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for Home Rule in the Faculty, would be practically requesting theAcademic Council to abrogate certain of its powers in favour of a Boardwhich is not recognised by the present Statutes. The change thereforecan only be carried out by consent of the Senate and its councils, andif the recommendations of the Faculty are to have sufficient weightwith the Senate to persuade this body of their advisability, it is essentialthat they should be carried by a large majority at a full meeting of theFaculty, and not, as usually happens, by a chance majority at a meetingwhich only just exceeds the necessary quorum. The question is vitalfor the future of the Medical School of London, and is much moreimportant than the election of one or another individual as a repre-sentative on the Senate. It is hoped, therefore, that the members ofthe Faculty will make a special effort to attend the meeting at whichthese resolutions will be brought forward.The recommendations passed at this meeting were the

following:-1. That, for the more efficient carrying out of the academic work of

the University, a Board of the Faculty of Medicine be appointed.. 2. That the Board of the Faculty of Medicine be appointed inaccordance with the following scheme :-

A.The Board shall consist of :-

(i.) The Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, who shall be ex officioChairman of the Board.

(ii.) The Secretary of the Faculty of Medicine, who shall be ex officioSecretary of the Board.

. (iii.) The Chairmen of the Boards of Studies in the followingsubjects :-Preliminary Medical Studies, Intermediate MedicalStudies, Advanced Medical Studies, Dentistry, Hygiene andPublic Health, Physiology and Experimental Psychology,Human Anatomy and Morphology.

{iv.) Two representatives of the Board of Preliminary MedicalStudies to be appointed from the Members of the Faculty bythe Faculty after report from the Board in question.

(v.) Two representatives of the Board of Intermediate MedicalStudies to be appointed from the Members of the Faculty bythe Faculty after report from the Board in question.

{vi.) Six representatives of the Board of Advanced Medical Studiesto be appointed from the Members of the Faculty by theFaculty after report from the Board in question.

(vii.) Four Members to be elected from the Faculty by the Faculty,each such Member to be nominated by not less than two

, Members of the Faculty.viii.) The three representatives of the Faculty of Medicine on the

Senate.(ix.) The two Members of the Senate appointed by Convocation

on the election of the registered graduates in Medicine andin Surgery.

(x.) All Members of the Faculty of Medicine not included in theforegoing categories who are also Members of the Senate.

{xi.) The Representative of the University on the General MedicalCouncil.

B.The quorum of the Board shall be ten.

The meeting then stood adjourned.

KING EDWARD’S HOSPITAL FUND FORLONDON.

THE annual meeting of the General Council of KingEdward’s Hospital Fund for London, to receive and adoptthe accounts and the report for the year 1908, was heldat Marlborough House on March 10th, His Royal Highnessthe PRINCE OF WALES, President of the Fund, being in thechair.

Lord ROTHSCHILD, the honorary treasurer, in presentingthe account of receipts and expenditure and the balance-sheet for the year ending Dec. 31st, 1908, called attentionto the fact that the income from investments included abonus dividend of 17,000, on securities given by LordMount-Stephen and Lord Strathcona.The PRINCE OF WALES moved the adoption of the

accounts. This was seconded by Sir EDGAR SPEYER, andcarried unanimously.

Sir S2wlLE CROSSLEY (honorary secretary) presented thedraft report of the council for the year 1908, which statedthat:-The total receipts for the year 1908 were .E345.792 15s. This sum was

made up as follows: Donations, e7888 7s. ; contributions to capital,.8113,69568. ; annual subscriptions, 24,782 Is. 4d. ; contribution of theLeague of Mercy..E19.003; from the Lewis estate, .E32.500 ; legacies(including .E65.768 3s. 4d. from the Lambert estate), .832.500; legacies Iinterest from investments (including a bonus dividend of jE17,931 Is. 5d.),

