986 .- AND WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES.

places, and (2) by the dangers to the public health from The conclusion arrived at from this extended examination of burial-places. The objection that it was a continuation of a, school children is in accordance with Dr. Davies’s previously pagan custom was met by the statement that no objection expressed opinion that in every class of 50 boys there are to cremation was raised in the Scriptures and that there! probably two or three who are colour blind, five or six who was no annihilation, only a change of condition as to, are defective in acuteness of vision, and seven or eight who the constituents of the body, as there was after ordi- are more or less deaf. The that the number of the nary interment. prediction The Problem in and Monmouthshire. cases of would increase had not come to Housing poisoning greatly The accommodation in the pass and, moreover, this danger is guarded against by the inadequate housing colliery Cremation Act of 1902. Either the did not districts of South Wales and Monmouthshire has already subject greatly been commented in THE LANCET and details have interest the members or cremation had, in their opinion, upon been of the which have been taken some obtained:an impregnable position, for the paper was not given steps by followed,,by much discussion. sanitary authorities to lessen the overcrowding of houses within their districts. On Sept. 24th there was held at New Sewage Works at Chorlton-cum-Hardy. Merthyr Tydvil an important conference of nearly 300 ’s new sewage works at Chorlton-cum-Hardy members of trade unions and other labour organisations in were formally opened on Sept. 21st. The Chorlton works are South Wales and Monmouthshire when a discussion took part’of a large system of sewage disposal which the council place as to the best method of dealing with the housing was obliged to undertake some years ago at an estimated problem. Mr. Keir Hardie, M.P., presided over the meeting cost of £165,000. At first land filtration was thought of and in the course of his remarks he condemned the building but objected to and an experimental tank for bacterial of houses by a sanitary authority for the very poor ; he treatment was constructed with the result that the system maintained that the class to be catered for was the well- of bacterial treatment was decided on. The capacity of the to-do and well-paid workman when the class below them works will allow of the treatment of the sewage of the large would take a step up and so on. The most practical district of the Withington council to the satisfaction of the suggestion made to the conference was that of Mr. Mersey and Irwell joint committee. The work is expected to D. J. Thomas, the medical officer of health of be completed for a little over £164,000-a rare instance of Merthyr Tydvil, who considered that if the lodger dif- the cost not exceeding the estimate. ficulty could be successfully dealt with a very great step would be and he advocated the establishment Anthrax in Cheshire. gained of municipal lodging-houses. There is no doubt that in Anthrax has become a serious in Cheshire. Four scourge many places these houses would be a great boon and as died on a farm at Sutton and sheep suddenly Mr. Ferguson, they could easily be made to pay their way in the districts certified that death was due veterinary surgeon, Warrington, where single colliers are earning good wages no subsidy from to anthrax. The carcasses were burnt and the farm premises the local rates would be required. The practical outcome of were It is are thoroughly disinfected." rarely that sheep the meeting was a formal protest against the bad. housing attacked by this disease. conditions prevailing generally in industrial and rural Tke Dronght. districts. It was also decided to form local committees which should authorities the The people of Manchester, no less than the members of impress upon sanitary necessity and for the fullest use of their the waterworks committee of the city council, have for some urgency making existing time feared that the supply of water to the would have powers not only for the abatement of nuisances and the city destruction of but also for the erection to be curtailed in consequence of the continuance of dry insanitary property of comfortable houses for all those who are at weather. The rate of consumption for some time has been present without them. It was further resolved to to the at 35,000,000 gallons daily and a week ago the Longendale represent Government the for more extended reservoirs only had a supply for 37 days, while yesterday it necessity granting powers had sunk to enough for 31 days only. On Sunday night to sanitary authorities for these purposes. both in Manchester and Salford it was turned off at 7 o’clock County Asylum. until 6 o’clock on with the estimated Monday morning, When the Glamorgan County Asylum was established at of 6,000,000 to the saving gallons. Exceptions turning- in the year 1864 it was intended to serve not only off are allowed in the case the infirmaries Bridgend regulation of the administrative but also the and and are taken to for county municipal boroughs hospitals precautions provide of Cardiff and Swansea. The was controlled the of the Fire if fires should break asylum by requirements Brigade a committee these three areas until This restriction of water has not been needed since joint representing out. 1899 when the Cardiff withdrew from the three when it had to be continued for four corporation July years ago, and took to a months to November. In that the in partnership steps provide separate asylum. right up year supply This institution is now in course of erection. Some