SCOTLAND

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desirous of following in the wake of Huddersfield, as infantilemortality in the lower districts of Liverpool has been aconstant source of anxiety to the medical officer of health.The step is regarded as a sound one and strong hopes areentertained of thereby saving many lives. The poorerdistricts will, no doubt, alone be visited by the femaleinspector, although it is intended to make the Act of generalapplication.

The House-fly and Infantile Diarrhœa.At arecent meeting of the health committee a discussion

arose on the question of the prevalence of zymotic diarrhoeaand the part played by the house-fly in the propagation ofthe disease, which was stated to account for 44 per cent. of Ithe infantile death-rate of the city, principally in the summermonths. A motion was proposed and seconded in the follow-ing terms:—That this committee, being of opinion that the germs of diseases,

especially of zymotic diarrhoea. are spread by house-flies resolves thatimmediate steps be taken by the departments under its control toremove all accumulations of decomposing organic matter, especiallyin ashpits and middens, which are likely to afford breeding-places forflies and to enforce greater cleanliness in districts in which zymoticdiarrhoea is most prevalent.

Dr. E. W. Hope (the medical officer of health) pointed out tothe committee that the work was constantly going on, andthe question was whether it could go on any faster ; whether,for instance, the conversion of ashpits could be proceededwith more rapidly. About 35,000 ashbins had been put inplace of the old ashpits. That was a very importantmatter. The closest attention was also being paid tothe stables. The motion rather pinned them to thebelief that the house-fly was the only cause of thediarrhoea. It was a very important contributory causebut it was by no means the only one. Food givento infants would become putrescent without the inter-vention of the house-fly. The investigations which thecommittee authorised some few months ago into the historyof the house-fly had been going on during the winter months,though it was not an easy matter to get at their breedingplaces. Professor Ronald Ross and Mr. R. Newstead wereinvestigating the matter, and in a few weeks-certainlywithin a few months-a report from them would be issued.The discussion would be of great value if it impressedon the public the necessity of disposing of domestic refuse byburning and of preventing putrescence near the windows ofhouses. The motion was eventually withdrawn with anexpression that the medical officer would make a report onthe matter.

Professor James Campbell Bro7vn.The honorary degree of doctor of laws has been recently

conferred upon Dr. James Campbell Brown, the professor ofchemistry at the University of Liverpool, by the Universityof Aberdeen. Professor Kennedy, the dean of the faculty oflaw, in presenting the candidates, said : ’’ Dr. CampbellBrown would always be associated with the origin andprogress of University College, Liverpool, now the Universityof Liverpool. He was recognised as standing in the veryfirst line of practical chemists, and as analyst during ageneration for Liverpool and Lancashire had done valuablepublic service, A pupil of the Old Gymnasium, OldAberdeen, and a student and bursar of Marischal College,they felt proud of his career."April 1,6th.

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SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The Milk-supply of Edinburgh.Dr. A. M. Williamson, chief sanitary inspector for the city

of Edinburgh, has just issued his annual report, no part ofwhich is more important than the section in which the milk-supply of the city is dealt with. Milk from the varioussources of the city’s supply has been bacteriologically exam-ined by Professor C. Hunter Stewart at the Usher Institute.The samples taken represented 64 separate supplies fromcountry districts as well as a number from city byres. Pro-fessor Hunter Stewart followed the line taken by Dr. A. C.Houston in his " Report on the Bacteriological Examinationof Milk in Relation to Milk Standards presented to theLondon County Council in 1905. The amount of centrifugedsediment was estimated and the special micro-organisms

sought for were the bacillus coli communis, the bacillusenteritidis sporogenes, streptococci, and the bacillus tuber-culosis. With regard to the centrifuged deposit theresults were not as good as those found by Dr. Houston inthe specially collected milks in London, but Dr. Houston’smilks were collected with special care while in the Edinburghinvestigation samples were taken at random from theordinary supplies. The results in Edinburgh showed that intown milks in 66 per cent. of the cases examined there wereless than 25 parts per 1,000,000 parts of such sediment ; incountry milks in 52 per cent. there were less than 25 parts ;and in 56 per cent. of the railway milks there were lessthan 25 parts. In Dr. Houston’s specially collected

