1
33 arc lamp is needed of from 55 to 75 amperes current ; -secondly, means must be provided for cooling the light ; and, thirdly, it is essential that the operators should be able readily to concentrate the light in a suitable manner. The electric arc lamp is employed because it is found that its light is not only rich in chemical rays but is also less endowed with heat rays than ordinary sunlight. Further, in this country it is not possible to depend on a regular supply of sunlight which may, however, when available, be substituted for electric light with some ’necessary variation in the apparatus. For purposes of treatment the light is too hot and it is therefore passed through a form of telescope fitted with lenses of crystal and with distilled water for the purpose of absorbing the heat rays. Jackets of cold water are also so arranged that any chance of complications from the action of heat is avoided. Inasmuch as only a small portion of the diseased surface can be treated at one sitting provision is made for concentrating the light on a small spot a little larger than a florin. To those watching this process carried out it seemed that the attendants manipulated a patient with a view rather of bringing the part to be treated into focus than of focussing the light itself on to the desired place. Though naturally pleased with the favourable course taken in the cases of lupus vulgaris submitted to this treatment Mr. Morris very clearly pointed out to those present that the whole subject must be considered in a tentative way only and they must not allow themselves to make exaggerated statements about curing lupus, though of course the procedure was very satisfactory in many ways. It could be fairly said from the cases demonstrated by Mr. Morris that the method was painless, that no anaesthetic was required, and that there was nothing in it to frighten or ’Tepel a patient. Put very briefly a medical man could safely assert that given a powerful electric arc light, with suitable telescopes fixed at the right distance so as to concentrate ’the light properly cooled on to the patient’s skin as he lies on a couch (if the situation of the lupus was convenient for ’focussing), the results would be in a large proportion of - cases exceedingly satisfactory. The drawbacks are that ,the treatment is a tedious operation, the patient requiring ’very long and frequent exposure to the light, and that the longer the treatment the less power the light has of piercing the tissues in any particular case. In fact, there seem to be ,three factors specially detrimental to the success of this method: scar tissue, blood, and pigmentation. Mr. Morris does not appear to accept the theory that the chemical rays act in a remedial manner entirely by their bactericidal power, but space does not permit of discussing this point. The curative agency of these chemical rays does not seem to be confined to lupus vulgaris, for Mr. Morris showed a case of lupus erythematosus in which great improvement had resulted, and he also exhibited a typical case of rodent ulcer in which the hardness had disappeared, leaving only a - superficial healing ulcer. The success of the demonstration was added to by some interesting remarks from Dr. A. Barry Blacker and Dr. F. Harrison Low. Mr. Morris was ’helped by Mr. S. E. Dore, his clinical assistant at St. Mary’s Hospital, in carrying out the method of treatment. SEPTIC SORE-THROAT AND INFECTED MILK. DR. J. KING WARRY, medical officer of health of Hackney, ’has forwarded to us a copy of a report which he laid before the Health Committee on June 7th. The report deals with an outbreak of sore-throat which occurred in his district in April and also during a part of May. The disease was of a septic character and appeared to be connected with one particular milk-supply which in the report is designated as X. An analysis of 10 cases showed that in every case there was tonsillitis. In two cases there was also superficial ulceration. In every case there was cervical adenitis and in one case this went on to suppuration. The temperature was raised and the rise per- sisted for as long as a fortnight after the tonsillitis had dis- appeared. The temperature was of an intermittent type with profuse sweating. In one case acute septicsemia with fatal pneumonia supervened. In two cases acute nephritis with hsematuria came on about a week after the commence- ment of the attack. In one case purpura hasmorrhagica occurred. Dr. Warry sent out a circular to every medical man in the district asking whether he had met with such cases as those of which the symptoms are detailed above and if so whether the milk-supply to the affected patients was from a common source. A bacteriological examina- tion of suspected samples was carried out at the Jenner Institute, but no light was thrown on the matter. The circular resulted in providing details of 151 cases occurring in 88 households, all, with very few exceptions, being in Upper Olapton and Stamford Hill. Of these 138 cases occurred in 75 households, all of which were supplied with milk by X. Dr. Warry inquired of X from whom he got his milk, but X declined to say, being within his legal rights in so doing. I I In some way," concludes Dr. Warry, "the milk supplied by X was the cause of the septic sore-throat disease." THE EAST SUFFOLK HOSPITAL. AT the anniversary Court of Governors of the East Suffolk Hospital, which was held on June 27th, a most important resolution was passed by the narrow majority of one which in future may have very serious results for the honorary medical staff. Hitherto the honorary medical staff have been elected for life and the elective body has consisted of the governors, or rather of some 400 members of the general body of governors. By the new rule members of the medical staff were to be elected for only ten years with the option of re-election at the end of the first ten years for a like period, and in addition the election was to be taken out of the hands of the 400 governors and transferred to the members of the board of management, who number 80. The motion was put by the Rev. T. M. Morris, who said that he spoke as the representative of the late board of management. Dr. W. A. Elliston, in opposing the proposed alteration, said that if carried it would cause a great deal of friction. Besides this the proposal did not come from the whole 80 members of the board of management, but only from the 12 members of it who were elected annually as a weekly board. The proposed new rule would simply put the medical staff in the position of being practically servants to the board of management. Personally he thought that there should be an age-limit, and for his own part he should be quite ready to retire at the usual retiring age-namely, 60 years. The proposal to disfranchise the governors in favour of the board of management simply meant the curtailing of the privileges of the governors and that would be disastrous for the funds of the hospital. The medical staff had quite made up their minds on the matter. Dr. R. K. Casley, in endorsing Dr. Elliston’s views, said that a medical man’s judgment was better at the end of ten years than when first elected. Some people thought that a change of clergyman at the end of ten years, or even of three years, was desirable. A hospital existed for the benefit of the patients and not as a dumping-ground for various young medical men. Eventually the proposal was carried by 19 votes to 18. The chairman then put to the meeting certain alterations which the rule just carried entailed, among others one which would make the whole of the medical staff members of the elective body, but eventually the matter was left over to be decided at a future meeting of governors. It must be remembered that the essence of a hospital consists of three things-money, patients, and

