1039MEDICAL NEWS.-PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS IN IRELAND.-Fellowship Examination: Mr. Thomas Joseph O’Donnell,L.R.C.S. Irel., Ooregum, Mysore State, India, having passedthe necessary examination, has been admitted a Fellow of theCollege.THE MILITARY HOSPITAL, DEVONPORT.—The

- work of erecting the new buildings of the Military Hospital,Stoke, is already well advanced ; one of them is readyfor occupation and the remainder will soon be finished.The new buildings, or huts, of which there will be

mine, are being erected in portable sections, so that theycan be removed to another site if required. Notwith-

standing this feature of their construction they are of a substantial character and internally resemble in every respectan ordinary hospital ward. Each hut will be 70 feet longwith a breadth of 20 feet 7 inches, and will accommodate16 patients, with separate rooms for attendants and otherpurposes. The system of ventilation adopted is that by’which a revolving ventilating-tube will run the whole lengthof the roof.

VOLUNTEER MEDICAL ORGANISATION.-Surgeon-general Evatt gave an interesting address at the Guildhall,Exeter, on March 26th, upon the medical organisations withthe forces whilst on active warfare. He stated that althoughthere were 230,000 Volunteers in England there was not acorps that had a proper transport or medical service. Inseveral towns volunteer medical staff corps had been

organised and he hoped to see the system extended.Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel J. R. Thomas, in proposing a voteof thanks to the lecturer, said that the Volunteers ought tohave in readiness that part of their organisation which wouldhave the duty of dealing with the wounded. There weretwo alternatives before them-one to form a branch of theMedical Staff Corps, and the other to form a bearer company-on the strength of the regiment to be effectively organised.He favoured the latter, as it was a task more easily to becompassed, but they required the assistance of the Govern-ment in the matter and the public must compel the Govern-ment to do what was necessary.

THE HOSPITAL SATURDAY FUND.-The Hos-pital Saturday Fund, of which Sir Savile Crossley, Bart.,has recently been elected chairman, has issued its twenty-sixth annual report. It states that the year 1899 was- one of steady progress. Notwithstanding the fact that itwas only the second year since the abolition of the annualstreet collection and that in the last quarter the many- claims of the sufferers by the war in South Africa mighthave accounted for some considerable diversion of income,the total amount received was £20,013, being £951 in excessof the income for 1898 and only £125 less than theamount collected in 1897, the last year of the street collection.The total sum raised through the influence of the local com-mittees in 1899 was £1473. as against £1117 in 1898. Thetotal sum distributed for 1899 was £17,013, leaving a balanceat the bank of £1013. 36 general hospitals received£6547, 60 special hospitals received £4989, and 78 miscel-laneous institutions received £5477. The expenses ofmanagement amounted to £2191, or rather less than 11 percent. of the gross receipts. This percentage is lower thanin any previous year.THE MEDICAL GOLF TOURNAMENT.-The Tourna-

ment for 1900 will not be decided by match play as in

previous years, but to meet the wishes of many players it willbe held under medal play regulations at a one-day meeting,competitors being divided into two classes: Senior, withhandicaps of 12 and under; Junior, with handicaps of over 12. The date is fixed for Thursday, May 10th, and by thekind permission of the Wembley Golf Club the tournament will be played on their links at Wembley, to which frequent trains run from Baker-street Station. The following regula- tions have been arranged by the committee. Competitors ‘may play over the course before playing their medal round iwhich must be started by 3 P.M. Members of the home green rmust deduct two from this handicap. There will be a first and second prize and a prize for the best score over the last cnine holes in each class. The entrance fee, 5s to be sent, s

with name and statement of the competitor’s lowest handicap, tnot later than May 7th, to the honorary secretary Mr. Rolf F Creasy, Windlesham, Surrey. Foursomes will be arranged in the afternoon-Consultants v. Practitioners-and gentlemen twishing to play in these should notify the same to the hono rary secretary when sending their entrance fee. q

Parliamentary Intelligence.HOUSE OF COMMONS.

THURSDAY, MARCH 29TH.The Proposed Lunacy Laboratories.

