632 OBITUARY.-PLAGUE IN AUSTRALIA.

CHARLES JAMES HISLOP WARDEN, M.D. BRUSSELS,M.R.C.S. ENG., L.R.C.P.LOND.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL, INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL WARDEN, who died very suddenlyon July 18th at his residence, 26, Highbury-grove, London,held for many years in India a prominent position as achemist and pharmacologist. He was born in 1851 and wasthe only son of Captain Charles William Warden of St.

Heliers, Jersey. He studied medicine at St. George’sHospital and took the diplomas of M.R.C.S. Eng. in 1872and L.R.C.P. Lond. in 1873. While a student he interestedhimself in chemistry and gained a silver medal for pharma-ceutical chemistry and materia medica given by the

Society of Apothecaries ; in 1873 he also obtainedcertificates of proficiency in chemistry from the RoyalCollege of Chemistry and the Royal School of Mines. In1874 he joined the Bengal Medical Service, and in1876 was appointed officiating civil surgeon of Bhagulpur.A few months later he was deputed by the Board of Revenueon special duty to inquire into the cause of repeated failurecf the system of taxing materials used in the distillation ofspirits, and in 1878 he acted for six months as principalassistant to the opium agent, Behar. In 1879 he wasappointed professor of chemistry at the Calcutta MedicalCollege and chemical and opium examiner to the Governmentof Bengal, appointments which he held until 1892. In thecourse of these 13 years he was repeatedly thanked by theGovernment for the excellence of his work in variouscapacities. During that time, also, he examined most ofthe indigenous drugs and was largely instrumental in placingbefore the profession the" Pharmacographia Indica," a

standard work in the preparation of which he was associatedwith Brigade-Surgeon W. Dymock of the Bombay Service andMr. David Hooper, quinologist to the Madras Government.At the instance of the Government he made investigationson the packing of opium, on the testing of petroleum, on themanufacture of country spirits and the presence of fusel oiltherein, and on the determination of the alcoholic strengthof imported spirits. In 1884, while on 18 months’ furloughin Europe, he took the degree of M.D. Brussels, and in 1886was associated with Sir Frederick Abel and Mr. BovertonRedwood in drawing up the " Rules for Testing Petroleum "which were afterwards incorporated in the Petroleum Act of1886. In 1892 he was appointed officiating medical store-keeper, Bengal. In 1893 the Pharmaceutical Society of GreatBritain elected him a Corresponding Member. In 1893 he wasa member of the Indian Hemp Drugs Commission and in 1895a member of the Indigenous Drugs Committee. In 1886 hewas elected a Fellow of Calcutta University. Of Lieutenant-Colonel Warden’s communications to scientific journals 28were his own and nine were written in association withothers. He came to England on furlough in 1898, and in1899 he succeeded the late Dr. F. N. Macnamara as

examiner of medical stores at the India Office. Of a some-what retiring disposition and not caring for the currentpleasures of society, his chief delights lay in his laboratoryand his garden. To those who had the privilege of his

friendship he always extended a warm welcome, and theremust be very many who mourn the early loss of a true andwarm-hearted friend and brother officer.

JOHN ANDERSON, M.D., LL.D. EDIN., F.R.S.,F.R.S. EDIN.

DR. JOHN ANDERSON of 71, Harrington-gardens, South

Kensington, who died on August 15th at Buxton after a veryshort illness, was born in Edinburgh in 1833, studied medi-cine at the University there, and graduated as M.D. in 1861,his thesis, for which he received a gold medal, beingentitled, " Observations in Zoology." Soon afterwards hewas appointed professor of natural science in theFree Church College, Edinburgh, and filled the chairtill 1864, when he proceeded to India and becamesuperintendent of the Indian Museum, to which appoint-ment that of professor of comparative anatomy inthe Medical College, Calcutta, was added in the course oftwo or three years. In 1868 and 1874 he was selected bythe Government of India to accompany expeditions toWestern China 2viic British and Independent Burmah in thecapacity of scientific adviser. In 1881 he was sent by thetrustees of the Indian Museum to investigate the marinezoology of the Mergui archipelago, oft the coast of

Tenasserim. In 1887 he retired from the service ofthe Government of India. Dr. Anderson was a Fellowof Calcutta University, a member of many learnedsocieties, and the author of numerous papers on zoology andof several books, among which may be mentioned his" Report on the Expedition to Western China vid Bhamo,"published by the Government of India in 1871, and"Mandalay to Momien," published in 1875. In 1885 theUniversity of Edinburgh conferred on him the honorarydegree of LL.D. In 1896 he published a small treatise onthe " Herpetology of Arabia."

PIERCE ADOLPHUS SIMPSON, M.D. ST. AND.,M.A.CANTAB.

