1514 VITAL STATISTICS.

number which would doubtless be decreased if overcrowdingcould be prevented.The net profit of the year on the prison industries

works out at more than £16,000, being an improvementon the preceding year, and great credit is due tothose who have to find regular occupations for 13,000prisoners, drawn from a class of non-workers. The dis.tribution of the boys in the reformatory in differenttrades comprised printers, book-binders, carpenters, shoe-makers, tailors, tin-smiths, blacksmiths and fitters, farmworkers, gardeners, and musicians, while the girls were taughtsewing, laundry work, and cooking. The general improve-ment in Egyptian prisons of late years reflects great crediton Coles Pasha, C.M.G., the Director-General, who has hadmany years’ experience of police and prison administrationboth in India and in Egypt. It is only a quarter of a centuryago that the practice of the Egyptian authorities was toarrest not only everyone who might have been implicated ina crime, but also a number of their relatives as well as allthe witnesses, whether they were on the side of the prosecu-tion or of the defence, and when once in prison no distinctionwas made between those who were awaiting trial and thewitnesses, who were imprisoned because it was more Con-venient to keep them in case they were wanted, than to setthem at liberty.

VITAL STATISTICS.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

IN 77 of the largest English towns 8001 births and 4801deaths were registered during the week ending Nov. 12th.The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which hadbeen equal to 13-0 and 13-1 per 1000 in the two pre-ceding weeks, rose to 14-8 in the week under notice.

During the first six weeks of the current quarter the death-rate in these towns averaged 13’3 per 1000. In London thedeath-rate during the same period, calculated on the probablyover-estimated population, was also equal to 13-3 3 per 1000.The 4801 deaths from all causes registered in the 77towns last week showed an increase of 551 upon thenumber in the previous week, and included 392 which werereferred to the principal epidemic diseases, against 504, 425,and 361 in the three preceding weeks ; of these 392 deaths, 136resulted from measles, 110 from diarrhoea, 54 from diph-theria, 37 from whooping-cough, 32 from enteric fever, and23 from scarlet fever, but not one from small-pox. Themean annual rate of mortality from these epidemic diseasesin the 77 towns last week was equal to 1’2 per 1000, against1 - 6, 1 - 3, and l’ 1 in the three preceding weeks. No death fromany of these diseases was registered last week in Leicester,Croydon, South Shields, Hornsey, or in eight other smallertowns ; the annual death-rates therefrom ranged upwards,however, to 3’2 2 in Brighton, 4’1 1 in Rhondda, 4.5 in WestHartlepool, 4’9 in Middlesbrough, and 6.5 in Tynemouth.The fatal cases of measles in the 77 towns, which had been75, 107, and 101 in the three preceding weeks, further roseto 136 last week, and exceeded the number in any week sincethe beginning of June ; they caused the highest annual rates,1-9 in West Hartlepool, 3-2 in Brighton, and 5-5 in Tyne-mouth. The deaths attributed to diarrhoea, which had de-clined in the ten preceding weeks from 527 to 123, furtherfell last week to 110, and were proportionately mostnumerous in Rochdale, Burnley, Rhondda, and WestHartlepool. The deaths referred to diphtheria showeda further increase of 8 upon the numbers in recentweeks, and included 15 in London and West Ham,4 in Bradford and in Newcastle-on-Tyne, and 3 in Norwich.The 37 fatal cases of whooping-cough exceeded by 5 thelow number in the previous week ; 7 were registered inLondon and 3 both in Bristol and in Liverpool. The deathsreferred to enteric fever, which had been 30 and 29 in thetwo previous weeks, rose last week to 32, of which 12occurred in London and its suburban districts, 3 in Ports-mouth, and 2 both in Walsall and in Rhondda. The 23fatal cases of scarlet fever showed a decline of 7 from thenumber in the previous week, but included 6 in Liverpooland 3 in Leeds. The number of scarlet fever patientsunder treatment in the Metropolitan Asylums and theLondon Fever Hospital, which had steadily increasedin the 12 preceding weeks from 1428 to 1856, had further

