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drawn to the medical side of the question in that country in either the Minority or Majority reports. The amount
spent by the Belfast Charity Organisation Society duringthe past year in relief of distressing cases was £ 475, as
compared with £418 the previous year. More money iswanted both for the general expenses of the administra-tion of the society and for relief of cases, but this
unfortunately is now the condition of almost every
philanthropic agency and, with increased demands, this
state of affairs is unfortunately likely to be intensified.Nov. 30th.
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SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)
The Medical Defence Union of Scotland.THE seventh annual report of this society, the objects of
which are to safeguard the interests of its members, to givelegal advice, and to promote the interests of the professiongenerally, was presented at the annual meeting recentlyheld at the offices of the Union, 155, St. Vincent-street,Glasgow. The report shows that the year ending August, 1909,was one of progress, and it is satisfactory to note that out of alarge number of claims against members only a small propor-tion of actions at law ensued. The membership at the closeof the year under review was 1189. The income for the yearwas E631 10s., and the expenditure E337 7s., leaving abalance of E294 odd. The expenditure amounted to only53 per cent. of the income, and was equal to about 5s. 8d.per member. The report gives details of an insurance schemeagainst the risk of damages being awarded against membersin connexion with their professional work. A premium of6s, insures against iE500 damages and costs, and 10s. against£3000 damages and costs. The entrance fee to the union is10s., and the annual subscription 10s., but members of anyEnglish society having similar objects to the Scottish Unionare admitted without entrance fee.
Lniversdt,y of St. Andrercs and the Proposed Changes in the Medical Curriculum.
A meeting of the University Court of St. Andrews was Iheld on Nov. 20th when there was submitted the draft of a
proposed ordinance for alteration of the regulations for
graduation in medicine, which had been prepared by theBoard of Studies in Medicine, and also by a conference ofrepresentatives of the Universities of St. Andrews, Glasgow,and Aberdeen. It was reported that the terms of theordinance had been fixed by the conference after carefuldeliberation, so as to provide a basis of uniformity amongthe three universities in all the main provisions. The Courtresolved to adopt the document as a draft ordinance, andresolved to communicate it to the Senatus Academicus andthe general council of the University, and to invite the viewsof these bodies thereon, in conformity with the provisions ofthe Universities (Scotland) Act, 1889, as regards ordinances.
Forfarshire and the Prevention of Couszcotption.At a meeting of representatives of the four district com-
mittees in Forfarshire, held in Arbroath on Nov. 20th, Dr.N. J. Sinclair, medical officer of health of the county, reportedthat the measures adopted last year for dealing with
phthisis had been of great value. Since May last 14deaths from phthisis had been notified-7 in Buchan, 4 inForfar, 2 in Dundee, and 1 in Arbroath. For a period of10 or 12 years back not more than five deaths had occurredin any year in the Arbroath district, which was practicallyfree from phthisis. It was agreed that the lectures and othermeans adopted during the past year for the diminution ofconsumption should be continued.Nov. 30th.
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PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Rotation of the Femur in the Treatment of CongenitalDislocation of the Hip-joint.
THE question of rotation of the femur in the treatment ofB congenital dislocation of the hip-joint was discussed by
M, Le Damany at the recent congress of the French Surgicali, Association. He said that as congenital dislocation of the
hip-joint had excessive torsion of the femur for its principal
cause, rational treatment would, among other matters,include reverse rotation of this bone. The soundness of thisview was shown by proofs of two kinds, mechanical andclinical. For the mechanical proof an apparatus was usedto demonstrate the fact that under the given conditionsreverse rotation was possible. The clinical proof was equallyconvincing, for the results obtained by this method in thetreatment of children were far superior to those furnished byimmobilisation in plaster splints.
Use of Colloidal Metals for tlte Prevention of SurgicalInfections.
At the same congress of the Surgical Association M. M.Cazin said that during the last two years he systematicallyused colloidal metals in about a hundred cases for the
prevention of surgical infections. Electrically prepared’palladiol was the preparation which he preferred, with
electrargol as the next best. He employed one of thesesubstances whenever he encountered suppuration whilst
operating-principally in cases of I cold " appendicitis andin suppurations of the adnexa. He also made use ofthem as prophylactics, not waiting for the occurrence
of symptoms of general infection but commencing thetreatment the day before an operation, when that was
possible, or at least giving a first injection some hoursbeforehand. The doses to which he had recourse weremuch larger than those usually recommended. Patients whohad been operated on and were in danger of infection might,in his opinion, have daily injections of 40 or 50 cubic centi-metres, and even more, of either the palladiol or the
electrargol without experiencing the slightest ill-effects. M.Victor Henri had shown that daily injections of 10 cubic- -centimetres of electrargol were harmless to rabbits, andM. Cazin had never observed any untoward result after injec-tions repeated for several days in succession until the com-plete disappearance of the pyrexia. He had used the treat-ment in very severe suppurative conditions connected withthe appendix and the Fallopian tubes. In 100 cases ofabdominal surgery for septic lesions he had lost only onepatient, a female whose general health was extremely badand whose circumstances were such that she did not receiveproper treatment after the operation.
Medaeal Diplomas in France.During the last full academical year the number of
diplomas of Doctor of Medicine granted by the Frenchfaculties of medicine in the several cities was as follows :Paris, 430; Bordeaux, 147 ; Lyons, 137; Montpellier, 102 ;Toulouse, 58; Lille, 46; and Nancy, 35. The Faculty ofMedicine at Beyrouth in Syria, whose degrees are re-
cognised by the French Government, granted 30 diplomas.Treatmaent of Hydatid C’yst of the Liver.
At a meeting of the Surgical Society held on Nov. 17th,M. Quenu gave details of two cases of hydatid cyst of theliver which M. Dujarier had treated by extirpation afterdisinfection by formalin and in which union had been obtainedby suturing. In the first case drainage was maintained for twodays and recovery was uneventful. The second case was oneof multiple cysts which were treated in the same way-namely, by "formalisation" and removal of the membranesbelonging to the parent cyst, and suturing. The patient,made a rapid recovery.Nov. 30th.
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ITALY.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Another Italian Scourge.MALARIA is on the wane, pellagra is following suit, but the
great sin of great cities " (or premature indulgence in themarital privilege) is on the increase, reinforced by yet anotherand hardly less deadly vice-alcoholism. Hooked on to the
express train of the twentieth century, Italy is forging ahead"for better, for worse," in some respects distinctly for thelatter. Like all southern nationalities she was wontto compare honourably with her transalpine sisters inthe use of strong drink, but now she is rapidlydescending from that °° coign of vantage," and alco-holism, with its train of sinister sequelse, is among themost formidable of the enemies, physical and social, with