333

weeks. These 41 deaths were equal to an annual rate of1-5 per 1000, which was 0 ’8 below the mean rate lastweek from the same diseases in the thirty-three Englishtowns. The fatal cases of whooping-cough, which had been16 and 24 in the preceding two weeks, declined again to 16last week, of which 6 occurred in Aberdeen and 5 in

Glasgow. The deaths referred to different forms of

"fever," which had been 6 and 5 in the previous twoweeks, rose to 7 last week, and included 4 in Glasgow.The 6 fatal cases of measles showed a decline of 5from the number in the preceding week, and included5 in Glasgow. The deaths from diphtheria, whichhad been 5 and 9 in the previous two weeks, declinedagain to 4 last week, of which 2 occurred in Glasgow and1 each in Leith and Greenock. The 2 fatal cases of scarletfever were considerably below those recorded in any recentweek, and included 1 in Aberdeen and 1 in Paisley. Thedeaths referred to diseases of the respiratory organs inthese towns, which had increased in the preceding threeweeks from 200 to 230, declined again last week to 211, andwere within 4 of the number in the corresponding week oflast year. The causes of 69, or nearly 10 per cent., ofthe deaths in the eight towns last week were not certified.

HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

The death-rate in Dublin, which had increased in the pre-ceding three weeks from 35-0 to 54’1 per 1000. declined againto 41’5 during the week ending Jan. 30tb. During the firstfour weeks of the current quarter the death-rate in the cityhas averaged 43’6 per 1000, against 40’0 in London and 22-2 inEdinburgh. The 278 deaths in Dublin during the weekunder notice showed a decline of 85 from the ex-

ceptionally high number in the preceding week, andincluded 5 which were referred to whooping-cough, 3to "fever," 1 to diarrhoea, and not one either to small-

pox, measles, scarlet fever, or diphtheria. In all, 9deaths resulted from these principal zymotic diseases,equal to an annual rate of 1’3 per 1000, the rate during thesame period being 3’2 in London and 0’8 in Edinburgh. Thefatal cases of whooping-cough, which had been 5 and 10in the preceding two weeks, declined again to 5 last week.The deaths referred to different forms of "fever," whichhad been 2 and 5 in the previous two weeks, declinedto 3 last week. The 278 deaths registered in Dublinlast week included 32 of infants under one year ofage, and 105 of persons aged upwards of sixty years;the deaths both of infants and of elderly persons showed amarked decline fcom the very high numbers recorded in thepreceding week. Four inquest cases and 5 deaths fromviolence were registered ; and 80, or more than a fourth, ofthe deaths occurred in public institutions. The causes of26, or more thaa 9 per cent., of the deaths in the city lastweek were nob cart-tfied.

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CALCUTTA AND ITS SUBURBS.We le3,rn from the memorandum published by Dr. W. J.

Simp,.zon, the health officer of Calcutta, in connexion withthe vital statistics of that city and its amalgamated area ofsuburbs, that the total number of births registered in Cal-cutta in September last was 693, giving an annual ratio of17’8 per 1000 of population. The total deaths registeredduring the month were 1041, showing an annual ratio of26’7 per 1000 The proportion of male to female deathswas as 158 to 100. The monthly total exceeds the corre-sponding figures of the past decade, and surpasses thedecennial mean by 171. There were 82 deaths from cholera,

. against 29 in the preceding month. Nodeathsfromsmall-pox..

There were 124 deaths from bowel complaints, against 83 inthe preceding month. From tetanus there were 80 deaths,against 64 in the preceding month ; of these, 74 were underone year of elge. The total mortality of infants underone year, reckoned on estimated births, was 342-9 per1000 of population. In the amalgamated area of suburbs326 births were registered during September, giving anannual ratio of 18-1 per 1000. The total number of deathsregistered was 603, against 525 in the preceding month,giving an annual ratio of 33’6 per 1000. Of these deaths,23 were from eholera, 270 from fevers, 89 from bowel com-plaints, and 56 from tetanus. In the tables of comparatitemortality in cities of Bengal. Bombav, Madras, North-Western Provinces, and the Punjab having more than50,(;00 inhabitants, we notice that in Madras, from Aug 15 ch

to Sept llth, 1891, the annual death-rate amounted to 105-2

per 1000. At Cawnpore it was 55-2 for Jaly, 49-5 for Delhis40-7 for Lahore, and 510 for Peswar for the week endingJune 27th last. According to the latest return, that forthe week ending Dec. 5th, 1891, the birth-rate at Calcutta.was rather higher than the corresponding week of last year.There were 46 deaths from cholera, none from small-pox.The general annual death rate was 39’7, against 324 per1000, the mean of the last five years. In the amalgamatedarea of suburbs, the deaths (177) were lower during theweek than in the corresponding week of the previous year : --

21 deaths from cholera ; none from small-pox. The death-rate of the week was 42.9 per 1000 of population. Thegeneral death-rate of the combined area is equal to 40’7 per1000.

