Notes, Short Comments, and Answers to Correspondents

1040 NOTES, SHORT COMMENTS, AND ANSWERS TO CORRESPONDENTS.

Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.

THE BATTLE OF THE WIGS.

A CORRESPONDENT has sent us a well-preserved copy of " TheBattle of the Wigs," a medical jeu d’esprit to which allusionis often made, though the original is rarely seen. Theverses were published as an additional canto to the well-known poem of Dr. Trarth, " The Dispensary," and theoccasion of publication was certain disputes between theFellows and Licentiates of the Royal College of Physiciansof London. These disputes were dealt with by Dr. BonnellThornton, the author of the squib, in a very broad manner,no personalities being indulged in, and no prominentdoctor being specially designed for ridicule. It seemsthat about 1768 the Fellows, in order to mark the respectiverights of themselves and the Licentiates holding the lowerdiplomas, decided that the management of the Collegemust remain with the heads of the hierarchy; and, accord-ing to Dr. Thornton’s muse, who is unsupported by coldfact, the Fellows, expecting trouble with the more

numerous Licentiates, garrisoned their College buildingwith butchers to repel an organised attack of theLicentiates, who had employed blacksmiths to break openthe College gates in Warwick-lane:-

Within the gates close-bolted, lock’d, and bar’d,Of neighb’ring BUTCHERS stands an awful guard;Each with an azure apron strung before,And snow-white sleeves, as yet unstain’d with gore :The foe the whetting-iron hears dismay’d.Grating harsh musick from the sharp’ning blade.From Newgate Market came the bloody bands,

With marrow-bones and cleavers in their hands,Fram’d to split skulls, and deal destructive knocks,To fell a doctor, or to fell an ox ;-Fit instruments to quash a foe, then ringA peal of triumph.-Ding dong, ding dong, ding.No wonder, butchers should physicians aid ; ;

The same their practice, nor unlike their trade :And what alliance more exactly suits ? ?Man-killers leagued with those who slaughter brutes.Nor yet on these alone the Dons rely,

But they prepare a mask’d artillery.A water engine, charg’d with beastly gore,Stands ready on the foe its filth to pour.And what than this can cist a greater dread,Design’d to change the sable coat to red ?

The poem ends with the intervention of Pluto, whoappears in full pantomimic guise, black-coated, red-legged,and plumed, and insists on the suspension of civil warbetween medical men :-

" Though Doctors differ;-for the human tripeThough some the purge prefer, and some the pipe;Or in th’ intestines raise the sharp commotion,Some with a pill, and others with a potion;Though, to apply the flayer of the skin,Some hold a virtue, others ho’d a sin ;In Antimony some their trust repose.And some in Mercury, -to save a nose;In this one point ye never disagree,-Ye’re all unanimous-about the fee.

" Come then, my friends, (for now methinks I spyA mild complacency in ev’ry eye,)Think on the meed, that tickles sweet your hand.The glitt’ring meed, no Doctor can withstand."

Pluto then disappeared in a triumphal car shaped likea hearse and drawn by six coal-black steeds, throughWarwick-lane, down Ludgate-hill, to the Fleet Ditch,which is pictured as being in direct connexion withAcheron. Into this polluted stream the god disappears,with a strong perfume of asafcetida. Thereafter, pre-sumably, peace prevails, for the last couplet of the poem is-

Their feuds forgot, the Doctors, with amazeAnd rev’rent awe, on the procession gaze.

The special knowledge of classics and the general know-. ledge of contemporary literature displayed by Dr. Thornton

in his poem of 260 lines is really remarkable.

HEALTH OF SEYCHELLES.

ACCORDING to the annual report of the Governor of

Seychelles. Lieutenant-Colonel C. R. M. O’Brien, C.M.G.,the estimated population of the colony on Dec. 31st, 1915,was 24,435 (12,435 males and 12,000 females), an increase,as compared with the previous year, of 294. The birth-rate for the year was 27-78 per 1000 and the death-rate16’33 per 1000. The number of in-patients treated in theVictoria Hospital in 1915 was 548. and 1989 personsreceived attention at the Government dispensaries.During the months of July and August there was anepidemic of mild dengue fever, but the cases were

far from being typical. In the last two months of theyear a considerable number of cases of an extremely

acute and severe form of cellulitis were met with; theinfection generally occurred in the legs. The treatmentadopted was free incision of the infected areas, followedby baths and constant application of hypertonic salinesolu-tion, as recommended by Colonel Sir Almroth Wright; thisproved most successful, the infected areas healing withsurprising rapidity. An epidemic of jaundice broke outtowards the end of the year, but was quickly subdued.The Chief Medical Officer reports no diminution in thenumber of cases of venereal disease or of ankylostomiasis.The hookworm expert who is being sent by theInternational Health Commission to advise as to thebest means of combating the spread of the last-nameddisease is not expected to arrive in Seychelles before theend of 1916. In anticipation of his visit a considerablenumber of persons were examined in order to ascertainthe percentage of population infected with intestinalparasites. The results give the island of La Digue a per-centage of 70, and tne rest of the colony 41, of ankylo-stomiasis infection. The number of patients in the LeperAsylum on Dec. 31st, 1915, was 7. The rainfall for the yearwas 114’88 inches (5’81 inches more than in 1914) and themean temperature was 80.48 F.

