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lymphocytes, but the total number of leucocytes was aboutnormal. For a period of two years the leucocytes variedfrom 8000 to 4000, usually averaging about 6000. InDecember the lymphocytes were 84 per cent., mononuclearcells 4, polynuclear 8, and eosinophiles 3. The red corpusclesvaried from 1,000,000 to 2,800,000. In February, 1898,attacks of epistaxis began ; the temperature and urine werenormal, the haemoglobin was 40 per cent., the red corpuscles1,620,000, and the white corpuscles 7000. At the beginningof November polyuria suddenly began ; he passed 10 quartsof urine in the 24 hours, containing 30 grains of sugar to theounce. Previously to this attack he was gaining weight andworking in a barber’s shop where he was on his feet from7 A.M. to 9 P.M. He improved under rest, good food, andlarge doses of arsenic.

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ON Saturday, Feb. 3rd, the county council of Salopelected Mr. Charles Porter, M.D. R.U.I., Barrister-at-law,to succeed the late Dr. W. N. Thursfield as medicalofficer of health for the county. Dr. Porter brings to theduties of this important office an experience gained firstin East Kent and latterly in the county borough of

Stockport where he has initiated and carried through manyand varied sanitary improvements. His vigorous action atStockport, when the lay officials, both central and local, ofthe St. John Ambulance Association seemed unable to realisehow much their Association depended upon the assistance ofmedical men, won the approval of all members of the

profession. -

THE death is announced of Mr. William Adams, thewell-known orthopaedic surgeon. Mr. Adams, who wasspecially noted for his interest in operation for the cure ofdeformities arising from ankylosis of the hip-joint, was con-sulting surgeon to the National Hospital for the Paralysedand Epileptic. -

THE anniversary dinner of the Medical Society of Londonwill be held in the Whitehall Rooms of the Hotel Metropoleon Thursday, March 8th, at 7 P.M. Communications shouldbe addressed to the honorary secretaries, Dr. James Calvertand Mr. F. C. Wallis, at 11, Chandos-street, W.

THE annual oration of the Hunterian Society will be

delivered by Dr. F. J. Smith in the theatre of the LondonInstitution, Finsbury-circus, on Feb. 14th at 8.30 P.M. The

subject will be the Influence of Modern Medicine on Surgery.Members of the profession are invited to attend.

THE death is announced of Francis Charlewood Turner,M.A., M.D. Cantab., F.R.C.P. Lond. Dr. Turner was

physician to the London Hospital and consulting physicianto the North Eastern Hospital for Children and the LondonOrphan Asylum.

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IT is announced that the Prince of Wales has kindly con-sented to lay the foundation-stone of the new infirmary atNewcastle to be built in commemoration of Her Majesty’sJubilee. The ceremony will take place in June.

Dr. William Pasteur, assistant physician to the MiddlesexHospital, and dean of the Medical School has been elected

physician to the hospital.

Mr. Reginald Macleod, C.P., las been appointedRegistrar-General in the place of Sir Brydges Henniker, whohas retired.

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

AT the moment of writing there is little official :news toindicate the movements of General Buller’s force. ; Thesituation may perhaps be best described as one of hope notunmixed with anxiety on the part of the public, reticence’onthe part of Government, and, we fear, much futile, if notmischievous, action on the side of those who are animated

by merely party spirit or are unworthily seeking an

ephemeral notoriety by indulging in hostile and indis-criminate criticism. No doubt there have been mis-calculations and blunders-an under-estimation of theextent of the rebellion and of the forces at its

back, and an over-estimation of our own military powerand prowess-some of which were avoidable, but this is notthe time to go into all that. The nation has now to lookto the present and the immediate future and to follow outstubbornly and with set purpose a definite line of actiondirected to a definite end. The country is, not for the firsttime in its history, face to face with a crisis of magnitude,and we feel confident that our present difficulties will be metwith the same dignity and fortitude that have characterisedthe nation in the past. It is no new thing, after all, forforces acting on the defensive and occupying entrenchedpositions to offer a strcng and formidable resistance. It wasso in the Russo-Turkish war in the case of Plevna, inthe Franco-German war, and, to cite examples nearer thepresent time, we may point to our own experience in the latetribal campaign on the North-Western frontier of India. IfSir Redvers Buller succeeds in the relief of Ladysmith thecomplexion of the war will change. A concentratedforce will then be free to carry out the original strate-

