THE LAW ON PARENTAL NEGLECT.

THE LAW ON PARENTAL NEGLECT.

1376 vestries see that the facts of the case are to be laid before all entirely disappeared. In the county and town of Leicester and boards of works...

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1376

vestries

see that the facts of the case are to be laid before all entirely disappeared. In the county and town of Leicester and boards of works, and it is to be hoped that a question the reduction in phthisis during the last 60 years had been will be asked on the matter in the House of Commons. even more satisfactory than in the country at large. Taking There is one bright spot in this miserable story and that is all forms of tuberculosis together he found that in the five years 1864 to 1868 they were responsible for 33 deaths that the owners of the slum property are getting no rent. annually in every 10,000 of the population of the borough of Leicester, whilst in the five years from 1894 to 1898 PREVENTION AND TREATMENT OF they caused only 18 deaths per 10,000 of the population. TUBERCULOSIS. He believed that the decline in the mortality from pulTHE annual meeting of the Leicester and Leicestershire monary consumption would be maintained in the near future Branch of the National Association for the Prevention of as it had been in the past. Already the diminished deathConsumption and other Forms of Tuberculosis was held at rate from tuberculous diseases meant a saving of 75,000 lives Leicester on April 27th under the presidency of Sir Thomas per annum. With respect to the preventive and remedial Wright, chairman of the Executive Committee. At the measures it was necessary to guard carefully against the conoutset the chairman read a long and interesting letter from tamination of butcher’s meat and milk. The striking immunity a gentleman bearing eloquent testimony to the efficacy of from tuberculous disease enjoyed in all ages by the Jewish the means recommended by the association and describing race must be attributed in some measure to the rules as to the case of his wife who a little more than a year ago dietary laid down by Moses, and to the still stricter developed decided symptoms of phthisis. In March last ordinances of the Talmud as to the examination of the year it was arranged for her to undergo the open-air treat- carcasses of all animals used as food. An important reform ment at Bexhill-on-Sea and the results were said to be in our present system would be the abolition of all private marvellous. She rapidly lost her cough, regained flesh and slaughter-houses and the provision of municipal abattoirs strength, and in six months was practically cured, although so that all meat sold might be subjected to skilled inspecit was found that she had two considerable cavities in the tion. Having dwelt at considerable length on the prelung. She now weighed nearly 4 st. more than she did a cautionary measures necessary to secure a milk-supply year ago and was in perfect health and strength. District free from contamination, Sir James Crichton Browne councils have the power under the Dairies, Cowsheds, and said that tuberculous diseases were scarcely hereditary Milkshops Order of 1885 to make regulations for securing the in the ordinary sense and yet they ran in families. It inspection of dairy cattle and milk stores, and on account of was quite possible that the bacilli might pass from a the dangers connected with the use of tuberculous milk the tuberculous mother to a child and be born with it, but Executive Committee had made inquiry of every urban and such an occurrence must be rare. exceedingly Among rural district council in the town and county of Leicester as animals there were only certain species in which to whether they availed themselves of this power, with the tubercle would become domiciled. Sheep, asses, and goats result that it was found that 18 councils had drawn up were almost immune from it, while the bovine tribe was regulations and seven had not. The committee hoped to