milks all the samples gave under 25 parts of sediment per1,000,000 parts. Taking the special micro-organisms investi-gated the bacillus coli communis was found in all thesamples, whether taken from town, country, or railway milks.In the specially collected London milks it was onlyfound in 40 per cent. of the samples examined. Thebacillus enteritidis sporogenes was found in 47 per cent.of the samples of town milks examined ; in 28 per cent.of country milks; and in 37 per cent. of railway milks. TheLondon figures were 40 per cent. Streptococci were foundin 30 per cent. of the samples of town milk examined, in 19per cent. of country milks, and in 14 per cent. of railwaymilks. The milks were also examined for acid-fast bacilli,of which the most important found in milk is the bacillustuberculosis, and it is remarkable that none were found inany of the samples examined after sedimentation and pro-longed centrifuging. This important investigation giveswhat may be taken as the average bacteriological conditionof the milk as supplied to the milkshops of Edinburgh,and it remains similarly to study milk as supplied to theconsumer after storage in the milkshop. Dr. Williamson,while recognising the satisfactory nature of ProfessorHunter Stewart’s report, draws attention, as he has donebefore, to the necessity of obtaining and exercisingstill further powers in the examination of byres, and inthe regulation of places where milk is sold. He stronglyinsists upon the necessity of a milking-shed for the cowskept in city byres. He also draws attention to the want oflegislation to empower the seizure of a tuberculous cow.Such a cow can at present be removed from the district ofone local authority to another and supply milk for humanconsumption until it is detected by the officers of thatdistrict. Dr. Williamson’s report also deals with the lowerclasses of property in the city, the inspection of one-roomeddwellings, the sanitary appliances in this type of property,and the conduct of common lodging-houses and of ice-creamshops. In all these departments satisfactory progress can bereported as having taken place during the year covered bythe report, so that Dr. Williamson may be congratulated onhis results and encouraged to continue his efforts in alldirections which tend to the improvement of the hygienicconditions of the city population.

University of Edinburgh: :Spring Graduation Ceremonial.The spring graduation ceremonial at the University of

Edinburgh was held on Friday, April 12th, and was ofunusual interest owing to the fact that the Colonial Premierswere to receive honorary degrees. Only three of them wereable to be present-namely,. the Hon. Sir Joseph GeorgeWard, K.C.M.G., Prime Minister of New Zealand; theHon. Leander Starr Jameson, C.B., M.D., Prime Minister ofCape Colony; and the Hon. Frederick Robert Moor, PrimeMinister of Natal. The honorary degree of LL D. wasconferred on them. Amongst the other recipients of thesame honour was Professor David James Hamilton, professorof pathology in the University of Aberdeen, and Sir JohnTweedy, lately President of the Royal College of Surgeonsof England. After the graduation the honorary graduateswere entertained to luncheon in the University Union. Atthe graduation ceremonial Principal Sir William Turner, inhis capacity as Vice-Chancellor, presided and conferred thedegrees ; at the luncheon Mr. J. B. Forbes Watson, M.A.,president of the union, presided.

Danyers of the House-fly.An interesting series of experiments have been carried out

by the bacteriologist to the Govan town council with a viewto eliciting the part played by house-flies in the dissemina-tion of infectious disease. Several flies were made to crawlover freshly prepared agar-agar contained in sterile Petridishes. The dishes were then placed in an incubator at thenormal temperature of the body and at the end of 24 hours

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numerous colonies of micro-organisms appeared on the sur-face of the media. On microscopical examination thesecolonies were seen to consist of growths of micro-organismsassociated with the presence of sewage and decomposingorganic material. The contamination of milk and other foodby the house-fly may thus possibly help to explain the pre-valence of summer diarrhoea, especially in the case of bottle-fed children.

flccsgon Lock Hospital.The 101st annual report of this institution shows that 362

patients were admitted during last year. The averagenumber of patients resident was 51, which is the highestfigure recorded in the annals of the hospital. A most satis-

factory feature is that there was a considerable decrease inthe number of patients who left irregularly or before thecompletion of their cure. It is to be regretted, however,that there is an increase in the number of young patientsand the directors have drawn the attention of the LocalGovernment Board to this point.

Blasgorv Maternity H08pital.Like almost every other hospital in Glasgow, the Maternity

Hospital is appealing to the public for funds to complete theadditional buildings at present in course of erection. The

hospital was originally started in 1834 and has occupieddifferent sites during its history. The present hospital wasbuilt in 1840 and for a number of years the directors havebeen hampered for want of accommodation both for patientsand students. In 1860 the number of indoor and outdoorpatients was 994 ; in 1880 it had increased to 1288, and in1904 to 3455. The amount obtained from fees of studentsand nurses in the early years of the hospital was under.E100, while in 1904 the amount had risen to .E2083. Thedirectors believe that the buildings at present drawingtowards completion will enable them to meet the pressureon their present inadequate accommodation for patients andat the same time to provide a school equipped in all its

departments for the teaching of practical obstetrics and

gynaecology. Towards the price of the ground and the costof the new buildings a sum of about f.40,OOO has been sub-scribed, but f.35,000 are still required.