Mr. JOSEPH A. PEASE asked the Home Secretary what class ofresearch it was intended should be carried out in the laboratories whichit was proposed might be provided and maintained in connexion withlunacy in Clause 22 of the Lunacy Bill ; what was the character ofthe certificates it was intended to grant to licensees at such labora-tories ; and whether the number of such laboratories were to belimited in number.-Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY replied: I have noinformation leading me to believe that the research for which thelaboratories may be established will involve any necessity for eitherlicences or certificates ; but I am in communication with the LunacyCommissioners on the subject.

Prison Dietary.Mr. SEALE-HAYNE asked the Home Secretary whether the recom-

mendations of the Dietary Committee in regard to the diet of prisonersin Dartmoor and other convict prisons had been carried out, and, ifnot, would he give this matter an early and favourable consideration ?-Sir MATTHEW WHITE RIDLEY replied : I have postponed the introduc-tion of a new permanent dietary for convict and local prisons pendingcareful observation which has been continued during the past year uponthe effect of the changes already introduced in the dietaries of localprisons. I hope shortly to be in a position to lay on the table of theHouse new scales of dietary for both convict and local prisons basedupon the suggestions contained in the report of the recent DietaryCommittee.

The Conduct of Private Lunatic Asylums.Sir MANCHERJEE BHOWNAGGREE asked the President of the Local

Government Board whether any cases had been recently brought to hisnotice of the proprietors of some private lunatic asylums havingoffered commissions to relieving officers ; and, if so, would he stateparticulars regarding such cases, and what steps he intended takingregarding the same ?-Mr. CHAPLIN replied: The attention of the LocalGovernment Board has been drawn to cases of the kind referred to inthe question. They are in communication with the Lunacy Com-missioners with regard to the precise course which should be adoptedin the matter.

The Royal Army Medical Corps.Dr. FARQUHASON asked the Under Secretary of State for War

whether lieutenant-colonels of the Royal Army Medical Corps whowere doing colonel’s work could receive the rank and pay of the highergrade in which they were temporarily serving. — Mr. WYNDHAM re-plied : The regulations do not provide for the case of these officers andit is being specially considered.

The London Water Question.After a debate of considerable length the House rejected by 234 to

151 votes the Bill of the London County Council for acquiring thewater undertakings in the metropolis. Mr. CHAPLIN, speaking for theGovernment, opposed the Bill on the ground that it was inconsistentwith the report of the Royal Commission, which, while recommendingpurchase, said the London County Council should not be the waterauthority. The other Bill of the London County Council-that for thesanction of the scheme for bringing a supply of water to the metro-polis from Wales-was also discussed, but in view of the decision onthe Purchase Bill it was not pressed to a division.—Mr.SYDNEY BUXTONpointed out that the whole responsibility of dealing with the water-supply of London now rests upon the shoulders of the Government.

The Employment of Children in Coal Mines.On the motion of Sir CHARLES DiLKB! a Bill was read a second time

to prohibit the employment of child labour underground in coal mines.

FRIDAY, MARCH 30TH.

The Vaccination Question.On the motion of Mr. PICKERSGILL a Bill was introduced to declare

the law that no vaccination prosecution, shall be commenced withoutthe authority of the guardians.

Physical Drill in Schools.Sir JAMEs FERGUSSON at this sitting of the House raised the ques.

tion of the importance of instituting physical and military drillfor boys in all state-aided and rate-aided schools. -Mr. TToxALL,speaking from practical knowledge of the system, said thatphysical drill was carried on as far as was necessary for thewelfare of the children and expressed the opinion that if it werepressed further and made compulsory there would be danger ofa revulsion against it.-Sir JOHN GORST said there were two questionsto be considered. One was the question of physical training ar,d theother was how far that physical training should have a military character.The Education Department had practically made physical trainingcompulsory upon all schools, because it was a condition, withoutwhich the higher grant could not be obtained, that suitable physicalexercise was to be taught in every school. There was nothing what-ever in the new code to alter the practice which had prevailed for agreat many years. Of course, the very best kind of physical exercisefor children was to be found in games, but where the conditions werenot favourable for games the Education Code required that thereshould be Swedish drill, gymnastics, military drill, or some other formof physical training. The code of the present year, more than thecodes of previous years, left everything to the local managers ofschools. The principle of the block grant was that the Department atWhitehall allowed local managers of schools to decide what was thebest course of instruction to adopt. It was not only military andphysical drill that had disappeared from the code, but everything elsehad disappeared which was calculated to dictate to the local managersthe particular course of instruction which they were to observe. Butthe instructions to inspectors were not altered. The curriculum prac-tised in the schools must be one which the inspectors approved cf.Those instructions would practically compel every school to have such

