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HONOURS AT THE LONDON UNIVERSITY.
HONOURS AT THE LONDON UNIVERSITY.
108
who have taken the L.D.S. Of the 4806 who were admitted to the Register by virtue of their being in bonifide practice before the passing of the Act 3489 still remain " without any additional qualification. Covering" is a serious evil and the writer urges that the time is ripe for strong legislative measures in regard to this matter. "American Dentistry," a phrase which has even less significance than "French polish" or "Russian leather." really means, as the writer points out, "Advertising Dentist," and we heartily agree with his closing words : " It cannot be too frequently reiterated that the man who advertises thereby stamps himself as unqualified. The properly qualified dental surgeon is under obligations exactly similar to those of the medical man with respect to advertising."
THE
PURIFICATION OF WATER FOR USE: A SUGGESTION.
DOMESTIC
SINCE bacteriology was born there has always existed doubt as to whether the majority of domestic filters could render water free from bacteria or could reduce their number to any practically valuable extent. From time to time bacteriological investigations have been made with a view to set these doubts at rest, and on the whole the results have fully,realised these anticipations. Still more complete and thorough probably than any work previously done in this direction is that recently published by Drs. Sims Woodhead and Wood,l who, as a result, of their experiments, exempt very few domestic filters they have examined from the charge of inefficiency to remove organisms. Results like these, of course, must shake to its very foundation the confidence which the public has hitherto reposed in domestic methods of filtration, and the cry naturally follows, On what method, then, may we rely ? As is the case I with so many departments of study, in centring our attention on one method we have turned our backs on another, which, however, may possibly be equally good, if, indeed, not better. We have learned some striking lessons in late years of how nature effects the abundant purification of water ; but it seems to as that we have imitated on the small scale only one of these processes-namely, the percolation of water through great depths of porous strata by which bacteria originally present are entirely removed. We have overlooked, we think, the equally important, because equally effective, natural process of purification by subsidence of particles during storage; and yet the irreproachable water of Loch Katrine, supplied to Glasgow, as well as the water supplied to most towns in the north of England, is submitted to no purification beyond the storage in reservoirs of vast size. Professor Percy Frankland showed over eight years ago that, if a water containing bacteria is shaken up with finely divided solid particles and allowed to subside for several hours, the large solid particles in falling to the bottom carry with them an astonishingly large proportion of the bacteria. Thus, after agitation with chalk for fifteen minutes of a water containing originally 8000 micro-organisms per cubic centimetre it contained only 270 organisms-a reduction equal to 97 per cent. Coke powder gave even a better result, for in a water containing innumerable organisms before treatment there were found absolutely none at all after subsidence of the coke particles, the reduction effected being therefore equal to 100 per cent. Similarly, animal charcoal effected a reduction of 99 per cent., the original water containing 8000 and after subsidence only sixty organisms per cubic centimetre. Vegetable charcoal, again, reduced the number from 30C0 to 120, which is equal to a reduction of 96 per cent. There are strong reasons for believing, then, that, by the simple expedient of agitating water-say, with wellburnt powdered coke-and drawing off the water after a
1
Brit. Med.
Jour., Nov. 10th, 1894.
particles have subsided, it would be freed from its organised and, it may be, its disease-producing inhabitants. This process appears certainly to be as simple as filtration and should give very little trouble in its practical working ; moreover, it cannot surely be costly. Coke, unless well burnt, would probably impart a foreign taste to the water, which, however, could be removed by passing the water through a. filter containing an oxidising medium, in which case the filter need not be an efficient remover of organisms, since
the
the subsidence treatment there should be none to Confronted with these facts, we fail to see why this method should not be tried in the place of established methods of purification, which in the light of recent research have been shown to fail. We cannot imagine that it offere much inconvenience, trouble, or expense, while the water so purified would possess many obvious advantages over water that has been boiled. It could be easily adopted in hotels. schools, barracks, and other large buildings. We commend the attention of inventors to this apparently effectual, though simple, means of purifying water for domestic use.
after
remove.