I,nfectio2is Diseases in Blasgow.The weekly return of the sanitary department shows that

there are in Glasgow 100 cases of cerebro-spinal feverunder the observation of the authorities as compared with110 in the previous week. In the city hospitals and undersanitary supervision at home there are 1336 cases of infectiousdisease of all kinds. B

April 16th. __________________

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Royal Colleg6 or Surgeons in Ireland: Election of Ewamirners.A MEETING of Fellows will be held on Tuesday, May 7th,

at 4.30 P M., pursuant to the provisions of the SupplementalCharter, to witness the election of examiners. " Graduates of

any University which may be from time to time recognisedby the College shall be eligible for election as examiners inthe subjects of general education. All the other examinersshall be Fellows or Licentiates of the College or professors orlecturers in any school of medicine recognised by theCollege. Persons engaged in private teaching are not

eligible to be examiners." Candidates are requested to lodgetheir applications in writing with the Registrar, at the

College, on or before Tuesday, April 30th, at 10 A.M.

Meath Hospital and County of .Dublin Infirrnary.The annual meeting of the governors and supporters of the

Meath Hospital took place on April 15th, Mr. ArthurAndrews presiding. The secretary, Mr. Francis Pearose,submitted the report of the work done during the pastyear, in which he mentioned that the hospital board ofsuperintendence had visited the hospital, the hospital com-mittee of the Dublin corporation, while the visiting com-mittee of the Dublin Hospital Sunday Fund inspected theinstitution without notice, and all reported favourably of thecondition in which they found it. He said that the financialstate of the hospital was unsatisfactory as the deficit in thefunds had existed for some years and a debit balance ofZ538L exists at this time-the close of the year. Mr. JohnMulhall moved the adoption of the report. Sir Lambert

H. Ormsby, in seconding the motion, said that he wishedthe charitable people to know that the hospital had carriedon its work uninterruptedly for 150 years. The report andthe financial statement were adopted. Sir John W. Moore

proposed that the thanks of the meeting should be returnedto the Dublin county council and the city of Dublin

municipal council for their grants. He had noticed withsatisfaction that the corporation had raised its grant toE300 a year, and he especially thanked the Dublincounty council for its contribution of E1000 a year. Hedid not know what they could do without that, consideringthe large number of patients admitted from all parts of thecounty.

Royal Victoria Baths at Kingstown.The Kingstown urban council passed a resolution in favour

of establishing the Victoria baths at Kingstown on April 15th.The baths will cost 10,000, but they are much required.

Oerebro-Spinal Fever in Belfast.At a meeting of the public health committee held on

April llth the superintendent medical officer of healthreported that during the week ended April 6th there hadbeen 27 cases of cerebro-spinal fever, as compared with 31for the previous week. The total number of cases notifiedwas 283, with 177 deaths. A nurse at the union infirmary-said to be the first contact case in the epidemic-has died,and also a policeman. The general death-rate for the weekended April 6ch was actually 27 per 1000, and from theprincipal zymotic diseases 1’ 8. There were in Purdysburnfever hospital 26 cases of enteric fever, 29 of scarlet fever,eight of diphtheria, and 42 of cerebro-spinal fever.

The Belfast Health Co1wmission.During the week commencing April 8th the Health Com-

mission held two sittings each day and has made manyinspections in the city. The following, who were nominatedby the Ulster Medical Society, appeared and gave evidenceas to the questions of water, drainage, houses, milk, theprevalence of preventable diseases, the backward conditionof the public health administration, and similar matters:Sir John Byers, Professor J. A. Lindsay, Dr. W. Calwell,and Dr. Alexander Dempsey. Dr. M. H. Aicken also gaveevidence as to the insanitary houses. Dr. J. McCaw andMr. H. N. Barnett will appear later. The commission hasadjourned until April 24th, when the expert witnesses inreference to the water-supply on behalf of the city corpora-tion and the Belfast Water Commissioners will appear.April 16th.

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PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Calciurrt Ohloride in the ’1 rcatrnent of Urticaria.AT a meeting of the Society of Biology held on

March 15th M. Netter read a paper giving an account ofsome cases of urticaria in which he had tried calciumchloride as recommended by Wright. M. Netter had used itin various kinds of cedema, in cases of chilblain, and in

pruritus. Wright was led to use this salt by theoreticaldeduction from having seen urticaria supervene after the

ingestion of acid fruits, after injections of serum, and afterthe giving of soap enemata, all of which render the bloodless coagulable by taking the lime salts out of it. Wrightconsidered that this diminution of coagulability was in directrelation with the production of urticaria. Without doubtthe mechanism concerned is of a very complex nature, forthe calcium plays a great part in many cellular and organicfunctions. The part which calcium plays in the nervoussystem is obvious.

Lipomata and Tuberculoois.On April 2nd M. Poncet read a paper on the above subject

, before the Academy of Medicine. His thesis was admirably, worked out and he brought evidence in support of it. Themain point was that he attributed to tuberculosis the originof certain lipomata which grow (poussent) under the skin

: and which are commonly called "loupes." This seems! curious at first ight for lipomata are fatty growths and. tuberculosis is always credited with producing a thinning: effect. But in M. Poncet’s view this is beside the question.! He put on one side congenital lipomata and proceeded to. demonstrate that tuberculosis, in so far as it is an intoxica-j tion by the toxins formed by Koch’s bacillus, is capable of