1040 PARLIAMENTARY INTELLIGENCE.—APPOINTMENTS.

physical exercises as were suitable to the conditions of the school andwere practicable under the circumstances. Then there was the ques-tion whether they could give to that drill a military character. Hethought in that matter the Education Department had left, and wereanxious to leave, the local managers to their own discretion. In thefirst place, military drill was absolutely impossible in a great numberof schools. How could they possibly, in a village school where therewere 30 or 40 children under one woman teacher with a girl monitress,have military drill unless the lady were an Amazon ? In Portsmouth,in London, and in the great towns military drill was very common,but it was quite clear that it would be impossible for the Educa-tion Department to make the system compulsory. It wouldprobably defeat its own end, because when they tried to compel teachersto take a course which they had been accustomed to adopt on theirown discretion they rather resented it and were less inclined to havemilitary drill. If he thought there was anything more that could bedone to show the strong feeling which the Education Department hadin favour of physical exercises as an absolutely essential part of thetraining of the child, quite as beneficial to them as reading, writing,and arithmetic, and quite as necessary for them, he should be mosthappy to do it. But he thought the system as established was satis-factory. He believed that every school and every set of schoolmanagers were quite alive to the importance of this matter, but as faras the military character of the drill was concerned that must be left,and could only be left, to the discretion of the local managers.

MONDAY, APRIL 2ND.

The Medical Profession and the TVar.

Mr. WEIR asked the Under Secretary of State for War if he wouldstate the highest and lowest remuneration to be paid to army medicalofficers engaged in the war in South Africa out of the £15,000 provided inthe Supplementary Estimates for pay of Army Medical Service and thehighest and lowest remuneration to be paid to civilian medical prac-titioners engaged in the war in South Africa out of the £50,000 pro-vided in the Supplementary Estimates for pay of civilian medical prac-titioners ; and would he also state how many civilian medical prac-titioners offered their services gratuitously, and if so, were any accepted.- Mr. WYNDHA1I1 : The highest rate of pay and allowances drawn byofficers of the Army Medical Staff in South Africa is B1752 per annum,and the lowest rate is B336 17s. 6d. The remuneration of all civilmedical practitioners in South Africa, except consulting surgeons, is2428 17s. 6d. a year; consulting surgeons are paid at the rate of E5000a year. Considerably over 3000 applications have been received frommedical men for employment in South Africa, but no record has beenkept to show hov many offered their services gratuitously. Thegratuitous services of Sir Thomas Fitz-Gerald and of the late Dr. Griggwere offered and accepted.

The Lunacy Board in Scotland.At this sitting the House debated the motion for the second reading

of the Lunacy Board (Scotland) (Salaries, &c.) Bill. The LORDADVOCATE in a long speech explained how the work of the LunacyBoard in Scotland has increased from year to year, and how it hasbecome necessary that the two paid medical commissioners shall devotemore time to the medical part of their duties, and how in this Billit is proposed that a sum not exceeding C500 a year shall be set asidefor remuneration to be divided among the three at present unpaidCommissioners-namely, the Chairman of the Board and the two legalmembers. The Lord Advocate stated that while in 1858 there werein lunatic asylums in Scotland 4020 patients and in private dwellings1804, the numbers 1a risen in 1878 to 7604 and 1493 respectively, andin 1898 to 12,139 and 2767, and that the patients in the asylums arevisited individually twice a year by the medical Commissioners, those inprivate dwellings being visited by the deputy Commissioners.-SeveralMembers of the House objected to the proposed method of securingextra assistance and paying for it and at the close of the debate theLORD ADVOCATE undertook to see whether a better method could not bedevised. On this understanding the Bill was read a second time.

