676

South Shields.It has been found necessary to close the Ingham Infirmary

at South Shields pending some investigation of the drainagearrangements. The health of the medical and nursing staffand matron having become affected, all the patients havebeen removed to other institutions. The Ingham Infirmaryis quite a new building, and was supposed to have beenerected with all approved arrangements as to drainage andventilation.

JJ{iddZesbro ugh.The new museum at Middlesbrough, with its capital

collection of fossils, chiefly from the lias formation, and theornithological collection, has been enriched by the recentpurchase of the Newcastle Natural History cases ; to thesewill be added many curios and local relies. The presentpremises are temporary, but a more permanent site will beshortly provided by the corporation of Middlesbrough.

Durham.The annual meeting of the Northumberland and Durham

Blind Society has been held in Bishop Cosin’s Library,Durham. The Society has now 415 cases. 2502 volumeshad been lent during the year to blind persons. TheBraille system, which had been introduced last year,showed steady progress. Dr. Moer’s jubilee will beremembered this year by the blind, who are contributingto a testimonial in recognition of his labours on theirbehalf. Mr. Jeaffreson of Newcastle has consented to actas honorary ophthalmic surgeon to the Society.-At a latemeeting of the Durham Rural Sanitary Authority, Dr. Jepsonof Durham and Mr. Hepburn of Coxhoe were appointedmedical officers of the western and eastern districts, at asalary of £75 each. Mr. Blackett, M.R.C.S., of Durham,until lately held these appointments, and only received ;E75for the whole, so that it is pleasing to note increasedremuneration now for sanitary work.

Newcastle-on-Tyne, March 18th.

BIRMINGHAM.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The General Hospital.MR. JOHN JAFFRAY presided at the annual meeting of

this hospital on the 19th inst. The report states that thetotal number of in- and out- patients for the year is 49,557,as compared with 45,137 in 1888. The total expenditure inthe year amounts to £15,385. The ordinary and extraordinaryincome, including this year the Hospital Sunday collection,shows an increase of f3196 13s. 3d. Further, it was shownthat in the year there had been 14,189 cases admitted, 9by ticket and 31,760 admitted free among the out-patients.

The Women’s Hospital.At the annual meeting of this hospital, on the 19th inst.,

the Mayor, Mr. F. C. Clayton, presiding, it was stated thatthe number of patients treated at the out-patient depart-ment was 3029, an increase of 115 as compared with theprevious year. The in-patient department showed a decreaseof 50 ; in all 278. Of the in-patients, the abdominal sectionshad been 136 ; of these 14 had died, or 10’3 per cent. Thecommittee stated that after careful investigation they hadnot succeeded in tracing this increased mortality to anydefinite cause. An official investigation strongly con-

demned the use of a ward in the yard as being altogetherunfitted for patients of any class owing to sanitary defects.This condition had been altered since. The receipts for theyear, increased by several large legacies, was £4077 12s. 1d.,the expenditure, £1898 2s. ld., leaving an excess of£2179 10s.Birmingham,. March 19th.

EDINBURGH.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Royal Society of Edinburgh.AT an ordinary meeting of the Royal Society held last

night, Sir William Thomson, President, read notes on anaccidental illustration of the effective ohmic resistance to atransient electric current through an iron bar, which wasallowed unwittingly to come in contact with the two polesof a dynamo in action. The effect on th bar was that two

hollows were burned out of the rod at the points of contactat the same instant. There was no great blaze of light, andSir William Thomson suggested that the rod had becomeinstantaneously heated over a filmy portion of the surface.This heated surface had come in contact with the skin of

Lord Armstrong, who was holding the bar with his fingersbetween the two hollows, and burns were inflicted where-his fingers touched the metal. The heating of the bar musthave been exceedingly superficial, as when picked up im-mediately afterwards it was found to be quite cold. Pro-fessor C. Michie Smith read an interesting paper on the-Absorption Spectra of certain Vegetable Colouring Matters.The results he obtained were in some respects similar to,those of the hemoglobian spectra; but there were essentialdifferences. The paper was of considerable interest, and wasevidently appreciated.

Reparative Surgery.The future of the repair of bone is a promising one. The

various operations for the introduction of bone to fill up,gaps are now somewhat numerous, and it is interesting tonote that there has been a gradual transition from the useof decalcified bone through the stage of small fragmentstightly packed up to the use of large pieces of healthy aseptic-bone. Quite recently Mr. A. G. Miller has exhibited amost interesting case to his students, in which he has made

- a piece of ox rib of considerable size form the foundation of’ part of a new tibia, to replace what had been destroyed by; necrosis. The operation in this case seems to have been

"’ery successful, and when Mr. Miller publishes an account,L which I have no doubt he will, many points of interest

will come up for discussion.

