 17 in the home at the beginning of the year-, of a low form of in examples pneumonia, which, bearing mind its pro- and I26 at present; there had been two deaths during the year. The bable origin, might be termed pythogenic, and which is interesting institution is supported by subscriptions, donations, etc., of about when we consider that it is perhaps oftener than we are aware an £2,ooo from the general public, and about £i,ooo from workmen unrecognised indicationi of insanitary conditions. A third and small engaged at public works. class were of a still more ambiguous type, being cases of pyrexia, with slight tonsillitic inflammation, cephalalgia, and cervical myalgia, and LINLITHGOW LOCII. ending in complete defervescence in about eight or nine days. Isolated A MEETING of the Local Authority to inquire into the alleged unisani- cases of this kind would probably be classed as " catarrhal", and are, tary condition of this loch received a report from their medical officer therefore, very instructive. Headache was a marked feature in nearly corroborating that of Professor Maclagan, and showing that he had all ; several were delirious ; bronchitis and pneumonia were frequently found the south side in an extremely pollute(d and filthy state, and present ; deafness, epistaxis, and slight albuminiuria occuried in two. dangerous to the health of the inhabitants in the vicinity. The Coin- In several instances, the evening temperature in the axilla reached mittee sent the following answer to the Board of Supervisioni, whlo I05 deg. Fahr. Dr. Ralfe, who has cliarge of the cases, has treated had requested the Local Authority to take immediate steps to remedy them wvith quinine, stimiiulants, as a rule, being avoided, anid all are the evil. progressing favourably. In concluding our observations on this sub- While it is admitted that from the sewage of Linlithgow thel-e ject, we wish to call attention to the inconvenience and risk attending are considerable accumulations in the loclh, which may, if not clhecked, the mode of from fever in boats prove injurious to health, it is denied that such acculmulations lhave present conveyinig boys suffering open hitherto had that effect. The death-rate of Linlithgow has been from their to the Seamen's and to renew the ships Hospital, hope we below the average of other similar towns, anid at present eels, perch, expressed last week, that the authorities of the Thames training-ships roach, and other kinds of fish abound in the loch. But assuming that will bestir themselves to combine to provide a hospital for the recep- things may get worse instead of better uniless something be done to Oct. 23, 1875.] THE BRITIkH MEDICAL _7OURNAL. 535

check growing accumulations, the Local Authority submit that, in the circumstances, Her Majesty's Commissioners of Works, who claim IRELAND. control and management of the loch, ought to be called upon by

Board to afford the remedy by from time of Supervision requisite ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF IRELAND. time dredginig and cleaning it." ROBERT MORTON, M.B., Fellow of the College, of Castleblaney, and Dr. M. J. Malone, Fellow of the College, of Limerick, lhave been ''I HE LAST CASE UNI)ER THE OLD ADULTERATION ACT. electe(l examiners in preliminary education in room of Drs. Tweedy LAST week, a druggist in Greenock was charged at the police-court and Woodhouse. wvith having sold two ounces of citrate of magnesia, which,

