1
174 intestine was normal. The mesenteric glands were a little swollen. The spleen weighed 1620 grammes ; it was firm, hard to the knife, and on section showed a homogeneous surface of the colour of normal muscle. The liver weighed 1675 grammes and had a normal appearance except that it looked a little pale and that in places there seemed to be small hæmorrhages. The bone marrow appeared to be normal. Microscopic examination showed that the subserous coat of the intestine was considerably hypertrophied, its thickness exceeding a centimetre. It was traversed by numerous vessels of new formation. Around these were developed connective-tissue fibres, in the meshes of which were polynuclear cells, principally neutrophiles, myelocytes, and lymphocytes. There were also giant cells which invaded the muscular coat. On the peritoneal surface were dense, non-vascular, false membranes, full of lymphocytes and polynuclear cells. The tumours were composed of the same tissue as that which produced the diffuse hypertrophy of the submucous coat. In the meshes of the connective tissue were some liquid, numerous neutro-, baso-, and acido- phile myelocytes, and a large number of polynuclear cells. The spleen was much altered; the lymphatic follicles had almost completely disappeared ; the fibrous trabeculas were thickened ; in the pulp were lymphocytes, mononuclear and non-granular cells, polynuclear cells, myelocytes, and a few nucleated red corpuscles. In the bone marrow were giant cells in a state of activity, various forms of myelocytes, among which were many basophiles and eosinophiles, and some nucleated red corpuscles. The mesenteric glands were almost entirely transformed into myeloid tissue. Clinically two periods can be distinguished in this case of leukasmia which proved fatal in eight months. At the beginning gastro-intestinal symptoms, severe abdominal pain, and repeated vomiting were dominant ; then the general health failed and ascites developed. When after paracentesis the masses were felt in the abdomen both the history and the signs seemed to render the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitis probable. The condition of the spleen was typical of myelo- genous leukaemia but this was not the case with the intes- tinal lesions. The whole of the small intestine was thickened by the formation of a new coat which in places formed small bosses and in others veritable tumours (myelomata). The clinical importance of the intestinal symptoms in myelogenous leukaemia has been pointed out by Rendu and by Jossuet. But no case appears to have been recorded in which abdominal masses were felt during life. M. Letulle and M. Halbron conclude that both clinically and anatomic- ally the evidence shows that an intestinal form of myelo- genous leukasmia may be distinguished. AN ANNOTATION BY JOHN HUNTER. MARGINALIA by famous men have always an interest for intelligent readers, even when their writers have apparently been actuated by a fit of temper or even fury. John Hunter was a good hater who often nursed a grievance and he was wont to scourge his adversaries and those who had offended him with no mean vigour when occasion offered. Thus we find him scribbling on the margin of one of the original manuscript Hunterian Museum catalogues sentences which even after the lapse of more than a century retain all their pristine acrimony. The writer of the catalogue is speaking, in a note or appendix, of the famous dispute on the absorbent nature of the lymphatics. "In the Life of Dr. Hunter," he says, "written by Dr. Simmons [John Foart Simmons] we find a desire of robbing him of the discovery of the lymphatics being absorbents, and to prove that he was not the discoverer a passage is quoted from Noguez’ works." The mention of this writer provokes John Hunter to the following -characteristic outburst. It was scribbled, apparently in great haste, on a stray scrap of paper and has been bound into the catalogue and piously furnished with a transcript in full by Hunter’s disciple, the College Conservator, William Clift. " Noguez’ work," says John Hunter, "is what they call an improvement upon Keil, but I may venture to say that those who are only able to publish the works of others are themselves not fit to publish any thing in that way ; for they can never be a judge of what should be added, nor what should be taken away ; for if they were perfectly master of the subject, then they certainly could make a better book themselves upon the subject. It is much easier for a man of real knowledge to make a new work than to mend an old one. It is clear that they can only in real knowledge be cobblers ; and indeed there are few works that deserve a new edition, when they require additions, excepting by their original author." There is much to commend Hunter’s view. THE TRAINING OF WORKHOUSE INFIRMARY NURSES IN YORKSHIRE. THOSE who have watched the development of the art of nursing during the last quarter of a century, and who must of necessity have been struck by the improvement that has taken place in the attainments of nurses in the various hospitals throughout the kingdom, cannot have failed also to note the desire on the part of the public to be supplied with properly trained nurses in cases of illness and the gradual improvement in the status and training of nurses in workhouses and union infirmaries. Some time ago a con- ference took place between certain of the unions of the West Riding of Yorkshire with the idea of arranging some scheme of training and of examination on a common basis, but no definite conclusions were arrived at. During the last ten years the guardians of the Leeds union have provided a systematic course of training for probationer nurses and the results have been eminently satisfactory. The union infirmary, which is undergoing substantial reconstruction and will be considerably enlarged, is certified at present for 650 cases, exclusive of 120 imbeciles. The number of acute cases and of surgical cases is considerable. During the year 1904 there were 2474 74 patients admitted. In such an institution which has as its head an experienced resident medical superintendent in the person of Dr. J. Allan, who is assisted by two juniors, the training can, as might be expected, be thorough and efficient, though even in this case it would be desirable if an arrange- ment could be made for the nurses, during some time of their training, to spend some months at a large general hospital to extend their surgical training. The staff consists of a matron at a salary of .6100, an assistant matron, a sister whose duties are mainly in the nursing home, a night superintendent, and ward sisters at salaries of from .632 to £35, together with assistant nurses and probationers who are undergoing a course of training. These constitute in all a staff of 60, exclusive of those in charge of the imbecile department. The probationers attend on two months’trial. If found suitable physically and it is thought that they will turn out good nurses they then " sign on " for three years’ training and during this time they are paid at the rates of £10, £14, and £18. They are instructed in systematic classes and tutorial classes first by the matron and then by the resident medical superintendent. At the end of their three years’ training they are examined by an independent external examiner by means of a written examination and by a thorough vivi voce examination, and on his report, coupled with that of the resident medical super- intendent and the matron, the certificate of efficiency is given or withheld. Since 1895 about 100 nurses have obtained certificates and the examiner has had no difficulty . in the maintenance of a satisfactory standard. During the last few years the guardians of the Hunslet union have instituted a course of training on much the same lines as

