IRELAND.

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585 of Dr. Robert Mowat who has resigned ; Mr. Sydney A. Kay, B.Sc., to be lecturer on chemistry; and Mr. R. C. Punett, B.A., to be lecturer on natural history. At the spring graduation ceremony the University is to follow the pre- cedent recently established by the University of Edinburgh, the Senate having intimated its intention to confer the honorary degree of LL.D. upon two members of the gentler sex. Handsome Gifts to Hospitals. Mr. G. J. Kidston of the Clyde Shipping Company has given a donation of £5300 to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary, L5000 to the Western Infirmary, and .E2500 to the Victoria Infirmary. These handsome sums are specially opportune at a time when, in common with other charities, the infirmaries are feeling the financial strain induced by the claims arising out of the South African war. Small-pox in Glasgow. The official bulletin issued on Feb. 18th leaves 387 persons under treatment in hospital. This is a reduction of 49 on the previous week’s statement. New cases, however, continue to be admitted, but the dismissals far more than compensate for these. The new cases, too, show a diminishing rate, though the total is still considerable. During the fortnight ending Feb. 16th the admissions numbered 202, as compared ’, with 350 during the previous fortnight. In his last report Dr. A. K. Chalmers announces that a careful record of the con- dition of the vaccination mark in all patients is being kept, and that the results will be dealt with in a subsequent report. The observations, it is satisfactory to know, are being made .and recorded with critical minuteness, so that instead of a rough classification of "vaccinated" " and ’ "unvaccinated" " details will be given of the size and character of the - scar, the age of the patient, the severity of the attack, and the interval between its occurrence and the date of vaccina- tion. An analysis of the small-pox records of the city ,during the last decade has recently been made by Dr. Robert S. Thomson. Dealing with the area of the vaccina- tion scar in relation to the degree of protection afforded by the operation, it is shown that of all cases of small-pox occurring which presented a scar area of less than a quarter of a square inch 84 per cent. were discrete in type, but of those presenting over half a square inch of scar area 97 per -cent. were of this character. In the first-class 14.6 per cent. of the patients died, while of the second only 1’6 per cent. were fatal cases. As to the value of revaccination, the experience of the small-pox hospital during the 10 years under review is very striking. In that time 595 persons not suffering from the disease were, by reason of their duties or for educational purposes, brought into contact with infection in the wards of the hospital, but not one who had been successfully revaccinated contracted the disease. The same truth is illustrated by the age distribution of the disease in the cases occurring during the past fortnight, which show that it is mainly on persons from 25 to 35 years of age that the incidence of the disease falls. 14 only of the 202 cases were in children under 10 years, and of these 11 were unvac- cinated, six being babes varying in age from two weeks to seven months. All six were unvaccinated and five died, as did also an unvac :inated girl of two years. The age of the other unvaccinated children ranged from four to seven years. Of the three children who presented evidence of primary vaccination all were between six and eight years of age and the eruption in each case was sparse in quantity, although in all the vaccination mark was unsatisfactory, either by reason of the small size of the scar area or from absence of characteristic pitting of the surfare. Of the deaths which occurred during the fortnight 17 were in unvaccinated persons ; in two there was no evidence of vaccination though it was alleged to have been performed in infancy ; and in four the marks were ill-defined The deaths occurring among vaocinated persons were as follows : under 30 years of age, two ; under 35 years, two ; under 40 years, six; under 55 years, two ; and under 70 years, one. It is not stated whether in these cases revaccination had been performed. Founders’ Day at the University of Aberdeen. In former times it was the custom of King’s College to celebrate its founders’ day, and sometimes the celebration was conjoined with the graduation ceremony. It is pro- posed