194

surgeon. We commend this practice of gratuitous attend-ance upon accidents among the "well-to-do" to the seriousconsideration of the lay governors of our large hospitals,with whom lies the power to do their duty and put an endto a state of things which, as this case sufficiently demon-strates, undoubtedly exists and much weakens the case

of the hospitals in appealing to the wealthy for funds.

SIR JOSEPH LISTER’S PEERAGE.

WE are glad to be able to announce that Sir Joseph Listeron being raised to the Peerage has selected the title ofLord Lister. It is eminently satisfactory to find that he willstill be associated with the name which he has made famous

throughout the scientific world and that his identity willnot be obscured under some territorial designation.

HOSPITAL SHIPS.

IT is stated that ships for ambulance purposes are to beadded to the navy of the United States. Their uses will befound described in the pages of THE LANCET in an

interesting paper entitled "Hospital Ships" by Dr. MurrayBraidwood published on April 4th, 1896, and illustrated byplans. It is sincerely to be hoped that our naval authoritieswill turn their attention to this subject. One or two of these

ships are really wanted, and there is no reason why ournation should be behindhand.

MEDICAL PRACTICE IN ZULULAND.

A GENTLEMAN who has recently accepted a Governmentmedical appointment in Zululand has written to us as

follows :-" Medical practice in Zululand, like all Gaul, isdivided into three parts-that by the district surgeons (ofwhom there are five), that by the Kaffir doctors, and, ofcourse, that by the ubiquitous quack. The two former have toobtain from the Government a licence to practise, for whicheach alike pays a guinea a year. The district surgeons geta salary of Z200 per annum and extras, with permission topractise if they take out the licence. The practice andextras amount to about £ 30 a year, as told to me by one ofthem, who, however, supplements his income by acting as amissionary, and some have f.50 a year for conducting a dis-pensary, at which they must attend all natives at a uniformfee of one shilling. The shilling goes to the Government,which supplies the necessary medicines; the district

surgeon, however, is expected to provide surgical instru-ments. The dispensary system does away with all chanceof native practice, which before its institution used to yielda fair income, as the natives cannot see why they shouldpay more than ls. for private attendance when they canhave attendance and medicine at the surgery for that sum.The term extras’ means a travelling allowance per mile,outside a six-mile radius, of Is. out and 6d. return, to

obtain which the practitioner has to keep one or two horsesand a groom and must frequently sleep at Kaffir stores,where the charges are from 5s. to 7s. 6d. a night for

his horse, 2s. 6d. for his bed, and 2s. 6d. for each meal.This item is therefore a source of loss rather than of

profit. No allowance is made for evidence in courts of

justice, for inquests, or for post-mortem examinations. The

white population, including the military, numbered until

recently about 700. I do not think that at present it

exceeds 500, and the military surgeon at Eshowe takes whatprivate practice he can obtain. No houses are provided byGovernment, and the district surgeon must build a hut, sleepin a tent, or provide a dwelling-place as best he can. Thisin the case of a bachelor and a young man (and no othershould be appointed to these posts) is not of such con-

sequence ; but for an elderly man, a married man, or,above all, one with children, it becomes a serious

matter, as a whole family must crowd together inone room which answers for all purposes in a

manner which would not be tolerated in the East-end of

London, and besides there are no educational advantageswhatsoever. The collapse of the Nondweni goldnelds (atwhich place there was until recently a resident surgeon) hassent most of the people there away. This was the onlyplace in Zululand which supported a medical man of its own.Since his departure the N’qutu district surgeon easily com-bines the practice there with his official duties, although thetwo places are thirteen miles apart. The cost of livingin Zululand-principally on account of the very high rateof freight by rail through Natal and by bullock waggonin Zululand, as well as through the mealie famine, the

locusts, and the rinderpest in other parts of South Africa-is extremely high, in addition to which the Governmentsalaries are very disproportionate to necessary expenditureand much below what is usually paid by others. Tradesmen

even, carpenters, and blacksmiths can get from B28 to .E30 amonth-horseshoes cost 10s.a set. Even young fellows under

twenty are drawing salaries of from B15 to .635 a monthat the mines, without any trade or profession whatsoever.The quacks seem to go on the even tenor of their way hereas elsewhere and do a roaring trade, not only at extractingteeth at 1s. each, but at bone-setting, surgery, and the

practice of medicine generally, uninterfered with by theGovernment. Taking one consideration with another thelife of a district surgeon in Zululand is, like the policeman’s,, not a happy one."’ " --

THE PRESIDENCY OF QUEEN’S COLLEGE, CORK.

THE Presidency of Queen’s College, Cork, which is nowvacant, is said to lie between Sir Rowland Blennerhassett,Professor Corby, and Mr. Starkie. To our mind Professor

Corby’s claims completely outweigh those of the other twogentlemen. He is a graduate of the College and at presentholds an important Professorship therein-that of Midwifery.He is a man of learning and culture outside the profession, andthe esteem in which he is held by his colleagues is shown bythe fact that he has been four times elected to the council ofthe College. This intimate connexion with the College is

the finest testimonial that a candidate could possess to hisfitness for the vacant Presidency; but in addition to it

Professor Corby would represent the body of the College ina way that neither of the other claimants could hope to do.Three-quarters of the students at Queen’s College, Cork, hopeto enter the medical profession, so that it is very fitting thatthe President should belong to that profession. If the Pre-

sidency had been held on many occasions, or for many years,by a medical man we would willingly admit that a laymanmight for many reasons be an advisable choice. But this is

not the case. It is the turn for a medical man, and a medicalman would be a grateful selection to an enormous majority ofthe graduates and students of the College.

A QUACK AND HIS VICTIM.

As truly as the earth requires its atmosphere, so theknave requires for success in his duplicity the company ofignorant and foolish neighbours. So long as he can findthese he will flourish in some degree, and so long must theyserve and suffer for him. If at last there comes an awaken-

ing one can hardly be blamed who pities neither him northem. It is with no deep feeling of regret that anyoneendowed with ordinary honesty and good sense will regardthe fate of one who was thus duped by a heartless impostor i&the name of medical service. The case was tried afew dayssince at the Burnley Quarter Sessions. The plaintiff, a carter.had been induced to part with over L12 to a travelling" specialist before he discovered, on seeking the advice oftwo medical practitioners, that he was himself a fairly healthy