THE SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL SURGEONS' DINNER

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distinguished record, was conferred on a Licentiate of theCollege. There are at present living 10 honorary Fellows,418 ordinary Fellows, 2791 Licentiates, 9 honorary Diplo-mates in Public Health, 102 ordinary Diplomates in PublicHealth, and 496 Licentiates in Dental Surgery.A meeting was also held on June 3rd to elect the officers

for the ensuing year. The following were elected :-Pre-sident : Mr. Thomas Myles. Vice-President: Mr. L. H.

Ormsby. Honorary secretary : Sir Charles A. Cameron, C.B.Council: Sir Philip C. Smyly, Mr. H. R. Swanzy, Mr. E. H.Bennett, Mr. W. Stoker, Sir Charles A. Cameron, C.B., Mr.Austin Meldon, D.L., Mr. C. B. Ball, Sir William Thomson,C.B., Mr. J. B. Story, Mr. J. Lentaigne, Mr. ArthurChance, Mr. R. D. Purefoy, Mr. H. G. Sherlock, Mr. R.Bolton McOausland, Mr. F. Conway Dwyer, Mr. J. S.McArdle, Mr. R. H. Woods, Mr. R. Lane Joynt, and Mr.P. W. Maxwell.

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THE SOUTH AFRICAN CIVIL SURGEONS’DINNER.

ON the evening of June 5th Sir WILLIAM MAC CORMAC,Bart., K.C.B., K.C.V.O., presided at a large gathering ofcivilian medical men who, having returned from service inthe war in South Africa, dined together at the Hotel Cecil.The CHAIRMAN, in proposing the loyal toasts, which were

enthusiastically received, referred to the active interestwhich Queen Alexandra had taken with regard to the care ofthe sick and wounded.

Sir FREDERICK TREVES, K.C.V.O., proposed 11 The Navy,Army, and Reserve Forces," which was replied to by Rear-Admiral Sir ROBERT H. HARRIS, K.C.B., and the Secretaryof State for War.Mr. BRODRICK apologised for the unavoidable absence of

Lord Roberts and said that the Commander-in-Chief hadcharged him to express to those present his lordship’s highappreciation of the admirable services of the civil surgeonsin South Africa. The medical authorities had furnished theGovernment with some 700 recruits in a time of emergencyand he thought that there should be a good understandingbetween the military authorities and those high authoritieswho had furnished the recruits. There had been a greatdeal of criticism on the medical arrangements of the war, butthose persons who criticised generally overstated their case.Even if there were points on which amendment was desirablethe universal condemnation expressed by some persons ofthe zeal, ability, and organisation with which they had todeal had overshot its mark and had caused some revulsion offeeling in favour of those who, under great difficulties, hadtried to accomplish the task which they had had to fulfil inSouth Africa. Undoubtedly they recognised that with greaterdemands and the stress of modern appliances some changeswere necessary and that now was the proper moment to

apply those changes. Although he desired nothing moreardently in respect of the Medical Department than toobtain the best civilian guidance in perfecting theirarrangements, and although he hoped to ask veryshortly some of those who could most help them inthat respect from among the higher authorities of thecivilian profession to advise them on those changes which,whether in regard to elasticity of terms or improvement ofposition, might enable them to get the best candidates forthe medical service, still he could not help feeling that theyhad an organisation on which might be founded not merelysomething which was effective but something which, as theirexperience was most recent, entitled them to obtain a medi-cal organisation for the army which would place them in thefore-front of all European peoples. But while the Govern-ment would willingly avail themselves of the experience ofthose who had come to their rescue in South Africa, hetrusted that the patriotism of the medical profession wouldalso assist them in perfecting a scheme which would giveto the country the best medical organisation in the world.Mr. Brodrick concluded his speech by reviewing therecent events in South Africa and expressed the determina-tion of the Government to do everything that was possible toinduce the country to continue that patient endurance whichwas necessary at this stage of the war, and which alonecould bring these operations to a satisfactory issue andguarantee for us an honourable and a lasting peace.Mr, G. H. MAKINS, C.B., proposed 11 The Army in South

