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CASUALTY PATIENTS AT CHILDREN'S HOSPITALS.
201 in the temperance section, and had 174, or 56.86 per cent. This is a younger office, and has insured chiefly members of churches, who are good lives in other respects. But there have been transfers from the temperance section in this office also-397 in the above period ofseven years. But of this number, be it noted, only 7 have died, and hence it is clear that the difference between the two sections is practically unaffected. I have these figures from the officials of the office. It ought to be known, too, that every year each person insured in the temperance section has to sign a paper that he is still an abstainer; the person is transferred to the general section if he fails to sign this paper, and I am informed that many abstainers have been so transferred through their own oversight or carelessness. This is a fmbher explanation of the number beyond those suggested in my previous letter, and shows that they are not all due I may add that a similar paper has to be to ill-health. signed in the case of the United Kingdom Provident institution, and the same explanation applies to some of their 470 (not 490) transfers. T
am
Kira
yours
truly
J. J RIDGE, Hon. Sec., British Medical Temperance Association. 21st 1891
under the 114th section of the Public Health Act, 1875. This offence consisted of causing a nuisance injurious to health upon his premises. An appeal was lately heard by the Recorder, the remarkable feature of the case being the conflicting nature of the medical and other evidence. A neighbour complained of the stench as penetrating his rooms and causing him serious illness on four occasions. Mr. Austin Williams, who attended him, described the smells in the house as decidedly a nuisance and injurious to health. Dr. Whitford, who visited the house on several occasions, gave similar evidence, and stated that he experienced a difficulty in breathing. For the other side, Dr. Taylor, medical officer of health, Dr. Hope, assistant medical officer of health, and two sanitary inspectors were called, and all declared that there was no nuisance whatever, and that all the materials used were perfectly wholesome and fit for food. The learned Recorder observed that a difficult task had been set before him. It might be simply a question of opinion as to whether or not a smell existed,and some of the witnesses might, as had been suggested, become used to the smell. He dismissed the appeal and sustained the conviction, with costs.
The Lock Hospital. reopening the Lock Hospital are rapidly approaching completion, and there is every reason to hope that it will be ready for the reception of patients early in August. An annual prize of two guineas is awarded to the student of the Medical Faculty of Liverpool University College who shows the greatest proficiency in knowledge of venereal diseases.
The arrangements for
CASUALTY PATIENTS AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS. To the Editors of THE LANCET. SIRS,-Seeing an advertisement in THE LANCET for casualty physicians at the Hospital for Sick Children in Great Ormond-street, I consider it well to direct your attention to the great dangers which attend a system of "casualty" patients at children’s hospitals, where every form of infectious disease is liable to occur and to spread. In the case of such a disease as whooping-cough it would be easy to prove that very serious harm is done by the outpatient department of a children’s hospital; but when cases of measles and scarlet fever are brought by ignorant parents into overcrowded rooms, where two or three hundred infants ’, and children are collected, it is impossible to prevent most ’, serious consequences. It will be sufficient to draw your atten- I tion to the possibilities referred to, for the proper authorities to interfere, or at least make inquiry into this subject. I am, Sirs, yours ROBERT LEE.