AN ANNOTATION BY JOHN HUNTER

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174

intestine was normal. The mesenteric glands were a littleswollen. The spleen weighed 1620 grammes ; it was firm,hard to the knife, and on section showed a homogeneoussurface of the colour of normal muscle. The liver weighed1675 grammes and had a normal appearance except that itlooked a little pale and that in places there seemed to besmall hæmorrhages. The bone marrow appeared to be

normal. Microscopic examination showed that the subserouscoat of the intestine was considerably hypertrophied, its

thickness exceeding a centimetre. It was traversed bynumerous vessels of new formation. Around these were

developed connective-tissue fibres, in the meshes of whichwere polynuclear cells, principally neutrophiles, myelocytes,and lymphocytes. There were also giant cells which invadedthe muscular coat. On the peritoneal surface were dense,non-vascular, false membranes, full of lymphocytes and

polynuclear cells. The tumours were composed of the sametissue as that which produced the diffuse hypertrophy ofthe submucous coat. In the meshes of the connectivetissue were some liquid, numerous neutro-, baso-, and acido-phile myelocytes, and a large number of polynuclear cells.The spleen was much altered; the lymphatic follicles hadalmost completely disappeared ; the fibrous trabeculas werethickened ; in the pulp were lymphocytes, mononuclear andnon-granular cells, polynuclear cells, myelocytes, and a fewnucleated red corpuscles. In the bone marrow were giantcells in a state of activity, various forms of myelocytes,among which were many basophiles and eosinophiles, andsome nucleated red corpuscles. The mesenteric glands werealmost entirely transformed into myeloid tissue. Clinicallytwo periods can be distinguished in this case of leukasmiawhich proved fatal in eight months. At the beginninggastro-intestinal symptoms, severe abdominal pain, and

repeated vomiting were dominant ; then the general healthfailed and ascites developed. When after paracentesis themasses were felt in the abdomen both the history and thesigns seemed to render the diagnosis of tuberculous peritonitisprobable. The condition of the spleen was typical of myelo-genous leukaemia but this was not the case with the intes-tinal lesions. The whole of the small intestine was thickened

by the formation of a new coat which in places formedsmall bosses and in others veritable tumours (myelomata).The clinical importance of the intestinal symptoms in

myelogenous leukaemia has been pointed out by Rendu andby Jossuet. But no case appears to have been recorded inwhich abdominal masses were felt during life. M. Letulleand M. Halbron conclude that both clinically and anatomic-ally the evidence shows that an intestinal form of myelo-genous leukasmia may be distinguished.