JE78.956 2s. 6d. ; together with from from the trustees of the LondonParochial Charities and E200 from the trustees of the Bawden Fund.The amount distributed was ;B140,000. including the .E1000 intrusted tothe Fund for distribution among convalescent homes by the trustees ofthe London Parochial Charities. In addition to this an amalgamationgrant of £ 500 became due during the year and was paid. Since theinauguration of the Fund the amount spent on administration has been.81 4s. 8d. per cent. of the total amount received. During the year afurther sum of .E32.500 was received from the executors of the will ofthe late Mr. Samuel Lewis, making a total of .8245,000, on account ofthe legacy of .8250,000 left to the Fund. The estate of the late Mr.J. G. Lambert was finally wound up during the year and the residue,

amounting to JE65,768 3s. 4d., was brought into the books of the Fund.A further sum of J::1400 was received on account of the residue of theestate of the late Mr. G. H. Heigham. The Fund has also to,acknow-ledge further munificent donations of J::100,OOO from Lord Mount-Stephen and J::1O,000 from Lord Iveagh, which, in accordance withthe wishes of the donors, have been placed to capital. The amountsreceived in donations and subscriptions, excluding gifts to capital, show,as compared with 1907, an increase of J::2552 Is. ld. The League ofMercy has contributed JE19.000, being J::1000 more than in the previousyear. During the ten years of its existence the League has furnishedin all .8116,000 to the Fund....... The revised uniform system ofaccounts, which was drawn up in 1906 by the Fund in association withthe Metropolitan Hospital Sunday Fund and the Hospital SaturdayFund, and which came into force on Jan. lst, 1907, has provedto be of great value in facilitating comparisons of the financialposition and relative cost of the different hospitals....... Atthe distribution meeting in December His Royal Highness thePresident drew attention to the necessity of an increase in thenumber of annual subscribers, and it is evident that a continuance ofpublic support and the replacement by new subscribers of those whosecontributions are lost through death or other causes must be secured ifthe progress hitherto made in the total amount distributed is to bemaintained. Steps to this end are being taken.......The PRINCE OF WALES, in moving the adoption of the

report, said: My Lords and Gentlemen,-You will all

agree with me in thinking that we may congratulate our-selves upon the condition of the affairs of the Fund asdescribed in the report. The completion of the negotia-tions for the amalgamation of the Hampstead and North-West London Hospitals will, I feel sure, be approved of- bythe charitable public, both as conducing to the better

organisation of hospital accommodation in that neighbour-hood and as one more step in the direction of economy ofmanagement. It will be remembered that the Orthopa3dicHospitals were the first to combine, and it is satisfactory toknow that the new buildings in Great Portland-street will beready for occupation by the three amalgamated institutionsin the course of this year. The report of the Poor-lawCommission will receive our most careful consideration. Ihave now much pleasure in moving the adoption of the

report.The BISHOP OF SOUTHWARK seconded the motion, which

was carried unanimously.In the absence of the Earl of Bessborough (chairman

of the executive committee), Mr. STUART-WORTLEY pre-sented an interim report of the executive committee upon thequestion of rules and regulations, which was adopted.

Mr. HUGH C. SMITH moved, and the MASTER OF ELIBANKseconded, a vote of thanks to the Prince of Wales for pre-siding. The vote was carried by acclamation andHis ROYAL HIGHNESS briefly responded.

THE POOR-LAW MEDICAL OFFICERS’ASSOCIATION OF ENGLAND AND

WALES AND THE REPORTOF THE POOR-LAW

COMMISSION.