faithfully,
LIVERPOOL. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The IT is
now
Alleged Decrease of Popitlation. generally admitted that the census
returns
fairly correct, and that there has been a considerable decrease in the population of the city, meaning thereby the population of the borough of Liverpool. This comprises the whole of the parish of Liverpool, with portions of the parishes of West Derby and Toxteth Park. rhe decrease is accounted for in many ways. Notwithstanding the fact that Liverpool has for the upper and middle classes, in its centre and elsewhere, hundreds of most excellent residences, they are gradually preferring to move to the suburbs or to the Cheshire side. The neighbouring borough of Bootle has received of late years many former residents of Liverpool; so
are
has Walton-on-the- Hill, a northern suburb. In other words, Liverpool has diminished in its centre, but extended north, south, east, and, taking the Cheshire side as the western boundary, west also. Long before the next census is taken we may hope that the many bare spots in the city which now mark the wholesale demolition of insanitary property will be covered with model dwellings for the working classes, many of whom must reside near their work. Some approach towards this has already been done. A street which was formerly tenanted by disreputable characters has been cleared of these latter, its name has been changed, and hopes are entertained that it may be tenanted in future by respectable inhabitants of the upper labouring class, who by thrift can afford to pay a reasonable rent, and so secure good accommodation. Conviction of a Sausage-maker: Conflicting Medical Evidence. On May 20th a pork-butcher and sausage-maker was fined by the stipendiary magistrate 20s. and costs for an offence
by the surgeons
The
Proposed New Post-office. a site and the proposed grant by ParliaThe purchase ment for the building of a new post-office for Liverpool are of
matters of sanitary and therefore of medical interest. For many years past the employés of the head Post-office here have, from the postmaster to the humblest messenger, been located in a part of the old Revenue buildings. This, though very ample at the time, was not sufficient to cope with the increased demands since made upon it, and its
erection
the site of the old dock has always been acknowledged as a huge mistake. For years past the Postoffice officials have been so cramped for space that, in spite of repeated alterations and much expenditure, the premises have been quite unfit for their purpose, and there has been the curious anomaly of Government officials working in a building which a Government inspector would in all probability have condemned as unhealthy. Happily this will be all changed in the course of two or three years. The site is ample for a model Postoffice with all the necessary departments and the most recent sanitary and other improvements. The experience of the officials in the comparativeiy new offices at London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere, will be valuable, and advantage ought to be taken of this. on
Liverpool, July 20th.
NORTHERN COUNTIES NOTES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Decctla of Alderman T. P. Barkas of Newcastle. MANY of your readers will regret to hear of the death of Alderman T. Barkas, of this city, which took place inst. from apoplexy and paralysis after on the 13 bh illness of about three weeks. Alderman Barkas an was in his seventy-third year, and was born and lived his whole lifetime in Newcastle. He was, indeed, a remarkable and many-sided character, and to a great extent self-educated, commencing life in his father’s business of a carpenter and builder. He soon relinquished this for bookselling, by which means he was better enabled to acquire knowledge. He at the same time adopted popular lecturing on scientific subjects, not for gain, but from pure love of imparting to others what he knew. He was well up and abreast with all his subjects, which included electricity, physiology, and, indeed, the whole In the years 1851 and 1852 circle of natural science. regularly attended the Newcastle Medical School, going through the course required by medical men In 1864 he devoted his attention to microas an amateur. scopical research, his chief object of study being Diatomaceae,
he
am
Kira
yours
truly
J. J RIDGE, Hon. Sec., British Medical Temperance Association. 21st 1891
under the 114th section of the Public Health Act, 1875. This offence consisted of causing a nuisance injurious to health upon his premises. An appeal was lately heard by the Recorder, the remarkable feature of the case being the conflicting nature of the medical and other evidence. A neighbour complained of the stench as penetrating his rooms and causing him serious illness on four occasions. Mr. Austin Williams, who attended him, described the smells in the house as decidedly a nuisance and injurious to health. Dr. Whitford, who visited the house on several occasions, gave similar evidence, and stated that he experienced a difficulty in breathing. For the other side, Dr. Taylor, medical officer of health, Dr. Hope, assistant medical officer of health, and two sanitary inspectors were called, and all declared that there was no nuisance whatever, and that all the materials used were perfectly wholesome and fit for food. The learned Recorder observed that a difficult task had been set before him. It might be simply a question of opinion as to whether or not a smell existed,and some of the witnesses might, as had been suggested, become used to the smell. He dismissed the appeal and sustained the conviction, with costs.
The Lock Hospital. reopening the Lock Hospital are rapidly approaching completion, and there is every reason to hope that it will be ready for the reception of patients early in August. An annual prize of two guineas is awarded to the student of the Medical Faculty of Liverpool University College who shows the greatest proficiency in knowledge of venereal diseases.