risen to 1882 on Saturday last; 239 new cases ofthis disease were admitted to these hospitals duringlast week, against 221 and 188 in the two previousweeks. The 1476 deaths from all causes in Londonlast week included 319 which were referred to pneu.monia and other diseases of the respiratory system,against 194, 234, and 246 in the three preceding weeks, andexceeded by 36 the corrected average number in the corre.sponding week of the five years 1905-09. The causes of40, or 0.8 per cent., of the deaths registered during lastweek in the 77 towns were not certified either by aregistered medical practitioner or by a coroner. All thecauses of death were duly certified in Leeds, Sheffield,Bristol, West Ham, Bradford, Newcastle-on-Tyne, Hull,Nottingham, and in 49 other smaller towns; the 40uncertified causes of death in the 77 towns last weekincluded 7 in Birmingham, 5 in Liverpool, and 4 inGateshead.

___

HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

In eight of the principal Scotch towns 784 births and 484deaths were registered during the week ending Nov. 12th.The annual rate of mortality in these towns, whichhad been equal to 12-7 and 13-6 6 per 1000 in the two

preceding weeks, declined again to 13 3 in the week undernotice. During the first six weeks of the current quarterthe death-rate in these eight towns averaged 13 3 per1000, and corresponded with the mean rate during thesame period in the 77 largest English towns. The annualdeath-rates in the eight Scotch towns last week rangedfrom 8-4 and 10-2 in Perth and Leith, to 14’9 in

Greenock, and 15-3 in Dundee. The 484 deaths from allcauses in the eight towns last week showed a declineof 8 from the number in the previous week, andincluded 47 which were referred to the principal epidemicdiseases, against 48 and 56 in the two preceding weeks;of these 47 deaths, 17 resulted from diarrhoea, 11 fromdiphtheria, 7 from scarlet fever, 7 from whooping-cough,4 from "fever," and 1 from measles, but not one

from small-pox. The mean annual rate of mortality fromthese epidemic diseases in the eight towns last week wasequal to 1.3 per 1000, and slightly exceeded the rate fromthe same diseases in the 77 English towns. The deathsattributed to diarrhoea in the Scotch towns, which haddeclined in the six preceding weeks from 51 to 23, furtherfell last week to 17 ; they included 6 in Glasgow, 4 inDundee, and 2 both in Edinburgh and in Greenock. The 11fatal cases of diphtheria showed a decline of 5 from the

high number in the previous week, but included 6 in

Glasgow and 3 in Dundee. Of the 7 deaths from scarletfever, 5 occurred in Glasgow and 2 in Dundee; and the 7fatal cases of whooping-cough (corresponding with thenumber in the previous week), included 4 in Glasgow. The4 deaths referred to " fever " were all returned in Glasgow;3 were certified as enteric fever and 1 as cerebro.spinalmeningitis. The fatal case of measles occurred in

Edinburgh. The deaths referred to diseases of the

respiratory system in the eight towns, which had been 72and 84 in the two preceding weeks, declined to 65 last

week, and were 50 below the number in the correspondingweek of last year. The causes of 18, or 3.7 per cent., ofthe deaths in the eight towns last week were not certified ornot stated; in the 77 English towns the proportion ofuncertified causes of death last week did not exceed 0 - 8 percent.

____

i HEALTH OF IRISH TOWNS.

In 22 town districts of Ireland, having an estimatedpopulation of 1,151,790 persons, 555 births and 358 deathswere registered during the week ending Nov. 12th. The meanannual rate of mortality in these towns, which had been equalto 17 - ° 4, 16 8, and 15-1 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks,rose again to 16’2 2 in the week under notice. During thefirst six weeks of the current quarter the annual death-rate in these Irish towns averaged 16 4 per 1000; the meanrate during the same period did not exceed 13.3 3 in the 77largest English towns and in the eight principal Scotchtowns. The annual death-rate during last week was

equal to 17’1 in Dublin, 16.3 in Belfast, 15.8 in Cork,15-6 in Londonderry, 68 8 in Limerick, and 15-6 inWaterford; the mean annual death-rate last week in the16 smallest of these Irish towns was equal to 17-0 per

1515THE SERVICES.

