891AUSTRALIA.

United States Marine Hospital surgeon attached to the con-sulate at the port of embarkation. The United States MarineHospital Service is to have charge of the leper home. Dr.Ashmead is one of that large band of leprologists who firmlybelieve in the contagiousness of leprosy, and consequentlyhe is in favour of total isolation. That isolation is the bestmeans of treating this loathsome disease will probably bethe opinion of even those who do not take extreme views asto its contagiousness. It is undoubtedly true that thereare a number of lepers at large in the United States-infact, it has been recently asserted that there are 100 lepersin New York city. Therefore a Bill such as is proposed by Dr. Ashmead would be to the benefit of the general public.The suggestion has been made recently that the lepers in theUnited States should be shipped to Honolulu and placed inthe leper colony there.March 14th.

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AUSTRALIA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Australasian Association for the Advancement of Science.THE meeting of the Australasian Association for the

Advancement of Science was held this year in Melbourneunder the presidency of Mr. R. L. J. Ellery, F.R.S., C.M.G.,late Government Astronomer. In the section for SanitaryScience and Hygiene some interesting papers were read.Dr. W. W. R. Love of Brisbane was to have presidedover the section and given an address, but at thelast moment was unable to attend, and at very shortnotice Dr. J. Jamieson, health officer of the city ofMelbourne, took his place, and dealt in an able mannerwith the three diseases always present in Melbourne-typhoid fever, tuberculosis, and diphtheria. He said thattyphoid fever had long been unduly prevalent in Victoria,and particularly in Melbourne. There was some reason, if notfull excuse, for this condition of affairs, at least as regardsMelbourne, in the fact that the metropolis of the colony hadgrown rapidly into a populous city, spread over a large area,with such fouling of the soil as must inevitably result wheredrainage facilities were defective. It was only about tenyears ago since a comprehensive scheme for the drainage ofMelbourne was planned, and even now only a small propor-tion of the houses had been connected with the sewers. Hehad always held that this foulness of the soil had much to dowith the persistent prevalence of this typically filth disease.There was good reason to believe that the prevalence oftyphoid fever in Adelaide and Sydney had been greatlyreduced by the extension of drainage operations and the con-sequent purification of the soil around dwellings. He hadnoticed that the periodicity of prevalence of typhoid fever inMelbourne was apparently about every four years, but couldfind no satisfactory hypothesis to account for it. Thoughtime alone could supply further evidence the experience ofother parts of the world justified the confident hope thatbefore many more years had elapsed typhoid fever as a causeof death would stand constantly at or below the lowest levelwhich it had hitherto occasionally reached. In this colony,as also in Great Britain, tuberculosis caused about twice asmany deaths year by year as all the well-known epidemicdiseases taken together. It was now clear from the resultsof observation and experiment that unhealthy surroundingsand contagion were the real causes of the occurrence of thedisease in most cases, although it could not be said thatheredity counted for nothing in calculating the liability tothe disease. The firm assurance had been reached thattuberculosis in all its forms was a preventable diseaseand also that in a large proportion of cases itwas curable if proper treatment was instituted. Withregard to diphtheria evidence satisfactory to the vast

majority of observers had been supplied that by the injectionof the antitoxin many cases could be brought to recoverywhich would otherwise have proved fatal.-Dr. S. S. Argylecontributed a paper on the Milk-supply of Melbourne,which he characterised as one of the worst in the world.Practically all the supply was derived from 1510 dairymerwho all delivered the milk by the open can method ancwithout protection from the sun or street dust. The dair3farms were within a radius of 30 miles, and the milk fronthese was at least 12 hours old before it reached theconsumer, and in some cases milk unsold on Wednesdayafternoon was kept on ice till the following Sunday

