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The War.THE CASUALTY LIST.

THE following names of medical men appear:among the casualties announced since our lastissue:-

Wounded.

Lieutenant A. G. Whitfeild, R.A.M.C., 2nd LondonSanitary Company (T.F.).

Pr6viously Reported Killed, now Reported Woicndedand Prisoner of War.

Lieutenant J. R. Spensley, R.A.M.C., attached8th Battalion East Kent Regiment.

THE HONOURS LIST.The following honours have been conferred

upon medical officers for gallant conduct and

distinguished service in the field :-The Vict01’ia Cross.

Temporary Lieutenant George Allan Maling,R.A.M.C.For most conspicuous bravery and devotion to duty

during the heavy fighting near Fauquissart on Sept. 25th,1915. Lieutenant Maling worked incessantly with untiringenergy from 6.15 A.M. on the 25th till 8 A.M. on the 26th,collecting and treating in the open under heavy shell firemore than 300 men. At about 11 A.M. on the 25th he wasflung down and temporarily stunned by the bursting of alarge high-explosive shell, which wounded his onlyassistant and killed several of his patients. A second shellsoon after covered him and his instruments with debris,but his high courage and zeal never failed him, and hecontinued his gallant work single-handed.

The Military Cross.Captain Maurice Holdsworth Barton, R.A.M.C. (T.F.),

attached 5th Battalion Leicestershire Regiment.For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at

Hohenzollern Redoubt on Oct. 13th, 1915, in tending andbringing in wounded under fire. He also rallied and sentforward men who had become scattered. This is notthe first time that Captain Barton’s bravery and goodwork have been brought to notice.

Captain Samuel Russell Foster, 2nd North MidlandField Ambulance, R.A.M.C. (T.F.).For conspicuous gallantry and devotion to duty at

Hohenzollern Redoubt on Oct. 16th, 1915. He went to therelief of an officer and some wounded men who were’lying in a trench between the firing lines, passing overa considerable space of open ground in broad daylightunder heavy shell, machine-gun, and rifle fire. He spent.eight hours in this trench tending severely wounded men.

FOREIGN DECORATIONS.The King has granted permission to the recipients

to wear the undermentioned decorations :-

Conferred by the Emperor of Russia.Surgeon W. I. Gerrard, M.B., R.N.V.R., Order of

St. Anne, 3rd Class.Temporary Surgeon W. G. Biggar, R.N., Order of

St. Anne, 3rd Class.Fleet-Surgeon H. R. Gardner, M.B., R.N., Order of

St. Stanislas, 2nd Class.

Conferred by the King of Serbia.Surgeon E. R. A. Merewether, M.B., R.N., Order of

St. Saba, 4th Class. ’

BRITISH HOSPITAL SHIPS: ADMIRALTY STATEMENT.The Secretary of the Admiralty announces that

the constant repetition in the German WirelessPress messages of falsehoods concerning British

hospital ships necessitates a further categoricaldenial. There are 42 British hospital ships workingto and from Mediterranean-not 70 as stated. No

hospital ship has carried other than sick andwounded, nurses, and medical staff, and medicalstores. All are fully ballasted to secure safety andcomfort, but are not deeply laden. On the con-

trary, they are generally some feet higher thandeep draught. All are permanently painted as

required by the Geneva Convention, and duly notifiedto belligerents. No temporary arrangements, suchas those suggested, exist. The whole report andits insinuation is absolutely false. Great Britainhas strictly adhered to the Geneva and HagueConventions.

____

THE CENTRAL MEDICAL WAR COMMITTEE.

A meeting of the Central Medical War Committeewas held on Wednesday, Nov. 24th, at which a largeportion of the time was occupied by an informaldiscussion between the Committee and Sir RobertMorant, Mr. J. Smith Whitaker, and Dr. W. VernonShaw, representing the National Health Insur-ance Commission, as to the principles and pro-cedure which should regulate the efforts torecruit more medical men for the army. Theadministrators of National Health Insurance areunder contract to supply medical assistance andadvice to insured persons, and are thereforeconcerned in seeing that certain areas are not

unduly depleted of medical men, at any rate, solong as other areas remain apparently better ableto yield a quota of military medical officers. As aresult of the discussion, the Executive Subcommitteeof the Central Medical War Committee will haveopportunities of private conference with the officersof the National Health Insurance Commission.