gical plan of the campaign. The news from General Frenchon the Orange river and from General Hector Macdonald onthe Itiet river is reassuring in the meantime, and reinforce-ments from all sides, it must be remembered, are poutinginto South Africa, which reinforcements include a strongforce of Royal Artillery, mounted infantry, and cavalry.We are very glad to notice that the successful work

done by the Royal Army Medical Corps during thepresent war was mentioned and duly recognised inthe House of Commons during the late debate on theamendment to the Address. While on this subjectwe may say that we have only met with one discordantnote in the praise accorded to the medical service bythe press of this country. It had reference to Wynberg,and we have the best authority for stating that it wasincorrect. Our readers have had the assurance, more-

over, of Sir William Mac Cormac and subsequently ofLord Robeits that the military hospitals are in a highlysatisfactory condition, and from all sides we have heardnothing but commendation of the medical arrangements.Recently we had an opportunity of seeing an extract fromthe letter of a staff officer at De Aar in which he alluded interms of high commendation to a hospital train and itsfittings. We are a little surprised that contradictions ofthe rumour to which we refer which have reached head-quarters from authoritative sources have not been officiallymade public.

Netley Hospital is becoming full of patients from SouthAfrica. It was visited the other day by a Royal party fromOsborne and it has been intimated that Her Majesty willshortly inspect that institution and visit the wounded there.In the hospital at the present time there are about 800patients, of whom 686 are from the front. Of these, 357 aresick and 329 wounded, whilst 279 cases have already beentreated and discharged either on furlough or to go back tothe front. There is still room for 300 patients. Specialhospital huts are being erected at the rear of the centralbuildings which can accommodate 1000 extra patients.Arrangements have been made for the convalescents to leave.Netley as soon as they are able, so that the hospital will beavailable for the wounded as they arrive.The Royal Army Medical Corps has a grateful recollection

of the service Lord Lansdowne rendered them in the pastand a keen appreciation of the very liberal hospital arrange-ments provided for the sick and wounded in this campaign.It goes without saying that he has had an enormous

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amount of responsibility and labour in connexion with thiswar. His department has been very generally abused. Wetrust that none of our readers will be found among histoo previous critics.

Sir William Mac Cormac continues his interesting notesthis week.

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HOSPITAL ACCOMMODATION FOR THE SICK ANDWOUNDED FROM SOUTH AFRICA.

We give below the names of some of the larger hospitals,the governors of which have undertaken to provide accom-modation for the sick and wounded from the seat of war.We also give the number of beds which each institution isable to place at the disposal of the War Office. This does not

pretend to be a complete list and we shall be gladto hear from other institutions concerning their inten-tions. It should be pointed out that the omissionof the name of any institution does not necessarilyshow any want of patriotism in that institution, the

pressure on many of our large hospitals being so exces-

sive that they are unable to find room for the ordinaryapplicants for beds. It would be of no national servicewhatever for such hospitals to make any attempt to help theWar Office. Mr. Sydney Holland, the chairman of theLondon Hospital, explains in the letter which we publish onpage 423 exactly the conditions under which the possibleassistance of the hospitals has been sought; and while wefeel confident that every medical institution in the countrywould, if it were necessary, be only too willing to providebeds for those who may be wounded or who may fallsick in the cause of their country, we trust that thenumbers of our wounded and sick will not be so largeas to outstrip the regular accommodation at Netley andthe Herbert Hospitals.

’Da;t",

The Central Hospital Council for London have been informedby the Director-General of the Army Medical Departmentthat all patients arriving from South Africa will be first sent toNetley or to the Herbert Hospital, Woolwich, for assortmentand for the regularisation of their papers, and they will bethence drafted as necessity arises to other hospitals. Anypatients sent to the London hospitals will in all proba-bility be drafted from Woolwich and will be, as regardsquite nine-tenths of them, men who have come from theseat of war in South Africa. In no case will patientssuffering from venereal or infectious diseases be sent.The patients will be under the entire charge of the

hospital staff, and subject to the hospital rules, as

in the case of ordinary patients, and they will be removedby the Government when required. Probably no bedsin London hospitals will be needed for three months, andat least 14 days’ notice of the patient’s arrival will be

given. The patients will embrace privates and non-

commissioned and v-arrant officers. Ample provision hasalready been made for patients needing treatment in con-valescent hospital and homes.