HONOURS AT THE LONDON UNIVERSITY. THE published list of the results of the recent examina. tions at the University of London shows a series of remark" able successes for St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School. In the Final M.B. Examination Mr. A. E. Russel obtained the gold medal in Medicine and Mr. C. S. Wallace the golo medal in Obstetric Medicine. In the B.S. Examination Mr. J. H. Fisher, F.R C.S., took the scholarship and gold medal ; Mr. C. S. Wallace, F.R.C.S., qualified for the gold medal; and Mr. S. W. F. Rchardson, F.R.C.S., obtained first.. class honours. In the M.D. Examination Mr. Seymour G. Toller took the gold medal ; Dr. Toller had previously dis.. tinguished himself in the M.B. examination, 1892, when he took the scholarship and gold medal for Medicine and also for Obstetric Medicine.
CHARGE OF INDECENT ASSAULT. AT the Oxford Sessions on Jan. 1st Mr. Samuel Daniel was tried for having indecently assaulted Edith Hutchings, aged thirteen, on Aug. 14th last. From the evidence it appears that Mrs. Hine was away from home, and that Mr. Hine, who had previously employed the prosecutrix in a similar capacity, asked her to get his The allegation against the accused was that he breakfast. went into the kitchen, kissed the girl, and, under the pretence of auscultating her chest, passed the bounds of professional conduct. On the same day the girl to her Mr. mother and a neighbour. complained Hine’s account was that, as she was troubled with a chronic cough, for which be had treated her, and as she did not look well, he examined her chest with a stethoscope, and as the girl complained of a pain in her stomach he placed his hand in that region to ascertain what was the matter with her. From some cause or other the prosecutris cried, whereupon the defendant kissed her. On the one hand, it was contended that she cried in consequence of having been indecently assaulted, whilst Mr. Hine stated that he thought it was because he had hurt her by the pressure of the stethoscope. It was contended that prior to the alleged assault Mr. Hine locked the front doar, but this was explained by the fact that the catch did not act properly. For the defence evidence was given that the mother of the prosecutrix had spoken of getting money out of Mr. Hine. The chairman of the sessions, in directing the jury, said how easy it was to make such charges and how difficult to disprove them, especially in the case of a medical The jury at once acquitted Mr. Hine. We fully man. endorse the chairman’s charge and the verdict of he jury.
Hine, surgeon,
108
who have taken the L.D.S. Of the 4806 who were admitted to the Register by virtue of their being in bonifide practice before the passing of the Act 3489 still remain " without any additional qualification. Covering" is a serious evil and the writer urges that the time is ripe for strong legislative measures in regard to this matter. "American Dentistry," a phrase which has even less significance than "French polish" or "Russian leather." really means, as the writer points out, "Advertising Dentist," and we heartily agree with his closing words : " It cannot be too frequently reiterated that the man who advertises thereby stamps himself as unqualified. The properly qualified dental surgeon is under obligations exactly similar to those of the medical man with respect to advertising."
THE
PURIFICATION OF WATER FOR USE: A SUGGESTION.
DOMESTIC
SINCE bacteriology was born there has always existed doubt as to whether the majority of domestic filters could render water free from bacteria or could reduce their number to any practically valuable extent. From time to time bacteriological investigations have been made with a view to set these doubts at rest, and on the whole the results have fully,realised these anticipations. Still more complete and thorough probably than any work previously done in this direction is that recently published by Drs. Sims Woodhead and Wood,l who, as a result, of their experiments, exempt very few domestic filters they have examined from the charge of inefficiency to remove organisms. Results like these, of course, must shake to its very foundation the confidence which the public has hitherto reposed in domestic methods of filtration, and the cry naturally follows, On what method, then, may we rely ? As is the case I with so many departments of study, in centring our attention on one method we have turned our backs on another, which, however, may possibly be equally good, if, indeed, not better. We have learned some striking lessons in late years of how nature effects the abundant purification of water ; but it seems to as that we have imitated on the small scale only one of these processes-namely, the percolation of water through great depths of porous strata by which bacteria originally present are entirely removed. We have overlooked, we think, the equally important, because equally effective, natural process of purification by subsidence of particles during storage; and yet the irreproachable water of Loch Katrine, supplied to Glasgow, as well as the water supplied to most towns in the north of England, is submitted to no purification beyond the storage in reservoirs of vast size. Professor Percy Frankland showed over eight years ago that, if a water containing bacteria is shaken up with finely divided solid particles and allowed to subside for several hours, the large solid particles in falling to the bottom carry with them an astonishingly large proportion of the bacteria. Thus, after agitation with chalk for fifteen minutes of a water containing originally 8000 micro-organisms per cubic centimetre it contained only 270 organisms-a reduction equal to 97 per cent. Coke powder gave even a better result, for in a water containing innumerable organisms before treatment there were found absolutely none at all after subsidence of the coke particles, the reduction effected being therefore equal to 100 per cent. Similarly, animal charcoal effected a reduction of 99 per cent., the original water containing 8000 and after subsidence only sixty organisms per cubic centimetre. Vegetable charcoal, again, reduced the number from 30C0 to 120, which is equal to a reduction of 96 per cent. There are strong reasons for believing, then, that, by the simple expedient of agitating water-say, with wellburnt powdered coke-and drawing off the water after a
1
Brit. Med.
