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of supplying nurses, suitable invalid food, and appliancesnecessary in the sick-room; and this is done irrespective ofreligious denomination-principally, too, on the recom-

mendation of medical visitors. It has dispensed duringthe past year 5255 pints of beef-tea, 8460 pints of milk,.528 chop dinners, 342 fish dinners, and 1621 meat dinners.The number of persons nursed has been 1171; supply ofnight-nurses, 195. Most of the persons nursed have beenout of work during the winter. In some cases the patientscheerfully contributed to the funds of the Society.

A MEDICAL MAN ATTACKED BY A HORSE.

Our papers give a circumstantial account of a savageattack on a medical man by a horse. Dr. Richards, assistantto Dr. W. Renton of Shotley Bridge, Durham, in attemptingto mount his horse on leaving a patient’s house, the animalresisted, and attacked him in a savage manner with its teeth.Dr. Richards struck it several blows with his stick, but,notwithstanding, the animal succeeded in thrusting himinto an enclosed yard, where it again attacked him in a most

vicious manner, tearing his clothes and fracturing his arm.A passer-by rushed at the horse with a heavy block of wood,and succeeded in beating it off. I am glad to hear that,with the exception of the fracture, Dr. Richards’s injuriesare not serious.

THE MEASLES EPIDEMIC IN THE NORTH.

The course of the epidemic of measles in Sunderlandshows a steady waning, but has made progress in New-castle. During the last month (May) the increase hasbeen very marked in the latter town, while in Sunder-land during the same time there has been more thana corresponding decline. Some of the large towns on theTyne, such as Jarrow, as well as the smaller miningand manufacturing villages, have suffered very severely.Lately the weekly mortality of Sunderland from all causeshas fallen to 18-6 per 1000.

LUNATICS IN HARTLEPOOL WORKHOUSE.

At the last meeting of the Hartlepool Board of Guardians,Mr. Cleaton, one of the Commissioners in Lunacy, sent in areport upon his recent visit to the workhouse. It set forththat there were eighteen imbecile and insane patients, nineof each sex; one admitted on April 23rd was in a strait waist-coat, and was suffering from acute insanity, and quite unfitto be under workhouse care. A woman suffering from. acutemania, it was pointed out, was scarcely fit to be in a work-house. Another case required constant watching. Theaccommodation for these classes was quite inadequate. Theclothing, too, of the imbeciles was unsatisfactory. The LocalGovernment Board also sent some. extracts from the reportof the Poor-law inspector complaining of the bedding ofthe female imbeciles. The clerk to the guardians had beendirected to state in reply that there were now no more casesthan the wards,were certified to accommodate.

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LUNACY APPOINTMENT.

The Lord Lieutenant of Ireland has appointed Dr. A.Finegan to succeed Dr. Norman as resident medical super-intendent of the District Lunatic Asylum at Castlebar. Dr.Finegan is well known in the north of England, having beenfor some time assistant medical officer in the Northumber-land County Asylum at Morpeth.Newcastle-on-Tyne, June 10th.

EDINBURGH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

SPECIAL MEETING OF THE MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.

A NEW departure in the meeting arrangements of thisSociety was made recently, when a special meeting was heldfor the exhibition of pathological specimens and the dis-cussion of clinical cases of special interest. The meetingwas largely attended, and the proceedings were of an

unusually interesting nature. At the close, the Presidentcongratulated the Society upon the success of the experi-ment, and announced that a series of similar meetings willbe held in future alternately with the ordinary meetings.NEW METHOD OF COMPRESSING THE SUBCLAVIAN ARTERY’I

. Dr. Joseph Bell exhibited the upper extremity of a patientin whose case amputation had been performed for extensive I

sarcomatous disease of the scapula. The haemorrhage hadbeen controlled by a method recommended to him byProfessor Chiene, in which a curved steel skewer was passedfrom above downwards behind the subclavian trunks,and brought out in front through the pectoral muscles.Pressure was exerted on the vessels by an elastic tubeapplied as a figure-of-8 over the anterior part of the regiontransfixed, a firm pad intervening between the elastic tubingand the patient’s skin. The method is similar to that usedby the late Professor Spence in the case of the femoral arteryin amputation at the hip-joint. In this case Dr. Bell foundthe method perfectly satisfactory, as the limb was removedwith the loss of but two ounces of blood.

ULERATIVE ENDOCARDITIS.

Dr. Byrom Bramwell showed a series of microscopic sec-tions of various tissues from cases of acute ulcerativeendocarditis, stained by Gram’s method. In all there was amost admirable demonstration of the micrococci present inthis disease. Dr. Bramwell mentioned that some cultivationand inoculation experiments made in connexion with thesecases had yielded as yet no positive results; but that he hadlittle doubt as to the infective nature of the disease.

