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Mulkowal were dropped on the ground and subsequently re-used by the operator on the same cork. I.The governing body also regret that in the first paragraph of the

section of their report dealing with the probable origin of the tetanus

virus (page 3), to which Mr. Haffkine draws attention in his letter of14th February (page 31), the words "the fact were drafted into thesentence. The words should have been omitted and the sentenceshould have run: "But that a bottle, presumably tightly corked,should contain enough tetanus growth to destroy 19 people, and yetnot be accompanied by sufficient smell to arouse the suspicion of Dr.Elliot, who, according to his evidence, remembers smelling this par-ticular bottle, is difficult to comprehend." Mr. Haffkine is certainlyentitled to this correction, though the argument in his favour wasalready clear from the context.

Mr. Haffkine points out that, with reference to the circum-stances in which the inoculations were carried out at

Mulkowal, it is known that it takes some 15 hours to

destroy a tetanus impurity by carbolic lotion. The pro-cedure prescribed could not asepticise the mouth of a bottleon which such an impurity might have settled in the openair, or sterilise a pair of forceps contaminated by beingdropped on the ground. It appears that these instructionswere prescribed in substitution of those issued by the labora-tory, and which directed that "dissecting forceps are to beused for removing the stopper. The branches of the forcepsare heated in the flame of a spirit lamp immediately beforeuse and guarded from contact with any unsterilised objectafterwards. The stopper and neck of the bottle are thenpassed several times through the flame of a lamp so as tocause very slight singeing of the stopper, and the latter iswithdrawn with the heated forceps. After the bottle is

opened any contact between its mouth and other unsterilisedobjects is to be carefully avoided, and if contact inadver-tently occurs, the mouth of the bottle is to be heated againin the flame to disinfect it."

Lastly, we must briefly refer to the modifications ofHaffkine’s prophylactic, as questions arising here were dealtwith in the course of the Indian inquiry. It seems to us a

pity that the inquiry was not kept strictly, at any ratein the ni’ct instance, to the all-important point of the time ofthe contamination of the deadly fluid. It has been men-tioned in the beginning of this note that the prophylacticused in the Punjab was prepared partly from agar cultiva-tions sterilised by heat and partly from broth cultures towhich a small proportion of carbolic acid was added. Eitherof these processes is in use in European and Americanlaboratories. The agar method of preparing the prophylacticwith sterilisation by heat has been in use in the PasteurInstitute in Paris since 1900. Many of the antitoxic seraare sterilised by heat but in some laboratories a small pro-portion of antiseptic is added to them. That the addition isnot without benefit no one denies but too much must not beclaimed for it. For instance, the accident which occurredin Italy in 1900, and which involved the death of some 20people from tetanus, was caused by the injection of an

antidiphtheric serum prepared with 0’ 5 per cent. of carbolicacid.

The above considerations as a whole, facts and commentsand theories, point, in our opinion, strongly to the conclusionthat the laboratory was not at fault. We congratulate theGovernment of India upon publishing the supplement even-after the expiration of a considerable interval of time.The value of preventive inoculation is as yet barelyrecognised by the public and apprehensions that errors inlaboratory procedure may lead to appalling disasters will befor some time strong. It is a distinct advantage to thecause of scientific therapeutics that good reasons should bemade publicly known for attributing the Mulkowal disaster ito an accident at the periphery of the scheme and not to a ’,central blunder. ’

Another point cannot be ignored. For four years Mr. Haffkine, the director of the laboratory in which Bottle53 N. was prepared, has borne in the minds of manyresponsibili’y tor the disaster, and justice required that theGovernment of India should make known to the publicthe degree of responsibility of its distinguished servant.We do not know what reasons the Government mav have hadfor the slow course pursued, but the advantage which arisestherefrom-one which we do not expect Mr. Haffkine to

appreciate-is that the matter can be discussed with a

freedom from personal bias that would have been impos-ibleat the date of the disaster. The matter is over; what isnecessary is that the experience gained from an investigationof the facts should be used to the full in the interest of thedevelopments of scientific medicine.

Looking Back.FROM

THE LANCET, SATURDAY, Jan. 31st, 1829.

SURGICAL REFORM DINNER TO MR. WAKLEY.

Mr. Paty to Mr. Wakley.33, Bouverie-street, Fleet-street,

- Jan. 24th, 1829.DEAR SIR,-The gentlemen who undertook the arrange-

ments connected with the resolutions, adopted at a publicmeeting in the Freemasons’ Tavern, on Tuesday, Dec. 23rd,1828, (a copy of those resolutions having already been trans-mitted to you,) have requested me, as Chairman of thatmeeting, to inform you, that, should the day suit your con-venience, they consider the 18th of February next, the mostproper time to beg the favour of your company in the sametavern, at a public dinner.

I beg leave to state also, that their reason for naming thatday in preference to any other, was, that it will be theanniversary of the commencement of those proceedingswhich, if zealously pursued, with the continued assistanceof a Free Medical Press, will tend to raise your professionalbrethren from their present degraded condition ; which hasbeen attributed, with justice, to the constitution and govern-ment of the Royal College of Surgeons in London.An answer to this letter, at your earliest leisure, will

oblige the gentlemen at whose request I write ; and also,Your most obedient Servant,

Thomas Wakley, Esq. JAMES PATY.JAMES PATY.

Mr. Wakley to Mr. Paty.Bedford-square, Jan. 24, 1829.

DEAR SIR,-I need scarcely say, that I feel most sensiblythe very flattering testimony of approbation, which mypublic conduct received from the large and respectablemeeting, over which you presided on the 23rd of December,at the Freemasons’ Tavern. My exertions in the cause of aFree Medical Press, and Free Medical Institutions, have, atleast, been honest, and honest exertions the public of thiscountry never fail to appreciate. I am sensible also, thatthe late trial has contributed greatly to strengthen the handsof public writers, by the important decision given at theoutset of the cause, in favour of Journalists who feel that

they are in a situation to justify an alleged libel, andalso to open the eyes of the public to the corrupt systemwhich prevails at our hospitals in the distribution ofpatronage, though I was not permitted to enter fullyinto this part of the case. But, Sir, greatly as I

deprecate and detest the system of nepotism, to which,I believe, Mr. B. Cooper is indebted for his situa-tion, I entertain, equally with yourself, and the gentlemenwhom you represent, no kind of hostility towardsthat gentleman. On the contrary, I respect his privatecharacter, and I would rather not, therefore, at presentattend a festival, which, though instituted entirely uponpublic grounds, malevolence might perhaps construe into anact of persecution directed against his private interests. Ifthe object of the festival were to celebrate the triumph ofsurgical reform, I should be proud and happy to attend.But though the victory is, I believe, in our hands, the battleis still to be fought. I trust, however, the day is not fardistant when we may meet to celebrate, not the virtualdefeat of a few individuals, but the complete and final over-throw of a corrupt system.

In conclusion, permit me to express my deep sense ofgratitude towards yourself, and the gentlemen with whomyou are acting, for your very flattering and distinguishedapproval of my efforts in the noble and thriving cause ofSurgical Reform.

Your obliged and obedient Servant,James Paty, Esq. THOMAS WAKLEY.