months reservoirs fell to sufficient for 18 This the days only. year the council notice to the has come later and not last so ago Glamorgan county gave the’drought may long. Swansea of its desire to be relieved from the Sept. 27th. corporation ______obligation to receive patients from that borough and from Sept. 29th the Bridgend Asylum will be administered WALES AND WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES. entirely by the county council, although the Swansea corporation may if it desires send in patients during the (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) next five years at a fixed rate of payment. The amount which the county council has to pay to the Swansea the termination of the control was Colour Blindness Swansea School Children. corporation upon joint among settled by arbitration and the corporation is to receive THE Swansea school board has only just been dissolved, £44,200, but it has to contribute a proportion of the been held on the last meeting of the board having Sept. 23rd. pensions now being paid as well as those which are due to In the administrative work of this body there is no part the present officials. which the members can look back with satis- upon greater in faction than that which has been carried out by its medical Small-pox Caerphilly. South Wales has been free from outbreaks of officer (Dr. Rhys Davies) who has recently issued a report remarkably giving the results of his examination of the colour vision of small-pox during the present year, only a few isolated cases occurred in localities distant from each some of the boys and girls in the higher standards of having other. the public elementary schools within the borough. Of During the second week in September a navvy who was district in the boys examined 3’8 per cent. were found to be tramping through Caerphilly-a colliery found to be from the disease colour blind but in none of the girls was the defect Glamorganshire-was suffering apparent. In 1901, when 1500 boys from 30 different and he was isolated in the district council’s hospital. Eight later two more cases were and the schools were examined, colour blindness was detected in days reported patients were removed to the 5’ 4 per cent. Dr. Davies points out that colour blindness is hospital. almost invariably a congenital defect and not therefore Isolation Hospital for Falmouth and Truro Port a sign of neglect on the part either of parents or of teachers Sanitary Authority. nor is it an indication of dulness on the of the child. part The Falmouth and Falmouth and Truro He states that in more than one school he found several corporation port who had been for several boys taught painting years, 1 THE LANCET, Nov. 30th, 1901, p. 1537. though they were unable to distinguish red from green. 2 THE LANCET, July 30th, 1904, p. 331. IRELAND.-PARIS. 987 sanitary authority on Sept. 23rd decided to erect an The Constabulary Medical Officers. isolation hospital at Budock. Dr. B. O’Brien has been appointed medical officer of the InfamtUe Mortality in Glamorganshire. district in Belfast rendered vacant through the resignation At the last meeting of the Swansea corporation attention of Dr. W. B. McQuitty. was drawn to the high rate of infantile mortality which Royal Victoria Hospital, Belfast. In and in the ten prevailed in the borough. 1903 previous A Belfast gentleman, much interested in this rate was to 164 1000 births and in the the Royal years equal per Victoria Hospital, has written to the local press pointing ten weeks 10th last the rate was to 207 ending Sept. equal out a fact observed those in it that there are 1000 births. The medical officer of health Ebenezer by living per (Mr. no flies in the Victoria a stated that the which had practically Royal Hospital wards, Davies) high temperature prevailed circumstance which is a great boon to patients, especiallyin the summer had the number of deaths from during tripled a season like the present, when there is an abnormal number diarrhoea among young children but he was also very of flies in existence. in a of the emphatic attributing proportion high mortality Sept. 27th. to the improper feeding of infants upon artificial foods. ______Mr, J. A. Rawlings, M.R.C.P. Edin., who is a member of the corporation, said that they could not give too much PARIS. attention to this grave and serious question and he thought (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) that what was wanted was a more complete inspection of the sources of the milk-supply, the cowsheds, and milking places in the rural districts. In his annual report for 1900 the Sanitation in Post Offices. county medical officer of health of Glamorgan (Dr. W. THE Under Secretary of State for Post Offices and Tele- Williams) stated that the inspection of these premises graphs has just issued to the departmental directors a cir- in most districts in the county was carried out in a cular to be transmitted to all chief post-masters of France very lax manner, and when referring to the same subject requesting them to inquire into the general condition of all in his report for 1903 he expressed the opinion that the post-office premises in their department and to inform county councils should be endowed with the power their sub-postmasters that those who fail to keep their offices to enforce uniformity of control over such an important in good order will be liable to have their promotion delayed. article of food as milk. The medical officer of health In an additional circular the Under Secretary of State of the Llantrisant rural district (Dr. W. Naunton Davies) describes the methods to be followed by post-masters with in his last annual report describes the conditions which respect