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application to man of the methods of experimentalinquiry.

It is our duty to-day to offer homage to him whosevision and whose wise beneficence has accomplishedso much, and will year by year do more and morenot only through original research here conducted,but by training expert workers whose severe scientificmethods will be an example and an inspiration toall who are concerned with the science or the Artof Medicine."

THE BUILDING.

The new building is at the corner of Gordon-streetand the Euston-road, and is therefore in the immediatevicinity of University College, the London Schoolof Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, and the head-quarters of the British Medical Association. Thebuilding is of a severely classical style exteriorly,while inside it is to contain all the accommodationand amenities necessary for complete medical andresearch laboratories and museums. It stands onthe site partly occupied before by the Bureau ofScientific Research and Museum of Medical Scienceassociated with the Wellcome Foundation Ltd.The institution is to house the Bureau of ScientificResearch, the Physiological and Chemical ResearchLaboratories, the Historical Medical Museum, andthe Museum of Medical Science. Mr. SeptimusWarwick, the architect, has already won warmapproval for the design, which was exhibited this yearin the Royal Academy.

INFECTIOUS DISEASEIN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE WEEK ENDED

NOV. 14TH, 1931.Notijications.-The following cases of infectious

disease were notified during the week :-Small-pox,68 (last week 71) ; scarlet fever, 1894 ; diphtheria,1031 ; enteric fever, 34 ; pneumonia, 1223 ; puer-peral fever, 57 ; puerperal pyrexia, 120 ; cerebro-spinal fever, 27 ; acute poliomyelitis, 7 ; acutepolio-encephalitis, 3 ; encephalitis lethargica, 15 ;continued fever, 1 ; dysentery, 26 ; ophthalmianeonatorum, 84. No case of cholera, plague, or

typhus fever was notified during the week.Of the 68 cases of small-pox, 27 were reported from the

county of London (Lambeth 15, Bethnal Green 4, Finsbury3, Southwark 2, Camberwell, Islington, Stepney each 1),17 from West Ham,and 20 from the county of Derby (Alfreton8, Belper R.D. 1, Che’sterfield R.D. 11).The number of cases in the Infectious Hospitals of the

London County Council on November 17th-18th was asfollows : Small-pox, 133 under treatment, 1 under observa-tion (last week 113 and 5 respectively) ; scarlet fever, 1731 ;diphtheria, 1489 ; enteric fever, 9 ; measles, 251 ; whooping-cough, 412 ; puerperal fever, 16 (plus 12 babies) ; enceph-alitis lethargica, 220 ; poliomyelitis, 5 ; " other diseases,"185. At St. Margaret’s Hospital there were 10 babies (plus5 mothers) with ophthalmia neonatorum.Deaths.-In the aggregate of great towns, including

London, there was no death from small-pox, 2 (0)from enteric fever, 24 (6) from measles, 5 (2) fromscarlet fever, 26 (3) from whooping-cough, 29 (8)from diphtheria, 60 (18) from diarrhoea and enteritisunder two years, and 71 (10) from influenza. Thefigures in parentheses are those for London itself.

Enfield and Grimsby each reported one fatal case ofenteric fever. Seven deaths from measles were reportedfrom Stoke-on-Trent, 3 from Middlesbrough, and 2 fromManchester. Liverpool reported 6 deaths from whooping-cough, Manchester 3, West Ham, Birmingham, and New-castle-on-Tyne each 2. Diphtheria claimed 5 victims atManchester, 3 at Liverpool. Diarrhoea was credited with6 deaths each at Liverpool and Manchester, 3 each at Stoke-on-Trent and Birmingham.The number of stillbirths notified during the week was260 (corresponding to a rate of 42 per 1000 births),including 33 in London.

BOSTON HosPITAL.-The annual report of thishospital (48 beds) states that 861 patients were admittedwho cost on the average 23 8s. per week. There were 1533 iout-patients, of whom 336 were in respect of ear, nose,and throat. ;

INSTITUTIONS FOR THE MENTALLY

DEFECTIVE.

AT the MONYHULL COLONY, BIRMINGHAM, there-were 1204 patients at the end of March, 1931. Ofthese rather less than 300 were attending school ona Board of Education certificate and about 36 wereattending school without a certificate. About,

, 12’4 per cent., calculated on the average numberunder care, were discharged, the majority to parents.and authorities. A very large amount of leave ofabsence was given-to 1177 adults and 357 childrenduring the year. This leave means a great deal ofadministrative work to the colony, but the medicalsuperintendent thinks that it is justified in that it,keeps the patients and their friends content. Therewas a death-rate of 7’6 per 1000, a considerablereduction on that for the previous year. Ten casesof tuberculosis were dealt with during the year, andall showed great improvement. The principalinfectious diseases were small outbreaks of mumpsand influenza. The Hollymoor research laboratorieshave carried out a number of pathological investiga-tions for the colony, and this work, together withgood feeding and ordered life, accounts for the verysatisfactory health of the patients on the whole. Thecommonest diseases under treatment were epilepsyand pulmonary and gastro-intestinal conditions.There is still the most acute pressure on beds, andsome new accommodation was provided during theyear. Full use has been made of the open-air pavilion.A dentist visited weekly and examined over 1000colonists. The medical superintendent hopes thatthe committee will appoint visiting eye and ear,nose and throat specialists. On an average 400 menand 460 women were employed in the various works-and workshops in the colony, and showed greatinterest in their tasks. Considering that most of thedangerous, violent, and troublesome female patients-are employed in the laundry, the results from thisdepartment were good. Since Monyhull is a scatteredinstitution run on the open-door system and hasnearly 300 epileptic patients, there are always someabsconders, and assaults on the staff and otherpatients occur almost daily. The number of patients.who can properly be trusted without constant super-vision is reflected in the number sent out on licence-six. There were several hundreds who might pro-perly be candidates for the State institution, but-every effort is made to retain them. During the yearseven nurses passed the final examination of theR.M.P.A., bringing the total to 21 nurses and 30attendants certificated or registered.The LANCASHIRE AND CHESHIRE SOCIETY FOR THE-

PERMANENT CARE OF THE FEEBLE-MINDED has hada very successful year, with comparative freedomfrom illness except for mild influenza. There wasonly one death, a youth, aged 28, who died fromphthisis and cervical caries ; two girls were undertreatment for pulmonary tuberculosis, and one ofthem is steadily losing ground. There are 230 malesand 144 females on the books. There are only threevacancies on the male side and the female side is.full. There is a great need for increase in the accom-modation, and, as usual, the difficulty is the shortageof funds. Current finances are, however, happily in athoroughly sound condition.

KING EDWARD’S HOSPITAL FUND FOR LONDON.-A letter has been circulated to the press, above theimportant signatures, among others, of the Lord Chancellor,the Minister of Health, the Presidents of the Royal Colleges,and the Lord Mayor of London, pointing out that thenational need for economy should on no account lead to,the withdrawal of support from the metropolitan voluntaryhospitals. Quotations from the recent speech at Colchesterof the Prince of Wales are adduced in support of what ispractically an appeal, while the sound advice is added thatthose who do not know in which direction to allocate theircharity should consult the Distribution Committee of the.Fund.