196-- __.___.__. _ _ ____.-____ _._.

the greater conveniences they now enjoy-the officers of Mid-dlesex Hospital will have an undue proportion in the council.With regard to the secretaries, Mr. De Morgan will, I think,make a good one; he probably may be considered objection-able, but, as far as the medical secretary is concerned, Dr. SethThompson ought in all decency to retire without a contest.Should the council persevere in their present intention of pro-posing him for re-election, Dr. Basham ought to be again so-licited to stand. There are now stronger grounds of objectionto Dr. Thompson than existed last year. The members of thecouncil of the National (?) Institute, who endeavour to deludea certain portion of the profession with the idea that theywill obtain a charter of incorporation for a nondescript col-lege, whilst they have pretended to find fault with the treat-ment of their class by the College of Surgeons, though suffi-ciently strong in the Medico-Chirurgical Society, have nevershown any respect for the "prcesidium et dulce decus" of theirown class there. Surely it is time for the general practi-tioners, who form more than one-third of the Society, to placeone of their body among the vice-presidents. I remember, afew years ago, finding fault with some of the council for notplacing among the vice-presidents one general practitioner,when I was answered, that they endeavoured to do so occa-sionally, and that there was one then in that position, Mr.Macilwaine. In the council the general practitioners oughtto have at least two of their body. I believe not one of themhave ever yet raised their voice against the exclusion to theextent practised. In the list of fellows I have noticed thenames of two, who also appear in this year’s Medical Directoryas disciples of Hahnemann and Preissnitz. Surely this willnot be suffered to continue.

I am, Sir, yours obediently,A FELLOW OF THE SOCIETY.

MEETINGS OF THE MEDICAL SOCIETIES INLONDON DURING THE ENSUING WEEK.

NOTE.-When the date of the month is not specified, no meetings takeplace in the current week.

Medical News.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS-.-The followinggentlemen, having undergone the necessary examinations forthe diploma, were admitted members of the college, at themeeting of the Court of Examiners, on the 7th inst. :-

BULLOCK, PAUL WILLIAM, Bristol.CORNELIUS, EDWARD CoNNOB, Upper Canada.LEMPRIERE, CHARLES MANTEIRO D’ALMEIDA, Australia.MACCALLUM, DUNCAN, Montreal, Canada.ORMOND, FREDERICK FRANCIS, Plymouth.TRIBE, PHILIP HENRY, Bengal.WHYLOCH, WATKIN SANDON, Chatham.

At the same meeting of the Court, Mr. HENRY SLADE passedhis examination for naval-surgeon; this gentleman had pre-viously been admitted a member of the College, his diplomabearing date August 10, 1846.LETTSOMIAN LECTURE.-Mr. Guthrie’s next Lett-

somian Lecture will be delivered before the Fellows of theMedical Society of London, at their house, George-street,Hanover-square, at half-past eight, on Wednesday eveningnext, the 19th inst. ;

APOTHECARIES’ HALL.-Names of gentlemen whopassed their examination in the science and practice of medi.cine, and received certificates to practise, on

Thursday,Feb. 6th, 1851.HEMERT, FRANcis THOMAS VAN, Frodingham, Lincolnshire.WILLIAMS, WILLIAM LAY, Manchester.UNIVERSITY OF LONDON. M.B. Second Examina-

tion 1850.-Examination for Honours. Physiology and Com-pamtive Anatomy: John Syer Bristowe, (gold medal,) St.Thomas’s Hospital, Robert Growse, (gold medal,)Guy’s Hospital, equal; William Morse Graily Hewitt, Uni-versity College; Charles James Shearman, University Col-lege.-Surgery: John Syer Bristowe, (scholarship and goldmedal,) St. Thomas’s Hospital; Robert Benson Lewis, (goldmedal,) Leeds School of Medicine; Robert Growse, Guy’sHospital; Charles James Shearman, University College;William Morse Graily Hewitt, University College.-Medi.cine: Robert Growse, (scholarship and gold medal,) Guy’sHospital; Charles James Shearman, (gold medal,) UniversityCollege; John Syer Bristowe, St. Thomas’s Hospital; RobertBenson Lewis, Leeds School of Medicine; William MorseGraily Hewitt, University College. -Midwifery: WilliamMorse Graily Hewitt, University College.M.D. Examination 1850.-First Division : Matthew Baines,

King’s College; Edward Enfield Barrow, Guy’s Hospital;George Birkett, Charing-Cross Hospital; John Burford Car-lill, University College; Peter Eade, King’s College; Wil-liam Thomas Edwards, University College; Charles Elam,Leeds School of Medicine; Stephen Monckton, King’s Col-lege ; William Henry Ransom, University College; WilliamHenry Octavius Sankey, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital ; ;Samuel Wilks,* Guy’s Hospital-Second Division: WilliamAyre, London Hospital; James Newton Heale, St. Thomas’sHosnital.

FOTHERGILLIAN II’TEDALS.-The Medal for the bestEssay on Phthisis has been awarded to Richard Payne Cotton,M.D., Bolton-street, Piccadilly, Assistant-physician to theHospital for Consumption. The medal for an Essay onUterine Haamorrhage has not yet been awarded.

HOSPITAL FOR CONSUMPTION, BROMPTON.-Theintention of holding an extensive bazaar in the gardens of theRoyal Hospital at Chelsea, in June next, appears to have metwith royal patronage.HEALTH OF THE METROPOLIS DURING THE WEEK

ENDING SATURDAY, FEB. 8.-A gradual increase in the mortalityis represented by the following numbers of deaths returnedin the last three weeks: 956, 1041, and 1109. The increasearose almost entirely amongst the young, the number of per-sons who died above fifteen years having been about 590, andremaining in both weeks nearly the same. Notwithstandingan excess in the general result, the mortality from epidemicsis perceptibly diminished amongst the middle-aged and theold. The excess of last week over the previous is due, ingreat part, to the aggravated fatality of pneumonia and bron-chitis amongst young persons. The aggregate of deaths fromdiseases of the respiratory organs was last week, 253; from pul-monary consumption, 113. Small-pox, 20 children, and 5 personsabove fifteen years; and in only 3 of the 25 cases there isprobable ground for inferring that vaccination had been per-formed with effect, and in sufficient time previous to the erup-tion of the disease. Births, 1604. Mean reading of the baro-meter in the week, 29’7 in.: mean daily temperature of theweek was 40°5, exceeding the average by 20. The windblew from the north on Sunday; mostly from the south andsouth-west on the last four days.

OBITUARY.-Died, at Hastings, on Saturday, the8th instant, Dr. Mackness: his abilities were of a high order,his knowledge of his profession was equally scientific andpractical. He was a great stethoscopist, and well acquaintedwith all the resources of the Pharmacopaeia. But the granddistinguishing features of his character were, his active bene-volence, and a keen sense of the honour and dignity of hisprofession. Those who knew him intimately felt a charm inhis society, due, not so much to the power of his intellect asto the unaffected Christian charity which pervaded all histhoughts and deeds. He was devoted to his profession; butwhen he obtained any relaxation, he enjoyed the beauties ofnature with all the gaiety and freshness of a child. His workon the " Moral Aspects of Medical Life" gives a near insightinto the prevailing feeling of his well-regulated mind.

* To Dr. Wilks was awarded a gold medal for his Commentary on a Casein Medicine.