PARIS.

(From our Paris Correspondent.)

THE INTERNATIONAL SANITARY CONFERENCE.

FROM a conversation I have had with an English physicianwho has just come from Rome, where he had been to takepart in the proceedings of the International Sanitary Con-ference, I have learned, but not with astonishment, that theConference mayprobably break up without having materiallyincreased our knowledge of the nature and prophylaxis ofcholera, as the majority of the foreign members seem to beantagonistic to their English colleagues, for almost everyproposition that emanated from the latter. was pooh-poohedor so little heeded that it’ has been a question whether theBritish representatives should not withdraw from the Con-ference. Some concession has; however, been made as tothe futility of quarantines, whether on sea or on land. Butwhat astounded the members present was the affirmationmade by an English physician to the effect that cholerawas not imported from India, but that each epidemic thathas occurred in Europe originated from local causes. Thereis, however, nothing new in this theory, for it will be remem-bered that M. Jules Guérin has entertained it, though almostalone, for nearly half a century.

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OLD SHOES AND CHOLERA.

A propos of cholera, the report of the Society of Hygieneof Milan draws attention to the influence of old shoes as ameans of propagating the disease. When a person treads asoil more or less damp in a locality infected, there is everychance of his conveying the germs in the manner described.

PLANTS IN BEDROOMS.

It is generally supposed that the presence of plants in abedroom is prejudicial to the health of its occupants. This,it appears, is an error, for at a recent meeting of the Congressof Pharmaciens one of the members stated that plants, farfrom being hurtful, on the contrary, in disengagingozone from the vapour emanating from them, render theatmosphere of a room in a state of humidity perfectlyhealthy; moreover, it is averred that ozone, in destroying themicrobes, and thus purifying the air; is favourable to personsaffected with pulmonary consumption. Hence the Congressrecommended that, while bedrooms may be furnished withplants which disengage the most ozone, flowers should beeliminated from them, as they do not possess the same

virtues as the plants.THE QUEEN’S BIRTHDAY.

Every year on the occasion of the Queen’s birthday agrand dinner is given at the British Embassy. That forthis year took place on Saturday last, when the principalmembers of the British Colony were present, the medicalprofession being represented by the IIon. Dr. Alan Herbert,Dr. Boggs, Dr. Loughman, Dr. Douglas Hogg, and Dr.Faure-Miller. Lord Lyons received his guests with hisusual affability. His dinners are excellent, and his winesare reputed to be of the_choicest kind and quality, yet his

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lordship never partakes of the latter. He is most abste-mious, and appears to enjoy the best of health.

THE ILLNESS OF M. ANATOLE DE LA FORGE.

M. Anatole de la Forge, Vice-President of the Chamber ofDeputies, who was one of those who were struck with inso-lation at the funeral of Victor Hugo, and was rather seriouslyaffected, is now, I am glad to say, out of all danger.M. Anatole de la Forge is one of those rare Frenchmen whoare teetotallers. He told me that he has never taken a glassof wine since he was a boy, drinks nothing but water, andhas always enjoyed very good health. He is now sixty-fiveyears of age.At its last meeting, the Paris Faculty of Medicine decided

that the prize founded by M. Lacaze, of the value of11,400 francs, and which is given every two years, willnext be awarded in 1886 to the author of the best work onPhthisis and Typhoid Fever.

Paris, June 9th.

EGYPT.

(From a Correspondent.)

THE examinations at the medical school mentioned in

my last letter were concluded on May 23rd. The wholenumber of students was 147, consisting of 126 studentsof medicine, 4 of pharmacy, and 17 of midwifery. Of themedical students, 84 passed and 41 were referred to theirprevious studies for a year, while one was ill during theexaminations. There were 20 students of the fifth andfinal year, of whom 16 passed, and these 16 will now undergoa competitive examination to elect 5 of their number as

