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LUNG DISEASE IN THE NAVY.
1084
inflammatory processes (i.e., callus, ankyloses, and oontrac- being included under diseases of the respiratory system," tures), chronic joint diseases, osteitis, periostitis, myositis, thus again detracting from the value of Captain Rason’s pareses, neuralgias, chronic diseases of the skin, and late figures. With reference to tuberculous diseases, mainly forms of syphilis. The treatment is contra-indicated in of the lungs, in 1883 there were 4’08 cases per 1000, febrile diseases, heart diseases, arterio-sclerosis, amyloid in 1898 only 2-68 -that is, of the total force ; whilst degeneration, severe cerebral disease, epilepsy, pulmonary on the home station in 1883 there were 4’09 per 1000 tuberculosis, and’ new growths. With due precaution the and in 1898 2’49 per 1000, thus showing that tuberculous baths may be taken up to the commencement of the second disease has actually decreased. Further, the statistics half of pregnancy. The natural features of these health- of 1868 show a considerably higher ratio of invaliding The fears to which Captain Rason’s resorts and the methods of treatment followed there have than those of 1898. been fully described in the Deutsclae Medicinische 1,Vochen- statistics would give rise are therefore groundless. The sehrift, first by Sbabsarzt Dr. Wilke of Dresden in 1897, and correspondence by which this letter was followed is of interest as drawing attention to the different mode of recently by Professor AdolE Baginsky of Berlin. life which is now experienced in the Navy as compared with the time when wooden sailing ships were employed. THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. In the steel steamships the men are certainly not so much in A MEETING of this society was held on Oct. 8th, the chair the open air as formerly, and if there be any increase in being occupied at first by Dr. Frederick Roberts and sub- the number of diseases of the respiratory system this is sequently by Mr. John H. Morgan, the out-going and inthe main cause. The suggestion that diseases of probably coming presidents respectively. The treasurer, Mr. D. H. the respiratory organs are contracted in the training ships Goodsall, presented his annual report. The subscriptions would appear to be improbable as the greatest attention is amounted to 508 14s. 6d., and though they were quite to prevent overcrowding and to promote efficiency of paid up to the average there had been no increase. The receipts ventilation. included subscriptions from Fellows towards a magic-lantern, Z16 4s. 6d., but this was not sufficient to purchase the THE PROPOSED MEETING IN LONDON IN 1902 ___
instrument.
The expenditure was about the same as last and there remained a balance of 300, by which the year whole of the debentures would be redeemed. Mr. H. Willmott Evans proposed, and Mr. John H. Morgan seconded, the adoption of the treasurer’s report and a vote of thanks to that officer. Dr. George Shuttleworth proposed, and Mr. J. Peeke Richards seconded, a vote of thanks to the retiring officers and councillors. Mr. John Harold proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring President, Dr. Frederick Roberts, and this was seconded by Mr. Carter Braine. Dr. Roberts responded and conducted Mr. John H. Morgan, the in-coming President, to the chair. Mr. Morgan then delivered an address on the Romance of Surgery, which is published in full at p. 1061.