AT a meeting of the Council on March llth the followingresolutions were unanimously carried :-

"1. That this Council desires to express its gratefulacknowledgment of the unanimous testimony borne by theRoyal Commission to the value of the past services of Poor-law medical officers, and their recognition of the dis-

advantages under which they have laboured, and the in-

adequacy of their remuneration." "

"2. That in the opinion of the Council it is impossiblefor Poor-law relief to be organised on a provident basis,as the only proper recipients of such relief are by reasonof their poverty unable to contribute anything; thatthose able to contribute are proper objects for charitableassistance. "

’’ 3. That the Council views with disapprobation the pro-posal to draft the State poor on to provident medicalinstitutions ; that in their opinion it would result in con-verting the same into Poor-law institutions, mainly sup-ported by the rates ; that it would be disastrous to theseinstitutions by driving away many, if not all, of that classfor whom they were specially created. Further, that itwould largely increase the number of the State poor byadding to them many of the poorer members of providentmedical institutions, and by so doing would inevitably causegreat injury to the whole medical profession, especially thepractitioners in poor districts." "

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"4. That the council strongly condemns the proposal tomake every medical practitioner a Poor-law medical officer,and it does so for the following reasons : (a) That it would bemany times more expensive than the present system. (b) That’the value of the work done could never be properly tested,as no system of Local Government Board inspection coulddeal with so widely extended an arrangement for Poor-lawmedical relief. (c) That it would largely tend to providefree medical relief to all poor persons, and to increase,rather than diminish, the pauperisation of the nation. (d) Thatthe interests of the sick State poor would be far betterattended to by a special service, the members of which wereadequately paid, and whose work was capable of properinspection.

"

"5. That the council strongly disapproves of the proposalto allow a poor person to claim State medical relief withoutthe intervention of a relieving officer, or assistance officer ;that it would be opening the door widely to gratuitousmedical relief to all members of the poorer classes ; that itis no part of the duties of a Poor-law medical officer todecide as to the right of a poor person to State relief, andas in any widely extended system it would be necessary topay for the items of work done by the medical officer,it would be a direct incentive to the latter to admittoo readily the claims of poverty. That for the protectionof the ratepayer it is absolutely necessary that there shouldbe a skilled lay officer to decide who are proper appiicantsfor medical relief. That in thickly populated areas there is nohardship in requiring applicants to get an order from anassistance officer, and that instances of the deserving Statepoor being deterred from applying to the Poor-law medicalofficer through having first to obtain an order are in urbandistricts conspicuous by their rarity."

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OFENGLAND.

AN ordinary meeting of the Council was held on

March llth, Mr. HENRY MORRIS, the President, being inthe chair.The SECRETARY reported the visit of the Prince and

Princess of Wales to the College on Feb. 15th, and the bestthanks of the Council were given to the President for hisHunterian oration and he was requested to publish it.The PRESIDENT reported that he had appointed Mr.

F. Richardson Cross Bradshaw lecturer for the ensuingCollegiate year.The PRESIDENT reported that Sir Gilbert Blane medals had

been awarded to Staff-Surgeon Charles Rowley Nicholson,H.M.S. Egmont, 1906-07, and Staff-Surgeon Arthur WilliamBligh Livesay, H.M.S. Bona2entzcre, 1907.

It was resolved to modify the by-laws relating to theadmission to the Fellowship of Members of 15 years’ stand-ing, and it was decided that the formula prepared for thispurpose should be submitted to the Council for final

approval at its next meeting. The formula for the admissionof women to the examinations of the College was approved,and it was resolved to send it back to the committee in orderthat counsel’s opinion may be taken thereon if necessary.The President was reappointed the representative of the

College in the General Medical Council for a period of fiveyears from March 12th.A letter was read from the Right Hon. Lord Cheylesmore

offering to present to the College a life-size plaster cast ofQueen Victoria’s favourite dog "Eos." The offer was

accepted with the best thanks of the Council.A letter was read in which Professor A. H. Young resigned

his examinership owing to ill-health. The Council acceptedthe resignation with regret, and Professor William Wrightwas appointed a substitute examiner in anatomy for the nextPrimary Examination for the Fellowship in May.A committee was appointed to consider the questions

connected with the petition of the British Medical Associa-tion for the grant of a charter of incorporation and to reportto the Council.

Dr. Nicolas Weliamnoff of St. Petersburg, Privy Councillorof State, was admitted an Honorary Fellow of the College.He was nominated in 1900, at the time of the institution ofthe Honorary Fellowship, but he was then unable to attend.