Dr. T. W. Shore, Dean of the Medical School ofSt. Bartholomew’s Hospital, was co-opted a memberof the Central Medical War Committee, on themotion of Dr. Frederick Taylor.The rest of the business was of a confidential

character.

Recruiting for the Naval and Military Services.The following is a further list of those Local

Medical War Committees which have furnished theirquota :-

Bolton. North Lincolnshire.Chester. Reigate.Finchleyand.Bendon. Stratford.Gloucester.

EVACUATION HOSPITALS IN THE ARGONNE.

Comparisons are frequently made by Englishpeople between the completeness and even luxuryof the arrangements made for the care of theBritish wounded and the perhaps more Spartanmethods made necessary by the greater numbersfor which the French have to provide. It is a well-known fact that at the beginning of the war theService de Sante found itself in an appalling stateof unpreparedness. The recuperative power charac-teristic of the French nation has since enabled thedefects so apparent after the battle of the Marne tobe everywhere repaired, and while there are fewexamples of the luxury seen in some of the Englishhospital trains, the arrangements may be said to beadequate. The following notes on two of the evacua-tion hospitals in the Argonne inspected by a corres-pondent in France may serve to show something ofthe deft methods of adapting existing conditions topresent needs, the general spirit of efficiency, and

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the fine moralof the medicalstaff which dohonour to theFrench Servicede Santc.At the first

evacuation hos-

pital, installednear the stationof a once beautifultown, now a massof ruins, within awalk of the

enemy’s lines, themudecin-chcf hadsought for thewherewithal t o

organise the dis-infection of thevermin-coveredsoldier. He foundit in two out-houses built on

to the villagelaundry, con-

taining a stone

trough. In thefirst outhouse the

patient wasstripped and hisclothes put intothe e disinfectingoven ; in the stone trough he took his tub, and in the other

Ished he was given his clean clothes and uniform. A largegoods-shed next the station was transformed into the hos- !

pital. The dusty rafters were cleansed and screened, row5 ’of beds were neatly covered with the brown military z,blankets, and masses of flowers were arranged by a hospitalorderly, who must have been a Parisian florist in privatelife. The ugly building wasthus made almost attractive.All the cases that could bemoved were put on the trainhere and taken down theline to the base hospitals.The transport arrangementswere rough but effectiveThe severely wounded werecarried on stretchers whichhooked into the iron frame-work in three tiers con-

structed in each box car tocarry 27 men. All the in-convenient changing fromstretcher to bed and frombed to stretcher is avoided. i

No pillows are provided foithe stretchers, but they areusually given by that privateaid which in France so

largely supplements anyGovernment deficiency. An

orderly is attached to eachcar and one medical officerto each train. There is nofixed pattern for these hos-

pital trains. The best typehas been converted from a

passenger train with com-

municating carriages. Theleast convenient are thosewith non-communicatingcarriages where the 11 liers,"as a British Army Medicalnurse called them, are sus-

pended crossways in the

ordinary passenger cars. Ofthe comfort of the Englishhospital trains it must beadmitted there is none, yet

the men are care-fully attended to,and from thethousands ofwounded trans-

ported in this wayduring the monththat I was in thedistrict not one

single complaintwas heard.The second d

evacuation hos-

pital was openedin the evening ofSept. 16th, 1914,and on an averagehas handled 300wounded per day.The huts were

erected on a

muddy piece ofground quickly yturned into a

flourishing garden,and in an in-

credibly s h o r ttime were readyfor use. The illus-tration given willshow the preciseneatness of thewards, where eventhe watering of

