- Email: [email protected]
HOSPITALS FOR EPIDEMICS AT MADRID.
1288 arsenic was discontinued, and mercurial inunctions, com- grounds ; but it is impossible to lay down any bard. bined with aromatic vapour baths, ordered, which were and-fast line which should serve as a standard by continued until constitutional symptoms began to present which houses may be condemned, and it is necesgary for themselves. This treatment, again, was followed by general every ollicer to exercise his judgment in each particular improvement, and Dr. Llopis proposes after a time to re- case, and decide as to the ntness of a house for occupation in view of its general condition. The subsequent proposal commence the mercurial inunctions. to associate the surveyors with the medical officers gives clue to the thoughts of the meeting, and shows how some AT MADRID. HOSPITALS FOR EPIDEMICS the whole subject was misconceived. The A REPORT has been made to the Spanish Council of completely would be properly employed in showing how in Health on the question of hospitals for epidemics by the surveyor house dampness might be removed or venti. committee which were some time ago appointed to inquire any particular lation or lighting improved ; but he is not the proper officer into it. They recommend that two pieces of land in to express any opinion as to the effect of these conditions different quarters of Madrid should be obtained, and that A curious point in the resolution is the impli. on health. upon these two hospitals should be erected, each containing cation that medical officers have not been employed before 400 beds, on the pavilion system; also that a collection of in the performance of this duty. As a matter of fact, they materials required during epidemics should be stored at a have been thus engaged for nearly half a century, and the central depôt in Madrid, so that on receipt of a telegram from any town or district in Spain a supply of iron and improvement in the sanitary condition of the country is in the dis. wooden buildings, bed linen, disinfectants, and all other largely due to the exercise of their judgment of this duty. We do not doubt that they will be charge things likely to be needed could be despatched immediately. able to explain these circumstances to the meeting when it This looks very well-on paper ; but how often are reports assembles to receive their report. again on sanitary matters in Spain allowed to bear any fruit? Let us hope that the Government will have received an in. FELLOWS OF THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS. centive by the recent cholera and small-pox epidemics, and that this and other sanitary recommendations will not be A MEETING of the Association of Fellows of the College for of an indefinite period. Surgeons will be held at 4 P. M. on Dec. 20th, at 20, pigeon-holed Hanover. square, W., to consider the negotiations between THE HOUSING OF THE POOR. the Council of the College and the University of London, and other matters of importance to the Fellows generally. A MEETING of delegates from the several London sanitary of the College are invited to attend. Fellows All authorities and of members of the London Council
County
held last week at the offices of the Council in Spring Gardens, to discuss the Housing of the Working Classes Act of this year. The meeting was presided over by Lord Compton, who stated that the object of the conference was that some agreement might be come to as to the working of the Act. The most important resolutions submitted to the meeting were moved by Mr. H. C. Saunders, of the Kensington Vestry, and were to the following effect:" (1) That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is desirable that some common understanding should be arrived at between the County Council and the vestries and district boards in the metropolis as to the condition or defects which would render a house, either permanently or temporarily, so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation within the meaning of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890; (2) that with a view to arriving at such common understanding the medical officer of health to the London County Council be requested to convene a meeting of the medical officers of health of the vestries and district boards of the metropolis, in order that they may report generally on the subject to a subsequent meeting of this Conference, and, if practicable, submit for consideration a list or schedule of the conditions and defects which may be considered to render a house so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation ; (3) that this Conference desires to call attention to an apparent defect in the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, in that whilst the London County Council may, in the case of a scheme carried out under Part II. of the Act, require that the expenses, or a contribution in respect of them, shall be borne by the district particularly benefited instead of by the county fund, there appears to be no similar provision in the Act empowering the Council to order any special contribution to be paid by any vestry or district board in respect of expenses incurred in carrying out a scheme under Part I. of the Act." Of these the first and second were carried, and the medical officers of health are therefore left with a task before them which is not easily performed. Indeed, it is not very obvious to understand what is intended. There is no difficulty in stating that houses wanting in ventilation or light or in opportunities for cleanliness are unfit for habitation, and may be reasonably condemned on health was
ARCANA FAIRFAXIANA.
OUR Newcastle
correspondent
made reference last week
to this interesting book. We may here add a word or two to his account of it. The reproduction in facsimile has been admirably carried out, and the difficulty of reading some portions will probably prove an additional attraction to the genuine bookworm. A lucid introduction by Mr. George Weddell gives the story of the book, an account of the Fairfax family, and several specimens of handwriting with
transcriptions. Although the "Fairfax"receipts deal in charms, they exhibit a number of remedies in which diet and 2-eqime are the chief factors. They represent domestic rather than professional medicine; but as they are culled from various sources they indicate, in a highly interesting and entertaining fashion, many of the gradual changes in the evolution of scientific treatment. an admirable gift to medical men.
