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weeks of this practice they showed a marked hyper-trophy of the thyroid gland which caused their rejectionby the recruiting authorities of the army. When thismanoeuvre was successful they drank the same water for asecond period of four weeks, taking the precaution to boil it

previously, and the goitre disappeared as readily as it came.Dr. Graf said that he was just now making observations withsuch " goitriferous " water, and he was inclined to believethat sterilisation of it by ultra-violet rays was sufficient tomake it incapable of producing the effects in question. InVienna there has been a marked increase in the prevalenceof goitre since water derived from high mountain springswas brought into the city in 1870, and even since 1910when new springs were added to the previous source ofwater-supply, more goitres seem to be observed. The pre-ponderance of opinion in the discussion was to the effectthat the hypothesis of organic water-borne infection was themost probable one, and that a thorough investigation of theproblem was very necessary.

The Rettungsgesellschaft.The Vienna Rettungsgesellschaft (First Aid Corps), which

has served as a model for nearly all other institutions ofthis kind all over the continent, has celebrated the thirtiethanniversary of its creation. The increase of its importancemay be judged by the following figures. It took 14 yearsbefore 50,000 casualties were recorded on its books, 100,000were reached six years later, and in another eight years thenumber 200,000 was recorded. At present the well-knowncar and signal of the corps is a distinctive and respectedfeature of the street traffic of Vienna, and this private societyis the recipient of generous gifts and bequests quite contraryto the usual custom in this country, where it is expected thatall charitable institutes shall be provided for by the State.It is, therefore, very unfortunate that this corps is just nowengaged in a conflict with the "Wirtschaftliche Organisation" (organisation for upholding the interests of the medical pro-fession). This organisation tries to provide a uniformity ofall contracts between medical men and public or privatecorporations on the basis that no medical man may be dis- missed unless there are satisfactory reasons for it ; that

payment be made on a reasonable scale ; that the medicalmen shall have as full rights and privileges as any otheremployee in any other undertaking ; and that old-agepensions be granted to the medical staff on terms similar tothose adopted in State employments. The Rettungsgesell-schaft, however, had been sadly lacking on all such points,and the board of management refused to allow the" organi-sation " to interfere, whereupon the latter body thought fitto make the public acquainted with the divergence of opinionsbetween the board and its medical staff. The celebration hastherefore been somewhat marred by internal dissensions, andall true friends of both the Rettungsgesellschaft and themedical profession hope that an amicable arrangement willsoon be arrived at.

Jan. 8th. __________________

AUSTRALIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Sydney Hospital Centenary.THE foundation-stone of the original Sydney Hospital was

laid on Oct. 30th, 1811, by Governor Macquarie. A box

containing gold and silver coin and a medallion ofGeorge III. was placed under the stone, and this wasremoved when the old building was demolished and is now inthe possession of the hospital. The original buildings werein three blocks. One remains as part of the present Parlia-ment House, one exists in the Royal Mint, and the presenthospital occupies the site of the third which was the centralblock. The centenary celebrations were held on Oct. 30th,1911, in the quadrangle of the hospital, which was coveredin and lit by electric light for the occasion. The Presidentwelcomed the Lieutenant-Governor, the State Premier, andother visitors, who briefly spoke congratulatory sentiments.

Charge against Medwal Man.The elderly medical man, Dr. S. Peacock, who was recently

sentenced to death for the murder of a young woman, andin whose case some law points were reserved, has obtainedleave to appeal to the High Court for the direction of a new

trial. The arguments before the State Hull Uourt lastedmore than a week. and were mainly directed to whether theChief Justice had misdirected the jury.

Venereal Disease.The Queensland Branch of the British Medical Associa-

tion recently discussed the question of venereal prophylaxis.Dr. E. S. Jackson, the President, moved :-That this meeting of the Queensland Branch of the British Medical

Association views with regret the repeal of the provisions of the Con-tagious Diseases Act as regards Brisbane, believing that even if theAct had not been stringently enforced it was yet productive of muchgood.In a lengthy speech Dr. Jackson upheld his view and saidthat though there was plenty of syphilis in Brisbane, a largemajority of sufferers could trace their infection to other States.The motion was seconded by the Hon. W. H. Taylor, M.D.,M. L. C., who had a long acquaintance with the history of theBrisbane Act. An amendment was moved by Dr. A. JefferisTurner to the effect that :-This branch recognises the urgent necessity for legislative and

administrative action on modern lines for the prevention of thespread of venereal diseases, such action to apply to both sexes and asfar as possible to the whole State.

This was seconded by Dr. J. S. C. Elkington, chief medicalofficer of health, who thought there was something possiblebetween a Contagious Diseases Act and no attempt at all,and indicated a preference for notification and segregation.After discussion the amendment was lost and Dr. Jackson’smotion, with some unimportant modification, carried withonly two dissentients.

Chair oj Anthropology.Dr. J. W. Barrett has offered E500 to the council of the

Melbourne University as a nucleus of a fund for the endow-ment of a chair of anthropology in the University. Theredoes not seem any immediate prospect of the scheme beingdeveloped as the council has no means of carrying it forward,but local interest in the subject has grown of late years underthe direction of Professor R. S. A. Berry.

Personal Items.Dr. Henry C. Maudsley has returned to Melbourne and

resumed work as lecturer in medicine to the University.-Dr.W. Chisholm has resigned his (position as surgeon to the

Sydney Hospital and has been appointed to the honoraryconsulting staff.

Dec. 8th. 1911.

Obituary.JOHN FRANCIS SUTHERLAND, M.D., C.M. EDIN.,

F.R.S.E.,SENIOR DEPUTY COMMISSIONER IS LUNACY FOR SCOTLAND.

Dr. J. F. Sutherland died at his residence in Tain onDec. 30th, 1911, as we stated last week. He was a nativeof Caithness and was born at Lybster in 1854. He re-

ceived his medical education at the Universities of

Edinburgh, Glasgow, and Paris. At Edinburgh he tookthe M.B. and C.M. degrees in 1878 and two yearslater the M.D. degree, obtaining a gold medal for histhesis. At Glasgow University he was a pupil of LordLister, who spoke of him as "a very distinguished memberof my class," and in after years wrote: "He has labouredassiduously at the subjects of hygiene and the welfare of theinsane, and the services which he has rendered have beenrecognised both at home and abroad as of very high order."Subsequently Dr. Sutherland went to Paris, and afterholding the position of resident physician at the HertfordBritish Hospital returned to England and was for some yearsengaged in general practice. He then entered the CivilService, and was appointed medical officer to H.M. Prison,Glasgow, by Sir William Harcourt (then the Secretary forScotland), which position he held from 1880 to 1885. In 1887the Marquis of Lothian appointed him consulting medicalofficer to the General Prison, Barlinnie. During his tenureof office at the Glasgow Prison he devoted himself activelyto the study of criminology and allied subjects, and much ofthe modern penal reform may be attributed to his foresightand advocacy.

In 1895, on the recommendation of Sir George 0.

Trevelyan, he was appointed a Deputy Commissioner in