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cians in 1908. On leaving office in 1911-a retirementwhich he had himself been willing to accelerate bya year or two in order to allow of the fusion of thepublic health work and education medical servicesof the County Council-Murphy continued hisepidemiological studies and gave further services tovarious public health organisations with which hehad always been in touch, particularly in the Epidemio-logical Society, of which he had been president in1894-95, then merged in the Royal Society of Medicine ;at the London Fever Hospital ; and more recentlyat the Metropolitan Asylums Board as the nomineeof the Ministry of Health. He presided in 1912 overthe section of Sanitary Service at the Congress of theRoyal Sanitary Institute in York in 1912, giving anotable address on the decline of birth- and death-rates. He also took a keen and affectionate interestin the Society of Apothecaries, which he had entered(by apprenticeship to the late Sir George Buchanan)in 1870, and where he became a member of theCourt of Assistants, and in later years (1920-21)Master of the Society. We may here note anotherhonour in the closing years of his life, of which hewas particularly proud-the receipt of the Jennermedal of the Royal Society of Medicine in 1921. *

The outbreak of the war sent Murphy back toactive official duties within a few days. He was aLieut.-Colonel R.A.M.C. on the Territorial list forspecial sanitary service, and was at once attached tothe London Command, where he worked as specialistsanitary officer throughout the war under foursuccessive Directors of Medical Services. His know-ledge of London and its public health arrangements,and his organising ability, were invaluable in theproblems of billeting, transport, and arrival of troops,hygiene of quarters, and sanitation in all its aspectsin relation to the large military area and the mass ofsoldiers quartered or passing through London, as wellas with the problems of cerebro-spinal fever and otherepidemics which arose from time to time during thisperiod. His activity and devotion to this duty,which was practically continuous for four years, weregreatly appreciated. An account of it will, it is hoped,be included in the official history of the war. Forthese army services he received the K.B.E. (Mil.) in1918.The following appreciation is from a well-known

public health officer and epidemiologist:—’’ To his con-temporaries the memory of Murphy will ever remainas that of a loved and revered colleague and friend.He accomplished much for his own time and has lefta rich inheritance of example to those who will followhim in the ever-widening field of public health admin-istration. This is not the occasion to consider hispublished work which advanced the standard ofadministration and afforded a pattern for muchcontemporaneous inquiry. We would rather askwhat manner of man he was, what the personalityof him who has gone from us ; what the hiddensprings from which during a long official life, all thisenergy flowed. For behind the work there lies thespirit of the worker, and it was this which endearedhim to his colleagues and contemporaries. To himdisease was no chance accident of life, but evidence ofthe working of laws which he set himself reverentlyto examine. He sought Nature in her own crucibleand in the spirit of humility which marks the trueworker." To such natures there comes now and again a

glimpse-a suggestion rather—of the majesty of allNature’s aws. He was fond of the phrase’ a workinghypothesis,’ a rule to be tested by every new set ofcircumstances to which it might be applied, andmodified if fuller’knowledge disclosed defect. Thistheme runs like a chord through much of his pub-lished work, and it had many variants. It appearsvery early in his epidemiological studies ; it reappearsin one of his latest published addresses, as when atYork in 1912 he applied it towards elucidating themovement of the birth- and death-rates. Law innature was to him as a law of being. The spiritof service was also strong in him, and explains

much of the strenuous life he led. For him, tolive was to serve, and herein lies the example forthose who follow. Service to his fellows; serviceto England (as when during the war years and at anage when many might, without reproach, have beencontent as lookers-on, he undertook the duties ofSanitary Officer of the London Command) ; serviceto humanity, were dominant notes in his character.In many ways this spirit of service found illustration,but one recalls the succession of deserving lads whoowed their start in life to his fatherly interest in them.It might be said also that the homeless and vagrantpoor he regarded as his special care, for long beforethere was any organised provision of night sheltersfor them, he knew the number of those who nightlysought the companionship of their fellows under thestars on the Embankment, in the parks, or under the .

railway arches. It was social service of a high order,done characteristically, under the guise of officialduty. Kindliness in thought and action pervaded hislife."

Sir Shirley Murphy was buried at Brookwoodcemetery on May 1st, after a service to his memoryat St. Martin-in-the-Fields on the same morning,at which Lady Murphy and his two daughters, SirH. Seymour King, and other relatives were present,together with many friends and representatives ofpublic bodies.

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The Services.ROYAL NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE.

Surg. Rear-Admiral W. Bett is placed on the Retd. List.Surg. Capt. J. F. Hall to be Surg. Rear-Admiral.Surg. Lieut.-Comdr. J. D. S. Higgins is placed on Retd.

List.Surg.-Lieuts. H. L. Douglas and J. T. Wylie to be Surg.

Lieut.-Comdrs. -

Royal Horse Guards.

Surg. Maj. E. D. Anderson, from Life Guards, to be Surg.Maj. -

,

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.Col. A. H. Morris, late R.A.M.C., retires on retd. pay.Surg. Capt. G. 0. Chambers, from Life Guards, to be Maj.To be Capts. : Surg. Capt. A. B. H. Bridges (from Life

Guards), and Capts. W. R. D. Hamilton and E. J. S. Bonnett(from R.A.M.C., Militia).

TERRITORIAL ARMY.

Maj. F. R. Harris is confirmed in his rank.Maj. V. T. Carruthers (Res. of Off.) to be Maj.Capt. F. G. Lescher (late R.A.M.C., Spec. Res.) to be Capt.General Hospitals : The undermentioned relinquish their

commissions and retain their rank except where otherwisestated : Lt.-Col. L. K. Harrison (Bt. Col.) ; Majs. G. W.Watson (Bt. Lt.-Col.), H. R. Dean, A. R. Hallam, andW. H. M. Telling (granted the rank of Lt.-Col.) ; Capts.J. le F. C. Burrow, P. Hamill (granted the rank of Maj.),W. R. Higgins, W. M. Munby, H. J. Slade, M. J. Stewart,C. W. Vining (granted the rank of Maj.), E. W. Assinder,J. Johnston, C. A. Moore (granted the rank of Maj.), H. B. W.Smith, H. E. Smith, W. C. Souter, and B. J. Ward.

Sanitary Companies : Capt. N. S. Golding relinquishes hiscommn. and retains the rank of Capt.Supernumerary for service with O.T.C.: Maj. W. D.

Sturrock ceases to be employed with the Field Amb. Section,Oxford University O.T.C. Lt. D. R. Wheeler ceases to beempld. with the Belfast University Contingent, Senior Div.,O.T.C. Capt. C. H. Budd (late R.A.M.C., T.F.), to be Capt.for service with the Medical Unit of the Cambridge Univer-sity Contingent, O.T.C. Capt. (local Maj.) W. Barclayresigns his commn. and is granted the rank of Maj.

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

Flight Lt. E. W. Longden relinquishes his temporarycommission on ceasing to be employed.

TERRITORIAL DECORATION.The King has conferred the Territorial Decoration upon

the undermentioned officers : Lt.-Cols. J. Miller and S. G.Barling (General List, T.A. Res.) ; Majs. W. Y. Martin(ret.), J. A. H. Aitken, and J. R. Menzies.