The Close of the Session.The medical classes close on Friday, the 21st, and indi.

cations are not wanting that both teachers and students-are looking forward to the recess with feelings of pleasure.The students, however, have, many of them, to face thefirst and second professional examinations in the Universityor the three examinations in the Colleges, so that, althoughthe classes are already thinning off somewhat, there is stillgreat activity on the part of those who remain. It is statedthat the number of those coming up for the preliminaryexamination is not quite so great as in former years.

Farewell Social to Dr. G. Sims Woodhead.Under the auspices of the Edinburgh University Athletic

Club, a farewell social gathering to Dr. G. Sims Woodheadwas given on the 18th inst., in the University Union, when avery well-chosen programme of songs and instrumentalmusic was presented. During a break in the programmeProfessor Annandale said Dr. Woodhead had been a memberof the University Athletic Club for seventeen years,during which he was for four years a member of the Rugbyteam. Dr. Woodhead, he was sorry to say, was leaving them,but although they regretted his departure they could notbut rejoice in the fact that it was under most pleasant.circumstances. He was going to take the managementof the most recent pathological laboratory in London, andthey could not help feeling that he was going to London’to add to the reputation of the Edinburgh Medical School.In the name of the club and many friends Professor Annan-dale then presented Dr. Woodhead with a handsome silverreading lamp, along with a brooch for Mrs. Woodhead.Dr. Woodbead suitably replied on his own and Mrs. Wood-head’s behalf.Edinburgh, March 18th.

DUBLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

, Banquet at the Royal College of Surgeons.MR. AUSTIN MELDON, D.L., J.P., president of the-

College, entertained his Excellency the Lord-Lieutenantand a large number of distinguished guests to dinner onSaturday last. The banquet was a magnificent one, themenu, service, decorations, and music being exceptionallygood, and the entertainment was unquestionably the bestof the kind ever given within the walls of the College. Thetoasts were not too numerous, and the speeches made bythe generous host in proposing each were well chosen, anddelivered with judgment and eloquence.

Rotunda Lying-in Hospital.The governors have issued a special appeal for funds for

677

’this excellent charity. Its income- has been reduced, as

compared with former years; for example, the annual grant.of £3000 from- Government has been reduced to j&TOO.Further, some structural alterations and improved bath andlavatory arrangements have-become necessary. As showingwhat improved sanitation has effected in the death-rate ofinmates- admitted to the hospital, it may be mentioned thatin 1869 the death-rate was 35 per 1000; in 1879, 10; and lastyear only 3. The institution is one of the largest and bestmanaged in the three kingdoms, and the governors’ appealshould meet with a worthy response.

Royal Academy of Medicine in Ireland.In the Pathological Section of the seventh volume of Trans-

actions, recently issued, Dr. E. H. Bennett describes a Con-,genital Malformation of the Humerus in a Mummy, witharthritic changes. Mr. Wheeler has a paper on SyphiliticDeposits in the Tongue, followed by epitbelioma, and states.as his experience that old syphilitic deposits are fertile sourcesof cancerous development; and Dr. O’Carroll narrates the his-tory of the case of Leprosy in Dublin which attracted so much.attention. Dr. Magee Finny deseribes a case of a solitaryTubercular Tumour of the Pons in a man aged thirty-five,who had previously shown no evidence of tuberculosis ; andMr. A. H. Benson some examples of Sarcoma of the’Choroid. The present volume is not behind its forerunnersin interest and value, and, like its predecessors, has been- edited by Mr. Thomson in his usually eilicient manner.

Ditblin Hospital Sunday Fund.The sixteenth annual meeting was held last week, pre-

- sided over by the Provost of Trinity College. Sir John Banks,in proposing the adoption of the report of the Council, saidit was satisfactory to learn that the amount collected duringthe past year exceeded that of the previous year, and alsothat the number of churches in which collections weremade was greater than in the year 1888. If the Dublin Hos-pitals Bill passed, the effect would be to take £4000 fromthe grant to the Dublin hospitals, and he need scarcely saythat the deduction of such a large amount would have the- effect of closing a considerable number of beds. It would,close altogether one institution (the Richmond Hospital)with which he was connected, and which had done goodwork in the past, and was doing excellent work this moment.The money which it now received would be distributedamong the other hospitals, but they would receive £4000less than all were now getting. The working expenses ofthe fund for the year amounted to E260 Os. 5d., being£4 15s. ld. more than in the preceding year, or 6’25 per cent.on the total collected. Mercer’s Hospital is included amongthe participating hospitals this year.