TUESDAY, APRIL 3RD.The Nursing Staff in South Africa.

Mr. GEORGE WYNDHAM, replying to Mr. Weir, said that the totalnumber of nurses employed in South Africa was 514 at rates of pasvarying from E30 a year with allowances in the case of the Arm3Nursing Service, to two guineas a week in the case of those employeelocally or accompanying invalids home. About 2000 applications forsuch employment were received, but no record had been kept to showhow many offered their services free of charge.

Appointments.Successful applicants for Vacancies, Secretaries of Public Institutions,

and others possessing information 8suitable for this column, areinvited to forward it to THE LANCET Office, directed to the Sub-Editor, not later than 9 o’clock on the Thursday morning of eachweek, for publication in the next number.

ALLEN, MABEL E. DEXTER, M.B. Lond., has been appointed HouseSurgeon to the Oxford Eye Hospital.

ANDERSON, J., M.D. Aberd., has been appointed Health Officer for theShire of Heytesbury, Victoria, Australia.

ASHFORD, WILLIAM, L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., Assistant House Sur-geon to the Royal Devon and Exeter Hospital, has been acceptedfor service with the South African Field Force, and sailed thisweek.

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BALDWIN, ASLETT, F.R.C.S. Eng., has been appointed Acting AssistantSurgeon to the West London Hospital.

BANKS, WILLIAM, M.B.Lond., M.R.C.S., has been re-appointedHonorary Surgeon to the Falmouth Hospital.

BARRETT, W. A. H., L.R.C.P.Lond., L.R.C.S. Edin., has been appointedPublic Vaccinator at Portarlington, Victoria, Australia.

BOND, FRANCIS THOMAS. M.D. Lond., M.R.C.S., F.R.S.Edin., has beenre-appointed Medical Officer of Health by the Chipping SodburyBoard of Guardians and District Council.

BULLMORE, CHAS. CECIL, L.R.C.P. & S. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., hasbeen re-appointed Honorary Surgeon to the Falmouth Hospital.

CHALMERS, D. A., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has beenappointed Military Surgeon at Castlehill Barracks, Aberdeen, viceSurgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Macartney.

DARBY, W. J., L.R.C.S. Irel., has been appointed Surgeon ofH.M. Prison at Auckland, New Zealand.

FisHER, T. C., M.D. Dub., has been appointed Government MedicalOfficer and Vaccinator at Bowral, New South Wales.

Gow, W. B., M.B., Ch.M. Edin., has been re-appointed MedicalSuperintendent of the Lunatic Asylum, Wellington, New Zealand.

HARE, F. W. E., M.D. Durh., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Inspectorof Charitable Institutions in Queensland.

HARRis, ARTHUR B., M.D.’St. And., M.R.C.S., L.S.A.. L.R.C.P.Edin.,J.P., has been re-appointed Honorary Surgeon to the FalmouthHospital.

HOLMES, L. S., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edin., L.F.P.S, Glasg., has beenappointed Consulting Surgeon to the General Hospital, Launceston,Tasmania.

HUNT, J. S., L.R.C.P. Edin., M.R.C.S., has been appointed ActingAssistant Health Officer at Brisbane; Acting Medical Super-intendent of the Dunwich Benevolent Asylum ; Acting MedicalOfficer for the Supervision of Lepers in the Lazaret, StradbrokeIsland ; and Acting Superintendent of the Inebriates Institution atDunwich, Queensland.

JOHNSON, HENRY SANDFORD, M.R.C.P. Irel., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has beenre-appointed Medical Officer of Health for the Totnes Rural DistrictCouncil.

JONES, J., M.D., B.S. Lond., has been appointed Civil Surgeon to.H.M. Forces in South Africa. ’

JOHNSTONE, JAMES PIERCE, L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S., L.M. Edin., has beenappointed Deputy Medical Officer of Health for Langport(Somerset).

JUDE, F. J., M.B., C.M. Edin., has been appointed a Public Vaccinatorfor South Australia.