lysis, was found to be a preparation containing carbonate soda, TIIE W1"EEKLY RETURN OF DEATHS. tartaric aci(l, sugar, sulphate of soda, and a small portioni of citrate DURING the week ending October gth, the cleaths in Dublin repre- imiagniesia. Mr. McGowvaii, public analyst, deposed to having sented an annual mortality of 23 in every I,OOO of the poptulation. these ingredients in the sample he analysed. From the evidence Zymotic diseases proved fatal in 37 instances. Of these deaths, 4 number of witnesses called for the defence, it appeared that were caused by fever, 3 by scarlet fever, 4 each by measles, 'diph- generally sold in chemists' shops as citrate of magnesia, consists mainly theria, and whooping-couglh. and I6 by diarrhoea. The deaths of 12 of carboniate of soda and tartaric acid, with a little sugar, and children were referred to convulsions. In Belfast, there were regis- niot contain a trace of citrate of magnesia. Eviden-ce was also tered 7 deaths from scarlet fever, 8 from diarrheea, 4 from fever, 2 the effect that none of the ingr-edients were injurious to healtlh. front diphtheria, and i each from measles and whooping-cough. Four Puiblic P'rosecutor asked for a conlviction, cointeinding that thelre was n1o deaths from scarlet fever were registered in Londonderry, anid a like eedl to that the was injurious to health. The magis- prove mixture number in Cork. trate coiisi(lered thecase niot proven. It was the last case unlder theol(1 Act. MEDICAL SOCIETY OF TIHE COLLEGE OF PIIYSICIANS. THE followving have beeni appointed officc-bearers for the ensuing IMKMI EI'IDIE.MIC OF I'X'IIOID FFINFR IN GLASGOW\ year. Pi-eside'nf: Samiuel Gordon, M.B. Vice-PZ'esi(dents: Lombe 1N thlC JOURTNAJL for October 2nd, wve brielly nioted that anl epidlemic Atthill, M.I).; Sir Dominic J. Corrigan, Bart., MI. D.; Alfre(d Hudson, of fever had broken out in Glasgow, and that there wverestlrong typlhoid M.D.; William Stokes, M.D., F.R.S. Counzcil: J. Ilawtrey Benson, reasons for believing that it owved its origin to milk from ilnfected MIT).; J.M. Finny, MI.D.; Thomas Fitzpatrick, M.l).; A. W. Foot, farm. An elaborate report from the medical officer of health eniters A. D.; T. W. Grimshawv, M. D.; Thomas Haydeni, F. C. P.; James into the questioni, and shows that the epi(emic hashad the indi- Little,AT.D.; Stephen M.Mac Swiniey,AM. D.; J. W. Mloore, AM.D.; cated. The report itself is a somewhat long document ; C. J. Nixon, L.C.P.; John AM. Purser, MI.D.; WV. G. Smith, MI.D. be sufficient here to state that, firom a house-to-house visitation Honorary .Secretary: G. F. Duffey,A. D. ccrtain streets in wlhiclh the(lisease was prevalellt, the following were obtained. There welc 367 persons using milk from the suspected COMPULSORY VACCINATION.

dairy only (called Dairy X in the report) ; and, of these, AT a meeting of the guardians of the North Dublin Union held last I4 typhoid fever, and had suspicious sickness. There wereI i6 week, a memorial was read which had been received from the guar-

this milk partially; and among them, there were three cases of typhoid, dians of the Keighley Union, Yorkshirc, asking the board to co- and of suspicious sickness. On the other hand, there were i6 operate in endeavouring to obtain a repeal of the compulsory vaccina- individuals not using this milk; and there was only one case tion law. As a reply to this request, the guardians unanimously and no case of suspicious sickness. The medical officer passed a resolution approving of the system of compulsory vaccina- difficult nature of the inquiry, and hints that infected milk tion, and declining to support the memorial. The following extract the cause of such outbreaks than we can prove it to be. winds from the document in question is amusing: "That, regarding vaccina-

two lessons which these facts are calculated with the following tion as a doing of evil that good may come, and the vaccination law teach. as a sin against God andman, we, the Keighley Guardians, most "I.He is satisfied that, if rural authorities throughout respectfully memorialise you to aid us fortle highest and most bene- made a special inspection of the sanitary arrangements of volent motive that can animate you, in our efforts to set frce the entire farms, examining particularly the water-supply, andl insisting counitry from the cruel despotism of compulsory vaccination," etc. provements in the domestic arrangements of washing-houses, the sites of manure dep6ts,'etc., more would be done to exterminate

both in the country an(I ouir large cities thani by any other procedure THE QUARTERLY SUMMARY OF THR REGISTRAR-GENERAL. which could be adoptedl 2. Ie is afraid that milk-agents DURING the quarter ending on Saturday, October 2nd, 2,246 births cities are not sufficiently alive to the duty is imposed wiichl andI,705 deaths were recorded in the Dublin Registration District. as upon all dealers in articles of food, of seeing to the purity The birth-rate was equal to an annual ratio of 29 births in everyI,0oc article which they sell ; and he hints to dairykeepers who anxious of the population; was at average rate extend their business, that they should at once introduce reform and the mortality the of 22 this respect, and seek to satisfy themselves and their deaths in everyI,OOo persons living. The annual rates of mortality they are furnished with clean and pure milk from tidily per i,ooo during the quarter in seven other Irish towns, ranged in where no disease is known to exist.-The board wisely order from the lowest, were as follows:-Sligo, I4; Galway, 15; this report should be rinted in a pamphlet form, and that Limerick, 20; Cork, Londonderry, and Waterford, 22; and Belfast, shoould he sent to the Board of Supervision, with a request In Dublin, 23.2 per cent, of the deaths registered were due should communicate withi the local authorities around Glasgow, 25. to quire them to enforce the precautionary measures suggested zymotic diseases, and were equal to an aninual ratio Of 5 per 1,OOo of Russell." the population. The deaths from zymotic diseases in the corresponding