by the Senatus of Aberdeen University to revive this laudable practice, but to give it a wider application. While the Colleges are two the University is one. It seems speci- - ally fitting therefore that Bishop Elphinstone and the Earl Marischal should be commemorated together. It is further the desire of the Senatus that the occasion be used as a great opportunity for bringing together graduates and alumni of the University from diffe- rent parts of the country, as well as those from foreign lands who happen to be at home on furlough. The Senatus, accordingly, has resolved to celebrate the Founders’ Day this year in the beginning of April, at the time of the graduation ceremony. The arrangements, which are being carried out by a committee of Senatus, contemplate the following : (1) a dinner (not exceeding, in expense, 7s. 6d. per head), open to all graduates and alumni, to be held on the evening immediately preceding the graduation ceremony -viz., Monday, April 8th; (2) a commemoration service in the University Chapel, on Graduation Day, at 10 A.M. ; (3) the graduation ceremony in the Mitchell Hall, Marischal College, at 12 o’clock noon ; (4) an evening reception in the same hall and adjoining rooms by invitation of the Senatus. The committee will feel obliged if those intending to be present will intimate the same, as early as possible, to Mr. D. R. Thom, secretary to the Senatus. Feb. 19th. ________________ IRELAND. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.) Consultant Surgeons’ Opinions on the War. Sir WILLIAM THOMSON recently delivered a lecture at the Royal Dublin Society entitled ’’Dublin to Pretoria with the Irish Hospital." The lecture was very largely attended and evoked much interest. Sir William Thomson has kindly consented to repeat it at the Round Room, Rotunda, on Tuesday, Feb. 26th. Dr. Kendal Franks also recounted his experiences of the war at the annual meeting of the St. Patrick’s Nurses’ Home on Feb. 8th, when the chair was filled by his Grace the Archbishop, her Excel- lency the Countess Cadogan being present. As consult- ing surgeon to the forces in South Africa Dr. Franks furnished many interesting particulars about the war and strongly criticised the strictures of Mr. Burdett-Coutts on the hospital arrangements. He said that Lord Roberts on noticing them asked that a commission should be appointed at once to inquire into the matter. That commision included a set of men as entirely unprejudiced and impartial as it would be possible to obtain. The final paragraph of their report stated that there had been no breakdown in the hospital arrangements and that in no campaign had the sick and wounded been so well looked after. He thought that Mr. Burdett-Coutts’s statements acquired more importance than they would otherwise have done from the fact that he bore a name which was synonymous with philanthropy, while, in fact, he "never moved a finger to relieve the sufferings he described." Dr. Franks went on to praise in strong terms the devotion and self-sacrifice of the medical men and nurses, whose conduct was, as he said, " simply splendid." His speech will well repay perusal and his allusions to the fortitude of the soldiers.’reported in all the papers here, will be noted with interest and gratitude in a city and country where Dr. Franks made himself long ago well known and appreciated. A Central Pathological Laboratory for Ireland. in reference to the influential meeting and recommenda- tion for a central pathological laboratory in connexion with the Lunatic Asylums of Ireland reported in THE LANCET of Feb. 9th it is satisfactory to note that the Dublin University Biological Association has proved active. In reply to a resolution, " That in the opinion of the Dublin University Biological Association it is desirable to establish a central laboratory for the Irish asylums devoted to the study of patholegy in relation to nerves and mental disease," Sir D. Harrel, K.C.B., K.C.V.O, the under secretary to the Lord Lieutenant, by direction cf His Excellency, wrote in acknow- ledgment of their letter and resolution. Irish Memorial to the Queen. A very large and representative meeting of the citizens of Dublin took place at the Mansion House on Feb. 17th, when a motion was proposed by the Lord Chief Justice and seconded by the Governor of the Bank of Ireland sympathising with the King on his irreparable loss by the death of the Queen. The motion was supported in eloquent speeches by Sir Christopher Nixon, the President of the