1000. The 358 deaths from all causes in the 22 towndistricts last week showed an increase of 14 upon thenumber in the previous week, and included 27 which werereferred to the principal epidemic diseases, against 42, 33,and 28 in the three preceding weeks ; these 27 deaths wereequal to an annual rate of 1.2 per 1000, and corre-

sponded with the rate from the same diseases last weekin the 77 towns, the rate in the eight Scotch towns

being 1-3. The 27 deaths from these epidemicdiseases in the Irish towns last week included 11 from

diarrhoea, 6 from whooping-cough, 5 from diphtheria,3 from measles, and 1 each from scarlet feverand enteric fever,but not one from small-pox. The deaths attributed to diar-

rhcea, which had been 20 and 14 in the two precedingweeks, further declined to 11 last week, of which 3 occurredin Dublin, 4 in Belfast, and 2 in Londonderry. Of the 6fatal cases of whooping-cough 4 were returned in Dublinand 2 in Wexford ; and the 5 deaths from diphtheria included2 in Dublin and 2 in Dundalk. Two of the 3 fatal casesof measles and the death from scarlet fever occurred inLurgan. The death referred to enteric fever was registeredin Drogheda. The deaths in the 22 towns last week included88 which were referred to pneumonia and other diseases ofthe respiratory system, against 66 and 60 in the two pre-ceding weeks. The causes of 17, or 5.1 per cent., of thedeaths registered last week in the Irish towns were notcertified ; in the 77 English towns the proportion of uncertifieddeaths last week did not exceed 0’8 per cent., while inthe eight Scotch towns it was equal to 3 - 7 per cent.

THE SERVICES.

ROYAL NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE.

THE following Staff-Surgeons have been promoted to therank of Fleet-Surgeon in His Majesty’s Fleet: WilliamBernera Macleod, Arthur Harry Hingston Vizard, HarrySpicer, Edward Thomas Philip Eames, John AlexanderLanford Campbell, Harold Paget Jones (dated Nov. 14th,1910).The following appointment is notified :—Staff-Snrgeon :

P. H. M. Star to the Leander, additional, for destroyers.ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.

Captain Robeit B. Black, from the Seconded List, isrestored to the establishment (dated Nov. 1st, 1910).The undermentioned Lieutenants are confirmed in their

rank :-Frederick R. Laing and John T. Simson.Colonel T. J. R. Lucas, C.B., principal medical officer of

the First (Peshawar) Division, has been transferred as

Principal Medical Officer to the Jubbulpore and JhansiBrigades. Lieutenant-Colonel G. E. Hale, D.S.O., has beenposted to the Southern Army in India and appointed to theFifth (Mhow) Division. Lieutenant-Colonel L. W. Swabey,at present on leave from Aden, has been transferred to thehome establishment pending his retirement. Lieutenant-Colonel 0. T. Blackwell has been appointed to the Ninth(Secunderabad) Division. Lieutenant-Colonel R. H. Hall,from Colchester, embarks for Bermuda on Nov. 25th,to take up the appointment of Senior Medical Officer

recently vacated by Lieutenant-Colonel J. C. Culling onpromotion. Lieutenant-Colonel G. G. Adams has been

appointed to command the station hospital at Colaba,in succession to Lieutenant-Colonel G. F. Gubbin, whosetour has expired. Major T. B. Beach has embarked for

Egypt. An exchange on the roster for foreign service hasbeen approved by the War Office between Major W. W. 0.Beveridge, D.S.O., and Major W. G. Beyts. Major H. V.Prynne has arrived home for duty from Gibraltar. MajorH. A. Waring, on the expiration of his tour of service inIndia, has been transferred to the home establishment andhas been appointed to the Southern Command. MajorG. A. T. Bray has been transferred from the SouthernCommand to the Eastern Command. Major H. A. L.Howell, on arrival home from Gibraltar, has been appointedMedical Officer in Charge of the Royal Army ClothingFactory at Pimlico. The undermentioned officers, on con-clusion of their course of instruction for promotion at the RoyalArmy Medical College, Grosvenor-road, have been posted asfollows : Captain J. P. J. Murphy and Captain A. H. Hayesto Dover ; Captain A. McMunn, Captain J. M. H. Conway,Captain W. D. C. Kelly, and Captain A. T. Frost to Dublin ;

