EDINBURGH

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about eight years of age, handed to his baby sister the pin,which she put into her mouth. The mother attempted tuextract it with her finger and thumb, but it fell into thegullet and passed into the stomach. When I arrived the

child was in no distress. I advised the parents to leavematters alone, and to resist the temptation to give either

purgatives or emetics. About 6 P.M. on the same day thescarf-pin was passed by the bowel. The child was quitewell, and free from pain from first to last.

There are points of interest to be noted in this case.

1. The apparently formidable character of the foreign body,and its satisfactory expulsion without interference. 2. Itspassage along the whole course of the alimentary canalwithin ten hours, from which we may gauge the pace of theintestinal peristaltic motion. 3. The confidence with whichthe natural fears and anxieties of parents may be allayed byinforming them that as a matter of fact children are con-stantly swallowing all sorts of such things with impunity,when their parents or nurses are in blissful ignorance ofwhat has happened.

I am. Sir. vour obedient servant.ARTHUR T. H. TREVOR, M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond.

Beaumaris, Sept. 14th, 1885.

THE PRELIMINARY EXAMINATION.

F. DE HAVILLAND HALL.Westminster Hospital Medical School, Sept. 23rd, 1885.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-In my capacity as Dean of the School I find that

students about to enter do not appear to be aware of thefact that on and after October 1st no person will be allowedto be registered as a medical student unless the subject ofelementary mechanics has been included in the PreliminaryExamination. Heretofore students could pass in this sub-ject after registration.

I am. Sir. vours faithfullv.

EDINBURGH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY BUILDINGS FUND.

A subscription of .f250 to the University New BuildingsFund has been intimated by Mr. Alexander Tod, of St.

Mary’s Mount, Peebles. The object of this fund is to furtherthe completion of the handsome buildings in Teviot-row,which accommodate the Medical Faculty. The sum requiredfor this purpose is nearly .S100,000, of which about one-tenthis already subscribed; and the additions to the presentbuildings, which it is intended to carry out in completingthe original plan, are a lofty tower and a spacious hall.The latter is particularly a desideratum, as the Universityhas at present to go far afield to obtain a hall of dimensionssuitable for graduation ceremonials, meetings for Universitybusiness, and other academic functions. Of the sum of220,000 already expended in bringing the buildings totheir present stage of completion, 140,000 was raised byprivate subscription within a period of less than ten years,and .E80,000 was contributed by Government. The fundsalready in hand are allowed to accumulate until a sufficientsum shall have been acquired to warrant the recommence-ment of building operations. The building was designedby Mr. Rowand Anderson, architect, and it is one that, whencompleted, will form a striking addition to the manyexamples of chaste architectural conceptions with whichEdinburgh is already so richly endowed.

PUBLIC BATHS FOR EDINBURGH.

The Town Council has resolved to devote a sum of ael1,OOOto the construction of public swimming and plunge baths,upon the site of land which was till recently occupied bythe Old Edinburgh Infirmary. The plan which has been

accepted provides separate premises for men and women,and in each department there will be a spacious swimming-pond and a series of plunge baths. Edinburgh has of latedisplayed a most wholesome interest in this importanthygienic question, and this year has already witnessed theopening of a very complete series of baths of all descriptionsunder the auspices of the Drumsheugh Baths Company,whose premises, situated at the west end of the city, con-stitute a clubhouse for bathing purposes. In the last few

years the Municipality of Glasgow has expended a quarter-of a million in the construction of public baths and wash-houses, and other Scottish cities are now displaying asimilar activity.

UNIVERSITY GRADUATION ADDRESS, 1885.The annual address delivered to the graduates at the

ceremonial on August 1st has been published as a smallpamphlet. Professor Greenfield has done well in accedingto the urgent request of many of his friends, who desired topossess in a permanent form the text of his impressiveaddress, and many besides those who were present at theceremony will find in it matter of considerable interest.Edinburgh, Sept. 22nd.

THE ABERDEEN ROYAL INFIRMARY.

(From our own Correspondent.)

LET us hope that we have heard the last of "that in-firmary scandal," and that the managers will now settledown to the carrying out of the reforms so much requiredto put the institution in such a state as to command theconfidence and support of the public. At their quarterlymeeting, held last week, the managers had under considera-tion the report of the House Committee, giving the result oftheir investigations into the special charges brought againstthem by Dr. Angus Fraser in his memorable after-dinnerspeech and long letter published in the local papers. Thecase that caused the greatest sensation was that of thepatient who died from secondary haemorrhage on the fourthday after amputation at the thigh. The operation was per-formed by Dr. Garden, who declared that, on arriving at thebedside of the patient, to which, on account of the bleeding,he had been summoned by telephone, he found neithernurse nor house-surgeon in the ward. This statement heafterwards modified to the effect that he believed he"did see a girl there who was a probationer." That she wasa probationer he only afterwards learned, and it seems shewas one of sixteen months’ training. Towards the con-clusion of the long report, which is based on evidenceshowing an amount of cross-swearing not very creditableto the parties involved, the House Committee say that they"are not of opinion that blame is attachable to any one, orthat the fatal conclusion might not have happened in themost favourable circumstances." A motion that the reportbe approved and adopted was carried by 55 votes to Ii.There it was hoped the matter would drop, and it was, tosay the least of it, disappointing to find the Free Presscharacterise the result as one of those victories which areworse than defeat, thus encouraging people to believe thatthere was something kept back which it would not do tomake public, and so helping to undermine what little con-fidence in the infirmary there still exists. The fact remains,however, that nothing short of what will practically be anew hospital will put the institution upon a properfooting. There is no lack of money in and about Aber-deen for this purpose, and this the new Committee,appointed on the motion of Prof. Struthers, may seeits way to ask for with a reasonable hope that itwill be forthcoming. This new "Committee appointed toconsider the whole system of the hospital " has power tocall in the aid not only of one but of as many expertsfrom a distance" as may be deemed advisable to help it indeciding what reforms are necessary and how they shouldbe carried out.

A WARD FOR THE DISEASES OF WONEX.

On the motion of Professor Stephenson, at the same meet-ing, it was unanimously resolved ’’ That the Committee ofManagement be instructed to provide in the plans for theextension of the infirmary a special ward for the diseases of