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slower than that observed after an ordinary cold. The.absence of catarrh and sore throat in so many cases isremarkable. The affection is decidedly infectious, visitorspaying one short call to a convalescent being often attackedwithin twenty-four hours. The weather in the north hasmot been at all severe.

A PROVIDENT MEDICAL ASSOCIATION FOR NEWCASTLE.

A meeting of practitioners to consider the desirability offounding a Provident Medical Association (on the lines ofthose existing in Leicester, Sunderland, Reading, and otherlarge towns) was held in the library of the Royal Infirmaryin this city last week. Dr. Philipson presided. The projectgave rise to considerable discussion, but ultimately a resolu-tion was agreed to to appoint a general committee of inquiryto see how far the proposed association was compatible withthe existence of medical charities in the city, some of whichare already to a great extent provident.

Newcastle-on-Tyne, Nov. 30th.

DUBLIN.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THE ENTRIES AT THE DUBLIN MEDICAL SCHOOL.

THE following is the official return of anatomical studentsfor the present session :-

School. Session 1887-8. Session 1886-7.

Trinity College ...... 219 ... 225Ledwich ......... 196 ... 217Carmichael ......... 165 ... 181

Royal College of Surgeons... 134 ... 129Catholic University ...... 90 ... 80

From these figures it will be seen that, compared with lastsession, there is a decrease of six at Trinity College, twenty-one at the Ledwich, and sixteen at the Carmichael respec-tively. On the other hand, there has been an increase offive at the College of Surgeons, and ten at the CatholicUniversity. Last year there were 832 anatomical students,this year 804, or a decrease of 28 on the general total.

PRECAUTIONS AGAINST SMALL-POX. ’

In consequence of the recent outbreak of small-pox inthe south-east of Dublin, posters have been placarded aboutthe city at the instance of the Public Health Committee ofthe Corporation. Various suggestions are made to thecitizens, more particularly the poorer classes, urging thenecessity of vaccination, and the desirability of sendingevery case of small-pox to the Cork-street Fever Hospital,so as to prevent the disease spreading. Other recom-

mendations are also given, which have been found usefulon similar occasions.

MERCER’S HOSPITAL, DUBLIN.

This inquiry has been adjourned to Dec. 12th, when it isbelieved that a basis of compromise between the contendingparties will be brought before the governors for ratification.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

Dr. J. Wallace Boyce, late medical officer of Stillorgandispensary, has been presented with an address, accompaniedby a valuable gift, by the inhabitants of Stillorgan and itsneighborhood.

Mr. Rowland Scovell, M.B. T.C.D., has been elected house-surgeon to the Monkstown Hospital, co. Dublin.Dublin, Nov. 29th.

________________

BELFAST.

(From our own Correspondent.)

BELFAST ROYAL HOSPITAL.

FROM the report presented at the ninety-fifth annualmeeting of the Belfast Royal Hospital, held recently, we ’I.learn that during the year ending August 31st there were2238 intern patients (more than 100 in excess of last year), Iwnile in the extern department there were 15,237 patientstreated. During the year Dr. Ross (physician), Dr. Byers(gynaecologist), Dr. Browne (surgeon), Dr. Nelson (oph-

thalmic surgeon), and Dr. J. A. Lindsay (assistant physician),having vacated office, were unanimously re-elected. Theamount needed to secure Mr. Foster Green’s generousoffer to build a new wing to the Throne Hospital is not

yet raised, but the Board of Management hope that beforethe year is ended the needful sum will be contributed.The small hospital already at work under Dr. Lindsay’smedical care has been most successful. The hospitalcommenced the year with a deficit of .61048 8s. 2d. ; atthe close there is a balance against it of .6581 8s. ld. Inaddition to the sum of .6354, the sum of S4100 has beeninvested during the year. From the medical and surgicalst Iff report we gather that of the intern patients 965 weremedical and 1273 surgical, while of the extern cases

2995 were medical and 12,242 were surgical. The internand extern cases together numbered 17,445. Clinicalinstruc-tion was given in the wards to 141 students during thewinter, and to 82 during the summer session.

THE BELFAST MEDICAL STUDENTS’ ASSOCIATION.The opening meeting of this Association was held on

the 22nd ult., when the President for the present session(Dr. J. A. Lindsay) gave a very interesting address. Alengthened discussion then took place in reference to thenew regulations of the Royal University, which have givenrise to the utmost dissatisfaction among the Belfast medicalstudents. It was pointed out that these changes actedmost unfairly in being retrospective, and attention wasdrawn to the fact that when students wrote to the officialsof the University asking for explanations of these newchanges, they received most oracular or diverse opinions.A resolution was passed unanimously that a sub-committeeof the Association be appointed to take counsel’s opinion asto the legality of these new regulations being enforced inthe case of those students who entered before thesechanges were published. It is rumoured that further altera-tions in the regulations are about to be suggested to theRoyal University by the Standing Committee. I needscarcely say that these perpetual changes made by theRoyal University are causing many of those who in thenorth of Ireland were favourable to it to be utterly dis-satisfied. They feel that matters will never be right untilthere is a University of Ulster, with its head-quartersin Belfast.

BELFAST NATURAL HISTORY AND PHILOSOPHICAL

SOCIETY.

The session of the Belfast Natural History and Philo-sophical Society was opened in the Museum on Nov. 9th,when the President, Dr. Letts, Professor of Chemistry inQueen’s College, delivered his inaugural address, before acrowded audience, on " Pasteur’s Life and Researches." Dr.Letts gave a, most admirable account of Pasteui’s greatscientific discoveries, and dwelt especially on his method oftreating hydrophobia, a subject of interest to the audience,as the fact that several Belfast children bitten by a mad doghave been recently treated by M’Govern has directed atten-tion to the matter.

EPIDEMIC OF PNEUMONIA AND SORE-THROAT.

A large number of cases of pneumonia have of lateoccurred in Belfast, several of which have proved fatal;while at the same time a great many cases of sore-throat,accompanied with high fever and great prostration, havebeen met with. It is believed by many that the prolongeddry season, by preventing the proper flushing of the drains,may have had something to do in the causation of thesediseases.

THE BELFAST LYING-IN HOSPITAL.

An endeavour is at present being made to pay off the debtincurred in making some additions to this hospital.Mr. Foster Green has promised a handsome donation if allthe money is raised by the beginning of the new year.

THE BELFAST MEDICAL SCHOOL.

We understand that the number of medical students isabout the same this year as it was in the preceding session.There are 214 medical students at Queen’s College, and about130 at the Royal Hospital.The annual dinner of the Ulster Medical Society was held

on Wednesday evening, Nov. 23rd, in the Royal AvenueHotel, the President (Dr. Esler) in the chair. There was alarge representation of the profession present, and amongstthe guests were Surgeon-Major Grose and Dr. J. W. Mooreof Dublin.