THE LATE EMPEROR OF AUSTRIA AS A PATRONOF MEDICINE.

AT the Vienna Medical Society on Nov. 24th the President,Dr. Sigm. Exner, summarised Emperor Francis Joseph’sservices to science and the medical world in particular.The reform of secondary education was, he said, the out-come of the Thun curriculum, dating from the early part ofthe Emperor’s long reign, which freed the universitiesfrom the yoke of scholasticism. The motto " Science and itsteaching is free," was due to him as well as its practicalapplication. The new buildings of the General Hospital inVienna were his work. During his reign the Vienna.Medical School attained the high-water mark of its fameunder Rokitanski, Skoda, and Hyrtl at first, and later Arlt,Schuh, Dittel, Hebra, Oppolzer, and Tdrck, while theEmperor did not hesitate to nominate such foreigners asBrucke, Billroth, Nothnagl, and Striimpell to add to itsdignity.

IRISH NURSES AND THE COLLEGE OF NURSING,LIMITED.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-I am at a loss to understand how your Irish corre-

spondent has ascertained " the fact that membership of theCollege is open not merely to trained nurses but to thosepractising any branch of nursing, such as mental nursingor massage, and that the latter are to have equal voice withfully trained members in the government of the College."On reference to the Memorandum and Articles of Associa-

tion it will be seen that membership of the College is strictlylimited to nurses who possess a certificate of proficiency ingeneral nursing (medical and surgical), and it is the memberswho govern the College. Obviously, however, a college whichaims at becoming the headquarters of the nursing professionin all its branches must have power to grant certificates inany special branches, but such certificates do not carrymembership, nor do they entitle the holder to a place oa the,Register. I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

M R RUNDLE

Vere-street, W., Dec. llth, 1916. --- --- --

Secretary.FIRE PREVENTION IN HOSPITALS.

THE British Fire Prevention Committee call attention to a.series of warning posters which they issue gratuitously.These are 8 inches wide, printed in red, and two of themdeal specially with hospitals : No. 10 with Red Cross hos-pitals, &c., and No. 11 with private hospitals, convalescenthomes, &c. These may be obtained in suitable number bythe medical officer, matron, or secretary of the hospitalupon written application to the Registrar at 8, Waterloo-place, London, S.W.-A useful little manual of 60 pageson "Fire Prevention and Fire Protection" has also justbeen issued by Dr. Otto R. Eichel, an official in the NewYork State Department of Health (London: Chapman andHall. 1916. Price 4s. 6d.), and contains the measuresadopted by the National Fire Protection Association. Itis unfortunate that the little book is so expensive.

THE VALUE OF CHOCOLATE AND COCOA.WE have before now pointed out that some silly things havebeen said about chocolate which have attempted with an airof authority to discount its value as an article of food. Thismight very well be repeated to-day, as there is some con-fusion of thought between the value of sugar and chocolateas subjects for discussion. A chocolate ration in the AustrianArmy was thought to be very valuable, and even sugar ina pail of water has often been given as a reviving dra,ughtto weary horses, not to mention men. In THE LANCET of

. 1905 (Jan. 7th and Feb. 14th) we published the results ofsome special investigations on " Cocoa Chemically and

1041MEDICAL DIARY.-EDITORIAL NOTICES.-MANAGER’S NOTICES.

Physiologically Considered," which are again of interest inthese days when food-values are being reconsidered. Thegreat cocoa and chocolate products must be considered bythe public in a fair spirit, as they are of real value,although some of them may cause criticism bv being toomuch adorned and too luxuriously flavoured. A loafof bread or a steak tied up with ribbons and wrappedin fancy paper is still real food. The cocoa, chocolate, andchocolate biscuits which Messrs. Cadbury Brothers havesubmitted to us may properly be considered as of specialimportance to workers during these strenuous times. It isobvious that no care or expense has been spared to renderthem useful and palatable, as well as pure.

H. A.-The author’s dramatic way of illustrating the differ-ence in subsequent events, when town and country arecompared, is too pictorial for a medical treatise and maybe misleading through absence of precision. Of course, alarge proportion of these cases are spontaneously set rightby growth.

________________

Medical Diary for the ensuing Week.SOCIETIES. ’

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICMF. 1. Wimpole-street, W.Monday, Dec. 18th.

OCCASIONAL LECTURE (the President of the Society in the-chair):at 5 P.M.

