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Correspondence.

THE PROPOSED CONJOINT EXAMININGBOARD.

"Audi alteram partem."

To the Eclitor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-As I perceive, from the article in THE LANCET, thatsome misapprehension exists as to the effect of the resolu-tions of the Medical Council in favour of the formation of a

conjoint board of examiners in each division of the kingdom,permit me to explain what it will be, if the resolutions be-come law.

1. The board of examiners will be appointed, not by thecorporations alone, but by the universities and corporations.Care will be taken that the modes of election, the term ofservice, and other points, are properly arranged.

2. Everyone who wishes to be registered as a legallyqualified medical practitioner must pass the examination ofthis board.

3. No other examination will be necessary for registrationas a medical practitioner.

4. The exact form which registration will take has notyet been decided. In the scheme of the English universitiesand corporations, now under consideration, it is proposedthat the examination of the English conjoint board shallentitle to the membership and licence of the Colleges andHall, without, of course, additional examination or fee. Ifthis be carried, the old registration titles will remain as atpresent, and everyone will have a double qualification.Special provision will be made for university graduates.

5. The fees which the English medical student will payfor the examination of the conjoint board will be less thanhe now pays for a double qualification. The English corpo-i7ations, especially the College of Surgeons, have acted in amost liberal spirit, for which credit should be given.With this explanation, I think you will see that your

objections lose their force; and that the resolutions reallyembody an efficient, as they certainly do a simple andequitable, arrangement.

I am, Sir, your most obedient servant,March 14th, IS70.

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E. A. PARKES.E. A. PARKES.

EXTRAORDINARY INSTANCE OF ACCIDENTALLEAD-POISONING.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,—The following account of accidental lead-poisoning

will be deemed worthy of some notice in the pages of yourjournal, as well on account of its extent as of the singularmode of its production. Cases of lead colic began to beobserved in this town at the end of January and the begin-ning of February, the symptoms being pain in the bowels,sickness, and constipation, and the blue line was distinctlyseen on the edge of the gums. The occupations and resi-dences of the affected persons soon pointed to the source ofthe poison. Publicans, and their lodgers, and the e1nployrJsof a certain brewery, were the first sufferers-all drinkingthe same beer, and probably to a large amount. In thecourse of one month twenty-seven cases came under treat-ment, and at the same time information reached me thatpersons had been attacked with similar symptoms at public-houses in Godalming, Ripley, and other places, which weresupplied with beer from the same brewery-in all, abouteighteen cases.As soon as the source of the mischief was recognised, I

00mmunicated my suspicions to the brewers; and, on theirinvitation, inspected the principal departments of theirestablishment. The only circumstance that arrested myattention was the fact of some new works having beenerected, and completed at the end of November last, inwhich red lead had been used as a cement at the insertionof pipes and taps. Although the surface exposed by it wassmall, and such cement is ordinarily used for the purpose,this use of red lead at once suggested the possibility ofa large quantity of it having been left inadvertently in onEof the utensils, although it was objected to this explana.

tion that any such quantity would have been discoveredafter the first brewing, as all the tuns are washed outafter every brewing. The sequel will show that my surmisewas not far from the truth.The evidence afforded by several cases of lead-poisoning,

although conclusive to my mind, failed to convince thebrewers that the symptoms were due to lead, or that thelead was conveyed in their beer. They required the proofof chemical analysis ; and, accordingly, some samples oftheir beer were hastily tested for lead by myself and twoother medical practitioners, but without any satisfactoryresult, owing to the large quantity of organic matter

present.* *In the meantime fresh cases of lead colic presented

themselves, and nearly every man in the brewery was laidup. I applied now to the Mayor with a view to stop thefurther sale of the poisonous beer which was suppliedto eight public-houses and beer-houses in the town;but his worship informed me that he had no powers,either as chief magistrate of the borough, or as chair-man of the Board of Health, to deal with the case. It

may seem incredible, but the legal advisers of theborough were clearly of opinion that there was no enact-ment against the sale of beer contaminated with themetallic poisons, unless 11 malice " or " will " could beproved against the offenders. If such be the case, it ishigh time that some change were made in the law, orthat the old ale conners were revived. An appeal tothe excise officer met with no better success, because, as hesaid truly enough, the adulteration was not such as to

defraud the revenue. Happily, the facts of the case gotnoised abroad, and public opinion soon effected whatauthority had failed in doing. The publicans ceased

drinking their own beer; their habitual customers fellaway from them, and trade was at a stand. This circum-stance, together with the appearance of symptoms of lead-poisoning in their own families, roused the firm to a senseof their danger.

I A thorough investigation of the premises was now seton foot, and, with the aid of medical men and engineers,the cause of the mischief was quickly brought to light.It appears that a new apparatus for cleansing barrelswas put up with the other improvements, which consistsof a large galvanised iron tank for holding water heatedby waste steam. The man-hole in this tank having beenfound to permit the escape of steam, the cover was lutedwith red lead on several occasions, and this operation wasperformed with so little care that a large quantity of thered lead had fallen into the tank; and, when it was examinedlately, as much as three pints of a red mud-like sedimentwere collected, which consisted chiefly of red lead andzinc plating. The water in the tank, when submitted tothe sulphuretted hydrogen test, yielded abundant traces oflead. It was evident, therefore, that barrels in the courseof being cleansed by this process, would receive a largecharge of lead, from the water holding lead in solution, andperhaps mechanically suspended in it.As soon as this discovery was made, the brewers called

in all the stock in their tenants’ hands, and are now

. supplying beer from other breweries. Samples of beer’ that had not been in barrel have been sent to an eminent

analyst in London, with a view to ascertain that no other. source of contamination exists than that already discovered. It is to be hoped, also, that due precautions will be taken, to rid the barrels and casks of any lead still adhering to; them, and that the entire stock of beer will be thrown. away, full publicity being given to all such proceedings., A lesson so important to brewers should not be confined, to a single neighbourhood, and through the instrumentality

of your journal it may serve as a warning to all.I am, Sir, your obedient servant,

, Guildford, March llth, 1870. HENRY S. TAYLOR.HENRY S. TAYLOR.

MODERN MONSTER ASYLUMS.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—Your impression of the 12th of this month containsthe following passage :-" We think that Lord Shaftesbury might be better em-* Since the above was written, my friend Mr. Schollick, surgeon, of this

town, has completed his analysis of samples of both beer and porter, andhas found distinct traces of lead in the former, though not in the latter.