He estimated that 500 infant lives per annum could besaved if the milk-supply was satisfactory. Municipal inspec-tion of drains was infrequent and perfunctory and therailway arrangements for carrying and storing milk weregrossly unsuitable. Dr. Argyle gave results of bacterio-

logical investigations demonstrating the extraordinary growthof pathogenic organisms in milk under the local conditions.He advocated the system of milk-supply adopted in Copen-hagen.-Dr. M. Crivelli read a paper on Alcoholism, dis-tinguishing between the alcoholic who gradually saturatedall his tissues without getting drunk and the dipsomaniacwho had intermittent bouts of drinking. Both, however, weredegenerates, the victims of cerebral disease. Dr. Crivellimaintained that every dipsomaniac was neurasthenic, andchiefly so by heredity. As regards treatment, reliance wasplaced on two remedies, in addition to special regimen.These were large doses of strychnine, hypodermically injected,and infections of ordinary blood serum-a special serumfrom an alcoholised animal being no more beneficial thanthat from any other animal or than artificial serum con-

sisting of a sterilised solution of chloride phosphate andsulphate of sodium, which Dr. Crivelli had used withsuccess.

Mr. A. M. Henderson, M.C.E., read a paper entitled aComparison of the Drainage Details of Melbourne, Sydney,and Adelaide, in which he criticised adversely some of thedetails of the Melbourne scheme, especially the arrangementsfor drain-traps for cellars and the cost of the inside plumb-ing work and ventilation. The system followed throughoutthe three colonies was the English one, under which the airof the drain was kept outside the buildings by disconnectedtraps, except in the case of closets. We might expect thata cheaper class of inside plumbing and less ventilation wouldbe safe with that system but it appeared that we would havethe extra cost of American plumbing added to the cost ofEnglish disconnexion." Under the arrangements for cellarsby a recent notice of the Board of Works subsoil drainagewill be practically stopped and one of the main objects ofthe great expenditure in deep drainage frustrated. Previousto this notice traps with reflux valves and in some casessilt-traps have been allowed, as in Sydney and Adelaide.

In the section of Mental Science and Education the Presi-dent, Dr. W. L. Cleland, superintendent of the ParksideLunatic Asylum, Adelaide, gave an address on the Anatomyof Mind as Bearing on Education. He emphasised theconnexion between mental science and a teacher’s qualifica-tions. He would allow no one to enter the teaching pro-fession who was ignorant of what was known anatomically,physiologically, and philosophically respecting a child’smind. The brain was not, he said, one uniform whole, butmust be looked upon as consisting of a number ofspecialised organs or structures. Dr. Cleland then pro-ceeded to describe in detail the action of thesespecialised organs and their relation to the rest of’ thechild’s anatomy. Dealing with the effects of fatigue, heurged that all attempts at teaching should at once be dis-continued upon a child showing any of the signs of mentalfatigue or exhaustion. If the period of rest for cellrecuperation was curtailed an irritable condition was set up,as a result of malnutrition, which might become habitual.Dividing the period of a child’s development into threedivisions Dr. Cleland would have the education in the first,the pre-school division, devoted to the cultivation of thearticulate capacity, to connecting names with variousobjects, and to stimulating observation of surrounding

persons and things. In the second division he wouldallow the introduction of education in the more technicalsense. The characteristic attitude of the teacher at this: stage would be one of dogmatic insistence. In the thirddivision the child was supposed to have passed to the age ofL reason, and the teacher to assume the role of guide, philoso-bpher, and friend. Dogmatism would oe now out of placeiand appeals could be made to abstract propositions andr generalisations. Dr. Cleland’s conclusions were, if educations was to be conducted on the lines of brain growth and with, due regard to developing anatomy : (1) the necessity for an. abundance of nutriment out of which to elaborate nerve

iforce ; (2) the necessity that there should be a cultivationi suited to each period of growth ; and (3) the necessity for ay study of the individual potentialities of each pupil, so as

n not to expect the unattainable in one case or repress thee possibilities in another.y In the same section a paper was read by Dr. R. R.r. Stawell on the problem of the State Education of Children