The book will form
BURIAL AND CREMATION.
MANY persons who regard cremation with no special enthusiasm will be ready to avail themselves of the argument by which Dr. W. Parker of Richmond, Virginia, seeks to establish the superiority of burial in disposing of the dead. The view advanced by him, without pretending to discuss the question deeply on scientific grounds, expresses very fairly certain religious and humanitarian reasons for preferring the last-named method. Burial, it maintains, is the more natural procedure. As such it offends personal sentiment less than cremation, it harmonises with that respect for the dead which distinguishes civilised communities, it offers no facility or inducement for disturbance of the dead, it invests the grave with a certain inspiration as of actual presence, and, if rightly carried out, need not be either expensive or insanitary. Moreover, it has the sanction of primeval example and of religious usage, whether Jewish or Christian. All this is indeed true enough of burial when carried out in the simplest manner and without the intervention of cumbrous coffins or funereal vaults. It
County
held last week at the offices of the Council in Spring Gardens, to discuss the Housing of the Working Classes Act of this year. The meeting was presided over by Lord Compton, who stated that the object of the conference was that some agreement might be come to as to the working of the Act. The most important resolutions submitted to the meeting were moved by Mr. H. C. Saunders, of the Kensington Vestry, and were to the following effect:" (1) That, in the opinion of this Conference, it is desirable that some common understanding should be arrived at between the County Council and the vestries and district boards in the metropolis as to the condition or defects which would render a house, either permanently or temporarily, so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation within the meaning of the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890; (2) that with a view to arriving at such common understanding the medical officer of health to the London County Council be requested to convene a meeting of the medical officers of health of the vestries and district boards of the metropolis, in order that they may report generally on the subject to a subsequent meeting of this Conference, and, if practicable, submit for consideration a list or schedule of the conditions and defects which may be considered to render a house so dangerous or injurious to health as to be unfit for human habitation ; (3) that this Conference desires to call attention to an apparent defect in the Housing of the Working Classes Act, 1890, in that whilst the London County Council may, in the case of a scheme carried out under Part II. of the Act, require that the expenses, or a contribution in respect of them, shall be borne by the district particularly benefited instead of by the county fund, there appears to be no similar provision in the Act empowering the Council to order any special contribution to be paid by any vestry or district board in respect of expenses incurred in carrying out a scheme under Part I. of the Act." Of these the first and second were carried, and the medical officers of health are therefore left with a task before them which is not easily performed. Indeed, it is not very obvious to understand what is intended. There is no difficulty in stating that houses wanting in ventilation or light or in opportunities for cleanliness are unfit for habitation, and may be reasonably condemned on health was
ARCANA FAIRFAXIANA.
OUR Newcastle
correspondent
made reference last week
to this interesting book. We may here add a word or two to his account of it. The reproduction in facsimile has been admirably carried out, and the difficulty of reading some portions will probably prove an additional attraction to the genuine bookworm. A lucid introduction by Mr. George Weddell gives the story of the book, an account of the Fairfax family, and several specimens of handwriting with
transcriptions. Although the "Fairfax"receipts deal in charms, they exhibit a number of remedies in which diet and 2-eqime are the chief factors. They represent domestic rather than professional medicine; but as they are culled from various sources they indicate, in a highly interesting and entertaining fashion, many of the gradual changes in the evolution of scientific treatment. an admirable gift to medical men.
The book will form
BURIAL AND CREMATION.
MANY persons who regard cremation with no special enthusiasm will be ready to avail themselves of the argument by which Dr. W. Parker of Richmond, Virginia, seeks to establish the superiority of burial in disposing of the dead. The view advanced by him, without pretending to discuss the question deeply on scientific grounds, expresses very fairly certain religious and humanitarian reasons for preferring the last-named method. Burial, it maintains, is the more natural procedure. As such it offends personal sentiment less than cremation, it harmonises with that respect for the dead which distinguishes civilised communities, it offers no facility or inducement for disturbance of the dead, it invests the grave with a certain inspiration as of actual presence, and, if rightly carried out, need not be either expensive or insanitary. Moreover, it has the sanction of primeval example and of religious usage, whether Jewish or Christian. All this is indeed true enough of burial when carried out in the simplest manner and without the intervention of cumbrous coffins or funereal vaults. It