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1401

Latinised forms in the " De Simplici Medicina. " Naturallythe information is almost as valuable to botanists as to

medical scholars, whilst folklore and superstitions of variouskinds are frequently illustrated. The book concludes with

an excellent bibliography and indices of modern names andall the Arabic words enumerated in the work.

JOURNALS AND MAGAZINES.

The Edinburgh Medioal Journal.-In the May numberDr. P. McBride discusses Hysterical Deafness, pointing outthe difficulty of diagnosis in this condition-a difficulty onlycleared up, indeed, when the affection disappears. Mr.

John S. McArdle writes of the Radical Cure of InguinalHernia, noting the importance of leaving the inner surfaceof the abdominal wall perfectly smooth and of bringingdown the oblique and transversalis muscles to Poupart’sligament as well as the conjoined tendon ; and Mr. B G. A.Moynihan records some instances of violation of the so-called"Law of Courvoisier "-viz., that in calculous obstructionof the common bile-duct the gall-bladder is not enlarged,whereas in obstruction due to other causes enlargement isthe rule. Dr. Purves Stewart contributes an interestingpaper on the Clinical Significance of the Cerebro-spinalFluid, especially in the early diagnosis of tabes dorsalis andgeneral paralysis.

The S’cottis7a Medical and Surgical Journal.-Perhaps themost interesting paper in the May number of this journal isthat by Dr. J. E3,son on Paroxysmal Hoemoglobinuria. In ithe supplements his former observations, pointing to theinteraction of two bodies-a complement and an inter-

mediary body-in producing haemolysis in this affection,and brings forward evidence that the action of cold is neces-sary for the attachment of the intermediary body to theblood corpuscles. Dr, A. A. Scot Skirving contributes anarticle on Oral Syphilis, in which the importance of pro-hibiting smoking in cases of such disease is insisted uponand a plea made for the more frequent use of the inunctionmethod of administering mercury. Dr. A. Dingwall Fordycewrites of the suprarenal glands in various affections andsome notes on gynseoological matters are contained in a

valedictory address delivered by Dr. N. T. Brewis to the

Edinburgh Obstetrical Society.The Medical Chroniole.-The May number opens with an

interesting paper by Professor W. O"ler on Angina Pectorisas an Early Symptom of Aneurysm of the Aorta, suggestingthat this symptom depends on structural changes in the

walls of the vessel. Dr. Arnold W. W. Lea points out thepossibility and also the utility of drainage of the peritoneumthrough the vagina in young children and Dr. R. T.Williamson writes on the treatment of diabetes mellitus,advocating aspirin as a useful remedy in mild cases andgiving some hints as to diet.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OFLONDON.

AN extraordinary Comitia was held on May 10th, Sir IRichard DOUGLAS POWELL, Bart., R.C.V.a., the Presidentbeing in the chair.The following Members who had been elected to

the Fellowship at the last meeting were admitted as

Fellows :-Dr. Samuel Walton Wr,eaton, Dr. FrederickWilliam Burton-Fanning, Dr. John Hill Abram, Dr. GeorgeHenkell Drummond Robinon, Dr. Rmhard tanner Hewlett,Dr. Ernest Graham Gordon Little, Dr Charles ttichard Box,Dr. Maurice Craig, Dr. James Purves Strwart, Dr. ThomasJeeves Horder, Dr. Ja,mes Hugh Thursfield, and Dr. EdwardFarquhar Buzzatd.The PRESIDENT announced that he had nominated Sir

William S. Church and Dr. G. A. Heron as representatives

of the College on the general committee of the Second Inter-national Congress on Scheol Hygiene to be held in Londonfrom August 5th to 10th, 1907.A communication was received from Alr. Reginald Blunt,

asking permission to pho’ograph the portrait of Dr.

Messenger Monsey, in po-sesaion of the College, to illustratehis forthcoming book on "Chelsea" which deals particularlywith the physicians of the Royal Hospital.-The request wasgranted.A report was read from Dr. Frederick T. Roberts, repre-

sentative of the College on the court of governors of theUniversity of Shdfield, on a meeting of the court whichhad recently been held.