Transcript of IRELAND.

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of Dr. Robert Mowat who has resigned ; Mr. Sydney A. Kay,B.Sc., to be lecturer on chemistry; and Mr. R. C. Punett,B.A., to be lecturer on natural history. At the springgraduation ceremony the University is to follow the pre-cedent recently established by the University of Edinburgh,the Senate having intimated its intention to confer the

honorary degree of LL.D. upon two members of the gentlersex.

Handsome Gifts to Hospitals.Mr. G. J. Kidston of the Clyde Shipping Company has

given a donation of £5300 to the Glasgow Royal Infirmary,L5000 to the Western Infirmary, and .E2500 to the VictoriaInfirmary. These handsome sums are specially opportune ata time when, in common with other charities, the infirmariesare feeling the financial strain induced by the claims arisingout of the South African war.

Small-pox in Glasgow.The official bulletin issued on Feb. 18th leaves 387 persons

under treatment in hospital. This is a reduction of 49 onthe previous week’s statement. New cases, however, continueto be admitted, but the dismissals far more than compensatefor these. The new cases, too, show a diminishing rate,though the total is still considerable. During the fortnightending Feb. 16th the admissions numbered 202, as compared ’,with 350 during the previous fortnight. In his last reportDr. A. K. Chalmers announces that a careful record of the con-dition of the vaccination mark in all patients is being kept,and that the results will be dealt with in a subsequent report.The observations, it is satisfactory to know, are being made.and recorded with critical minuteness, so that instead of arough classification of "vaccinated" " and ’ "unvaccinated" "details will be given of the size and character of the- scar, the age of the patient, the severity of the attack, andthe interval between its occurrence and the date of vaccina-tion. An analysis of the small-pox records of the city,during the last decade has recently been made by Dr.Robert S. Thomson. Dealing with the area of the vaccina-tion scar in relation to the degree of protection afforded bythe operation, it is shown that of all cases of small-poxoccurring which presented a scar area of less than a quarterof a square inch 84 per cent. were discrete in type, but ofthose presenting over half a square inch of scar area 97 per-cent. were of this character. In the first-class 14.6 per cent.of the patients died, while of the second only 1’6 per cent.were fatal cases. As to the value of revaccination, theexperience of the small-pox hospital during the 10 yearsunder review is very striking. In that time 595 persons notsuffering from the disease were, by reason of their duties orfor educational purposes, brought into contact with infectionin the wards of the hospital, but not one who had been

successfully revaccinated contracted the disease. The sametruth is illustrated by the age distribution of the disease inthe cases occurring during the past fortnight, which show thatit is mainly on persons from 25 to 35 years of age that theincidence of the disease falls. 14 only of the 202 cases werein children under 10 years, and of these 11 were unvac-cinated, six being babes varying in age from two weeks toseven months. All six were unvaccinated and five died, asdid also an unvac :inated girl of two years. The age of theother unvaccinated children ranged from four to seven years.Of the three children who presented evidence of primaryvaccination all were between six and eight years of age andthe eruption in each case was sparse in quantity, although inall the vaccination mark was unsatisfactory, either byreason of the small size of the scar area or from absence ofcharacteristic pitting of the surfare. Of the deaths whichoccurred during the fortnight 17 were in unvaccinatedpersons ; in two there was no evidence of vaccination thoughit was alleged to have been performed in infancy ; and infour the marks were ill-defined The deaths occurring amongvaocinated persons were as follows : under 30 years of age,two ; under 35 years, two ; under 40 years, six; under 55years, two ; and under 70 years, one. It is not statedwhether in these cases revaccination had been performed.

Founders’ Day at the University of Aberdeen.In former times it was the custom of King’s College to

celebrate its founders’ day, and sometimes the celebrationwas conjoined with the graduation ceremony. It is pro-posed by the Senatus of Aberdeen University to revive thislaudable practice, but to give it a wider application. Whilethe Colleges are two the University is one. It seems speci-- ally fitting therefore that Bishop Elphinstone and theEarl Marischal should be commemorated together. It is

further the desire of the Senatus that the occasion beused as a great opportunity for bringing togethergraduates and alumni of the University from diffe-rent parts of the country, as well as those from foreignlands who happen to be at home on furlough. The Senatus,accordingly, has resolved to celebrate the Founders’ Daythis year in the beginning of April, at the time of thegraduation ceremony. The arrangements, which are beingcarried out by a committee of Senatus, contemplate thefollowing : (1) a dinner (not exceeding, in expense, 7s. 6d.per head), open to all graduates and alumni, to be held onthe evening immediately preceding the graduation ceremony-viz., Monday, April 8th; (2) a commemoration service inthe University Chapel, on Graduation Day, at 10 A.M. ;(3) the graduation ceremony in the Mitchell Hall, MarischalCollege, at 12 o’clock noon ; (4) an evening reception in thesame hall and adjoining rooms by invitation of the Senatus.The committee will feel obliged if those intending to bepresent will intimate the same, as early as possible, to Mr.D. R. Thom, secretary to the Senatus.

Feb. 19th. ________________

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Consultant Surgeons’ Opinions on the War.Sir WILLIAM THOMSON recently delivered a lecture at the

Royal Dublin Society entitled ’’Dublin to Pretoria with theIrish Hospital." The lecture was very largely attended andevoked much interest. Sir William Thomson has kindlyconsented to repeat it at the Round Room, Rotunda, onTuesday, Feb. 26th. Dr. Kendal Franks also recountedhis experiences of the war at the annual meeting of theSt. Patrick’s Nurses’ Home on Feb. 8th, when the chairwas filled by his Grace the Archbishop, her Excel-lency the Countess Cadogan being present. As consult-ing surgeon to the forces in South Africa Dr. Franksfurnished many interesting particulars about the warand strongly criticised the strictures of Mr. Burdett-Couttson the hospital arrangements. He said that Lord Roberts onnoticing them asked that a commission should be appointedat once to inquire into the matter. That commisionincluded a set of men as entirely unprejudiced and impartialas it would be possible to obtain. The final paragraphof their report stated that there had been no breakdownin the hospital arrangements and that in no campaignhad the sick and wounded been so well looked after. Hethought that Mr. Burdett-Coutts’s statements acquired moreimportance than they would otherwise have done from thefact that he bore a name which was synonymous withphilanthropy, while, in fact, he "never moved a finger torelieve the sufferings he described." Dr. Franks went onto praise in strong terms the devotion and self-sacrifice ofthe medical men and nurses, whose conduct was, as he said," simply splendid." His speech will well repay perusal andhis allusions to the fortitude of the soldiers.’reported in allthe papers here, will be noted with interest and gratitude ina city and country where Dr. Franks made himself longago well known and appreciated.