At the present time Dr. Weliamnoff is in London inattendance on the Empress Marie’ Feodorovna of Russia,and advantage was taken of the opportunity to admit himan Honorary Fellow.

Looking Back.FROM

THE LANCET, SATURDAY, March 19th, 1831.PRINCIPLES OF TREATMENT AND CURATIVE PROCESSES.It is said, "The instructed scribe will resemble the house-

holder, who brings forth out of his treasure new things andold." The manner in which the ancients treated deafness isnot unworthy of notice. Their remedies were chieflyexternal. I have collected the following list from severalold authors.-1.. External applicatwns :-The leaves of thedipsacum and jew’s-ear. 2. As injections :-Ale-hoof or g ound- avy The essence dropped into the ears helps the deafnessor noise there " ; hyssnp : " It taketh away noise in the earby injection."—. Tobacco : "The essence of it made withwine being dropped into the ears helps deafness. "-4. Juiceof poplar or aqven tree.-5. Juice of liquorice, :3 ii ; softbdelliicm., :3 ss sugar-candy, :3 ii, dissolved ; juice of leeks,:3 iv; juice of celandine, gj, mixed and "dropt intothe ears, helps imposthumes, noise, and pain there."-6. Common turpentine, turpentine of the larch : a com-bination of turpentine, olive oil, essential oils, andsulphur, was used with " happy success."-7. Urine of menand animals, dropt into the ears.-8. "The galls of allcreatures," says Salmon, are " specifics for deafness, noise,and pain in the ears, with running matter. Of beasts thebull’s gall is the strongest, and of birds, that of the partridgeand heron, the gall of birds being accounted stronger thanthat of beasts. Waters, extracts, or tinctures, may be madeof them, but the most famous is the tincture or powders ofox-gall." (The preparations now cornmonly used by aurists.-y.) An "extract made of human gall and ox-gall mixedwith breast-milk, dropt into the ear, being stopped with cottondipt into the same cures pain and noise in the ears. Dog’sgall dropt in warm goat’s milk, with honey, wolf’s, mice’s,to bring out insects ; bull’s, mixed with honey or balsam,sheep’s, with breast-milk, and injected with a syringe," areall recommended by the old authors. Such is the origin ofthe nostrums which aurists and " auld wives" nowprescribe.-9. Miseellaneoqis: Powdered horse-dung (whichcontains ammonia), fat of dormice, lion’s brains made intoan oil, musk put into the ears stopped with cotton, heron’sand goose grease, hog’s hce and earqvigs (I) boiled in oil andmingled with hare’s urine, and put into the ears morningand evening." Moths. As nasticcztories and errhines:-Masticatories of mastich, pyrettrum, cummin, and cloves,twice a day, and errhines of the betonica and melissa, aa.,3 ss ; vel. alb. aa., i, M. To be drawn up the nostrils in

fragments.* Excerpt from "Practical Observations on the Pathology and Treat-

ment of Deafness." No. V. By John Fosbroke, M.D., Cheltenham.

VITAL STATISTICS.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

IN 76 of the largest English towns 8686 births and 6972deaths were registered during the week ending March 13th.The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which hadsteadily increased in the four preceding weeks from 17 5 to21 - 3 per 1000, further rose to 22’1 1 during the week undernotice. During the first ten weeks of the current quarterthe annual death-rate in these towns averaged 18 ’ 5 per 1000,and in London the mean rate during the same period wasequal to 19 - 2 per 1000. The lowest recorded annual death-rates in these towns during last week were 10’9 in Hornsey,11’1 1 in Gateshead, 11-9 in East Ham and in Handsworth,and 12-9 in Grimsby ; the rates in the other towns rangedupwards, however, to 27 - 0 in Birmingham, 29’0 in Bury,34 - 6 in Brighton, and 35.1 in St. Helens. In Londonthe recorded death-rate during the week was equal to