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CHARLES BROOK, J.P., F.R.C.S. Eng.,LIEUT.-COL., R.A.M.C. (T.).

llr. Charles Brook, who died at Lincoln on

August 10th, was a son of the late Dr. W. H. Brook,of Lincoln, where he was born on Feb. 19th, 1839.After a year’s pupillage at the Lincoln CountyHospital he entered St. Bartholomew’s Hospital,London, in October, 1858, the same year as AlfredWillett, John Langton Morrent Baker, and HowardMarsh, the first three of whom were his fellow housesurgeons, whilst the latter, after the custom of thattime, purchased the remainder of the house surgeoncyto Mr. Skey, which Charles Brook resigned owing tothe illness of his father, calling him to Lincoln.During his student days he gained every scholarshipand prize that he competed for ; Sir James Pagettried to persuade him to remain in London as hisassistant, and the treasurer and almoners added theirassurance of an early post on the surgical staff if hewould so remain. But Brook felt it his duty to carryon his father’s practice in Lincoln, which he joinedin 1862.He was elected surgeon to the Lincoln County

Hospital in 1864, consulting surgeon in 1900, and vice-president in 1921. In 1862 he was appointed surgeonto the Royal North Lincoln Militia, from which heresigned in 1891, but on the formation of the TerritorialForce in 1908, at the request of Sir Alfred Keogh heorganised the Fourth Northern General Hospital. Here,during the war, he took the principal surgical partfrom 1914 to 1918, when, whilst still active in mindand body, he was retired, at the age of 79, by reasonof the age-limit. In 1922 the Royal College of ISurgeons elected him a Fellow. A fine operator in hisearlier days, Mr. Brook was during the whole of hiscareer distinguished for his clinical acumen, power ofdiagnosis, and shrewdness in treatment, so that hisadvice was sought after over a wide area. He was afine sportman, a cricketer from his earliest days,a keen follower of hounds, a fine shot, and able totramp over the heather until approaching 80 yearsof age. He was chairman of the Lincoln Race Com-mittee, and at one time raced under the name ofMr. Seabrooke.A man of sound business ability, Colonel Brook was

on the boards of some of the principal businessconcerns in Lincoln, being chairman of the Lincolnand Lindsey Bank (now merged in the Midland)and of the Midland Counties Insurance Company(now merged in the Royal). He was made a J.P.in 1888. He leaves a son and a daughter, his wifeand an elder son having pre-deceased him.

PROF. AXENFELD.

Dr. Theodor Axenfeld, who died at the age of63 years at Freiburg i. Br. on July 29th, had heldthe University chair of ophthalmology for almost30 years. He was born at Smyrna, graduated at

Marburg, and was assistant to Uhthoff at Breslaubefore his appointment at the age of 30 to the chairof ophthalmology at Rostock, which he exchangedfor that of Freiburg four years later. Axenfeld’s nameis associated the world over with the pathology ofophthalmic disease, and especially with that of springcatarrh, trachoma, and sympathetic ophthalmia. HisLehrbuch der A ugenheilkunde ran through seven

editions and from 1904 on he edited the KlinischeJlonatsblutter fur Augenheilkunde. His internationalstanding made it possible for him to resume his place in1929 at the Amsterdam congress, and early this yearhe had made a tour in Japan where he was received

with marked respect. Three of his pupils occupy thechairs of ophthalmology at Cologne, Miinster, andTubingen.

THE SERVICES

ROYAL NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE.

Surg. Comdr. B. S. Robson is placed on the Retd. Listwith the rank of Surg. Capt.

Surg. Lt. D. M. Beaton to be Surg. Lt.-Comdr.

ROYAL NAVAL VOLUNTEER RESERVE.

Surg. Sub-Lt. J. F. Corr to be Surg. Lt.

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.

Capts. E. J. S. Bonnett and F. K. Escritt to be Majs.(prov.).

TERRITORIAL ARMY.

Maj. T. W. S. Hills, having attained the age limit, retiresand retains his rank, with permission to wear the prescribeduniform.

Capt. A. B. Williamson to be Capt.2nd Lt. J. K. Reid to be Lt.Godfrey Morgan to be Lt.

ROYAL AIR FORCE.

J. F. S. Wiseman is granted a short service commissionas a Flying Officer for three years on the Active List.Squadron Leader T. K. Place (Major, Army Dental

Corps) relinquishes his temporary commission on ceasingto be employed with the R.A.F.

RESERVE OF AIR FORCE OFFICERS.

Flight Lt. J. Prendergast relinquishes his commission oncompletion of service.

INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.

Capt. T. H. Thomas to be Maj.Capt. (prov.) K. F. Alford is confirmed in his rank.Col. L. J. M. Deas retires.Lt. H. S. Bawa relinquishes his temp. commn.

DEATHS IN THE SERVICES.

Colonel John Southey Bostock, R.A.1Z.C., C.B.E., whodied suddenly at Burford Priory, Oxford, on August 12th,aged 55, was Commandant of the Royal Army MedicalCollege at Millbank. The eldest son of Dr. E. I. Bostock,of Horsham, Sussex, he received his early education atLancing College, and graduated in medicine and surgery atEdinburgh in 1900. In the following year he joined theRoyal Army Medical Corps as lieutenant, became captainin 1904, and major in 1912. He served throughout thegreat war both at home and abroad, and was in the retreatat Mons. On his return to England he took charge of theWar Hospital at Eastbourne, and was director of medicalservices at the Ministry of Pensions from 1919 to 1923,when he was made C.B.E., and became Lieut.-Colonel,having been promoted to Brevet Major in 1915 and BrevetColonel in 1918. Subsequently he was appointed principalmedical officer at Hong-Kong, and in the early part of thisyear took up his appointment as Commandant at Millbank.He married in 1909 Olivia Emslie, daughter of Mr. Emslie J.Horniman, by whom he had two sons and one daughter.

CITY OF LONDON MATERNITY HOSPITAL.-The179th annual report records that last year 1724 in-patients were treated at a cost of j67 17s. 6d. each for anaverage stay of 1345 days, a reduction of 12s. 5d. on thepreceding year. Of the in-patients seven died, two of whomwere emergency cases ; the mortality-rate for booked caseswas 3-22 per 1000. There were 37 pairs of twins, and72 stillborn cases. There were 251 out-patients delivered,and 256 children were born outside the hospital. In ante-natal and postnatal work 2070 patients were attended.In the infant welfare centre 431 mothers made 4629 attend-ances. Nineteen medical practitioners and students attendedthe practice in the hospital, and 40 midwives and sixmaternity nurses were in training during the year. Thereport emphasises the extreme urgency of rebuilding thenurses’ quarters-the present lack of accommodationthreatens the efficiency of the hospital.