A Central Pathological Laboratory for Ireland.in reference to the influential meeting and recommenda-

tion for a central pathological laboratory in connexion withthe Lunatic Asylums of Ireland reported in THE LANCET ofFeb. 9th it is satisfactory to note that the Dublin University

Biological Association has proved active. In reply to a

resolution, " That in the opinion of the Dublin UniversityBiological Association it is desirable to establish a centrallaboratory for the Irish asylums devoted to the study ofpatholegy in relation to nerves and mental disease," Sir D.Harrel, K.C.B., K.C.V.O, the under secretary to the LordLieutenant, by direction cf His Excellency, wrote in acknow-ledgment of their letter and resolution.

Irish Memorial to the Queen.A very large and representative meeting of the citizens

of Dublin took place at the Mansion House on Feb. 17th,when a motion was proposed by the Lord Chief Justiceand seconded by the Governor of the Bank of Ireland

sympathising with the King on his irreparable loss by thedeath of the Queen. The motion was supported in eloquentspeeches by Sir Christopher Nixon, the President of the

586

Royal College of Physicians of Ireland, and by Mr. T. Myles,President of the Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland.

Personation at Examinations.A curious question has recently been referred to the

Court for Crown Cases Reserved by Mr. Justice Kenny.A man was indicted at the Dublin Commission on

Feb. 9th and charged with having fraudulently personatedRobert F. Cooper at the preliminary examination of theRoyal College of Physicians and Surgeons held on March 13thand 14th last. The jury found the accused guilty on thefacts, but Mr. Bustie, K.C., raised the curious point that theprisoner has committed no offence known to the law. Thecase was then adjourned until the next Commission in April,and in the meantime the traverser was allowed to stand outon bail.

The Lurgan TVorkhouse Hospital.As a result of an inquiry held by their inspector into

certain charges preferred against nurses of the Lurgan Work-house Hospital the Local Government Board have written tothe guardians that in the particular case referred to (a childsuffering from scarlet fever) Dr J. S. Darling, the medicalofficer, was most attentive to the patient. They attributeany imperfection in the nursing and attendance to the factthat Dr. Darling’s recommendations as to the strengthen-ing of the medical and nursing staff were not adopted by theguardians. They say that neither of the nurses against whomcomplaints were made can, in the circumstances. be heldresponsible for any neglect or inattention. The LocalGovernment Board say that the guardians do not appear toattach sufficient weight to the fact that the Lurgan UnionInfirmary and fever hospitals are almost the only availablehospitals for the ordinary surgical and medical cases of theimportant and increasing towns of Lurgan and Portadown,and therefore the requirements of an ordinary Poor-lawinfirmary and fever hospital are very far from being suffi-cient for the union of Lurgan. The guardians are accord-ingly requested to ask the medical officer to furnish a fullreport of what is requisite, in his opinion, for the adequateequipment of their infirmary and fever hospital, havingregard to the important medical and surgical cases that aretreated therein. Dr. Darling is to furnish his report to acommittee and afterwards it is to be considered by a fullmeeting of the guardians.

Co. Down District Lunatic Asylum.From a memorandum of the Government Inspector of

Lunacy, Sir G. P. O’Farrell, I find he expresses approval ofthe treatment of the patients and of the general administra-tion of the above institution. The medical officers are all

warmly praised. The condition of the asylum as a wholemust be considered very satisfactory, and as a proof thatevery care and economy were exercised in dealing with thefunds of the institution it may be pointed out that notwith-standing the many improvements in the buildings andsurroundings of the patients the actual capitation cost ofmaintenance is considerably less than it was 30 years ago.

Bazaar in the Students’ Union, Queen’s College, Beyast.An entertainment took place in the Students’ Union,

Queen’s College, Belfast, on Feb. 13th and 14th. It was

organised and managed by the students, their aim beingto get rid of a debt incurred in the working of theunion. There were a bazaar and various side-shows andvariety entertainments, and as a result the Students’ Unionis completely out of debt. It is hoped that with carefulmanagement further liabilities will not again occur. Theunion should be self-supporting.