KELSALL, H. T., M.D. Lond., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., has been appointedHonorary Consulting Ophthalmic Surgeon to the EducationDepartment, West Australia.

LANGDON, J. A., L.R.C.P. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., has been appointedDistrict Medical Officer at Wagin, West Australia, and PublicVaccinator for the District.

LANYON, GEORGE EDWARD, M.B., C.M. Edin., has been re-appointedHonorary Surgeon to the Falmouth Hospital.

LON&FOBD, J’. M., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Irel., has been appointed ResidentAssistant Medical Officer to the Workhouse and Assistant MedicalOfficer to the Cottage Homes by the Ashton Board of Guardians.

LORD, S. T., L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed MedicalOfficer by the District Council of Castleton,

MACDONNELL, E. R. A., L.R.C.P., L.R.C.S. Edin., L.F.P.S. Glasg., hasbeen re-appointed Medical Officer for the Litcham Sanitary Districtof the Milford and Launditch Union.

MACKAY, H. J., M.D. Edin., has been appointed Certifying Surgeonunder the Factory Acts for the Borough and Rural District ofDevizes.

McKEAGUE, JOHN, L.R.C.P. & S. Edin. (Civil Surgeon) has been

appointed by the War Office to the Station Hospital, FulwoodBarracks, Preston.

MACMILLAN, J. G., M.B., Ch.M. Edin., has been appointed Officer ofHealth for the Shire of Wimmera, Victoria, Australia.

MILLIGAN, W. ANSTRUTEER, M.A., M.B., C.M.Aberd., F.R.C.S. Edin.,has been appointed Assistant Anxsthetist to the Great NorthernCentral Hospital, Holloway-road, London.

O’DoHNRTY, E. H., L.K.Q.C.P. Irel., M.R.C.S., has been appointedActing Medical Superintendent of the Quarantine Station, PeelIsland; Acting Public Vaccinator ; Acting Official Visitor to theHospital for the Insane at Goodna ; and Acting Official Visitor tothe Reception House at Brisbane, Queensland.

ORR, VIVIAN B., M.B., B.S. Melb., M.R.C.S., L.R.C.P. Lond., hasbeen appointed Senior House Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital,S.W.

OWEN, JAMES F. H., L.R.C.P. Edin.. M.R.C.S., has been re-appointedHonorary Surgeon to the Falmouth Hospital.

PARDEY, J. M., M.B., Ch.B. Melb., has been appointed HonoraryConsulting Surgeon to the General Hospital, Launceston,Tasmania.

PARKER, C., M.B., Ch.M. Edin., has been appointed Honorary Con-sulting Surgeon to the General Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania.

PIKE, C. J., M.B. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Honorary Con-sulting Surgeon to the General Hospital, Launceston, Tasmania.

RITCHIE, R. H., M.B., Ch.B. Melb., has been appointed PublicVaccinator at Horsham, Victoria, Australia.

ROGERS, R. S., M.D. Edin., has been appointed a Member of the StateChildren’s Council, Adelaide, South Australia.

SCHLINK, R. H., M.D. Berl., has been appointed Officer of Health forthe Shire of Wodonga, Victoria, Australia.

SIMONS, C. N., L.R.C.S. Irel., L.S.A. Lond., has been appointed Govern-ment Medical Officer and Vaccinator at Campbelltown, NewSouth Wales.

SOUTHEY, A. J., M.R.C.S., has been re-appointed Medical Officer of! Health by the Eton Urban District Council.

WATSON, A. E., L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Certify-ing Surgeon under the Factory Acts for the Borough of Torquay,the Urban Districts of Cockington and St. Mary Church, and the

! Civil Parish of Stoke-in-Teignhead, in Newton Abbot RuralDistrict.

WEST, W. A., L.K.Q.C.P., L.R.C.S. Irel., has been appointed ResidentMedical Officer to the Sydney Hospital, New South Wales.

WOLFHAGEN, J. E., M.B., Ch.M. Edin., has been appointed HonoraryMedical Officer to the Hobart General Hospital, Tasmania.