Dr. Norman Moore was re-elected the representative of theCollege in the General Council of Medical Education andRegistration. The PRESIDENT’thanked Dr. Moore for theservices which he had rendered to the College in actingas its representative and Dr. MOORE replied, thanking theCollege for his re-election.A report, dated April 24th, was received from the

adjudicators of the Weber-Parkes prize for 19C6, statingthat no essays had been received.A report, dated Feb. 12th, was considered for the second

time from the committee appointed to prepare a revisededition of the College hy-laws ; the additions and alterationstherein proposed were finally enacted.The PRESIDENT then dissolved the Comitia.

Looking Back.FROM

THE LANCET, SATURDAY, May 17th, 1828.

SPONTANEOUS COMBUSTION.

In the Journal de Plzarmaeie, there is a case recorded byProfessor Rudolphi, of a man who suddenly felt a pain inthe arm, similar to that produced by the blow of a stick, andimmediately perceived in the same spot a small flame, whichburnt his shirt. There is also the case of a girl men-tioned, seventeen years of age, in whom a kind of bluebh

sulphureous flame appeared around the finger ; the fl..mecould not be extinguished by water ; it burnt the clothingbrought into contact with it, but could only be distinguishedin the dark. The best electrometers placed in contact withthe patient, presented no sign of electricity.

Nothing can be more empirical, than making diseasesubservient to remedies ; but though truly unscientific, weevery day see men who should know better, degradethemselves by following this line of practice. For examp !e :one oculist will bleed, &c., in all cases of ophthalmia ; formall artificial pupils on the principle of Gibson, and, in everycase of cataract, operate with a needle; on the contrary,another man will use solutions, and ointments, as the onlyremedies for conjunctival ophthalmia ; make pupils as

recommended by Cheselden, and even attempt to extractmembranous cataracts. In like manner, one surgeon is sodevoted to the double circular incision, that he performs noother, though his coadjutor, in the same hospital, is big .tedto the double flap operation, and never amputates but afterthis manner. But, the unprejudiced practitioner will look tothe nature of the case, and adjust means accordinglv ; foronly by thus acting cun he be of public utility, and honestlybeneficial to himself. 1

In a trial which took place in the county of Suffolk in1808, Pizzy, a farrier, and another person, were indicter] foradministering medicines with an intent to produce abortion.(t wa-’ proved on the trial, that the medicines failed in

effecting the intended ohject, and that it was at lengthaccomplished by mechanical violence. In consequence ofthe defective state of the law, which has made no provisionin respect to manual operations, t,he criminal was trit-d for

giving medicine which bad ro effect, whilst the means bywhi h the crime had actually bten perpetrated. wrre otiyadmitted in evidence as proof of the intention with whichthe u.edicines were given 1 =

1 Foot-note to an article headed "Amputations," by Dr. GeorgeBushe.

2 Fo ot-note to a discussion at a meeting of the London MedicalSociety on the use of spurred rye and of digitalis.

1402 INTERIM REPORT OF THE ANTITYPHOID INOCULATION COMMITTEE.

THE LANCET.

LONDON: SATURDAY, MAY 19, 1906.

The Interim Report of the Anti-typhoid Inoculation Committee.

THE committee appointed by the Army Council to investi-

gate the practical, prophylactic and therapeutic value ofcurrent methods of immunisation against typhoid fever hasheld six meetings since its inauguration on May llth, 19.04.Surgeon-General A. H. KEOGH opened the original pro-ceedings on behalf of the Army Council, informing themembers of the committee that it was not intended that

they should undertake such investigation, " but for this

purpose competent officers of the Royal Army Medical Corpsshould be detailed, the lines of their researches beinglaid down for them and their work being super-vised by the committee." The committee, which consistsof Dr. W. BULLOCH, Dr. F. FOORD CAIGER, Dr. JAMES

GALLOWAY, Major W. B. LEisHMAN, R.A.M.C., Dr. R.