DR. PIERCE ADOLPHUS SIMPSON, Emeritus RegiusProfessor of Forensic Medicine in Glasgow University,who died at Auchengrange, Lochwinnoch, at the ageof 63 years, was the younger son of Mr. RobertSimpson of Cloncorick Castle, Garrigallen, county Leitrim.He was educated at Rugby School and at the Univer-sities of Edinburgh, St. Andrews, and Cambridge, andprofessionally at the medical schools of Cambridge andEdinburgh. He received the M.D. degree from St. Andrewsin 1861, and took the M.A. with mathematical honours atCambridge in the following year. He had been lecturer onmedical jurisprudence at Anderson’s College, Glasgow,physician to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, editor of theGlasgow Medical Journal, and professor of forensic medicinein the University of Glasgow.

DEATHS OF EMINENT FOREIGN MEDICAL MEN.-Dr. F.Michl, professor of surgery in the Bohemian Universityof Prague, has died at the age of 50 years.-Dr. JohannKjeldahl, Director of the Chemical and PhysiologicalInstitute at Alt-Karlsberg, near Copenhagen, whose nameis universally known as the inventor of the much-used.. Kjeldahl process for estimating nitrogen" in organicsubstances, has unfortunately been drowned at Hillerodwhen endeavouring to save a boy who was in dangerwhile bathing.-Dr. G. Yankoloff, a Bulgarian physician,who was formerly president of the National Assembly.-Dr. Falconi, formerly professor of anatomy in the CagliariMedical School.

PLAGUE IN AUSTRALIA.

(FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

THE returns of plague in Sydney for the week endingJuly 14th are as follows : remaining at the beginning of theweek, 57 ; admitted, three; discharged, nine; died, none ;remaining at the end of the week, 51. The totals up to theend of the week are as follows : cases, 300 ; discharges, 148;deaths, 101; "contacts" " isolated, 1693; "contacts"remaining, 2.; cases among "contacts," seven. Theabove figures include Chinese, of whom 10 were admitted,with eight deaths, all the other patients being whites.Of the three cases admitted during the week just ended

only one was new, and reported in the acute stage. The othertwo were those of men who presented themselves as out.patients, desiring advice for inguinal buboes. One, who wasattacked about five weeks ago, had shortly before hadgonorrhoea, and is known to have presented no other signof illness on July 2nd than an inguinal gland considerablyenlarged and then in course of suppuration. The otherman, attacked about four weeks ago, could assign no

reason for the occurrence of his bubo except injuryreceived at his occupation of quarryman-histories ofinjury are quite commonly given by plague patients-while, on the other hand, he is known to havehad a temperature of 101’ 6° F. when he first consulted amedical man some three weeks since. The probabilityappears to be that the latter had had the plague, the formernot, but at all events both belonged to a much earlier date.Both, however, were sent to isolation and were placed in theconvalescent wards. No case having occurred since July lst

.

the Government was advised that in accordance with the, Venice Convention clean bills of health might once more be, issued to shipping on and after July 12th, the bills to be: endorsed with such statement as to subsequent occurrence of: scattered cases as might become necessary.,

July 17th.

633BIRMINGHAM.—MANCHESTER.

BIRMINGHAM.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Inebriate Homes.RECLAIMING the habitual drunkard has always been a

difficult, and often a hopeless, task. The report of the firstyear’s experience at the Brentry Homes near Bristol has justbeen issued. The board of management, after giving someinteresting details, express themselves as being hopeful ofsuccess. They call attention to the difficulties met withowing to the violent character of some of the persons com-mitted to the homes and appeal for them not to be sent.The subject was brought before a meeting of the BirminghamJustices held on August 13th, when it was stated that in theabsence of any State reformatory it was not possible to sendthese cases elsewhere. An opinion was expressed that theviolent drunkard might be sent to prison, but it was shownthat a short term of imprisonment had no curative effect uponthe habitual drunkard, who resumed his evil ways as soon asbe was released from custody. One cannot but sympathisewith the managers of the homes in their praiseworthyendeavours and recognise how important it must be forthe proper conduct of such homes that the obstreperous andvicious should not be mixed with those who may be amenableto milder influences. Time, no doubt, will aid the promotersof this valuable institution in finding means most suitable tothe object in view. Meanwhile the management of thesheep and the goats will tax the resources of those whofind it impossible to divide them and to deal with themadvantageously on separate lines.

Marston Green Homes.

Turning to a more attractive form of homes I record withsatisfaction the progress made in the above-named institu-tions. These homes were established about 21 years ago bythe guardians of the parish of Birmingham in the hope ofraising to good citizenship those who had sunk by no faultof their own. They had the merit of being the first homesof the kind established in the kingdom. About an averageof 300 children are in residence, with from 20 to 30 boys orgirls in each cottage. For the boys a foster father andmother are provided, and for the girls a foster mother. The

training is conducted by experienced masters and mistressesand the work is carried out with much zeal and interest. Thegood result of the management is shown by the fact thatthere has been only one death, and that there are at presentonly six patients, among some 400 children who had gonethrough the homes during the past year. The Lord Mayor(Alderman Beale) who presided at the annual meeting,paid a high tribute of praise to the management, andexpressed an interest in the valuable results which had beenobtained in the past year by the teaching of trades and

occupations to the children.Drug Adulteration.