The arrangements for
CASUALTY PATIENTS AT CHILDREN’S HOSPITALS. To the Editors of THE LANCET. SIRS,-Seeing an advertisement in THE LANCET for casualty physicians at the Hospital for Sick Children in Great Ormond-street, I consider it well to direct your attention to the great dangers which attend a system of "casualty" patients at children’s hospitals, where every form of infectious disease is liable to occur and to spread. In the case of such a disease as whooping-cough it would be easy to prove that very serious harm is done by the outpatient department of a children’s hospital; but when cases of measles and scarlet fever are brought by ignorant parents into overcrowded rooms, where two or three hundred infants ’, and children are collected, it is impossible to prevent most ’, serious consequences. It will be sufficient to draw your atten- I tion to the possibilities referred to, for the proper authorities to interfere, or at least make inquiry into this subject. I am, Sirs, yours ROBERT LEE.
faithfully,
LIVERPOOL. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The IT is
now
Alleged Decrease of Popitlation. generally admitted that the census
returns
fairly correct, and that there has been a considerable decrease in the population of the city, meaning thereby the population of the borough of Liverpool. This comprises the whole of the parish of Liverpool, with portions of the parishes of West Derby and Toxteth Park. rhe decrease is accounted for in many ways. Notwithstanding the fact that Liverpool has for the upper and middle classes, in its centre and elsewhere, hundreds of most excellent residences, they are gradually preferring to move to the suburbs or to the Cheshire side. The neighbouring borough of Bootle has received of late years many former residents of Liverpool; so
are
has Walton-on-the- Hill, a northern suburb. In other words, Liverpool has diminished in its centre, but extended north, south, east, and, taking the Cheshire side as the western boundary, west also. Long before the next census is taken we may hope that the many bare spots in the city which now mark the wholesale demolition of insanitary property will be covered with model dwellings for the working classes, many of whom must reside near their work. Some approach towards this has already been done. A street which was formerly tenanted by disreputable characters has been cleared of these latter, its name has been changed, and hopes are entertained that it may be tenanted in future by respectable inhabitants of the upper labouring class, who by thrift can afford to pay a reasonable rent, and so secure good accommodation. Conviction of a Sausage-maker: Conflicting Medical Evidence. On May 20th a pork-butcher and sausage-maker was fined by the stipendiary magistrate 20s. and costs for an offence
by the surgeons
The
Proposed New Post-office. a site and the proposed grant by ParliaThe purchase ment for the building of a new post-office for Liverpool are of
matters of sanitary and therefore of medical interest. For many years past the employés of the head Post-office here have, from the postmaster to the humblest messenger, been located in a part of the old Revenue buildings. This, though very ample at the time, was not sufficient to cope with the increased demands since made upon it, and its
erection
the site of the old dock has always been acknowledged as a huge mistake. For years past the Postoffice officials have been so cramped for space that, in spite of repeated alterations and much expenditure, the premises have been quite unfit for their purpose, and there has been the curious anomaly of Government officials working in a building which a Government inspector would in all probability have condemned as unhealthy. Happily this will be all changed in the course of two or three years. The site is ample for a model Postoffice with all the necessary departments and the most recent sanitary and other improvements. The experience of the officials in the comparativeiy new offices at London, Edinburgh, Glasgow, and elsewhere, will be valuable, and advantage ought to be taken of this. on
Liverpool, July 20th.
NORTHERN COUNTIES NOTES. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Decctla of Alderman T. P. Barkas of Newcastle. MANY of your readers will regret to hear of the death of Alderman T. Barkas, of this city, which took place inst. from apoplexy and paralysis after on the 13 bh illness of about three weeks. Alderman Barkas an was in his seventy-third year, and was born and lived his whole lifetime in Newcastle. He was, indeed, a remarkable and many-sided character, and to a great extent self-educated, commencing life in his father’s business of a carpenter and builder. He soon relinquished this for bookselling, by which means he was better enabled to acquire knowledge. He at the same time adopted popular lecturing on scientific subjects, not for gain, but from pure love of imparting to others what he knew. He was well up and abreast with all his subjects, which included electricity, physiology, and, indeed, the whole In the years 1851 and 1852 circle of natural science. regularly attended the Newcastle Medical School, going through the course required by medical men In 1864 he devoted his attention to microas an amateur. scopical research, his chief object of study being Diatomaceae,
he