Sir Almroth Wright will deliver a lecture in the Robert Barnes Hallon " Gas Gangrene."

N.B.-Members of all Sections are invited.

Tuesday, Dec. 19tb.GENERAL MEETING OF FELLOWS: at 5 P.m.Ballot for Election to the Fellowship.

(Names have already been circulated.)MEETINGS OF SECTIONS.

Wednesday, Dec. 20th.HBTORY OF MEDICINE (Hon. Secretaries- J. D. Rolleston, Charles

6inger): at 5 P.M.Exhibit of Portraits, Books, &c. (at 4.30 P.M.).Paper : :

Dr. J. D. Roberts : The Medical Interest of Casanova’s 11 Mcmoires

Thursday, Dec. 21st.DERMATOLOGY (Hon. Secretaries-J. E. R. McDonagh, HenryMacCormac): at 5 P.M.

Vases (at 4.30 P.M.). ROYAL SOCIETY OF ARTS, John-street, Adelphi, W.C.

WEDNESDAY.-4 P.M., Paper:-Mr. A. C. Benson, C.V.O.: Classicaland Scientific Education.

ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, 20, Hanover-square. W.WEDNESDAY.-7 P.M., Mr. A. Bacot : Note on the Relation between

the Hatching and Development of the Larvae of the Yellow FeverMosquito, Stegomyia Fasciata, and the presence of Bacteriaand Yeasts. _____

LECTURES, ADDRESSES, DEMONSTRATIONS, &c.POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE, West London Hospital, Hammersmith-road, W.MONDAY.-2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Gray:

Operations. Mr. B. Harman: Diseases of the Eye. Dr. Simson:Diseases of Women.

TUESDAY.-2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr.Baldwin: Operations. Dr. Banks Davis: Diseases of the Throat,Nose, and Ear. Dr. Pernet: Diseases of the Skin.

WEDNESDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Saunders: Diseases of Children. Dr. BanksDavis: Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. 2 P.M.. Medicaland Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Pardoe : Operations. Dr.Simson: Diseases of Women.

THURSDAY.-2 P.M.. Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Gray:Operations. Mr. B. Harman : Diseases of the Eye.

FRIDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Simson : Gynaecological Operations. 2 P.M.,Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Baldwin : Opera-tions. Dr. Banks Davis : Diseases of the Throat, Nose, and Ear.Dr. Pernet : Diseases of the Skin.

SATURDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Saunders: Diseases of Children. Dr. BanksDavis: Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. Mr. B. Harman :Eye Operations. 2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays.Mr. Pardoe: Operations.

NORTH-EAST LONDON POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE, Prince ofWales’s General Hospital, Tottenham, N.MONDAY.-Clinics:-10.30 A.M., Surgical Out-patients (Mr. E.

Gillespie). 2.30 P.M., Medical Out-patients (Dr. T. R. Whipham):Gynaecological Out-patients (Dr. Banister). 3 P.M., MedicalIn-patients (Dr. R. M. Leslie).

TUESDAY.-2.,30 P.M., Surgical Operations (Mr. Carson). Clinics :-Medical Out-patients (Dr. A. G. Auld); Surgical Out-patients(Mr. Howell Evans) ; Nose, Throat, and Ear Out-patients (Mr.C. H. Hayton). Radiography (Dr. Metcalfe). 3.30 P.M., MedicalIn-patients (Dr. A. J. Whiting).

WEDNESDAY.-Clinics:-2.30 PM., Throat Operations (Mr. C. H.Hayton). Children Out-patients (Dr. T. R. Whipham); Eye Out-patients (Mr. R. P. Brooks); Skin Out-patients (Dr. H. W.Barber). 5.30 P.M., Eye Operations (Mr. R. P. Brooks).

THURSDAY.-2.30 P.M., Gynaecological Operations (Dr. A. E. Giles).Clinics :-Medical Out-patients (Dr. A. J. Whiting); SurgicalOut-patients (Mr. Carson); Radiography (Dr. Metcalfe). 3 P.M.,Medical In-patients (Dr. R. M. Leslie).

FRIDAY.-2.30 P.M., Surgical Operations (Mr. Howell Evans).Clinics :-Medical Out-patients (Dr. A. G. Auld); Surgical Out-patients (Mr. E. Gillespie) ; Eye Out-patients (Mr. R. P. Brooks).

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M E T E O R O L O G I G A L READINGS.(Taken daily at 8.30 a.m. by Steward’s Instruments.)

THE LANCET Office, Dec. 13th, 1916.

Other information which we have been accustomed to give in thcse11 Readings" is withheld for the period of the war.

The following journals, magazines, &c., have been received .-Annales de Medecine, Annae Paulistas de Medicina e Cirurgia,Public Health, Revista Odontologica, Journal of Mental Science,American Journal of Public Health, St. Thomas’s Hospital Gazette,Interstate Medical Journal.