962

presided, has been held to consider a plan for raising fundsfor increasing the accommodation of the nursing staff of theCumberland Infirmary, Carlisle. It was mentioned thatmore than £2000 would be required for the proposed enlarge-ment of the infirmary, so as to embrace a scheme for nursesemployed at the institution, including night nurses, as wellas private and district nurses.

Death oj Dr. H. D. Ward of Blyth.I heard with regret last week that Dr. H. D Ward of

Blyth had died at his residence on the 14th inst. Dr. Wardwas in his fifty-third year, and was a partner with hisfather, the venerable Mr. Gilbert Ward, F.R.C.S , who isin his eighty-sixth year, and who survives him. Dr. Wardwas M. D. St. And., M.R.C.S., and L. S. A. He was surgeonand trustee to the Knight Memorial Hospital at Blyth, inwhich he took a great interest, also medical officer of healthand port medical officer for Blyth. The Wards were awell-known medical family at Blyth, and at the time ofthe Hartley accident greatly distinguished themselves.Dr. Ward’s funeral took place on Saturday last, and theoccasion was one of general mourning in the town, as hewas greatly esteemed by all classes of his fellow-townsmen,and likewise by his professional brethren in the north.many of whom were present at his interment. Dr. Wardwas a bachelor. Much sympathy is expressed for his agedfather.

Painful Case at Durham Prigon.A coroner’s inquest was held at Durham touching the

death of a prisoner who had died in the gaol hospital thatday. It appeared that the deceased, a labourer agedforty, was committed by the county magistrates at BishopAuckland to seven days’ hard labour for begging. The

prison surgeon deposed that deceased when admitted wassuffering from heart disease and dropsy, chronic disease ofthe kidneys, and bronchitis, and in such a perilous condi-tion that any medical man seeing him would at once haveadmitted him to hospital instead of prison. The coronermade some very strong remarks, with which the juryagreed, on the harshness of sending a poor dying wretchlike deceased to prison for a technical offence; and althoughit did not appear that there had been any medical man onthe magistrates’ bench when the man was committed, itwould have been easy to have had him seen by a policesurgeon or any surgeon in the neighbourhood.

The Middlesbrough Football Fatality.An inquest was held in the case of the fatal football case

noted in my last letter as having occurred in Middles-brough. It appeared that the deceased was going veryquickly, and came in contact with the goal-keeper’s knee,the knee striking his abdomen, when he dropped in thefield, and died the next day from shock and abdominalinjury. The coroner said that such rough practices atfootball should be discouraged, and the rules adhered towhich prohibit raising the knee, and that the jury hadalmost decided to send the goal-keeper for trial, but re-quested him to give a reprimand instead.By the will of the late Mr. Robert Thomas Wilkinson of

Rose Dene, Sunderland, and Holystone, Northumberland,various sums have been left to charitable institutions--amongst others, £500 to the Sunderland Infirmary, jElOOtotheMonkwearmouth Dispensary, and £100 to the Nurses’ Home.Newcastle-on-Tyne, April 23rd.

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Royal Scottish Society of Arts.AT the last meeting of this Society Mr. W. P. Buchan,*

Glasgow, read a paper on the Ventilation of Schools, inwhich he pointed out the defects in the ventilation ofBoard schools both in Glasgow and Edinburgh, the faultsbeing in the direction of the want of proper means forcarrying away vitiated air and the imperfect system for theintroduction of fresh air. He attributed much of the sick-ness amongst children at school to bad ventilation. Healso made a communication on the" Smoke Test for Drains,"and pointed out that the introduction of this test had ledto an immense improvement in the sanitary conditions ofhousep.

St. Bernard’s Well.The sources of the mineral water-supply of this well have

been undergoing a thorough investigation at the instanceof the Edinburgh Town Council. Ic has been found that,with regard to the four springs which supplied the well inonly two of them were sulphuretted hydrogen and iron,which are the medicinal constituents of the water, presentin considerable quantity ; while in the other two the

quantities were small. It has been arranged to restrictthe supply of the well to the two richer springs. It isalso stated that no contamination with organic or otherdeleterious matters was present ; but after the operationsare completed, it is proposed to make further anaylses ofthe water.

National Registration of Plumbers.The annual meeting of the registered plumbers in the

Edinburgh and East of Scotland district was held in Edin-burgh last week, Professor Armstrong presiding. In movingthe adoption of the report, the chairman dwelt upon thenecessity of plumbers being educated in the scientific andsanitary aspects of their work, and said that an incom-petent and inexperienced workman might be described asa "pestilence that walketh in darkness," and it was toremedy this that the Association had arisen. Sir DouglastMaclagan was re-elected President.

Royal Maternity Hospital, Edinburgh.Mr. T. Stevenson Balfour, M.B., C.M., and Mr. H. G.

Langwill, M.B., C.M., have been appointed house surgeonsto this hospital, and enter upon their duties on May 1st.