the woo(len floor with disinfectants is done in artisticpatterns ! (Fig. 2.) The most scrupulous cleanliness isseen everywhere. ’there is absolutely no luxury, butall essentials are provided and the low death-rate isthe best evidence of the excellent care given tothe wounded by the staff. Among this latter are

no less than 20 priests, whose devotion to theirworK nas won marKea

praise from their superiorofficers. In the terriblerush of wounded after thebattle of the Marne 2400were attended to in 24 hours,and during that time notone of the staff even dreamedof taking rest or food. As oneof the doctors said, " Rienexistait sauf le service." Thepatients recognise this spiritof devotion, and are pro-foundly grateful for it. Onehears frequent criticism ofFrench hospital methods, andnot infrequentlythis criticismis voiced by French people.Yet surely the last decisionmust lie with the wounded,who can appreciate more

exactly than anyone the valueof what is done for them.I have heard the BritishTommy grumble in no

measured phrase at his lot inone of the biggest and best-run of the English militaryhospitals in a garrison town,while in many months ofwork among the Frenchpoilus one may safely saythat a complaint is never

heard. I should have beena little humiliated at thiscontrast in spirit, if it werenot that I know mycountrymen, and their oddhabit of concealing theirbetter sentiments s byI grousing."

1n evamnation h05]>it al in the .Brgolllle.

Interior of one of the huts

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THE POSITION OF MEDICAL STUDENTS.

Something in the direction of improving the

position of the third-year student in the wayforeshadowed in our leading article last weekhas already been done, as may be seen from the

last War Office assurance. This states that studentswho at or before the close of the present wintersession will be qualified for entry to one of

the examinations for the third-year students

in medicine, and duly enter for the examina-tion for which they are now studying, will notbe attested until after its conclusion, and if theyare successful will be included in the class of

fourth-year men under Lord Derby’s scheme. This

disposes of one part of that rather elusive group,the " third-year student," whose seniority variesaccording to the precise date at which he chose toregister, since this is not definitely fixed by law.The third-year men who possess any facility forpassing examinations will therefore come into LordDerby’s fourth-year class, and, whether they wishit or no, will be expected to remain at their studies.We agree with the Principal of King’s College,

London, Dr. Burrows, that it is the obvious duty ofthe War Office to advise all medical students to jointhe Officers Training Corps of their university andthus fit themselves for taking combatant com-

missions, if and when called upon. Such a policywould enable them to proceed concurrently withtheir medical training, and they could then be calledup in inverse ratio to their seniority. We agree thatthis course is common ground both of medical andmartial efficiency and would help to increase boththe supply of officers and doctors.

HOSPITALS IN SERBIA.As the invasion of Serbia proceeds it is becoming

more and more certain that the British hospitalsdecided to remain where they were and are now inenemy hands. Sir Charles des Graz, British Ministerin Serbia, found them in general reluctant to leavetheir work, and he was himself of opinion that itwas wiser for British nurses and doctors to remainthan to attempt to leave the country. LordRobert Cecil stated in Parliament that there

appeared to be no reason to believe that the womenof the parties would be badly treated. Sir Charlesdes Graz advises the sending of large supplies offood-stuffs and medical stores to Salonika, in thehope of the line being opened to supply the needsof the units.An interesting account of the unit under the

charge of Mr. James Berry and Mrs. DickinsonBerry, M.D., appears in the November number ofthe Magazine of the London School of Medicine forWo2en. Writing in September, they state that forthe last few weeks there had been a dearth ofpatients throughout Serbia, but the authoritieswere nevertheless extremely loth to allow anymembers of foreign units to leave. It was

expected that when fresh fighting occurred,Vrnjatchka Banja would be reckoned a surgicalcentre, and at least 1000 cases sent there. In themeantime, help was given to the civil population,for whose needs medical attendance was woefullyinadequate. Dr. Helen Boyle was starting an out-patient department for this purpose. The unitthen contained six hospitals with 300-400 beds, and60-70 orderlies of Austrian nationality but mostlyof Slav race from Bohemia. Boots and shoes con-tinued to be a pressing need, as well as artificiallimbs, which were unobtainable in Serbia.