THE SERVICES.

PROMOTION IN THE INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.

The Times of India, of Jan. 16th, 1892, publishes thefollowing:-" A question arose some time ago as to whetherBrigade Surgeons of the Indian Medical Service coulddecline promotion to the rank of Deputy Surgeon-General.Medical officers holding lucrative civil appointments weredisinclined to leave their posts when their turn came formilitary promotion, preferring to abandon their claim tohigher rank. It has now been ruled that if, after consider-ing all circumstances affecting any particular case, Govern-ment deem it expedient in the interests of the publi;service to nominate a Brigade Surgeon for promotion, that’officer is not to be given the option of refusing it."The death is reported of Brigade Surgeon S. P. White

from pneumonia after influenza. He had retired in 1888,after twenty-eight years’ service. The deceased was withthe expedition against the Hazara tribes in 1868, duringthe Afghan War, the capture of Urzoo, and the engage-ments near Ghanzi.

Brigade Surgeon - Lieutenant- Colonel Samuel Maunselldied on Dec. 31st, 1891, at the West Indies. Lieutenant-Colonel Maunsell was a son of the late Rev. Thos. Maunsell,of Balnagarnon House, Fintona, County Tyrone.Surgeon-Major Forbes Dick, M.D., Medical Staff, died

on the 25th inst. at Queen-square, Lancaster, aged fifty.He became assistant-surgeon in the Army in September,1863, surgeon in March, 1873, surgeon-major in April, 1876,and retired on half. pay in October, 1888.ARMY MEDICAL STAFF. - Surgeon-Ma.jor. General Sir

James Arthur Hanbury, M.B, F.R. C.S.I., K.C.B., isplaced on retired pay (dated Jan. 136b, 1892); Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel John Godfrey Rogers, M.B., D.S.O.,.retires oh retired pay (dated Feb. 3rd, 1891).NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE. - The following appoint.

ments have been made at the Admiralty :-Surgeons: °

Graham E Kennedy to the Defiance (dated Feb. 13tb, 1892); qJerome Barry, M D., to the Ganges (dated Feb. 16tb, 1892); John Andrews, M.D., to the Dart. and Edward C. Cridland,M.B , to the Paluma (both dated Feb. 4th, 1892).VOLUNTEER CoRPS.-Artillery: IstForfarsbire: William

James Peddie, M.B., to be Surgeon-Lieutenant (datedJan. 30th, 1892).—1st Cumberland: Surgeon-Major J. A.Macdougall resigns his commission; also is permitted toretain his rank, and to continue to wear the uniform ofthe Corps on his retirement (dated Jan. 30th, 1892) -Rifle:1st Surrey (Sauth London): Charles Swaby Smith, Gent., to-be Surgeon- Lieutenant, (dated Jan. 9th, 1892) -3rd Volun-teer Battalion, the Duke of Wellington’s (West Riding-Regiment): Richard Ernest Williamson, M.B., to be Sur-geon-Lieutenant (dated Jan. 30th, 1892).-2nd VolunteerBattalion, the Duke of Cambridge’s Own (MiddlesexRegiment): Surgeon-Major C. A. Patten to be Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel (dated Jan. 30th, 1892) -2nd (South).Middlesex: Surgeon-Major T. Trent resigns his commis-sion ; also is permitted to retain his rank, and to continueto wear the uniform of the Corps on his retirement (datedJan. 30th, 1892).

ROYAL INSTITUTION.—Professor E. Ray Lankester,F.R S., will, on Thursday next-, Feb. llth, begin a course ofthree lectures on "Recent Biological Discoveries;" and theRight Hon. Lord Rayleigh, F.R,S., will, on Saturday,Feb. 13th. begin a course of six lectures on "Matter: in Restand in Motion.’