Captain J. McKenzie, Captain M. D. Walker, and CaptainH. W. Russell to the London District. Captain G. A. D.Harvey, from Khartoum, has been appointed to the EasternCommand for duty. Captain R. C. Hallowes has arrivedhome for duty from Egypt. Captain J. H. Gurley has beentransferred to the home establishment from Egypt, byexchange. Captain G. A. K. H. Reed has been appointedSpecialist in Physical Training to the Aldershot Command.Captain P. H. Henderson has joined at Portsmouth from

Ibsley Camp. Captain W. F. Tyndale, C.M.G., has beentransferred from Dublin to the Curragh Camp. CaptainJ. C. G. Carmichael, from Fleetwood, has joined for duty atChester. Lieutenant D. H. C. MacArthur, from the LondonDistrict, has embarked for a tour of service in India.Lieutenant T. W. Stallybrass has been transferred fromTidworth Park to Hamilton Camp.ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS SCHOOL OF INSTRUCTION.

Major Claude K. Morgan, R.A.M.C., to be an Instructor,vice Major C. C. Fleming, D.S.O., who has vacated thatappointment (dated Oct. 29th, 1910).

INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.Lieutenant-Colonel A. L. Duke, administrative medical

officer of the North-West Frontier Province, has been

appointed under the Foreign Department of the Governmentof India to be Agency Surgeon of Baluchistan, vice Lieutenant-Colonel J. Sykes, who is proceeding on combined leave inDecember. Lieutenant-Colonel A. J. Macnab, on returnfrom leave, has been appointed Residency Surgeon, Srinagar,Kashmir, vice Lieutenant-Colonel W. R. Edwards, appointedAdministrative Medical Officer, North-West Frontier Province.Lieutenant-Colonel R. H. Castor, Bombay, has received anextension of his leave. Major A. W. R. Cochrane, oncompletion of a course of special duty at the CentralResearch Institute, Kasauli, has taken over the dutiesof Superintendent of the Lunatic Asylums at Agra. MajorB. I. Singh, inspector-general of prisons in the Province ofEastern Bengal, has been granted privilege leave for threemonths. Major E. J. Perry has been selected by the CentralCommittee for Malarial Fever Investigation for special dutyto study the prevalence of malaria in the Jeypur Agency inNorthern Madras. Major F. H. Watling has taken over theMedical Charge of the 48th Pioneers at Allahabad. MajorJ. A. Black, chemical examiner of Bengal, has beenselected to officiate as Chemical Examiner of the PunjabProvince, vice Lieutenant- Colonel D. Grant. Major S.Hunt has received one year’s extension of his leave.The services of Captain J. B. Christian have been

placed permanently at the disposal of the Governmentof Eastern Bengal and Assam. Captain W. W. Jeudwine,district plague medical officer of Gurdaspur, has beengranted three months’ privilege leave. Captain W. H.Hamilton has been appointed Specialist in Ophthalmology tothe Second (Rawal Pindi) Division. Captain S. Whitworth-Jones has received six weeks’ extension of his leave home.

Captain M. J. Quirke has been mentioned in despatches for"exceptionally good work" done in Somaliland. CaptainC. A. Gourlay has been confirmed as Civil Surgeon under theGovernment of Eastern Bengal and Assam. Captain R. M.Carter, from the Pasteur Institute at Kasauli, has been grantedeight months’ leave home from India. Captain T. F. Owenshas been appointed to officiate as Professor of Chemistry atthe Medical College, Calcutta.

TERRITORIAL FORCE.

Royal Army Medical Corps.2nd South-Western Mounted Brigade Field Ambulance,

Royal Army Medical Corps : John Robinson Benson, lateLieutenant, Army Motor Reserve, to be Lieutenant (datedSept. 16th, 1910).

SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE.-A meeting of this society will be held at 11, Chandos-street,Cavendish-square, London, W., to-day (Friday) at 8 30 P.M.,when Sir Rubert Boyce will read a paper (with lanterndemonstration) on Yellow Fever in West Africa, and the

following papers, which have been approved by the council,will be presented to the society:—(a) Autochthonous OrientalSore in Panama, by Dr. S. T. Darling, chief of the laboratory,Ancon. (b) Tropical Diseases in British New Guinea, by Dr.R. Fleming Jones, Samurai.