VACANCIES FOR MEDICAL OFFICERS.-There area few vacancies existing for medical officers in the 3/2ndHome Counties Field Ambulance, R.A.M.C. (T.F.). Candi-dates must be fully qualified medical practitioners, and

willing to undertake foreign service obligation. Applicationsshould be made to the Officer Commanding, Halton ParkWest Camp, near Tring, Herts.

CONVOY OF MOTOR AMBULANCES : FARMERS’Red CRoss GiFT.—Fourteen motor ambulances of the latest

pattern, approved by the War Office, were on view recentlyin St. James’s-square, the last of a convoy of 50 presentedby British Farmers to the British Red Cross, Society andthe St. John Ambulance Association. Each car has accom-modation for eight sitting patients or for four stretchers, inaddition to an attendant and the driver. The completeconvoy has cost .f:32,500, the price of each car being .6450,and with each has been given a sum of .f:200 for its upkeepfor six months. During the day many farmers and land-owners from the country who had contributed to their costinspected the cars, which came from the counties of Wilt-shire (4), Warwickshire (2), Hereford (2), Stafford (1), York-shire (1), Northampton (1), Somerset (1), Monmouth (1), andCheshire (1). The review may serve to stimulate others toimitation, and we believe there is no limit to the number ofmotor ambulances which can be usefully employed.

UNIVERSITY OF EDINBURGH AND THE WAR.-The following members of the medical teaching staff are atpresent serving with the Forces : Captain Lewis Beesley,R.A.M.C. (T.) ; Second Lieutenant W. G. Bennett, R.F.A. ;Lieutenant F. D. Gavins, R.A.M.C. ; Lieutenant W. J.Gardiner, R.A.M.C. (T.) ; Dr. G. L. Gulland, 1st Lowland

Brigade R.F.A. (T.) ; Colonel R. J. M. Horne, A.M.C.,Major, Forth R.G.A. ; Major Claud B. Ker, R.A M.C. (T.) ;Mr. J. D. Lithgow, Surgeon in Hospital, France ; LieutenantD. Murray Lyon, R A.M.C., 5th Cavalry Field Ambulance ;Captain Bruce McEwan, 8th Royal Scots (T.) ; Major JohnEdwin Mackenzie, Artillery Unit, O.T.C., and Adjutant ofCorps ; Dr. Charles McNeil, Base Hospital, France ; Lieu-tenant W. M. Mitchell, Royal Army Veterinary Corps ; Mr.J. W. Struthers, Surgeon, R.A.M.C. (T.), Scottish Red CrossHospital, Rouen; Captain Lewis Thatcher, R.A.M.C., M.O.General Headquarters, B.M.E. Force ; Colonel AlexisThomson, A.M.S. ; Dr. Henry Wade, R.A.M.C., ScottishHorse (T.) ; Captain A. Pirie Watson, R.A. M.C., 4th RoyalScots (T.) ; Mr. D. P. D. Wilkie, Surgeon, R.N. ’Reserve,Portsmouth ; Major David Wallace, C.M.G., R.A.M.C. (T.),seconded to Red Cross Society; Dr. Gomer Williams,Surgeon, R.N. Hospital, Plymouth.The following are attached to 2nd Scottish General

Hospital.Craigleith : Captain Edwin Bramwell, R.A.M.C.(T.);Captain G. L. Chiene, R.A.M.C. (T.); Major J. D. Comrie,R.A.M.C. (T.) ; Captain R. A. Fleming, R.A.M.C. (T.) ;Major J. W. B. Hodsdon, R. A. M. C. (T.) ; Captain HarryRainy, R.A.M.C. Captain W. J. Stuart, R.A.M.C. (T.);Captain A. Logan Turner, R. A. M. C. (T.).The following are attached to Bangour Military Hospital:

Major F. D. C. Boyd, R.A.M.C. ; Lieutenant-Colonel C. W.Cathcart, R.A.M.C. (T.) ; Captain J. G. Cattanach,R.A.M.C.(T.); Captain Alexander Miles, R.A.M.C. (T.) ;Lieutenant-Colonel Sir R. W. Philip, R.A.M.C. (T.) ;Captain H. J. Stiles, R.A.M.C. (T.).

