1379

by the mortality at different ages, the figure, more especiallyin the western and south-western districts, would be reducedin their case by at least 2, if we are to institute a fair

comparison with the Lewis district, for example. In the

former, as shown by the low birth-rate, the proportion ofyoung and middle-aged is much less than in the latter,on account chiefly of the steady emigration of the workingclasses to America, Australia, and the colonies generally.From the Lewis, on the other hand, there is comparativelylittle outflow of population. Again, looking at this questionfrom another point of view, in the south-western districttwo-thirds of the deaths recorded were of persons over 60

years of age, while in the Lewis only half had reached thatage, while the conditions of life are much the same in bothdistricts. The inference is fair, that in the one case therewas a much larger infusion of young lives than in the other,with a correspondingly diminished number of deaths to berecorded. Passing to the birth-rates, the general rate allover the county is 20-213, as against 21-575 in 1908.In the insulo-rural districts the rate is 19-1, and in allScotland 26-3." With regard to the need for medicalinspection of schools, Dr. Bruce writes: "In a partof the country such as Ross-shire, where the naturalconditions are such as favour the public health, thereare few influences prevailing which are calculated tohave an openly injurious effect ; and consequently, measuresfor their improvement are in many respects uncalled for.One of the most real advances in combating disease is abetter knowledge of the laws of health. Hence I have con-tinued to advocate teaching and practical training in hygienein our public schools. With the advent of the medicalinspector there is sure to follow large improvement in thisrespect. It cannot be expected that old folks will changetheir ways, however strongly reforms may be urged upontheir notice, and I do not believo it advisable to push com-pulsion too soon or too far. The people must, in my view,be educated first to understand the necessity for ultimateresort to the law in certain cases before trying to enforce it.Much’has been said, for example, as to the filthy andsqualid state of many of the houses of our Highland fishingand crofting populations. No doubt, aesthetically, suchaccusations on this ground are well founded. But when

brought to the test of hard statistics the fact remains that insuch habitations there exist, on the whole, more than

healthy men and women."Ileath of an Aberdeen Medical Man in Ceylon.

Information has been received in Aberdeen of the death ofDr. James Craib, at the age of 57 years, youngest son

of Mr. John Craib, Strathmore, Coull. Dr. Craib waseducated at the University of Aberdeen, where he had

completed his curriculum as a medical man by the time hewas 21 years of age. Shortly after he went to Ceylon, wherehe has carried on his profession successfully ever since, pass-ing through several grades of the Government service tillhe reached the position of medical officer in charge of aprovince. His wife died some years ago, but he is survived

by a grown-up family. Dr. Craib was a keen sportsman andextremely popular with those with whom his work broughthim in contact.May 10th.

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BERLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Statistics of Venereal Diseases in Germany.AT a recent meeting of the Society for Social Medicine

Dr. Blaschko read a paper on the prevalence and distribu- tion of venereal diseases in Germany. He said that reliable statistics on this subject were difficult to obtain except withregard to the army. It has been found that venereal diseasesare less frequent in the German army than in any other European army. In the German army these diseases haveshown a steady and progressive decrease during the last 20years, and are in the various garrison towns less frequent i

among the soldiers than among the civilian population. In acollective investigation carried out on behalf of the medicaldepartment of the Prussian Government 41,000 venerealpatients were registered, of whom 11,000 were syphilitic.Obviously this number is much too small, and it :

has to be further remarked that only a fractionof the medical profession answered the questions of theGovernment schedule. From the statistics of the collectiveinvestigation it appeared that the proportion of personsunder medical treatment for venereal disease per 10,000 of theurban population was as follows : in Berlin, 142 men and 45women; in cities of more than 100,000 inhabitants, 100 menand 28 women ; in towns having from 30,000 to 100,000inhabitants, 58 men and 17 women ; in towns of less than30,000 inhabitants, 45 men and 17 women ; and among thegeneral rural population, 7’ 95 men and 2.7 women. In thearmy the proportion of venereal patients was 15 per 10,000.Classifying the cases as between town and country, 78 5 percent. of all the patients belonged to the urban and 21. 5per cent. to the rural population ; whilst in Prussia,on the contrary, 76’5 per cent. lived in the countryand 23-8 per cent. in towns. In Prussia 28 - 2 men

and 9-0 women per 10,000 of the whole population wereunder medical care for venereal diseases. Of the patients54 per cent. suffered from gonorrhoea, 7 per cent. from softchancre, and 39 per cent. from syphilis. The latter numberis obviously too high, the overstatement being caused by thefact that the duration of treatment is greater for syphilisthan for gonorrhoea, and that therefore a greater numbermust be registered on a certain day. In fact, only 10 percent. of fresh cases may occur within a year. Dr. Blaschkohad collected statistics from sick clubs, in which certaintrades or professions preponderated ; he found that in a clubconsisting largely of clerks the proportion of members

suffering from venereal disease was 16 per cent. ; in a work-men’s club it was 4 per cent. ; and in both clubs of thestudents of the Agricultural and of the Veterinary College itreached the high number of 25 per cent. It was an

interesting fact that in Southern Germany the amount ofvenereal disease is smaller, but the number of illegitimatechildren greater than in Prussia. In the colliery andmining districts of Rhenish Westphalia the number ofvenereal cases is very small; this is due to the circumstancethat the working population, which is predominant in thatdistrict, marries at a rather early age and is therefore lessexposed to infection ; in that part of the country there is alsoless prostitution than in the great commercial towns and sea-ports, in the garrisons and university towns, and in placeswith many foreign visitors. Dr. Blaschko declared himselfunable to explain the differences between the number ofvenereal cases in Northern and in Southern Germany, thedisparity being obvious at the examination of army recruits.The proportion of venereal cases per 1000 recruits comingfrom various cities and constituent States of the Empire wasas follows : Berlin, 41 ; Altona, 31 ; Kiel, 25 ; Nuremberg,12; Metz, 8; Prussia, 7-8; Saxony, 13-5; Bavaria, 4-8;Wurtemberg, 3-3; and Baden, 2-5. Venereal diseases are

obviously on the increase ; this is especially shown by thenumber of patients suffering from general paralysis admittedinto the Prussian lunatic asylums ; these patients during theperiod 1888-90 consisted of 995 men and 222 women, whilstduring the year 1908 the number rose to 2279 men and 660women.

May 10th.

CHILD-STUDY SOCIETY.-The annual conferenceof the Child-Study Society, consisting of constituent societiesat Birmingham, Cheltenham, Dundee, Edinburgh, Exeter,Halifax, London, Liverpool, Manchester, and West Kent,will be held at Tunbridge Wells on May 19th, 20th, and21st in the Town Hall. The presidential address will bedelivered by Sir James Crichton-Browne on Thursday,May 19th, at 9 P.M. On May 20th three addresses will begiven, at 11 A.M., 3 P.M., and 8 P.M. respectively, thesubjects being : The Social Life of a Child at a Co-Educa-tional School, by Mr. John Russell, headmaster of KingAlfred School, Hampstead ; The Child as Citizen, by Mrs.Higgs, author of I I Glimpses into the Abyss"; The Handas the Gate of Knowledge and Social Relationshlp, by theHon. Sir John A. Cockburn, K.C.M.G. On May 21st anaddress will be given by Miss Alice Ravenhill, at 11 A.M., onthe Result of an Investigation into the Play Interests ofEnglish Children, based on a Preliminary Examination of10,000 Returns. Mr. C. Lowry, The School House, Tonbridge,will invite the delegates to lunch on Saturday. The meet-

ings on Friday and Saturday (except the council meeting)are open to the public.