peculiarly susceptible. Within the human species there influence the latter to make regulations on the lines of the were certain constitutions of body, racial or temperamental, model regulations of the Local Government Board. The ques- that were specially predisposed to tuberculous disease. It tion of starting a sanatorium in connexion with the Leicester was rarely encountered in Nubia, Upper Egypt, Syria, branch of the association had been considered but allowed to Arabia, and Persia, but it was disastrously common amongst stand over for the present. A letter was addressed to all negroes and in Western Europe. Large allowances must be the sanitary authorities in the county asking if they would made for differences in climate and habit of life, but he be willing to disinfect rooms occupied by consumptive believed that certain races were constitutionally prone to it patients, especially after the fatal termination of a case, whilst others were more resistant. The modern treatment, and a number of replies in the affirmative were re- initiated at Nordrach and Falkenstein, which had now taken ceived. Dr. R. Pratt, in seconding the motion for the firm hold in this country, consisted mainly of fresh air and adoption of the report, pointed out that most of the sunlight with a liberal nourishment and medical supervision. work so far done by the local branch of the association If they would only bear in mind that consumption, with had been of an educational character. Sir James Crichton its tuberculous confederates, killed upwards of 60,000 Browne then addressed the meeting on Consumption and persons in England every year, he thought they would be up Tuberculous Diseases and their Cause and Prevention. After and doing, eager to help in the good work of the prevention observing that it was the discovery of the tubercle bacillus of tuberculous disease. On the motion of Dr. F. M. Pope the that had made feasible and practicable the present crusade Council and the Executive Committee of the branch were against consumption and other tuberculous diseases he ’, re-elected. Votes of thanks concluded the meeting. remarked that no " splendid isolation " was possible in the case of science which, on the contrary, drew the nations THE LAW ON PARENTAL NEGLECT. together and associated them in the furtherance of universal A RECENT conviction in the West London Police-court human interests. Here they had France, England, and into prominence the legal responsibility of parents for in brings Germany engaged generous rivalry, harmoniously coöperative in their endeavours to stamp out these great scourges of the safety of their children. The case was not one of the race. The society under whose auspices they had met intentional cruelty but of mere indolent npglect. A mother that day hoped by the diffusion of sound knowledge, and by continued, in spite of repeated warnings and protests on the the awakening of public interest, gradually to restrict the part of neighbours, and even after one very narrow escape depredations of such maladies and finally to banish them from burning, to leave two young children alone in a altogether from these islands. During the last 60 years room with a fire which was unprotected by a fire-guard there had been an enormous decline in the mortality from After a time that which could hardly have been unpulmonary consumption. In 1838, out of every 10,000 expected happened, one child was fatally burned. Only persons living in England and Wales 38 died from the disease, one decision was possible in the circumstances and the whereas in 1898 (the last year for which returns were avail- unhappy mother was sentenced, in accordance with the Act able), of every 10,000 persons living only 13 died from it. for the Prevention of Cruelty to Children, to a term of Providing that the same rate of diminution was maintained imprisonment with the option of a fine. This case for another 30 years, pulmonary consumption would have is instructive, not only in connexion with others of