We heartily the recommendations of endorse Dr. Russell; we quarter of last year were 540. The 1,705 deaths in D)ublin

may that has on a a(ld experienice alreadly p)roved, large howv 140 from diairrhoa, fromii fever, 45 from whooping-cough, w%vell seci precautions work. These, and many. similar p)recautions, measles, 28 fromii scarlet fever (against 250 in the corresponding quarter

hiave been carried out now for some time the direction und(ler of last year), 25 fromi croup, I I from erysipelas, 9 fromiidiphitheria, 207

lical consisting of Dr. Murchison, Sieveking, board, Dr. Dr. from phthisis, 47 from cancer, 105 fronii bronchitis,andd mcore, an(I D)r. Hardwicke, by the Aylesbury Dairy Compana Bays- monia. In Belfast, 253 deaths, or 22.5 per cenit. of the total deaths water ; and in nio instance have the strictest lprecautions beeni registered, were due to zymotic diseases; of these, 88 vere referr-ed to interfere with the of a large requiremients businiess. diarrhoea, 6o to measles (which had killedI4I persons 536 ETHE BRITISH MEDICAL 7OURNAL. [Oct. 23, 1875. quarter), 57 to scarlet fever, 23 to fever, 15 to whooping-cough, 8 to through the hands of Dr. Rogers, its London Treasurer, or through the diphtheria, and 2 to small-pox. In Cork, 2I deaths were registered medium of our own office. We may remind our English friends, that the from scarlet fever; and in Londonderry the same disease caused 42 "Rumsey Fund" has supporters in Ireland, and Local Committees have deaths, or one-fourth of the total deaths registered during the quarter. been established in Dublin and Belfast; and we trust that this generous In Dublin, the death-rates at different ages in I,ooo persons living were effort of Irishmenr to honour the name of an English medical prac- as follows :-73.2 in every I,ooo children under 5 years of age; 5.2 in titioner may be fairly reciprocated by the co-operation of Englishmen every I,ooo persons from 5 to 15 years; 6.I per I,ooo persons aged to honour an Irishman who laboured in a different part of the same from 15 to 20 years; Io.9 per I,OOO persons aged from 20 to 40 years; field. The contributions to the Maunsell Fund now amount to over 21.5 per I,OOO between 40 and 6o; 55.8 per I,ooo between 6o and So; £350. We trust that the list will not close until every Poor-law me- and IO2.2 per I,OOO aged So and upwards. The mean temperature of dical officer in Ireland has contributed his "mite". the air in D)ublin during the quarter was 58.9 deg.; at Greenwich, it was 60.7 deg.; and at Glasgow, 56.7 deg. The rainfall at Dublin KING AND QUEEN'S COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS. during the thirteen weeks measured 8.532 inches; at Greenwich, AT the annual stated meeting of the College, held on St. Luke's Day 10.13 inches; and at Glasgow, Io.9I inches. (i8th instant), the following officers were elected for the ensuing year: President, Samuel Gordon, M.B.; Censors, Lombe Atthill, M.D. SCARLATINA. (Vice-President), Arthur Wynne Foot, M.D., Thomas Hayden, M.D., SCARLATINA exists to a considerable extent in various parts of Mona- J. W. Moore, M.D.; Registrar, J. Magee Finny, M.D.; 7Teasurer, ghan; and Dr. Burke, Inspector of the Local Government Board, has Aquilla Smith, M.D.; Examiners in Midwifery, Edward B. Sinclair, recommended that the guardians, as the sanitary authority, should use M. D., Fleetwood Churchill, M.D.; Professor of Afedical 7urisprudevice, their influence with the managers of the public schools in the district, Robert Travers, M. D.; Representative on the General A1edical Council, with a view of having them closed during the prevalence of the dis- Aquilla Smith, M.D.; Agenzt to the Trust Estates, Charles U. Towns- ease; which suggestion the guardians have signified their intention of hend; Lawz Agent, Charles Woodward. complying with. In Londonderry, during the last three months, forty- two deaths were registered as occurring from this affection, a number UNWARRANTED CHARGE AGAINST HOSPITAL OFFICERS. equal to one-fourth of the total deaths. AT a recent inquest held in Dublin, on the body of a little boy who died in Jervis Street Hlospital, from the effects of an injury, an QUEEN'S UNIVERSITY IN IRELAND. attempt was made by the boy's father to prove that the boy had been TiHE degrees obtained by candidates who passed the University ex- "brutally murdered" by the surgeons of the hospital. It is scarcely aminations of the year 1874-75, were conferred on the I5th instant at necessary to say that, the charge was unfounded ; but we regret that Dublin Castle, by his Grace the Duke of Leinster, Chancellor of the several attempts have