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GYNÆCOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS. OUR readers are aware1 of the circumstances under which International Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics was proposed to be held in London in 1902. We are now requested by the Council of the British Gynacological Society to publish the following translation of a letter from Dr. Jacobs of Brussels, permanent secretary of the Congress, to the secretary of the society :-
an
-
LUNG DISEASE IN THE NAVY. A LETTER which appeared in the Times of August 16th, signed" Ernest Rason, retired Captain, Royal Navy," and headed "Lung Disease in the Navy," has aroused a good
deal of interest and elicited a considerable amount of correspondence. Captain Rason quoted some figures which at first sight would certainly tend to show that lung disease in the navy has considerably increased during recent years. His figures show that " whilst the total of general disease has decreased one-fifth, diseases of respiratory organs have increased nearly one-fourth, that the increase of cases on the home station of diseases of respiratory organs has increased 60 per cent., and whilst the invaliding has more than doubled since 1883 from this complaint the general total of invaliding on home stations has considerably decreased." These conclusions are certainly disturbing to those who have the interests of the navy at heart, but when the figures are more closely examined certain fallacies are discovered. In the first place, Captain Rason was unfortunate in the years he selected for comparisonviz., 1868, 1883, and 1898. The above conclusions are fallacious, as the official statistics were after 1886 calculated on quite a different basis to previous years. Again, the term "diseases of the lungs" is very indefinite ; in 1883 tuberculous disease of the lungs was not included under "diseases of the lungs" but under the heading "tubercle"; hence the inclusion of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in later years under "diseases of, the lungs" would make a vast difference in the statistics. In 1883 there was no influenza epidemic but in 1898 such an occurrence was the occasion of a very large number of cases ,
,
Much honoured conftere,—I write in the name of the foundation members of our Congress to ask you to express to the President and members of the British Gynaecological Society our united thanks for the efforts you made with a view of the next session of the Congress being held in London. We are convinced that the incidents which under the influence of certain members of the Obstetrical Society recently occurred in England are alone responsible for the failure of those efforts and that otherwise the British Gynaecological Society would have secured for the session next ensuing a brilliant success. On the other hand, when made aware of those incidents, the founders found it impossible to ask your society to continue the organisation for the Congress to meet next time in London. In thanking you for all you have done in our behalf we desire to inform you that it is our decided wish that at some future time the Congress may meet in London, and our hope that the eminent members of the medical profession in England who are interested in the progress of obstetrics and gynaecology may become permanent members of our International Society. Accept, &c., the assurance of my most profound esteem, (Signed) JACOBS.
We are glad to see by the letter that the foundation members of the International Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics have taken the sensible course of postponing any meeting of the Congress in London for some years. By that time we may well hope that the differences of opinion which threatened to mar the success of the Congress which it was proposed to hold in 1902 will have been forgotten and will not be allowed to jeopardise the success of As we urged in an annotations upon any future meeting. the subject in THE LANCET of July 7th of this year, we think that when the question of a meeting of the Congress being held in London is next mooted it will be best to carry out the arrangements quite irrespectively of any particular society. The leading obstetricians and gynaecologists of the United 1
THE
LANCET, May 12th (p. 1398) and 19th (p. 1466), 1900.
inflammatory processes (i.e., callus, ankyloses, and oontrac- being included under diseases of the respiratory system," tures), chronic joint diseases, osteitis, periostitis, myositis, thus again detracting from the value of Captain Rason’s pareses, neuralgias, chronic diseases of the skin, and late figures. With reference to tuberculous diseases, mainly forms of syphilis. The treatment is contra-indicated in of the lungs, in 1883 there were 4’08 cases per 1000, febrile diseases, heart diseases, arterio-sclerosis, amyloid in 1898 only 2-68 -that is, of the total force ; whilst degeneration, severe cerebral disease, epilepsy, pulmonary on the home station in 1883 there were 4’09 per 1000 tuberculosis, and’ new growths. With due precaution the and in 1898 2’49 per 1000, thus showing that tuberculous baths may be taken up to the commencement of the second disease has actually decreased. Further, the statistics half of pregnancy. The natural features of these health- of 1868 show a considerably higher ratio of invaliding The fears to which Captain Rason’s resorts and the methods of treatment followed there have than those of 1898. been fully described in the Deutsclae Medicinische 1,Vochen- statistics would give rise are therefore groundless. The sehrift, first by Sbabsarzt Dr. Wilke of Dresden in 1897, and correspondence by which this letter was followed is of interest as drawing attention to the different mode of recently by Professor AdolE Baginsky of Berlin. life which is now experienced in the Navy as compared with the time when wooden sailing ships were employed. THE MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON. In the steel steamships the men are certainly not so much in A MEETING of this society was held on Oct. 8th, the chair the open air as formerly, and if there be any increase in being occupied at first by Dr. Frederick Roberts and sub- the number of diseases of the respiratory system this is sequently by Mr. John H. Morgan, the out-going and inthe main cause. The suggestion that diseases of probably coming presidents respectively. The treasurer, Mr. D. H. the respiratory organs are contracted in the training ships Goodsall, presented his annual report. The subscriptions would appear to be improbable as the greatest attention is amounted to 508 14s. 6d., and though they were quite to prevent overcrowding and to promote efficiency of paid up to the average there had been no increase. The receipts ventilation. included subscriptions from Fellows towards a magic-lantern, Z16 4s. 6d., but this was not sufficient to purchase the THE PROPOSED MEETING IN LONDON IN 1902 ___
instrument.