A Birmingham chemist was fined at Tamworth Police-court,on August 14th, £10 and costs for selling milk of sulphuradulterated with 49 per cent. of sulphate of lime, and £5and costs for selling camphorated oil which contained 25per cent. of mineral oil instead of olive oil and 10 per cent.instead of 20 per cent. of camphor. Truly this kind offraud is expensive when found out.

Mandsome Ilospital Gaft.Mr. John Corbett of Droitwich has given a further sum of

£10,000 to the Corbett Hospital at Stourbridge, thus makinghis benefactions to that institution over £25,000. This is

irrespectively of the value of the house he is erecting in thehospital grounds-a handsome building intended for thedwelling of a medical officer.

Death under Clûoroforrn.A young man, aged 23 years, died at the General Hospital

on August 15th while under the administration of chloro-form. The patient was suffering from a disease of the chestin which operation was necessary. Syncope was said to bethe cause of death.August 21st.

MANCHESTER.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Inebriate Reformatories in Lancashire.A STEP forward has at last been taken towards the

establishment of inebriate reformatories in Lancashire. On

August 19th a meeting was held in Preston of representativesof contributory boroughs and of the county council toconsider the question. This board to carry out theInebriates Acts in Lancashire consists of 18 representativesof the County Council and 25 members of the countyboroughs. All the county boroughs have joined the boardexcept Olclham. Borrowing power is given to the board upto £20,000 without the need for obtaining the sanctionof the Local Government Hoard. Sir John Hibbert wasunanimously appointed chairman. He described whatwas being done in other parts of the country andstated that there were now 133 inmates under deten-tion, 126 women and seven men. The small numberof the men is due, not to greater male sobriety, but to thewant of accommodation. His own feeling was for provisionbeing made for 100 men and 100 women in separate build-ings, not too near each other, but near enough to be underthe care of one medical superintendent who would resideat the men’s reformatory, but who would have under his careand be responsible for the women’s reformatory, where therewould be a lady superintendent. He suggested that the sitefor the men should not be less than 50 acres and that for thewomen from 20 to 25, and that the reformatory should bewithin 10 miles of Preston, where the meetings of the boardwill be held. A committee was appointed to inquire as tosites and the cost of one reformatory for men and one forwomen, or of two reformatories for women.

Non-Notification of S’carlet Fever.A nominal penalty of one shilling and costs seems a light

punishment for failing to notify four cases of scarlet feverand sending a child out to a neighbouring shop while"peeling." But the Bench inflicted this penalty the otherday at Eccles for an offence committed in April last. Awoman had four children going through the various stages ofscarlet fever, but did not notify them, nor did she call in amedical man, though she admitted that she isolated them-incompletely, however, as stated above, one having been sentto do some shopping. The mother pleaded ignorance as tonotifying the disease at the Town Hall and the nominalpenalty inflicted shows that the magistrates were touchedby the plea, although they expressed the hope that thepublic would take the prosecution as a warning. On theother hand, it must be hoped that they will not take it asan encouragement to propagate scarlet fever at a costwithin the reach of all. It is, however, significant thatyesterday, August 20th, three additional cases under theNotification Act were heard at the Eccles Police-court. Oneof the patients was a boy, aged 15 years, whose casewas notified but who was out again without his recoveryhaving been certified. The costs (5s. 6d.) were ordered tobe paid "as the town clerk did not press for a heavypenalty." Why not ? He cannot wish for the spread ofscarlet fever and if he will ask Lord Roberts he willprobably hear that leniency is sometimes disappointing.The next case was that of a labourer suffering fromscarlet fever who, though repeatedly warned that he mustisolate himself, refused to do so. He set the law at defianceand wilfully endangered other people, so he was fined 5s. andcosts. The law seems to be feebly administered at Eccles, butperhaps the people rather like scarlet fever. The last casewas that of a woman who failed to notify a case of scarletfever. She, also, though apparently less guilty than thedefiant labourer, was also fined 5s. and costs. Those of theinhabitants of Eccles who object to scarlet fever will thinkthey deserve better protection than the town clerk and themagistrates seem disposed to give. *

A Hospital for Hyde.At the meeting of the Town Council of Hyde held on

August 14th it was reported that the death-rate of the pre-vious month (14 per 1000) was the lowest on record, whilethe birth-rate was amongst the highest. Plans of a site for anew infectious hospital had been submitted to the SanitaryCommittee who advised the council to approve the site andto instruct the borough surveyor to prepare plans for a newinfectious hospital to contain "not fewer than 50 beds." Oneof the councillors explained that the Local Government Board"required that there should be a place for small-pox and aseparate place a considerable distance away for scarlet fever.The brick portion of the present hospital might be used forsmall-pox cases. As to the new building there was no naturaldrainage, but that would have to be got over as they got overit with the present hospital." This seems rather a confusedstatement, and it is to be hoped that no blunders will bemade, which does not seem impossible. Another member of