Ulster lJ;Iedical Society.The fourth annual meeting of this society was held in the

Museum, Belfast, on Feb. 14th, Professor W. H. Thompson,the President, being in-the chair.-Dr. A. Fullerton showeda boy, aged six years, who, either as the result of injuryreceived during his birth or from a subsequent epiphysitishad a Congenital Dislocation of the Right Hip. A radio-gram of the affected parts-was also shown.-Dr. Robert

Campbell showed a child from whom two years pre-viously he had Excised a very Large Occipital Cephalocele.A photograph of the original condition of the infant was alsoexhibited. Dr. Campbell also presented a radiogram of a caseof Coxa Vara.-Dr. T. S. Kirk showed a Ruptured Kidneyexcised successfully from a boy in whom the accidentoccurred as the result of a fall from a ladder. He also gavea demonstration of a New Method of Wiring Oblique

Fractures. By means of a rod of whalebone a piece ofwire was slipped round the ends of the broken bone-and tied in a clove-hitch.-Professor J. W. Byers showedtwo Ovarian Tumours successfully removed; one was a

large unilocular cyst (which contained 12 pints of fluid)which simulated bydramnios, and the other was a verylarge universally adherent multilocular ovarian adenoma.The tumour bad become so rotated that the part pre--senting when the peritoneal cavity was opened was theright broad ligament and tube covered with fresh lymph.- Dr. W. D. Donnan showed a Foetus of an early date.-Professor J. A. Lindsay showed a specimen of Cancerof the Root of the Lungs. Professor J. A. Lindsay reada paper upon Rare Cases of Pulmonary Disease, including(1) three illustrative cases of malignant disease of the lungs(one with purulent infiltration, a second which simulatedphthisis, and a third with very obscure physical signs) ;(2) a case of pyo-pneumothorax ; (3) a case of broncho-pleural fistula ; (4) a case of plastic bronchitis; (5) a

case of double pneumonia with delay of crisis to thetwentieth day; and (6) a case of phthisis wheresigns and symptoms disappeared for seven years and thenrecurred.-In the subsequent discussion the following tookpart: Professor W. Whitla. Dr. P. Redfern, Dr. J. S.Morrow, Mr. R. Hall, Dr. R. W. Leslie, Dr. W. Calwell,Dr. D. M’Donnell, Professor Sinclair, and Professor Byers.

OU’l’ious Prosecution under the Public Health Act.Last week the sanitary authority at Cork applied for an

order at the police-court for the removal of the body of achild to the morgue and for its burial within three hours.The circumstances of the case were remarkable. The childhad died a week previously and’ the body lay coffined in theroom occupied by the mother who was ill. The father ofthe child is a soldier serving out in South Africa, and, despitethe protestations of her friends, the unfortunate motherdeclined to allow their little one to be buried, and signifiedher intention to keep the coffin in the room till the fatherreturned in order that he might have the satisfaction ofseeing his dead child. The magistrates granted the ordersought and the interment was duly carried out.Feb. 19th.

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Small-pox in Paris.ALTHOUGH the recent epidemic of small-pox in Paris,

which was caused in the main by the influx of strangersfor the Exhibition, is not such a general object ofconversation as formerly, yet it must not be con-

sidered as being at an end. Doring the last weekof January there were registered 12 deaths from small-pox, while 84 fresh cases were notified by the medicalofficer belonging to the health department of the Prefecture.These medical men are far from strict in notifying cases, foralthough such notifications may be useful they are afraid ofdispleasing fidgety patients. In the last week but one ofJanuary there were only six deaths notified. It is the dutyof everyone to be revaccinated if it has not been alreadydone, but now that the scare has passed people are

getting very careless, and to escape this little opera-tion they vie with one another in finding out reasons

to show its uselessness. Among domestic servants, forinstance, the objection is simply unreasoning pigheadedness;among masters and mistresses it either takes the form ofsmiling scepticism, or they say,

11 I was revaccinated so

many years ago ; I have had small-pox." At a meeting ofthe Academy of Medicine the venerable M. Hervieux openedan important debate on the question and showed very clearlythat the matter of revaccination should be vigorouslypushed, that the immunity conferred by a former revaccina-tion lasts but for an uncertain period, and that even anattack of small-pox, contrary to the generally receivedopinion, is not an absolute protection. Certainly it is veryuncommon to find persons who have had small-pox twice,but a certain number are known besides the classicalinstances such as that of the Milan hospital attendant who-had four attacks. During an epidemic, in M. Hervieux’sview, even those who have had small-pox should be vacci-nated. While upon this point M. Hervieux thought it well toprotest strongly against the popular and not altogether