1 This number would be increased should urgent necessity arise.2 12 surgical, eight medical.

3 As many as room can be found for when application is made.4 13 of these beds are not entirely free of charge.

(NOTES FROM SIR WILLIAM MAC CORMAC.)(Continued from p. 336.)

WE arrived at Cape Town from Natal, a journey of 1000miles, on Jan. 8th. People at home do not realise theimmense distances here which occasion the greatest diffi-

culty in prosecuting the war. On the 9th I visited the

general hospitals at Wynberg and at Rondebosch, a fewmiles on this side of Wynberg, and also the Portland

Hospital.No. 1 General Hospital comprises all the hospital buildings

at Wynberg and has been already described by me in myfirst letter.1 I was consulted concerning many woundedofficers, and inspected the wards which I found in excellentworking order. 120 wounded officers have passed throughthe wards since the battles on the Modder river and atColenso. The wounded are all very cheerful and are doingwell. Several of them are to be sent home in a few days inthe Ma}estio, these being principally cases unlikely torecover before the end of the war. No. 2 General Hospitalconsists entirely of tents. These have been pitched in avery suitable position, on dry, sandy soil, on the gentle slopeof the hill near No. 1 General Hospital. It is made up of99 double-fly marquees, each containing six spring beds,besides operating and store tents. All the tents are flooredwith boards, and there is an ample supply of easy-chairs,flowers, and all the minor luxuries of a hospital.The total number of beds is 504, and there are

the usual store, office, operating, and men’s tents. About350 cases are at present provided for in this hospital. Thestaff consists of five medical officers of the Royal ArmyMedical Corps, 12 civilian surgeons, and eight sisters ofthe Army Nursing Service. I here assisted at an operationand visited all the serious cases, giving my opinion where itwas invited, as was often the case.On leaving this hospital I proceeded by train a few miles

nearer Cape Town to Rondebosch, where No. 3 GeneralHospital and the Portland Hospital are situated together onelevated ground, led up to by a road running throughbeautiful pine woods. No. 3 General Hospital is made up asfollows :-There are 73 double marquees, each containingfrom four to seven beds, according to urgency ; one marqueeas an operating tent, this being preferred by the command-ing officer to the ordinary small operating tent of the fieldhospital pattern ; two tents for the use of patients beforeand after operation ; a darkened tent for x-ray purposes ;and six store tents. The process of erection of this

hospital was begun on Dec. 9th, and it now presents a mostneat and orderly appearance and is in full working order.The marquees are floored with wood and provided with first-class beds. Large pots of flowers have been placed betweenthe tents and easy chairs abound in suitable situationsbeneath the trees for the convalescent patients. The situa-tion is a charming one as regards natural beauty and makesa cheerful and invigorating spot for the healing of mindand body. The soil is a bright white sand and lovelypine trees and oak trees flourish amazingly. This whole

hospital was, of course (as were also the other hospitals),erected by the men of the Royal Army Medical Corps.The ;detachment of this corps at this hospital numbers96 non-commissioned officers and men, who are under thecommand of Lieutenant-Colonel Wood, R.A.M.C., and MajorKeogh, R.A.M.C.The Portland Hospital, the generous gift of the Duke of

Portland, is an admirable installation. It is under themilitary command of Surgeon-Major Kilkelly, GrenadierGuards, but he and two non-commissioned officers of theRoyal Army Medical Corps are the only military elementsconnected with it. The staff consists of four civil surgeons(Mr. Bowlby and Mr. Wallace being at the head), fournurses, and 33 St. John Ambulance men. Captain J. F.Bagot, M.P., acts as secretary, and Lord Henry CavendishBentinck as treasurer. The hospital consists of 12 tortoisetents, each of which is capable of accommodating 10 patientsif necessary. Each tent contains at present only six beds.These tortoise tents are very commodious and comfortable,but are not considered by some of the military medicalauthorities to be so suitable as marquees, on account oftheir lightness and the fact that they are not double. The

1 THE LANCET, Dec. 23rd, 1899, p. 1755.