Sir Charles A. Cameron, .31. D.Sir Charles Cameron, President of the British Public

Health Medical Society, gave an "At Home" " on Tuesdayevening, the 18th inst., and entertained his guests in a mostFhospitable manner. Among those present were the Prince,and Princess Edward of Saxe-Weimar, the Marchioness ofAylesbury, Sir John T. Banks, K.C.B., Sir William Stokes,.any many other distinguished persons. There was someexcellent music by leading professionals and amateurs, and,a series of physical, physiological, and chemical demonstra-tions by scientists of repute. The guests numbered nearly400, and a very pleasant and enjoyable evening was spentby those present.

Drunk or Dying?On the 6th inst. a man named Cummins was brought to

the South Dublin Workhouse in an unconscious state, anddied the following morning, death being due to an abscessof the brain. The deceased was picked up in the street inan unconscious condition and brought to a Dublin hospitalfrom the police station, wirere he was charged with drunken-ness, but not admitted. As the case will be investigated, itis unnecessary to enter more fully into the matter at present.

Death of Mr. Nicolls of lVa2un.The death of Mr. J. P. Nicolls, medical officer of Navan

Union Hospital and Dispensary, occurred on the 15th inst.,as the result of a wound sustained while making a post-mortem examination. His kindly, genial dispositionendeared him to everyone with whom he come in contact,and his decease at the early age of thitty-five years is deeplyregretted by all classes, but by none more than by the poorin his district, to whom he was both a skilful adviser and akind generous, and sympathetic friend.

Hearth of Ireland in 1889.The births registered in Ireland during last year

amounted to 107,782, or 228 per 1000 of the population ;while the total number of deaths was 82, 986, or 17.5. Ofthe deaths, 5619, a number equal to 1-2 per 1000 li.ving,were caused by one or other of the principal zymotic diseases.The salary of Mr. Kenny, M.P., medical officer of the

North Dublin Union Workhouse, has been increased from£150 to £200 yearly.Mr. George Cope, late assistant physician to the Richmond

Lunatic AsyluM, has been presented, on his resignation,with an address and testimonial by the officers and staff.Dublin, March 18th.

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Therapeutic Action of Caffeine.PROFESSOR GERMAIN SÉE lead a paper before the

Academy of Medicine on the Action of Caffeine. He beganby recalling the extraordinary narratives of travellers con-cerning the stimulating properties of many vegetable sub-stances which primitive peoples employ to enable them toundergo prolonged fatigue. In every part of the globesome of these marvellous plants are to be found, by theuse of which the negro and the Indian are enabledto traverse immense deserts without food. In SouthAmerica it is the cora or mate or the guarano ;in Africa it is the kola nut; in Asia it is the coffee orthe tea plant. For several years the last two havebeen adopted in Europe; and now, at the instigation ofProfessor Heckel of Marseilles, the kola nut, in the formof cake, is being experimented with among the Frenchtroops. It is interesting to remark that all these substances,or nearly all of them, contain one and the same alkaloid,caffeine. The study of the physiological properties of thissubstance will explain many of the marvels which arerelated by travellers. At least, that is the idea of Pro-fessor See, and such is the object of his researches.He remarked that, till now, light has not beenthrown on the properties of caffeine, and opinions onits therapeutic action had up till now been very varied.Professor See had performed several experiments duringthe last twelve months, which placed beyond a doubtthe action of caffeine on the muscular function. Herelated that some young men had one day undertaken longjourneys and joined in long foot-races, under the ordinaryconditions of food-supply, and on the following day, afterhaving taken from thirty to fifty centigrammes of caffeine ;all of them affirmed that the caffeine had prevented anyuntoward after-effects or any sensation of fatigue. It wasalso observed by registering apparatus that after a longrace there was found no alteration of the circulatory orrespiratory rhythm if they had taken the caffeine two hoursbefore running. Professor See therefore believed thatcaffeine placed an untrained man in the position of an indi-vidual trained to fatiguing exercises. He concludes thatcaffeine in man acts on the motor voluntary influx, whichstarts from the brain with great energy and acts on themore excitable motor centres. Thus the forces are aug-mented and fatigue is abolished. Caffeine does not act bysaving the nitrogenous tissues from wear and tear, but byfacilitating the combustion of the ternary elements of theorganism. It seems to augment the central temperature, and

, to increase the excretion of carbonic acid, and thus furnishesstrength to a starved individual, but at his own expense.We are here, apparently, in presence of a paradox: the

. caffeine on the one part accelerates denutrition; on theother it prevents the evil effects of starvation. Caffeine does

not save the tissues, as does the complete absence of all work.It acts like a food in repairing their waste. It acts instimulating the cerebro-spinal functions on the one part;

and also in producing a special excitation analogous to that, arising from the mere ingestion of any food stuff. It is- known that the ingestion of an alimen will increase thestrength, even before it is acted on by the gastric juice, by, stimulating the organism to make use of its reserve supplies.r Professor See is just now occupied in pursuing his re-

searches on the action of caffeine on the heart and vessels.This action is very different from what is at presentreceived. To comprehend it, one must first study the