AN ANNOTATION BY JOHN HUNTER.

MARGINALIA by famous men have always an interest forintelligent readers, even when their writers have apparentlybeen actuated by a fit of temper or even fury. John Hunterwas a good hater who often nursed a grievance and he waswont to scourge his adversaries and those who had offended

him with no mean vigour when occasion offered. Thus we

find him scribbling on the margin of one of the originalmanuscript Hunterian Museum catalogues sentences whicheven after the lapse of more than a century retain all theirpristine acrimony. The writer of the catalogue is speaking,in a note or appendix, of the famous dispute on the absorbentnature of the lymphatics. "In the Life of Dr. Hunter,"he says, "written by Dr. Simmons [John Foart Simmons]we find a desire of robbing him of the discovery of the

lymphatics being absorbents, and to prove that he was notthe discoverer a passage is quoted from Noguez’ works." Themention of this writer provokes John Hunter to the following-characteristic outburst. It was scribbled, apparently ingreat haste, on a stray scrap of paper and has been bound

into the catalogue and piously furnished with a transcriptin full by Hunter’s disciple, the College Conservator, WilliamClift. " Noguez’ work," says John Hunter, "is what theycall an improvement upon Keil, but I may venture to saythat those who are only able to publish the works of othersare themselves not fit to publish any thing in that way ; forthey can never be a judge of what should be added, nor whatshould be taken away ; for if they were perfectly master ofthe subject, then they certainly could make a better bookthemselves upon the subject. It is much easier for a manof real knowledge to make a new work than to mend an oldone. It is clear that they can only in real knowledge becobblers ; and indeed there are few works that deserve anew edition, when they require additions, excepting by theiroriginal author." There is much to commend Hunter’s view.

THE TRAINING OF WORKHOUSE INFIRMARYNURSES IN YORKSHIRE.

THOSE who have watched the development of the art ofnursing during the last quarter of a century, and who mustof necessity have been struck by the improvement that hastaken place in the attainments of nurses in the various

hospitals throughout the kingdom, cannot have failed alsoto note the desire on the part of the public to be suppliedwith properly trained nurses in cases of illness and the

gradual improvement in the status and training of nurses inworkhouses and union infirmaries. Some time ago a con-ference took place between certain of the unions of the WestRiding of Yorkshire with the idea of arranging some schemeof training and of examination on a common basis, butno definite conclusions were arrived at. During the

last ten years the guardians of the Leeds unionhave provided a systematic course of training for

probationer nurses and the results have been eminentlysatisfactory. The union infirmary, which is undergoingsubstantial reconstruction and will be considerably enlarged,is certified at present for 650 cases, exclusive of 120imbeciles. The number of acute cases and of surgical casesis considerable. During the year 1904 there were 2474 74patients admitted. In such an institution which has as its

head an experienced resident medical superintendent in theperson of Dr. J. Allan, who is assisted by two juniors, thetraining can, as might be expected, be thorough and efficient,though even in this case it would be desirable if an arrange-ment could be made for the nurses, during some time oftheir training, to spend some months at a large generalhospital to extend their surgical training. The staff consistsof a matron at a salary of .6100, an assistant matron, asister whose duties are mainly in the nursing home, a nightsuperintendent, and ward sisters at salaries of from .632 to£35, together with assistant nurses and probationers who areundergoing a course of training. These constitute in all a

staff of 60, exclusive of those in charge of the imbecile

department. The probationers attend on two months’trial.If found suitable physically and it is thought that they willturn out good nurses they then " sign on " for three years’training and during this time they are paid at the ratesof £10, £14, and £18. They are instructed in systematicclasses and tutorial classes first by the matron and then bythe resident medical superintendent. At the end of theirthree years’ training they are examined by an independentexternal examiner by means of a written examinationand by a thorough vivi voce examination, and on his

report, coupled with that of the resident medical super-intendent and the matron, the certificate of efficiency is

given or withheld. Since 1895 about 100 nurses haveobtained certificates and the examiner has had no difficulty

. in the maintenance of a satisfactory standard. During the, last few years the guardians of the Hunslet union have

, instituted a course of training on much the same lines as