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understand that the subject will be brought forward at anearly meeting of the society in October. We hope that thiswill be done as we have cognisance of other concealedfractures of the spine of somewhat similar character. Theyare very important from a medico-legal aspect and are notsimply clinical curiosities. The high position of the fractureand displacement of the fragments without paralysis makethis case unique.

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THE NEW SYDENHAM SOCIETY.

WE are requested to remind our readers that the annualmeeting (the forty-fifth) of the New Sydenham Society willbe held at Swansea next week. It will take place in theboard-room of the Higher Grade School on Friday, July 31st,art 9 A.M. Mr. Henry Power, the treasurer, will occupy thechair. Not only the members of the society but all whoare interested in its objects are invited to attend.

THE VON PETTENKOFER MEMORIAL FUND.

IT is proposed to erect to the memory of von Pettenkofera marble statue of double life-size in Munich and towardsthis object 89 have been collected in Great Britain. The

balance of this sum, after deducting 5 for the expenses ofprinting and postage, has been sent to the Burgermeister ofMunich who, through Dr. Christopher Childs, the honorary-secretary and treasurer of the fund, desires to offer his

warmest thanks to all those who have assisted in providinga contribution in Great Britain. We are pleased to knowthat some of our profession have so readily responded tothe appeal for contributions towards this fund, but we hadhoped that the total sum collected in Great Britain would

Ihave exceeded .E89. ____

THE EPILEPTIC COLONY AT CHALFONTST. PETER, BUCKS.

THE tenth annual report which has just been issued by theNational Society for the Employment of Epileptics refers tothe administrative and medical aspects of the epilepticcolony at Chalfont St. Peter, Bucks, and to the generalhistory of the colony during the year 1902. This institutionhas accommodation at present for 170 inmates, but the

report points out that there is urgent need for the buildingof additional homes or villas at the colony to meet the

increasing demands of cases seeking admission. A specialconvalescent home has just been erected and completed toreceive casualties and sick cases occurring in the colony.The general health and progress of the .. colonists duringthe year have been eminently satisfactory; in fact, since thesummer of 1897-a period of six years-there has been

no death at the colony. The occupations and industries inwhich the inmates are employed include basket-making,laundry- and needle-work (for females only), carpentry,plumbing and painting, tailoring, boot-mending, and farmand garden work. The members of the honorary medicalstaff state in their report that 72 new patients (48 males and24 females) were received at the colony during the year andthat 36 patients (23 males and 13 females) left or were

discharged as improved or partially recovered. With the

extension of the colony, both in size and usefulness, themethods available for educating and employing the inmateshave also increased. The present report confirms the viewput forth in previous reports that the colony system asadopted at Chalfont St. Peter is of especial advantagein the training of young adult epileptics, both male andfemale. The colony as it now stands comprises 210acres of farming land, gardens, and orchards, homes,workshops, and other buildings, representing a capitalcost of over <840,000. By scrupulous economy in work-

ing and by the generous aid of friendly donors its workduring the past few years of its existence has been

accomplished without incurring debt. Full particulars as

to the mode of application for candidates for admission ascolonists and all information connected therewith are con-tained in a pamphlet entitled " Information for Applicantsand their Friends." copies of which may be obtained fromthe secretary, Mr. G. Penn Gaskell, 12, Buckingham-street,Strand, London, W.C., who will also give information

regarding intended gifts and bequests to the society.

THE SOILING OF FABRICS BY THE USE OFFLUID DISINFECTANTS.

I THE free use of fluid disinfectants in houses in which

infectious disease exists, or is suspected to exist, is a uni-

versally established practice and there can be no doubt ofits value. One unsatisfactory feature, however, in con-

nexion with the use of disinfectants is that some of

them, at any rate, are not only greatly deficient as regardstheir active antiseptic ingredients but they are apt whenused freely, and especially the phenol preparations, toleave indelible stains on sheets, blankets, and other fabrics.This is a serious matter to the poor householder whosemeans are often sadly strained to meet tha expenses ofa sick room. Stains on blankets and on sheets are very objec-tionable and present an unsightly and spoiled appearancewhich considerably discounts the value of the bed-clothing.Furthermore, stains on bed linen, &c., not unnaturallysuggest an unpleasant association with infectious disease.It is desirable, we think, that all manufacturers of dis-infectants should be compelled to make a statement as tothe percentage of the active ingredient contained in theirpreparations and they should also ascertain that the dis-infectant when properly used leaves no stains on fabrics.We have examined a number of preparations which complywith these requirements ; they are efficient germicides anddo not stain. It is only a matter of careful preparation,especially in the case of the alkaline mixtures, which, how-ever, often contain little else than inert tar compounds.We may also draw attention to the miserably weak liquorof which the sanitary authorities are in the habit of distribut-ing samples ; they are often objectionable in appearance andoffensive in odour, to say nothing of being practically worth-less as germicides. Of course, it is important that a fairprice should be paid for a really active fluid which could bediluted by the sanitary officers to a convenient and efficientstrength. In this way the officials could not only reduce thestrength to the desired limit of 3 per cent. of phenol or its

homologues but they could prevent damage to clothes andother articles. It seems to us that all disinfectant prepara-tions should be required by law to conform to a definite

antiseptic value. -

SUICIDES IN PUBLIC ASYLUMS FOR THE INSANE.

I IN the JcM7’MJ of Mental Soience for July Dr. H. A.

Benham, medical superintendent of the Fishponds Asylum,Bristol, gives an account of his studies of suicides which hadoccurred during the period 1890 to 1902 in the public asylumsof England and Wales. During that period 201 cases ofsuicide occurred, 126 being males and 75 females. 16

patients committed suicide after effecting their escape and20 patients did so while out I I on trial." As to the meanschosen for committing the suicidal act, a little over 50 percent. of the total number adopted the method of hangingthemselves, while 13 per cent. effected the act by cuttingtheir throats. The other methods adopted were as followsin descending order of frequency-viz., drowning, strangula-tion, injury by railway train?, poisoning, jumping fromwindows, and suffocation. Of the suicides which actuallyoccurred within the precincts of asylums the act was

committed during the day in 79 per cent. of cases

and by night in 21 per cent. " Taking the suicides