892 AUSTRALIA.-OBITUARY.

Physically Afflicted or Mentally Impaired. After brieflysketching the history of the movement for the State educa-tion of the blind, deaf, and otherwise defective children inEngland and elsewhere, he pointed out that there was a classof feeble-minded children as distinguished from imbeciles oridiots. The former might be trained so as to become service-able citizens ; the latter could only be made as happy aspossible under the sad conditions of their lives. The physicalconditions of feeble-mindedness needed more exact investiga-tion. All scholars below or above the average should beexamined by an expert. It was estimated that 1 per cent. ofthe children of the school-going age were feeble-minded andneeded special provision. In Victoria 188,359 childrenbetween six and 13 years of age were enrolled in schools,about 10,000 being unaccounted for. There were probably2000 children, therefore, in Victoria who needed specialeducational assistance and who were at present totallyneglected. A conference should be held between inspectorsof schools and medical experts to determine a standard andmethods of examination and there should be a house-to-housecensus of children of school age. The system of instructionshould be such as had proved effective in the case ofimbeciles and a competent instructor should be importedfrom England. The teachers’ training should include

general kindergarten methods, physiology and schoolhygiene, gymnastics on some rational method, voice pro-duction and articulation, "Sloyd and other manual work,and some months’ practical instruction. Special classescould be formed at once within the metropolitan area withadvantage on the lines recommended by the late British RoyalCommission and homes should be opened for the reception ofsuch children in the neighbourhood of the classes.

Criminology from a Medical Standpoint was treated by Dr.J. V. M’Creery, medical superintendent of the Kew Asylum,in a thoughtful paper in which he pointed out that muchdifficulty and confusion were caused by the present practice oftrying to force all persons accused of crime into one of twogroups-to make them either fully responsible or quite irre-sponsible for their actions. Such a division did not naturallyexist and any real reform must be based on a more perfectclassification. Much of the conflict of medical evidence nowso often heard in their courts when the question of insanityarose was due to the confounding of insanity and responsi-bility and the arbitrary line drawn between this latter andtotal irresponsibility. The non-natural view of insanitygenerally taken by the legal mind was not favourableto the full and calm consideration of the causes whichled to crime being committed. The difficulties were in-creased by the method of each side calling its own expertwitnesses, and as the object of the lawyer was to make outthe best case possible for his own side the medical witnesseswere often forced into a wrong position and to take oppositestandpoints even when no fundamental difference existedbetween them. Persons found not guilty on the ground ofinsanity were detained in a gaol or asylum at his Excellency’spleasure, and under the old restricted view of criminal

insanity little or no inconvenience was caused by this arrange-ment. But this term was ever growing wider and some moredefinite system of dealing with these unfortunates seemedneeded. Some of these cases were sane at the time ofthe trial ; others became so afterwards. Naturallyefforts were made to procure the discharge of personswhom the law did not hold responsible for theiracts and who afterwards became sane. Not only, however,might there be danger to the community in permitting suchpersons to be at large, but there appeared to be a growingtendency for criminals to hope for a lenient view beingtaken of their deeds by shielding themselves behind the pleaof insanity. There could be, he believed, no hard-and-fastrule in dealing with criminals. Each case required carefulstudy and such methods of treatment as might best promiseimprovement to the individual and safety to the community.To do this the matter must be dealt with by the combinedwisdom of the lawyer and the medical man and the commonsense of the laymen. The present system did not reformmany criminals or in any satisfactory manner protectsociety. Until they faced and grappled with the real facts ofthe causes of crime little advance could be expected.