SEPTIC SORE-THROAT AND INFECTED MILK

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arc lamp is needed of from 55 to 75 amperes current ;-secondly, means must be provided for cooling the light ;and, thirdly, it is essential that the operators should

be able readily to concentrate the light in a suitablemanner. The electric arc lamp is employed because it is

found that its light is not only rich in chemical rays but isalso less endowed with heat rays than ordinary sunlight.Further, in this country it is not possible to depend on aregular supply of sunlight which may, however, when

available, be substituted for electric light with some

’necessary variation in the apparatus. For purposes oftreatment the light is too hot and it is therefore passedthrough a form of telescope fitted with lenses of crystal andwith distilled water for the purpose of absorbing the heatrays. Jackets of cold water are also so arranged that anychance of complications from the action of heat is avoided.Inasmuch as only a small portion of the diseased surface canbe treated at one sitting provision is made for concentratingthe light on a small spot a little larger than a florin. Tothose watching this process carried out it seemed that theattendants manipulated a patient with a view rather of

bringing the part to be treated into focus than of

focussing the light itself on to the desired place.Though naturally pleased with the favourable course

taken in the cases of lupus vulgaris submitted to thistreatment Mr. Morris very clearly pointed out to those

present that the whole subject must be considered in atentative way only and they must not allow themselves tomake exaggerated statements about curing lupus, though ofcourse the procedure was very satisfactory in many ways.It could be fairly said from the cases demonstrated by Mr.Morris that the method was painless, that no anaestheticwas required, and that there was nothing in it to frighten or’Tepel a patient. Put very briefly a medical man could safelyassert that given a powerful electric arc light, with suitabletelescopes fixed at the right distance so as to concentrate’the light properly cooled on to the patient’s skin as he lies on acouch (if the situation of the lupus was convenient for

’focussing), the results would be in a large proportion of- cases exceedingly satisfactory. The drawbacks are that,the treatment is a tedious operation, the patient requiring’very long and frequent exposure to the light, and that thelonger the treatment the less power the light has of piercingthe tissues in any particular case. In fact, there seem to be,three factors specially detrimental to the success of this

method: scar tissue, blood, and pigmentation. Mr. Morris

does not appear to accept the theory that the chemical raysact in a remedial manner entirely by their bactericidal

power, but space does not permit of discussing this point.The curative agency of these chemical rays does not seem tobe confined to lupus vulgaris, for Mr. Morris showed a caseof lupus erythematosus in which great improvement hadresulted, and he also exhibited a typical case of rodentulcer in which the hardness had disappeared, leaving only a- superficial healing ulcer. The success of the demonstrationwas added to by some interesting remarks from Dr. A.

