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and paid out of the Consolidated Fund. After directingattention to the imperfect and nnsatisfactory working of theSuperannuation Act, Dr. Rogers concluded by urging that,as the services of Poor-law medical officers are in every sensenational, the nation ought to be called on to grant themfair superannuation.

Dr. BRADY, in seconding the resolution, recommendedthat a petition should be presented to Parliament, settingforth the grievances under which medical officers laboured,and a deputation should be appointed to interview the Pre-sident of the Local Government Board on the same object.The resolution was carried unanimously.The second resolution, moved by Dr. JoNES, and seconded

by Dr. VANCE, was-" That this Association has long recog-nised and strenuously advocated the expediency of callingfor returns from Poor-law medical officers of cases of infec-tious diseases, &c., under their charge, and perceives withastonishment and regret that the Department at Whitehall,while most wisely appropriating this suggestion of the As-sociation, has omitted to provide for the remuneration ofthe great additional labour on the part of the medical offi-cer involved in the preparation of such returns, and truststhat the independent members of the House of Commonswill call the attention of the Legislature to this last in-stance of disregard of fair dealing on the part of the depart-ment towards an already overworked and underpaid body ofprofessional men."The resolution was carried, and the proceedings terminated

with a vote of thanks to the chairman.

CONVERSAZIONE OF THE FACULTY OF PHY-SICIANS AND SURGEONS OF GLASGOW.

ON the evening of March 26th the Faculty held, in theirhall, a conversazione, to which had been invited all theirlicentiates resident in Scotland, and the greater part of theprofession in the western counties. The attendance was

large, almost every county in Scotland being represented.The company was received in the large hall by the President,Dr. Eben. Watson, who gave a short address of welcome,and briefly indicated the objects of interest to be found inthe various apartments. These included an array of micro-

scopes, under the care of Dr. Adams, of almost every variety,from the simple hand magnifier to the most elaborate in-strument of the best makers. A very ingenious form of hotstage, both portable and simple, was exhibited by Dr.Carmichael, who also showed, in action, an electric stage.Among the subsidiary apparatus there was shown a veryeffective lamp, by Parkes, of Birmingham, the intense lightfrom which is thrown in parallel lines through a tintedglass shade, and so modified as to give a beam of pure whitelight, suitable equally for the microscope, the laryngoscope,or as a reading-lamp. In connexion with the uses of themicroscope, there was shown a large collection of micro-graphs, in illustration of physiology and toxicology, Dr.Adams exhibiting a number taken by him in 1854, andtherefore among the earliest specimens extant, while Dr.Bell showed by the lime-light, and other connected

apparatus, the most approved method of taking such

photographs. In the departments of chemistry and toxi-cology was exhibited by Dr. St. Clair Gray an admirableseries of preparations, illustrating the reactions charac-teristic of the principal poisons. Dr. Dougall presented aninstructive series of preparations, showing the action ofvarious chemical bodies on organic matter, and also a num-ber of illustrations of the germ theory of putrefaction.From the laboratory of Messrs. Wallace, Tatlock, andClark were shown numerous beautiful specimens of purechemicals. These gentlemen also gave a demonstration ofthe detection of various metals by spectrum analysis. Mr.Brown exhibited in action the most recent forms of medicalelectric instruments, while Mr. Hilliard and Mr. Chapmanpresented the recent improvements in surgical and obstetri-cal apparatus. Demonstrations in laryngoscopy were givenby Dr. Watson’s assistants, and in ophthalmoscopy by Dr.Reid, who also exhibited Helmholtz’s ophthalmometer, andshowed the mode of measuring the corneal curves. Dr.McVail showed in action a very ingenious instrument of

his own invention for recording, by the graphic method,the relative strength of the mechanical force in inspirationand expiration. Illustrative of sanitary science, Dr. Fergusand Mr. Scott gave a’demonstration of the impossibility ofexcluding sewer gases from houses by means of traps. Manyinteresting objects were shown in the department of medicalarchseology, that which attracted most attention being theobstetric and surgical instruments and the microscope ofDr. William Hunter, which have lately been discovered in a.box in the Hunterian Museum of the University. Refresh-ments were served in the library.

Correspondence.

THE DISCUSSION ON CHOLERA AT THEMEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.

"Audi alteram partem."

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-I was present at the discussion on cholera at the

Medico-Chirurgical Society, to which you have given suchprominence in your last number. One thing puzzled me inits course to which I find no reference is made in your leader,and which, curiously enough, was not made as much of byDr. Cuningham in his reply as might have been done. Mr.

Radcliffe commented, among other things, upon the wantof circumstantiality (I think that was the phrase, or some-thing like it) of the data adduced by Dr. Cuningham, andcontrasted them with the data adduced in the Broad-streetPump outbreak of cholera of 1854, and the East Londonoutbreak of 1866. Of the latter outbreak and its history nodoubt Mr. Radcliffe has a right to speak with authority,seeing the part he played in its investigation. Let me add,also, that in this case he was speaking of it in defence asagainst statements of Dr. Cuningham made in that gentle-man’s report of cholera in North-West India in 1872. Butwhen Mr. Radcliffe adduced his investigations of this out-break as an illustration of careful inquiry, I think we have a.right to ask some explanation from him of certain points withregard to it noted by Professor Pettenkofer, and which havebeen repeated again and again by that distinguished manwithout contradiction. Dr. Sanderson directed the atten-tion of the meeting to the similarity in several respects ofProfessor Pettenkofer’s views to those of Dr. Cuningham,and I fully expected the latter gentleman in his reply tohave alluded to what I am now about to mention.

Professor Pettenkofer, in his article on Cholera in Shipsat Sea, and in other articles, asserts that Mr. Radcliffe, inorder to sustain his theory of the East London outbreak,makes the water of the river Lea run up stream to suit hisconvenience ; and further, that his main argument that thearea of the outbreak was the area of a particular water-sup-ply was equally true of the area of one of the gas companiesof East London. Moreover, Professor Pettenkofer statesthat the first two cases of cholera in the East London out-break occurred on the premises of this gas company. Nowif these statements be true, the circumstantiality for whichMTr. Radcliffe contends may be very pretty, but not veryuseful. Pettenkofer obviously thinks that in making thesestatements nothing more need be said of the official theory)f the East London outbreak.It is possible I may not have followed Mr. Radcliffe’s re-

narks accurately, for his mode of speaking reminds meery much of an irrepressible bottle of ginger-beer with theork partly loose ; but at any rate, it would be interestingo learn what he has to say concerning the foregoing state-aents of Pettenkofer.

I am, Sir, &c.,April 6th, 1874.

____ x.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-The leader on cholera in your issue of the 4th of

April will, in every probability, be copied into the IndianMedical Gazette, and thus be disseminated throughout theBengal Presidency.When in India I taught the 11 contagion " theory because