The expenditure was about the same as last and there remained a balance of 300, by which the year whole of the debentures would be redeemed. Mr. H. Willmott Evans proposed, and Mr. John H. Morgan seconded, the adoption of the treasurer’s report and a vote of thanks to that officer. Dr. George Shuttleworth proposed, and Mr. J. Peeke Richards seconded, a vote of thanks to the retiring officers and councillors. Mr. John Harold proposed a vote of thanks to the retiring President, Dr. Frederick Roberts, and this was seconded by Mr. Carter Braine. Dr. Roberts responded and conducted Mr. John H. Morgan, the in-coming President, to the chair. Mr. Morgan then delivered an address on the Romance of Surgery, which is published in full at p. 1061.
OF THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF GYNÆCOLOGY AND OBSTETRICS. OUR readers are aware1 of the circumstances under which International Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics was proposed to be held in London in 1902. We are now requested by the Council of the British Gynacological Society to publish the following translation of a letter from Dr. Jacobs of Brussels, permanent secretary of the Congress, to the secretary of the society :-
an
-
LUNG DISEASE IN THE NAVY. A LETTER which appeared in the Times of August 16th, signed" Ernest Rason, retired Captain, Royal Navy," and headed "Lung Disease in the Navy," has aroused a good
deal of interest and elicited a considerable amount of correspondence. Captain Rason quoted some figures which at first sight would certainly tend to show that lung disease in the navy has considerably increased during recent years. His figures show that " whilst the total of general disease has decreased one-fifth, diseases of respiratory organs have increased nearly one-fourth, that the increase of cases on the home station of diseases of respiratory organs has increased 60 per cent., and whilst the invaliding has more than doubled since 1883 from this complaint the general total of invaliding on home stations has considerably decreased." These conclusions are certainly disturbing to those who have the interests of the navy at heart, but when the figures are more closely examined certain fallacies are discovered. In the first place, Captain Rason was unfortunate in the years he selected for comparisonviz., 1868, 1883, and 1898. The above conclusions are fallacious, as the official statistics were after 1886 calculated on quite a different basis to previous years. Again, the term "diseases of the lungs" is very indefinite ; in 1883 tuberculous disease of the lungs was not included under "diseases of the lungs" but under the heading "tubercle"; hence the inclusion of cases of pulmonary tuberculosis in later years under "diseases of, the lungs" would make a vast difference in the statistics. In 1883 there was no influenza epidemic but in 1898 such an occurrence was the occasion of a very large number of cases ,
,
Much honoured conftere,—I write in the name of the foundation members of our Congress to ask you to express to the President and members of the British Gynaecological Society our united thanks for the efforts you made with a view of the next session of the Congress being held in London. We are convinced that the incidents which under the influence of certain members of the Obstetrical Society recently occurred in England are alone responsible for the failure of those efforts and that otherwise the British Gynaecological Society would have secured for the session next ensuing a brilliant success. On the other hand, when made aware of those incidents, the founders found it impossible to ask your society to continue the organisation for the Congress to meet next time in London. In thanking you for all you have done in our behalf we desire to inform you that it is our decided wish that at some future time the Congress may meet in London, and our hope that the eminent members of the medical profession in England who are interested in the progress of obstetrics and gynaecology may become permanent members of our International Society. Accept, &c., the assurance of my most profound esteem, (Signed) JACOBS.
We are glad to see by the letter that the foundation members of the International Congress of Gynaecology and Obstetrics have taken the sensible course of postponing any meeting of the Congress in London for some years. By that time we may well hope that the differences of opinion which threatened to mar the success of the Congress which it was proposed to hold in 1902 will have been forgotten and will not be allowed to jeopardise the success of As we urged in an annotations upon any future meeting. the subject in THE LANCET of July 7th of this year, we think that when the question of a meeting of the Congress being held in London is next mooted it will be best to carry out the arrangements quite irrespectively of any particular society. The leading obstetricians and gynaecologists of the United 1
THE
LANCET, May 12th (p. 1398) and 19th (p. 1466), 1900.