REGISTRATION OF NURSING UNIFORM.-An officialannouncement appeared on Nov. 22nd to the effect that theuniform of V.A.D. nurses of the British Red Cross Societyand the Order of St. John will hereafter be registered.Imitation is now, therefore, an offence under the Defence ofthe Realm Act, and the V.A.D. nurse may feel that she isafforded the protection to which her self-sacrificing labourentitles her.

THE ARMY’S WINTER KiT.—With the onset ofthe severe weather public attention naturally turns to themeans taken to protect our troops against the rigours ofwinter warfare in the trenches. We are relieved to see thateach soldier at the front is provided by the militaryauthorities with the following articles of clothing : Winterservice cap, waterproof cover for cap, cap comforter, bodybelt, woollen vest and drawers, shirt, cardigan waistcoat,tunic and trousers, fur or leather (flannel lined) jacket,great coat, waterproof cape, fingerless snow gloves, woollen

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gloves, socks, puttees, and boots. The authorised scale of

equipment allows two shirts and four pairs of socks for eachman, leaving to private generosity the supply of mufflers andmittens. Some may wonder why letters still appear beggingthat articles of warm clothing may be sent to the men ofcertain regiments, generally by way of ladies connected withthe officers of the regiment. The answer is that the winterkit is supplied to the soldiers at the front, and to them onlyas yet, while the troops in many of our home camps arefeeling the sudden rigours of winter severely.

THE GAZETTE OF THE 3RD LONDON GENERALHOSPITAL, WANDSWORTH.-No. 2 of this journal, the issuefor November, is humorous throughout its 24 pages.Although the letterpress for the most part is devoted topurely hospital matters the articles are so well written andbroad in interest that there should be no lack of subscribersto the journal, especially as the profits on its sale are devotedto the benevolent fund of the hospital. The illustrations arewell done and the editor is to be congratulated upon havingtwo good artists on his staff. The journal can be obtainedfor 4d. post free from the 3rd London General Hospital,Wandsworth, S. W.

FACTORIES AND WORKSHOPS DURING WAR.-Wehave received a copy of the annual report of the chief

inspector of factories and workshops for the year 1914. A

glance through its pages shows that the whole work of theFactory Department has undergone a great and remarkablechange consequent upon the war. Sir Arthur Whiteleggestates that much of the ordinary routine has had to giveplace to new emergency duties, and the available staffhas for the time been greatly reduced. Many of the

inspectors and several of the clerical staff joined the

forces, and many more have been lent to other depart-ments for special services ; thus it has been necessaryto readjust the remaining staff from time to time, and todetermine in what way their services could be employed tobest advantage.

THE ENGINEERING INSTITUTIONS’ VOLUNTEERENGINEER CORPS.-The first meeting of the general com-mittee of this body took place recently, when the presidentsof the three premier engineering institutions were present.The recruiting for this corps is not confined to engineers,although they form the majority of its members. Good menare acceptable whether members of these institutions or not,and even those untrained as engineers are welcomed if theyanswer to certain very reasonable requirements. The meetingwas the occasion of some enthusiasm, and an executive com-mittee was formed, consisting of Sir John Snell (retiringpresident of the Institution of Electrical Engineers) as chair-man, Sir Maurice Fitzmaurice, C.M.G. (a vice-president ofthe Institution of Civil Engineers), Colonel Le Rossignol,R.E., Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Clay, Mr. L. B. Atkinson,honorary secretary and treasurer; Mr Fleming, and a