In the section of Economics Mr. A. 0. Powys of St. Kildaread a mathematical paper which dealt with the AnnualProbability of Death from Cancer at Every Age of Male andFemale Life in New South Wales, Victoria. England andWales, and Scotland. The "crude probabilities" derivedfrom -the annual number of deaths and the populationaccording to ages were adjusted upon Professor Karl

Pearson’s theory of skew curves. The equations to suchcurves were given, together with the ages of greatest prob-ability and the intensity. Thus, amongst males in Victoriain 1881 the maximum death-rate was 3’93 per 1000 at theage of 76 years, whilst in 1895 the maximum was 6’43 per1000 at the age of 77 years. Amongst females the correspond-ing values were 3’80 at the age of 70 years and 6’12 at theage of 74 years respectively. The death-rate, said Mr.

Powys, did not afford a true gauge of the ravagesof cancer unless between communities of like "age con-

stitution," as the death-rate from cancer was very smallat ages under 35 or 40 years. After placing the several com-munities upon the same basis as regards age constitution itwas found that cancer was more fatal in Scotland-an essentially non-meat-eating community-than in theAustralian colonies, where the inhabitants are essentiallymeat-eaters. This should prove that increased meat-eatingwas not responsible for the increase in the cancer death-rate.Mr. Powys agreed with the view of Dr. Woods Hutchinsonthat some part of the increase of cancer was due to the fact -

that, "to use a Hibernicism, more people are living longenough to die of it." Using the adjusted cancer death-ratesin conjunction with a life table it appeared that in GreatBritain one out of every 22 males born dies ultimately fromcancer, and of those who survive to the age of 40 yearsone in every 14. In Australia one out of every 19 malesborn, and one out of every 132 who survive to the age of 40years, so die.

Obituary.JOHN CADWALADR WILLIAMS, M.B., C.M. EDIN.,

M.R.C.S. ENG., L.R.C.P. LOND.THE death is recorded at the early age of 31 years of Dr.

John Cadwaladr Williams of Grange-road West, Middlesboro’,which took place at his home, Brynymor, Penygroes,Carnarvonshire, on March 12th. The sudden death ofhis father, the Rev. J. J. Williams, on March lst had

brought him home and being in indifferent health he

contracted a chill at the funeral which resulted in pneu-monia. Dr. Williams was educated at Edinburgh Universityand the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, gainingthe silver medal in anatomy and holding the post ofdemonstrator of anatomy at the latter school. He took the

degrees of M.B. and C.M. Edin. in 1891. Subsequently hebecame a ship surgeon and on his return he continued hisstudies at Guy’s Hospital, London, and took the M.R.C.S.Eng. and L.R.C.P. Lond. in 1897. Shortly afterwards hesettled down in Middlesboro’ as partner with Dr. W. J.Williams, Grange-road West, where he rapidly gained theconfidence of his patients and by his kind, thoroughly up-right, and honourable disposition formed a large circle offriends who mourn his loss. He also held the office of publicvaccinator for the Middlesboro’ district.

ALLAN McLEAN, M.D., C.M., L.R.O.S.,L.M. EDIN., J.P.,

LIEUTENANT-COLONEL COMMANDING 1ST DORSET VOLUNTEERARTILLERY.

THE death is announced at his residence in Wey-mouth of Lieutenant-Colonel McLean, M.D. Edin., the

commanding officer of the lst Dorset Volunteer Artillery.The deceased, who received his medical education at

Edinburgh University, graduated M.B. and C.M. in 1868and in the same year took the qualifications of L.R.C.S.and L.M. Edin. He was admitted to the M.D. degree in1889. Dr. McLean was one of the leading practitioners inDorset, being formerly medical officer of health of the Isleof Portland and for 19 years physician to the Royal PortlandDispensary. In 1864 the deceased received a commission inthe Edinburgh University Rifles and since then had taken avery keen interest in the volunteer movement. In 1885 hesucceeded Colonel Elliott as commanding officer of thelst Dorset Volunteer Artillery, and the present efficiency ofthe corps is largely due to Dr. McLean’s efforts. Thedeceased was a Justice of the Peace for the county ofDorset and an energetic Freemason, well known in the

province of Dorset. Dr. McLean had lately been in failinghealth, but his death came somewhat suddenly.