Africa," to which Major-General IAN HAMILTON, K.C.B.,responded, and in doing so paid a high tribute to the serviceswhich the medical profession had rendered to the army inSouth Africa. Referring to a case in connexion with hisown command he said that every civil surgeon or member of’the Royal Army Medical Corps had done the work of about10 men, working night and day. He referred specially tothe services of Colonel W. D. 0. Williams C.B., of the NewSouth Wales Army Medical Corps, and of Dr. Fremantle.Mr. A. D. Flupp, C.B., O.V.O., proposed the toast of’

The Royal Army Medical Corps," which was responded to bySurgeon-General J. JAMESON, C.B., who expressed his.

gratitude for the very excellent services rendered bythe civil surgeons in South Africa, many of whom, outof a spirit of loyalty and patriotism, had given up goodpractices and hospital appointments, severed family ties,renounced home comforts, and braved the risks whichbelonged to war. He said that he had been able to

supply every demand from South Africa both of personnel’and material, and those present that night were the

best judges of its efficiency. There were some 700civil surgeons employed and in selecting them he wasgreatly indebted for the help which he had receivedfrom deans and teachers of metropolitan schools andfrom professors of universities. He took the presentopportunity of thanking Professor D. J. Canninghamof Dublin and Professor McCall Anderson of Glasgow.Three civil surgeons were killed in action and nine-.died from disease. Four of the 523 men of the Royal ArmyMedical Corps were killed in action, two died from wounds,and 12 from disease. Enteric fever was responsible for thelarge majority of sickness ; this disease furnished 85 cases..Dysentery gave 39 cases and simple continued fever 21 cases.From enteric fever the rank and file suffered in about thesame proportion as did the medical officers.The toast of "The Guests" was proposed by Mr. A. A.

BOWLBY, C.M.G., and replied to by Sir ROBERT RoMER,G.C.B. and Major-General EATON. "In memoriam" wasproposed by Sir W. THOMSON, C.B., and "The Chairmanby Mr. CLINTON DENT.

ASYLUM REPORTS.

City and County of Bristol Asylum (Annual Revort for-1900).-The average number of patients resident during theyear was 784 and comprised 368 males and 416 females. Theadmissions during the year amounted to 246 and of these 16Lwere females and 85 were males. Of these, 29-viz., ?males and 22 females-were not first admissions. Dr. HarryA. Benham, the medical superintendent, states in his reportthat 40 female patients boarded out temporarily at the-Gloucester County Asylum were received here in July, 1900,and all patients chargeable to the city of Bristol are nowunder treatment in the asylum. There are 19 male boardersfrom unions under the control of the London CountyCouncil and 3 from other unions in the county. Dr.Benham is of opinion that in the city of Bristol nogreat increase (of insanity) has been experienced in,the last few years." Reconstruction and enlargement ofthe whole of the administrative and residential block ofthe institution were necessitated in 1889, and the building.was pulled down and rebuilt. It was opened in 1892 andwas furnished with accommodation sufficient to provide forover 1000 patients. In 1897 fresh buildings to provide for150 more female patients and an isolation hospital werecommenced. These have just been completed. Permission.has been obtained to provide additional buildings for 59 malepatients. Owing to the foresight displayed in securing thenecessary land and the erection of suitable buildings therewill probably arise no need for further extension for severalyears, and this period may be largely extended if the Poor-law guardians carry out the contemplated provision forchronic cases capable of treatment in the imbecile wards ofa workhouse. The removal of this class of patients from theasylum," says Dr. Benham, "is what I have earnestlyadvocated for many years....... It will give thisinstitution an opportunity of doing further justice tothose cases capable of improvement which should be theprimary object of asylum treatment, and whichig hinderedby the presence of those helpless and incurable cases whoseretention is found to be detrimental to the recovery of thoseamenable to treatment." The number of cases discharged as.