to the sanitation of their offices. For the daily cleaning he has observed in some cowsheds where the hands of the of the various rooms dry sweeping and sprinkling with water milkers are for the most part inadequately washed, their nails are strictly forbidden. Of the rooms having tiled floors some being long and affording quarters for any amount of objection- are to have the floors flushed with water every day ; others able material. Even, he says, if the milkers exercise all are to have the floors flushed with water twice a week and possible’ care with their hands it is extremely difficult to washed with wet cloths daily. Parquet floors are every day prevent polluting the milk with some amount of manure to be wiped over with hot turpentine, sprinked with damp which is practically smeared over everything in the place. sand, and swept. Once a week floors, whether tiled or Another medical officer of health (Dr. W. W. Jones) states parquet, are to be sprinkled with a solution of lysol of 2 per that the conditions of the dairies and cowsheds in the cent. strength. The cleaning of the front of the premises, Gelligaer rural district in most instances fall short of the the windows, and the woodwork will continue to be done by requirements of the regulations made under the Dairies, Cow- contractors. Tables, desks, and telephone apparatus are to sheds, and Milkshops Orders. It would appear, therefore, be wiped with cloths dipped in a solution of lysol of 2 per that Mr. Rawlings’s adverse criticism upon the state of the cent. strength. Water-closets and urinals are to be kept cowsheds in the county is quite justified. perfectly clean by frequent flushing and, if necessary, by Sept. 27th. with in the rooms ______sprinkling turpentine. Placing spittoons is strictly forbidden and those which are already in use are to be removed immediately. The washing, cleaning, and IRELAND. sweeping are to be done by the caretakers under the control (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) of the post-masters who will supply the requisite antiseptic solutions, sponges, swabs, brooms, and brushes. The rooms are to be ventilated as freely as possible, especially in the The Irish Medical Association. absence of the staff. Irish Association has sent a THE council of the Medical Prevention of Tuberculosis in Barracks. letter under the notice of those who are in bringing engaged On all sides attention is to the teaching of medical students the present condition of being given hygienic the Irish Poor-law medical service. It is shown that the measures, especially in the army where it is so important to maintain a standard of health. Tuber- annum in this service is under out high general average salary per £100, culosis is which is to be feared and of which all to the of his the disease most expenses necessary discharge it in the duties horse and the course which has been taken with regard to public (rent, taxes, vehicle, servants, &c.) of Grenoble be must be for his own garrison might advantageously adopted paid, leaving practically nothing In this the medical officers have He must attend on every ticket issued on behalf of everywhere. garrison support. a man to be out of health and this elastic term " has arranged that when is observed any " poor person" "poor person he shall be at intervals and if his is been so extended as to embrace almost There is weighed weight everybody. or a examination of him is no in the service, no of future advancement, stationary diminishing physical promotion hope made, of his His temperature is taken no holidays as of right, no increment of salary, and no especially lungs. several times a for some even of a To redress these evils the day days although nothing certainty retiring pension. abnormal has been found. If he is out of health and Irish Medical Association calls on all teachers to explain but his is to students and the mistake they would his weight is stationary, temperature normal, diplomates grave and is not on make in their services for such wretched he is kept under observation put exhaust- bartering pittances, If he is out of health with loss of the acceptance of which involves the honour and ing duty. weight dignity but no rise of he is on the sick of the whole profession. The association that each temperature placed hopes If he is out of health and with a member of the profession will that the list. losing weight daily recognise acceptance rise of but no of internal of a less sum than f:ZOO a year for duty, f:1ZO for temperature physical signs disease, dispensary in the he is on the sick list for three workhouse, or .E.300 for both would not tend to especially lungs, placed combined, only months. If he is out of health and with a lower their status in the of the but losing weight professional eyes public rise of and would prolong indefinitely a state of which is admitted daily temperature suspicious pulmonary sym- things he is a If he is out of to be a public scandal. ptoms given temporary discharge. health and losing weight with a daily rise of temperature Ulster Medical Society. and affected lungs, whether there are bacilli in the sputum At a meeting of the members of the Ulster Medical Society or not, he is discharged (" reforme No. 2 "). On this system held in the Medical Institute, Belfast, on Sept. 22nd, Dr. an improvement may reasonably be expected by sending the W. Calwell was unanimously elected president for the next men home. A man is never sent home in these circum- two years, in the place of Professor J. Lorrain Smith, who stances without having had fully explained to him the appre- owing to his going to Manchester has been obliged to resign. hensions which have led to his being placed on the sick list