Barry Blacker and Dr. F. Harrison Low. Mr. Morris was

’helped by Mr. S. E. Dore, his clinical assistant at St. Mary’sHospital, in carrying out the method of treatment.

SEPTIC SORE-THROAT AND INFECTED MILK.

DR. J. KING WARRY, medical officer of health of Hackney,’has forwarded to us a copy of a report which he laid beforethe Health Committee on June 7th. The report deals withan outbreak of sore-throat which occurred in his districtin April and also during a part of May. The disease wasof a septic character and appeared to be connectedwith one particular milk-supply which in the report is

designated as X. An analysis of 10 cases showedthat in every case there was tonsillitis. In two cases

there was also superficial ulceration. In every case therewas cervical adenitis and in one case this went on to

suppuration. The temperature was raised and the rise per-sisted for as long as a fortnight after the tonsillitis had dis-appeared. The temperature was of an intermittent typewith profuse sweating. In one case acute septicsemia withfatal pneumonia supervened. In two cases acute nephritiswith hsematuria came on about a week after the commence-ment of the attack. In one case purpura hasmorrhagicaoccurred. Dr. Warry sent out a circular to every medicalman in the district asking whether he had met with suchcases as those of which the symptoms are detailed aboveand if so whether the milk-supply to the affected patientswas from a common source. A bacteriological examina-tion of suspected samples was carried out at the Jenner

Institute, but no light was thrown on the matter. Thecircular resulted in providing details of 151 cases occurring in88 households, all, with very few exceptions, being in UpperOlapton and Stamford Hill. Of these 138 cases occurred in75 households, all of which were supplied with milk by X.Dr. Warry inquired of X from whom he got his milk, butX declined to say, being within his legal rights in so doing.I I In some way," concludes Dr. Warry, "the milk suppliedby X was the cause of the septic sore-throat disease."

THE EAST SUFFOLK HOSPITAL.

AT the anniversary Court of Governors of the East SuffolkHospital, which was held on June 27th, a most importantresolution was passed by the narrow majority of one whichin future may have very serious results for the honorarymedical staff. Hitherto the honorary medical staff havebeen elected for life and the elective body has consisted ofthe governors, or rather of some 400 members of the generalbody of governors. By the new rule members of the medicalstaff were to be elected for only ten years with the option ofre-election at the end of the first ten years for a like period,and in addition the election was to be taken out of the handsof the 400 governors and transferred to the members of theboard of management, who number 80. The motion was

put by the Rev. T. M. Morris, who said that he spokeas the representative of the late board of management.Dr. W. A. Elliston, in opposing the proposed alteration, saidthat if carried it would cause a great deal of friction.Besides this the proposal did not come from the whole 80members of the board of management, but only from the12 members of it who were elected annually as a weeklyboard. The proposed new rule would simply put the medicalstaff in the position of being practically servants to the

board of management. Personally he thought that thereshould be an age-limit, and for his own part he should bequite ready to retire at the usual retiring age-namely, 60years. The proposal to disfranchise the governors in favour ofthe board of management simply meant the curtailing of theprivileges of the governors and that would be disastrousfor the funds of the hospital. The medical staff had quitemade up their minds on the matter. Dr. R. K. Casley, inendorsing Dr. Elliston’s views, said that a medical man’sjudgment was better at the end of ten years than whenfirst elected. Some people thought that a change of

clergyman at the end of ten years, or even of three years,was desirable. A hospital existed for the benefit ofthe patients and not as a dumping-ground for various

young medical men. Eventually the proposal was carriedby 19 votes to 18. The chairman then put to the meetingcertain alterations which the rule just carried entailed,among others one which would make the whole of themedical staff members of the elective body, but eventuallythe matter was left over to be decided at a future meeting ofgovernors. It must be remembered that the essence of a

hospital consists of three things-money, patients, and