1377 the same kind, but in its relation to more subtleI but not less injurious forms of neglect. It shows how, by a judicious use of the existing law, special legislation, with all its cumbrous intricacy, may to a large Another most mischievous extent- be dispensed with. that of is overlying. To what extent this is practice attributable to neglect and how far to wrong intention will always remain an open question, but the law relating to neglect should cover every doubtful case. If this fact is remembered and acted on by coroners and their juries we may reasonably expect an early and considerable diminution in the present high death-rate from " accidental

of course, were the anxsthetists and most of them before entering the college had never seen a dog chloroformed. Methylated chloroform was administered and any that was unused was saved and used on a subsequent case. Out of the whole 800 cases only three deaths occurred and postmortem examination gave ample explanation for the fatalities in two instances, whilst in the third unfortunately no post mortem was made. In nine others symptoms of danger appeared, but antidotal measures were successfully adopted. The latter consisted of the application of Scheele’s hydrocyanic acid in full medicinal doses to the back of the throat, artificial respiration, continued withdrawal of the tongue in a jerky manner as far as possible out of the mouth, and the inhalation of strong ammonia vapour. ProDEATH OF A DISTINGUISHED FRENCH fessor Hobday in concluding his article says : "Had the CHEMIST. been selected and prepared, and ammsthetised with M. GRIMAUX, whose death was announced last week, was patients the purest chloroform administered by skilled anaesthetists, known to his French confreres as the politician chemist. the percentage of fatalities must have been much smaller His studies related chiefly to the constitution of matter, to still." The publication of statistics of consecutive cases the position of atoms and molecules and to their relative must greatly assist in banishing from the mind, not only of weights. M. Grimaux, too, will be remembered for his very the medical profession but also of the lay public, the idea interesting literary contributions, amongst which was an which is held in many quarters-viz., that the dog important document relating to the death of that great is not a certainly good subject for chloroform. Apparently canine chemist Lavoisier. As is well known, Lavoisier was imare excellent subjects to ansesthetise if only rational peached under the Reign of Terror and condemned to death patients methods of securing and of administration of the anaesthetic and executed in the spring of 1794. The nature of the are made use of. real charge was never clearly known until M. Grimaux published his work on the great chemist. Personal spite seems to PLAGUE IN AUSTRALIA. have been a factor, but in the sentence which was passed after an imprisonment and inquiry extending over five THE plague statistics in Sydney for the week ending months it was stated that he was condemned to death as March 31st were as follows : admitted 23 ; died, 6 ; remainconvicted of originating or participating in a plot against under treatment at the beginning of the week, 19; the French nation the aim of which was to aid the enemies ing under treatment at the end of the week; 36. Up remaining of France. Especially was it stated that he had practised to March 31st the total cases were 54 with 17 deaths. every kind of extortion upon the people and had caused The total "contacts" isolated were 270 in number. The tobacco to be admixed with water and pernicious substances great majority of the cases were connected by place of to the detriment of the health of the citizens who used it. occupation with the infected area. Not all, however, were A more unlikely charge than this against one of the principal so connected directly ; in several cases, while their place of founders of chemical science and one of the most faithful was outside it, though not far outside, there was occupation searchers after the truth could hardly have been formulated. for suspicion that their infection arose from articles ground M. Grimaux, even with this warning in front of him, of merchandise drawn from stores within it. The infection, associated himself very keenly with political affairs and was if due to merchandise, must have been conveyed, not by rats a conspicuous believer in the innocency of Captain Dreyfus it, but by adhesion of infectious material to it. The and was a vigorous supporter of M. Zola’s contentions. small area quarantined contained about 175 dwellings and business premises and rather less than 700 permanent THE ADMINISTRATION OF CHLOROFORM TO inhabitants on from 12 to 14 acres. It was dealt with by DOGS. the chief sanitary inspector of the Board of Health and UPON several occasions we have noticed in these oolumns a staff of 28 temporary inspectors under him, in conjuncthe results of a series of observations on the above subject tion with about 750 men under the direction of a well-known which have been published from time to time in the Journal contractor engaged to control and direct them. Something of Oomparative Pathology and Therapeutics and the short of 2000 loads of filth were removed, including in some Veterinary Record by Professor Hobday of the Royal cases a few inches of filthy soil, and some 20 dwellings were Veterinary College. In the current number of the first- pronounced to be unfit for human habitation. A 5 per cent. named journal this gentleman continues the series in an solution of sulphuric acid was freely used to water the soilarticle entitledA Report upon 800 Consecutive Administra- yards and roadways. The interruption to trade was greattions to Canine Patients." The main object of the observa- one store, bonded and free, was said to have nearly .6500,000 tions, as stated by the writer, is to do away with the prevalent worth of goods in it, and there were several others of nearly idea that the dog cannot be chloroformed with any reason- equal size-but there was no opposition to the quarantine. able degree of safety. The present list contains The question of continuing operations on the same lines statistics of 300 cases; the age, breed, condition, throughout the worst parts of the city was under the conoperation performed, time taken to anaesthetise, and sideration of the Government and would probably be affirmaperiod of complete anaesthesia are all carefully noted. tively answered. The bill, which would be considerable, References are given to journals where the other 500 cases would be presented later. Trade was beginning to feel the can be found. The dogswere consecutively taken and not in effects of the fright ; and the connexion between most of the any way chosen or even prepared ; they were of all ages, i, cases and the areas alluded to was such as to show that the sizes, conditions, and breeds, being mainly animals brought ’ measure was a good one and perhaps the only one available. by poor people to the free out-patients’ department. The Theword "quarantine"" was used in this connexion chiefly operations were of all kinds, some animals being merely because the work was done summarily under quarantine chloroformed for x-ray work and others for such operations law; in reality traffic was merely stopped, and ingress as amputation, oophorectomy, reduction of hernia, hysterof sight-seers was prevented, without which the cleansing &c. The under students, could ectomy, enterotomy, supervision hardly be thoroughly or expeditiously done. The

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