house-surgeons at X72 a year, while the remaining 11 willbecome unpaid dressers, and work in the native hospital. Intwelve months’ time the whole 16 will be again examined inorder to receive their certificates to practise. The whole ofthe 4 apothecaries and 17 pupil midwives were passed bythe examiners. Each class was examined by its own nativeprofessor, aided by an independent examiner, of whom therewere the following eleven :-Dr. Abbate Pasha (President),Dr. Grant Bey, Dr. Murison, Dr. Milton, Dr. Sandwith, Dr.Hess, Dr. Engel, Messrs. Hooker and Sickenberger for phar-macy, and two natives. This is the first year that studentshave been subjected to the test of written papers and clinicalexamination in addition to the stereotyped vivd voce of aquarter of an hour, during which the candidate repeats frommemory in the exact words of the text-book all that heknows of the disease in question. Thus it happens that asubject approached from an unaccustomed point of view, across-examination on his own glib quotations, or a questionrequiring reasoning intelligence on the part of the candidate,usually baffles him effectually. This is even more noticeableamong the girl students than the boys. It is wonderful,however, how much young men may learn who studyanatomy without dissecting, and even without seeing otherpreparations than those of wax, who are taught organicwithout the rudiments of inorganic chemistry, who do nopractical ward work, and who are entirely dependent onprofessors, some of whom have little or no interest in, oraptitude for, the lessons they deliver. No great hope canbe entertained of this school of medicine until the scholarsare taught a European tongue, but the slight reformswhich have taken place during the last twelve monthsare sufficient to encourage those in Cairo who are un-

selfishly striving for the school’s welfare.Cairo, May, 1885.

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MEDICAL NOTES IN PARLIAMENT.

Inoculation against Cholera.IN the House of Commons, on the 8th inst., Dr. Cameron

asked the President of the Local Government Boardwhether his attention had been called to the report of aCommittee of the Academy of Medicine and Surgery ofBarcelona appointed to investigate Dr. Ferran’s system ofprotected inoculation against cholera; whether he hadobserved that, according to Spanish telegrams published inthe newspapers, the Spanish Government on May 28thappointed a commission to proceed to the cholera-stricken

district of Valencia along with Dr. Ferran, with the view oftesting his system; and whether, in view of the probablefleeting nature of the opportunity now presented for aninvestigation, and the trifling expense required for thedespatch of a small commission to an accessible country likeSpain, he would consider the propriety of at once nominatingsuch a commission without awaiting the result of protractednegotiations with the Indian Government as to their bear-ing a portion of the cost.—Mr. Russell replied that atten-tion had been called to the report referred to, but that theLocal Government Board did not deem it necessary at thepresent time to despatch a commission on behalf of theBoard with the view of investigating Dr. Ferran’s system ofinoculation.

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ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

AT an extraordinary Comitia held on Thursday last, acommunication was received from the secretaries of theBritish Association for the Advancement of Science inreference to the establishment of an International ScientificAssociation, and, in proposing that a preliminary scientificconference be held in London in 1888, asking for the co.operation of the College in promoting that object. It was

felt, however, that the matter would be better left in thehands of the British Association.The report of the Committee on the Lunacy Bill was

received and adopted; as was also the report from theCroonian Trust Committee.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

AT an ordinary meeting of the Council of the RoyalCollege of Surgeons of England held on Thursday last, aunanimous resolution of condolence with Miss Arnottonthedeath of Mr. Moncrieff Arnott was passed. The nominationof Hunterian Professors was proceeded with, Messrs. Treves,Stewart, Brailey, and Alexander Hill being appointed. Thenomination of Professors of Surgery was postponed. Dr.

Wooldridge, of Guy’s Hospital, was appointed Arris andGale lecturer for the ensuing year. Mr. Bland Sutton, of theMiddlesex Hospital, was appointed Erasmus Wilson lecturer.A letter from Mrs. Caesar Hawkins was read, offering a

marble bust of her late husband, to be placed in the College.The bust was accepted, and the best thanks of the Councilwere voted.

It was proposed that the College take 100 copies of theautotype reproduction of the original manuscripts of lecturesgiven by Harvey in and after the year 1616, and which haverecently been discovered in the British Museum afterhaving been lost for above 100 years. This proposition wasagreed to.A communication was received from Dr. Hickman, for-

warding a memorial signed by more than 600 teachers,practitioners, and students of medicine, urging that theRoyal College of Physicians of London and the RoyalCollege of Surgeons of England be amalgamated, forming aRoyal College of Medicine; and that this College of Medicinebe empowered to grant the degree or title of Doctor of Aledi-cine, giving the power to practise in medicine, surgery, andmidwifery. The memorial was referred to the joint com-mittee on the title of Doctor.Thanks were voted to Mr. Marshall for the report of the

General Medical Council which was received from him.A letter was received from Dr. Hack Tuke, calling atten-

tion to the in many respects objectionable clauses 12 and 13of the Lunacy Act Amendment Bill now before the Houseof Lords, and suggesting that a protest should proceed fromthe Council.On the 8th of May, 1884, a resolution was adopted by the

Council, that a meeting of the Fellows and Members be calledevery year, to which a report from the Council be presented;it was now resolved that a meeting be held in October, ofwhich due notice shall be given, and at which the report ofthe Council be presented. A letter from the Association ofMembers, containing resolutions passed at their last meeting,was presented.A communication from the secretaries of the British