Jour., Nov. 10th, 1894.
particles have subsided, it would be freed from its organised and, it may be, its disease-producing inhabitants. This process appears certainly to be as simple as filtration and should give very little trouble in its practical working ; moreover, it cannot surely be costly. Coke, unless well burnt, would probably impart a foreign taste to the water, which, however, could be removed by passing the water through a. filter containing an oxidising medium, in which case the filter need not be an efficient remover of organisms, since
the
the subsidence treatment there should be none to Confronted with these facts, we fail to see why this method should not be tried in the place of established methods of purification, which in the light of recent research have been shown to fail. We cannot imagine that it offere much inconvenience, trouble, or expense, while the water so purified would possess many obvious advantages over water that has been boiled. It could be easily adopted in hotels. schools, barracks, and other large buildings. We commend the attention of inventors to this apparently effectual, though simple, means of purifying water for domestic use.
after
remove.
HONOURS AT THE LONDON UNIVERSITY. THE published list of the results of the recent examina. tions at the University of London shows a series of remark" able successes for St. Thomas’s Hospital Medical School. In the Final M.B. Examination Mr. A. E. Russel obtained the gold medal in Medicine and Mr. C. S. Wallace the golo medal in Obstetric Medicine. In the B.S. Examination Mr. J. H. Fisher, F.R C.S., took the scholarship and gold medal ; Mr. C. S. Wallace, F.R.C.S., qualified for the gold medal; and Mr. S. W. F. Rchardson, F.R.C.S., obtained first.. class honours. In the M.D. Examination Mr. Seymour G. Toller took the gold medal ; Dr. Toller had previously dis.. tinguished himself in the M.B. examination, 1892, when he took the scholarship and gold medal for Medicine and also for Obstetric Medicine.
CHARGE OF INDECENT ASSAULT. AT the Oxford Sessions on Jan. 1st Mr. Samuel Daniel was tried for having indecently assaulted Edith Hutchings, aged thirteen, on Aug. 14th last. From the evidence it appears that Mrs. Hine was away from home, and that Mr. Hine, who had previously employed the prosecutrix in a similar capacity, asked her to get his The allegation against the accused was that he breakfast. went into the kitchen, kissed the girl, and, under the pretence of auscultating her chest, passed the bounds of professional conduct. On the same day the girl to her Mr. mother and a neighbour. complained Hine’s account was that, as she was troubled with a chronic cough, for which be had treated her, and as she did not look well, he examined her chest with a stethoscope, and as the girl complained of a pain in her stomach he placed his hand in that region to ascertain what was the matter with her. From some cause or other the prosecutris cried, whereupon the defendant kissed her. On the one hand, it was contended that she cried in consequence of having been indecently assaulted, whilst Mr. Hine stated that he thought it was because he had hurt her by the pressure of the stethoscope. It was contended that prior to the alleged assault Mr. Hine locked the front doar, but this was explained by the fact that the catch did not act properly. For the defence evidence was given that the mother of the prosecutrix had spoken of getting money out of Mr. Hine. The chairman of the sessions, in directing the jury, said how easy it was to make such charges and how difficult to disprove them, especially in the case of a medical The jury at once acquitted Mr. Hine. We fully man. endorse the chairman’s charge and the verdict of he jury.
Hine, surgeon,