Edinburgh Royal Physical Society.At the meeting of this Society last week, Dr. Fortescue

Fox read a paper on the Climate of Strathpeffer Spa, inwhich he compared the annual mean differences and theaverage differences between night and day temperatureswith those in London and at Greenwich.

Health of Edinburgh.The mortality last week was 109, making the death-rate

21 per 1000. Diseases of the chest caused 42 deaths andzymotic diseases 13, of which 3 were due to diphtheria, 4to measles, and 6 to whooping-cough. The intimations forthe week comprised 5 from typhoid fever, 5 from diphtheria,25 from scarlatina, and 67 from measles. The mortality inLeith for the week was 31, making the death-rate 20’15per 1000.

Health of Aberdeen.In his report for the month of March, Dr. Matthew Hay,

the medical officer of health, states that the death-rate was19’38 per 1000, being 8 35 less than in the correspondingmonth of last year. The lowness of the total death-rateduring the month is mainly attributable to the distinctabatement of the present epidemic of scarlet fever, and alsoto a low mortality among aged people, in spite of the.inclemency of the weather. During the month 24 patientswere admitted into the city hospital, and the averagedaily number of patients was 61. There was 1 death, that.of a child, who was admitted suffering from severe post.scarlatinal dropsy. During the week ending April 18th,the following cases of zymotic diseases were notified to themedical officer :-Puerperal fever, 1 ; erysipelas, 3; measlea,2 ; scarlet fever, 6; diphtheria, 2; typhoid fever, 1; whooping-cough, 4.

The County Medical Officership, Aberdeen.By a majority the County Council resolved to approach

the Town Council of Aberdeen with the view of coming tosome arrangement whereby Dr. Matthew Hay could under-take the duties of the county medical officership in additionto his present duties as medical officer for the city. Thesubject was discussed at a meeting between the PublicHealth Committee of the city and a deputation from theCounty Committee, with the result that the former sub-mitted a report to the Town Council opposing the pro.posal. In the report there is the following statement:-"The committee are of opinion that it would not be asatisfactory arrangement for the Town Council if theproposal indicated by the County Council were carriedinto effect. The large amount of work falling to be per-formed by the city medical officer renders it necessary thatthe gentleman holding the appointment should devote hiswhole time and attention to the duties. The work is alsoof a most responsible character, and requires to be carriedout in the most efficient manner possible, and this the com-mittee fear could not be attained if the city medical officerwere also to hold a similar appointment for the county."At the meeting of the Town Council held on the 21st thereport of the committee was unanimously adopted.

963

Tlte Summer Session at Aberdeen.The medical summer session at Marischal College com-

menced on the 21st inst. There is a large attendance ofstudents. In opening the class of Medical JurisprudenceProfessor Hay gave, ag an introductory address, a shorthistoricai account of the building of AIarisclial College.The buildinhs had their origin in the monastery of Grey-friars in 1593, it having been built nearly a century beforethe foundation of the College.

The Cr1’ejf Poisoning Case.Samples of the sugar, to which the poisoning in the above

case was traced, have been submitted to analysis by thepublic analyst of Greenock, and found to contain 14’59 percent. of arsenic calculated as arsenious acid. The " weed-killer" has also been subjected to examination, and thetests appear to have distinctly revealed the presence in itof a large amount of arsenic, to the extent of 22 per cent.At a large and influential meeting held in Inverness last

week it was decided to form a branch of the Jubilee Instituteof Nurses for Inverness.

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS) I

Resignation oj the Regius Projessor of Surgery.MR. COLLES, M.D., F.R.C.S.I., who has recently retired

from Steevens s Hospital, has resigned the Regius Pro-1essorship of Surgery in the School of Physic, Universityof Dublin, a position which he has occupied for the pastsixteen years. The name of a distinguished Dublin surgeonhas been mentioned as his successor.

Royal College of Surgeons.By Mr. Thomson’s resignation as member of the Council

a vacancy has arisen, which will be filled up on the 28th inst.There are three candidates-Messrs. Lentaigne, Myles,and Nixon-all of whom are hospital surgeonsNational Boc iety jor Prevention of Cruelty to Children:

Dublin Branch.So far the Dublin branch has not been self-supporting,

’but has had to depend upon the liberality of the Londoncommittee ; but it is hoped that when the usefulness of theSociety is better known here, it will be able to exist inde-pendently of the assistance it at present receives. Thereport for the past year very truly remarks that it is asatire on our Christian civilisation that such a societyshould be necessary in our midst. Proceeding, it says:"It is enough to make us bow our heads in shame to thinkthat there are men and women amongst us who have so farpoisoned the springs of parental instinct within them thatthey lay their bands in passionate cruelty upon theirSpring, and be the very means of their death. We whosend our sons and daughters to heathen lands to save

children, we by whose naval strength the traffic in humanblood in Africa is being crushed, have here at home a storyof human woe as touching as any slavery, and a cry of thechildren’ as pathetic, calling on us to save them from thosewho blight their young lives, stamp a double measure oftÌ1eir own iniquity upon them, and cast them into a civilisedbondage, to be the slave and sport of every passion evilengendered in their nature."

