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112 but also many of the fine old soldiers who never before in hospital. Most men that arrive now scon find themselvesinmates of an hospital tent, which is not to be wondered at, coming from a comfortable quarter to livein such wretchedness. exposed to the fury of the elements, their diet and mode of living so suddenly changed; if it were otherwise, it would indeed be strange. Not to mention the duties of the men, which are very trying-twelve hours in the trenches or on picquet, in all weathers, day and night, often soaked in rain, and, on returning, having nothing to change; so, in fact, their clothes always dry on them, such asthey are, very scanty, and what they havemuch worn and torn, consequently are insufficient against the weather. Each man has two blankets, one of which he takes with him on duty, and leaves the other in his tent; of course the former is generally wet. I am glad to say, fresh clothing has come out for the menflannel shirts, drawers, socks, trousers, coats, &c., which, indeed, is a blessing for the poor fellows. The state of the weather and roads is so bad, that things are brought up with diniculty, so the men have not had all these comforts issued to them as yet; in fact, I hear a few have not yet had two blankets given to them. This ought to have been remedied. The reason is, that nearly all the horses are dead from want of forage, so all by this suffer. Fatigue parties are sent down to Balaklava, by many regiments to bring up provisions, &c., and there you will often see hundreds of poor fellows trudging home laden either with salt pork, biscuit, or clothing, a duty that ought to be performed by the commissariat. Many poor fellowsare unable to do it, and by this extra duty hospitals are daily reinforced. The ambulance corps is a lamentable failure - most of the pensioners dead (killed themselves by drinking), -and the mules gone. Our French allies haveassisted us to take our sick down to Balaklava. One day they sent us 300 mules for that purpose, each carrying two persons, either laying down or sitting up, balanced one on each side; since this, they have again lent us their aid. It is a sad thing to be in such a state. God knows what we should do if we had another sharp engagement; they would have again A word may to come to our succour (mirabile dectu). be said about the ambulance carts themselves. Experience bought is experience taught. The pensioners who remain, who may be supposed to be the steady ones, complain greatly of them ; they say they are too heavy for this work, and I think most bv this time have come to the same conclusion. In fine dry weather they are all very well, but if you could imagine the state of the country, you would see that the French mules are far’ preferable, and always complete their journey, while our wagons often stick half way, the horses or mules being unable to drag them, though six or eight are used to each; certainly they are small and in bad condition, but however good they maybe on many occasions, they are of no use here. It would be of immense advantage to have a few hundreds of these mules in addition to the ambulance carts. The French mules, I believe, come from the Pyrenees, are not well bred, but very strong and just the thing for this place; ours are too well bred, and do not rough it so well: they mostly come from Malta and the Mediterranean, and by this time those that are alive are in

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pleuritis, or rheumatism, which we are free from as yet, though I think fever and catarrh is slightly on the increase, but nothing to what we might have expected. If we take a regiment of about 1000 strong, I should say, by what I have seen and heard, that at least 150 are sick; most of these not doing any duty, and in hospital; a few attending as convalescents, and also excused duty, but not in hospital; not to mention that of those doing duty, few of them are in perfect good health, and are wrecks of what they formerly were. With all this they bear up with great fortitude, and are only anxious to try their luck at Sebastopol. Now is the time to see the British soldier; his qualities are brought conspicuously forward, and indeed he is truly a fine fellow under any circumstances, whether in health, disease, or dying from his wounds. They seem nearly all determined to do their duty, and undergo hardships that people cannot imagine they could, and that even Lord Raglan seems astonished at. Nothing like this has

occurred before; no such trials;but neither their courage or ardour is abated when brought before their foes. The Russians, no doubt, are as bad off as we are, if not worse, and they will be still worse before the winter is over, on account of the distance they have to carry their provisions. I will say but little of the taking of Sebastopol. In a few days we open fire again, I hope with success-some doubt it; 300 guns playing on it for about four days and nights must do some damage, and then comes the storming; it will be a most awful affair, to say the least of it. Scurvy has made its appearance lately in camp; great osdema of the extremities is common, following diarrhœa, and most probably the dysentery is of a scorbutic nature. Cholera hes left, I think ; I have not heard of a case lately. I hope you will be able to make this letter out. My lingers are very cold, as you may suppose, considering the snow is deep, and I am writing in my tent.

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TUESDAY, JANUARY 23, 1855. PUBLIC HEALTH ACT.

Sir B. HALL, in moving for leave to bring in two Bills to alter and amend the Public Health Act and the Nuisances Removal Act, which he should propose, he said, to refer to a select committee, explained the state of the law under the existing Acts, and the manner in which he proposed to amend it, accompanying his explanation with copious details. One of the provisions of the first-named Bill would empower local boards desirous of acquiring property within or without the locality, for the purpose of bringing water or for drainage works, to acquire the same without the necessity of coming before Parliament. The Bill would likewise provide that local boards should make annual reports, and send copies to every ratepayer, and that the General Board of Health should have power to inspect towns, in order to see that money was properly appropriated. By the second Bill he proposed to enlarge the powers of the local authorities to be established in every a most pitiable state. district in the country, under whose constant sanitary inspecSome of the wooden houses have arrived ; the sick doubtless tion the district would be placed. Sir Benjamin Hall explained will first inhabit them, which will be a great thing, and by other enactments in this Bill relating to lodging-houses and this we shall not require to send down to Balaklava or on offensive trades, and to the non-performance of their duties by local authorities. board, I hope-that is, if we can get well supplied with medicine and medical comforts at camp, so the ambulance corps After a few remarks by Mr. WILKINSON, Mr. THORNELY, will likewise benefit by the arrangements. Sir H. WILLOUGHBY, Lord EBRINGTON, Mr. PELLATT, and Mr. I see by the papers that more ambulance carts are coming W. WILLIAMS, leave was given to bring in the Bills. out. I trust they will be better equipped both as regards horses and drivers. Some complaint ought also to be made regarding the stores’ of medicines. Doubtless an immense quantity has been used, especially of chalk with opium, compound ipecacuanha powder, and mercury with chalk ; the two former have been quite out and none to be obtained at Bala’ klava. The fault lies somewhere, however. I hope this will APOTHECARIES’ HALL.—Names of gentlemen who passed soon be put to rights as inquiry has been made of each regitheir examination in the science and of Medicine, and mentalsurgeon concerning hospital arrangements, and a rereceived certificates to practise, onport has been sent in by each. I will send you the questions to be reported on, if possible. Thursday, January 18th, 1855. Dysentery still rages to a fearThe common remark of the men is, that it ful extent. HENRY THORP, JOHN, 1Ialdon, Essex. passes from them as they go along; this is really the case, too; JAMES HUTCHESON, Stockton-on-Tees. WHITESIDE, they seem, at least, to have no control over themselves; and, before they can get five yards, their faces pass. It generally THE COLLEGE STUDENTSHIP AND THE PUBLIC SERVICE. begins as diarrhœa, and, in a very short time, passes on to —Mr. John Lizars Lizars, the junior student in human and dysentery, and in some cases cannot be arrested by any comparative anatomy at the Royal College of Surgeons, has means. These are the two great things we have to contend just resigned his appointment, and proceeds to the Crimea in against. I trust this weather will not produce pneumonia, medical charge of the Lady Jocelyi2, one of the vessels belong-

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