BRUCE Low, Dr. ALLAN MACFADYEN, and Professor

A. E. WRIGHT, with Dr. C. J. MARTIN as chairman,proceeded to its work upon the lines suggested by Surgeon-General KEOGH, and has now issued an interim reportsetting forth the opinions arrived at and suggesting proposi-tions as to further investigation. The object of this reportis to satii-fy the Army Council of the urgent need of thisfurther investigation and of the necessity of providi[1g therequisite machinery for carrying it out.In this report the committee sets forth a list of all the

documents bearing on the subject, containing all the avail-able data relating to antityphoid inoculation ; these consistof 16 report>, letters, original papers, and memoranda placedat the disposal of ’the committee by the Army Medical

Department. The committee states that, having carefullyconsidered the whole of the statistical material, it is

satisfied that " the records which are available up to date

furnish proof that the practice of antityphoid inoculationsin the army has resulted in a substantial reduction in the

incidence and death-rate from enteric fever among the

inoculated." The committee further states that the statistical

records support the scientific observations that the protectivesubstances which are developed in the human organism after

antityphoid inoculation are identical with those developedin the course of an attack of typhoid fever, and that animalscan be rendered resistant to typhoid fever by the sameprocess of inoculation as that used upon man. As a conse-

quence of these conclusions the committee recommends that

the practice of voluntary inoculation against typhoid feverin the army should be resumed. It also strongly urges the

Army Council to provide facilities for the execution of the fol-

lowing investigations : First, investigations with the presentform of vaccine (standardised typhoid Cl Lures sterilised byheating to 600 C.) upon troops leaving for foreign service,

with a view to determine the protective value of varyingdoses of vaccine, the number of doses to be administered,and also the duration of the protection conferred ; secondly,investigations upon animals in order to improve the vaccineif possible; and thirdly, an investigation of the developmentof protective substances in the blood of patients sufferingfrom, and convalescent from, tJphoid fever. The com-

mittee recommends that these investigations should com-

mence forthwhh, and in its report proceeds to outline the

necessary arrangements, which comprise (1) the inoculationunder careful supervision, at least one month prior to

embarkation, of volunteers from each regiment proceedirgfrom this country to India, (2) the attachment of a juniorofficer of the Royal Army Medical Corps to each regimentto proceed abroad and to remain with it for at least

three yeats, acting under the directions of the com-

mittee as regards the inoculations and the collection of

statistics in connexion with them, and (3) the collection bythe headquarters of the Army Medical Departmentof statistics relating to inoculations which may be

carried out in addition to those on the above-mentioned

selected units. It is further pointed out that the diffi-

culties of the investigations proposed will, in the first

instance at any rate, necessitate the active supervisionof experts who have made a special study of this kind

of research, and that owing to the scientific laboratories ofthe Royal Army Medical College being at present incom-plete the vaccine should be derived from a source to be

approved by the committee.There is a minority report attached to the main report

signed by Dr. BULLOCH and Professor WRIGHT, who,while agreeing with the conclusions and general re-

commendations of their colleagues, are of opinion that the

temporary calling in of experts to the assistance of

the army medical officers would fail to meet the require-ments of the case. They suggest that a "quasi-permanentorganisation"

" is necessary in order that the vaccine

and the details of the inoculations may be continuallymodified in the light of information gained by research.We cannot but feel that this difference of opinionamong the members of the committee is regrettable,as the distinction between temporary expert assistance, as

suggested by the majority report, and a qnasi-permanentorganisation" does not seem to be a very great one, espe-cially when we are told that the proposed organisationshould consist of "medical officers working in association

with civilian experts." We think that Dr. BULLOCH and

Professor WRIGH’.r might have agreed in toto with their

colleagues, though we are certain that they considered theclaims of science would be better served by their differing.With the conclusions of the committee and its recom-

mendations we most cordially agree. A study of the

statistics available in 1904 will show that the incidence of

typhoid fever among the inoculated was reduced to at leastone-half of that among those not inoculated, and a similarreduction was observed in the case mortality of those con-tracting the disease after inoculation compared with that

among the non-inoculated. When the enormous losses

which this disease causes in the army both in war and

peace are taken into consideration-e.g., the deaths in Indiaalone amount to half a battalion a year-the importance of