been recently made in Dublin to transfer the Queen's University. During the present academic year, 490 can- "cause of death" from the "accident" to the surgeon. We believe didates have been present at the University examinations, and of such cases were unknown before the occurrence of the celebrated cases these about one-third have undergone two University examinations in which charges were made against eminent Dublin surgeons; in one within that period; 320 have come up to the standard required by the case, at the Richmond, and in the other, at St. Patrick Dun's Hos- examiners, 46 have obtained the degree of doctor in medicine, 38 have pital. A certain Dublin newspaper recently attempted to raise the passed for the degree of master in surgery, and 30 for the diploma in question, as to whether a patient died of an accident or of the "treat- midwifery. Thirty-two candidates have been successful in seeking the ment" received in another Dublin Hospital. All these charges were degree of bachelor in arts, and fifteen of these are returned as having utterly without foundation; but, when we consider the uncertainties highly distinguished themselves. The Senate has passed a special of the law and the vagaries of juries, especially of coroners' juries, we grace for conferring the following honorary degrees: that of Master in may congratulate the surgeons of Jervis Street Hospital that they were Arts on Robert Hart, Inspector-General of the Maritime Customs of protected from further vexatious proceedings by action of the coroner's the Empire of China; that of Doctor in Science upon Peter Tait, jury. The jury considered any adjournment unnecessary, as most of Professor of Natural Philosophy in the University of Edinburgh, and the surgical staff of the hospital were voluntarily present to answer any on James Thomson, Professor of Civil Engineering in the University charge that could be made against them, and there was not the slightest of Glasgow, etc. At the annual meeting of Convocation held on the foundation for the opinion expressed by the child's father. The fol- i4th instant, a resolution was passed to the effect that they were of lowing verdict was returned: "That William Ormond died in Jervis opinion that the salaries of the present professors and officers of the Street Hospital on October I Ith, i875, in consequence of injuries result- Queen's University and Queen's College are inadequate; and that ing from a fall accidentally received on July I9th, x875. We are of provision should be made for their superannuation, as has already opinion that deceased was treated with every kindness and skill by the been made in the Universities of Scotland. surgeons of Jervis Street Hospital, and that he had had the advantage of more than ordinary care and attention." TIIE MAUNSELL MEMORIAL FUND. IT is with much pleasure that we notice the continued prosperity of the Maunsell Memorial Fund. Not only has the fund received the MILITARY AND NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICES. unanimous support of all the leading members of the profession in Dublin, and made steady way among the provincial practitioners of MOVEMENTS OF ARMY MEDICAL OFFICERS.-Surgeon-Major J. Ireland, but it has also enlisted the support of many leading men not B. Hamilton, M.D., and Surgeon E. M. D. FitzGerald, M.D., have to the thus it is with great pleasure that we sailed for India in I.M.S. Malabar, on exchange-Surgeon-Major W. belonging profession; M. Skues, M.D., has returned home from Malta after a tour of duty notice among the subscribers to the fund the names of the Lord Chan- at that station.-Surgeon-Major J. G. Leask, M.B., has been ordered cellor of Ireland, the Chief Secretary for Ireland, and the Secretary of to take up duty at a home station after a tour of service in India.- the Irish Local Government Board. The support of such high officials Surgeon A. G. Bar.tley, MA.D., has been appointed for duty to the as these show unmistakably the great appreciation in which Dr. Army Service Corps, vice Surgeon J. H. Ussher, M.B., who has been Maunsell's services were held by those who had to deal practically posted to Armagh.-Deputy Surgeon-General Best, after a long ser- vice in India, is about to join the staff at home. Mr. Best went out with the question which he discussed in his writings. We hope that to India in I868, after his exchange from the 68th Light Infantry, and those in England who have benefited so much by Dr. Maunsell's has completed five years' service in the East in the rank of l)eputy writings, will not fail to add their contribution to the Maunsell Fund Surgeon-General.