representative of the Institution of Mechanical Engineers, tobe nominated by the president. The report of the com-mandant (Lieutenant-Colonel C. B. Clay) as to the progressof the corps was most encouraging. To this report he addedthat an arrangement had been made for sharing headquarterswith the 4th Battalion City of London Regiment (Architects’Corps). The premises comprise a spacious drill-hall, andabove this are the necessary offices for providing for mess-rooms, common-room, orderly-room, and canteen. On the

premises of the London Electrical Engineers (T.F.) somespecial instruction will be given. Several men have

already qualified in this special branch, and partiesare engaged each week-end on important work in con-

nexion with the defence of London. Under these

auspicious circumstances, and with comfortable andexcellent premises for headquarters, the corps should

prove attractive to all suitable men who wish to serve their

country. The corps will only accept as new members thosewho are over military age, or disqualified by reasons of

health, or who are engaged on war work, and who are notallowed by the Government on that account to enlist in theforces, but whose training in this corps would fit them to takepart in the defence of the country in the event of a raid bythe enemy, or any other emergency ; and would also fit themto volunteer as trained men for service overseas if such anecessity arose at a later period in the war.

Obituary.HENRY CHARLTON BASTIAN, M.A., M.D. LOND.,

HON. M.D. R.U.I., F.R.C.P., F.R.S.,CONSULTING PHYSICIAN TO UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL AND TO THE

NATIONAL HOSPITAL FOR THE PARALYSED AND EPILEPTIC.

Henry Charlton Bastian, who died at his houseat Chesham Bois on Nov. 17th, was born at Truroon April 26th, 1837. He commenced his educationat Falmouth, afterwards going to UniversityCollege, London. His academic career was quickand distinguished : he graduated M.A. Lond. in1861, M.B. in 1863, and M.D. three years later. In1868, when only 31, he was elected a Fellow of theRoyal Society. His first important appointmentin London was the lectureship on pathology atSt. Mary’s Hospital where he was also assistantphysician, resigning these positions in 1867 onbeing elected professor of pathology at UniversityCollege and assistant physician to the hospital.He served the hospital in the capacity of assistantand full physician over a period of 30 years, retir.ing in 1897 to become consulting physician. In1887 he vacated the chair of pathology for thatof medicine, which he held until 1893. His associa.tion with the National Hospital in Queen-squaredates from January, 1868; he became full physicianin 1887 and retired in 1902 at the age of 65,retaining, however, ten beds until 1912 byspecial resolution of the governing body. Besideshis London degrees in arts and medicine Dr.Bastian held distinctions of many kinds. He was,as has been said, a Fellow of the Royal Society,of the Linnean Society, and of the Royal College ofPhysicians of London, and was chosen a Censor in1897-8. He was honorary Fellow of the Royal Collegeof Physicians of Ireland, and was granted an honoraryM.D. by the Royal University. Abroad he was a

corresponding member of the Royal Academy ofMedicine of Turin and of the Medico-ChirurgicalSociety of Bologna, and an associate member of theAmerican Neurological Association. For manyyears (1884-98) he was Crown referee in cases ofsupposed insanity. In June last he was awarded aCivil List pension of JE150 a year in considerationof his services to science.

Distinguished as a neurologist, Dr. Bastian’scontributions to his subject were indeed large andfruitful, but what he would himself, perhaps, haveconsidered his life-work lay in entirely a differentdirection. He was the great champion of what isusually known as abiogenesis, the spontaneousorigin of life from non-living materials; and hestrenuously denied the doctrine of omne vivumex ouo. At the same time he upheld the closelyrelated theory of heterogenesis or the inter-

changeability of the lowest forms of animal andvegetable life, both amongst themselves and witheach other. The list of Bastian’s writings given atthe end of this notice, a list which is far fromcomplete, will convey an idea of his intense literaryactivity and will show at a glance the interestingfact that while his writings covered a period ofalmost exactly half a century, his earlier and lateroutput was chiefly biological and of a controversialcharacter, while the literary result of his period ofmaturity was a valuable series of neurologicalworks. The inclination of his youth was obscuredin force by his clinical studies, but only to resumeits force when hospital and medical school ceased toabsorb all his time and energies.