The late Mr. B. J. Nca7y.The following resolution was adopted last week :-"That

we, the guardians of the North Dublin Union, have learnedviith the deepest regret of the death of Dr. Neary, medicalclfficer of Howth and Baldoyle Dispensary, and that thederk be directed to convey to the members of his family oursincere condolence in their present affliction."

City oj Dublin Hospital.During the past year 1088 patients passed through the

wards, and 14,578 were attended to at the extern depart.ment of the hospital. The mortality was sixty. one, about5 per cent., but as a large number of serious accidents wereadmitted, besides fever cases, scarlatina, &c., the resultcannot be regarded as unsatisfactory. There are but fewpay-patients admitted, the board considering, and veryproperly, that the benefits of the charity, except underspecial circumstances, should be reserved for the poor andsuffering. In order to increase the accommodation theadjoining house has been purchased, and will be utilised as

soon as the funds permit. The expenditure on the year sworking as compared with income shows a loss of jE548.

Pi-esentatat ions to Mr. Ormsby, M.D., F.R.D.S.f:.L,ist week the lady superintendent, sisters, and proba-

tioners of the lied Cross Society attached to the MeathHospital presented Mr. Ormsby with an address, accom-panied by a silver claret jug, in recognition of his effortsin establishing and promoting the efficiency of the organisa-tion. At a dinner given by Mr. Ormsby in honour of thewinners of the hospital football cup at the Wicklow Hotel,he was presented by the students, past and present, witha massive silver salver and an address in token of theiresteem.

Society of Chemical Industry.A meeting of the committee formed for the reception of

the Society of Chemical Industry this year in Dublin washeld last week in Trinity College, when it was resolved toinvite the Society to hold its annual conference in Dublinin July next. Dr. Emerson Reynolds has been appointedchairman of the executive committee, and Sir CharlesCameron a vice-chairman.

Hydrophobia in Ireland.An outbreak of hydrophobia has occurred within the last

few days in the counties of Wexford, Carlow, and Kilkenny.In Wexford the disease has attacked not only dogs and cats,but horses, donkeys, and cows. The outbreak was fir&tnoticed in some sheep-dogs belonging to a farmer residingabout ten miles from New Ross. These bit a donkey,which burst out of its stable and attacked several horses,cows, and pigs, and was shot in a bog some days after aboutsix miles from where it started. In several townlands alldogs have been destroyed.Mr. Jonathan Pim has been elected resident surgeon to

Jervis-street Hospital., April 21st.

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PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Yet another New Treatment of Phthisis.Now that the Koch treatment of tuberculosis no longer

monopolises atteution, clinicians are striving to discoverother methods of overcoming the dread bacillus. Thelatest is that of M. Germain-See, who shuts his patientup for two, three, or more hours daily in a hermeti-cally closed metallic chamber, into which is slowly ad-mitted a current of compressed air, which, having passedthrough a mixture of creosote and eucalyptol, is saturatedwith the vapour of these substances. Since August last tencases of phthisis have been submitted to this treatment, allof which cases, with one exception, had reached the period ofsoftening, and bacilli bad been detected in the sputa. The re-sultsobtained were: return of appetite, even in advanced cases,gain of weight and strength, fall of temperature to thenormal in a week or two, disappearance of haemoptysis,diminution of cough and of purulency of sputa, cessation ofdyspnoea. It is claimed that the method reduces themalady to a purely local lesion, all the general symptomsdisappearing, even though rales may persist. M. Seerelated the history of seven of his cases, all of which wererelieved, and some actually cured. The treatment hasbeen found efficacious in fetid bronchitis (dilatation of thebronchi). It is worthy of note that the communication hasbeen lying in a sealed envelope at the Académie deMedecine since Nov. 4th, 1890, the envelope having, atM. See’s request, been opened at the last meeting of thatlearned body.

Artificial Quinine.This is the discovery of the week; indeed, we may say of

the year. The synthesis of that useful, nay, indispensablesubstance, quinine, has long been a desideratum, and now,thanks to MM. Grimaux and Arnaud (the former Professorof Chemistry at the Ecole Polyteehnique, and the latterhaving succeeded the late illustrious centenarian, Chevreul,at the Muséum d’Histoire Naturelle) the chemical dreamhas been realised. The method adopted by these gentle-men is as follows:-The base cuprein contained in theshrub Remijia pedunculata growing in Brazil is treatedwith sodium, then the combination thus obtained ischloride of methyl. The product is quinine absolutelyidentical with the substance with which we are familiar.