ABERDEEN.

604 the columns of THE LANCET for 1863. My onlyi profession his more matured reflections and experiences on the is to direct attention to the one great fact alluded , uses and mode of applying carbolic acid in surgery. I may to above, which, if true, marks, I think, a distinct and most be allowed to say, however, that if his astonishing success in important advance in our knowledge of the nature of all com- the treatment of compound fractures, dangerous wounds, and municable aneurism, on antiseptic principles, is confirmed by further exI am. am.SIR, Sir, your obedient servant. perience, those horrors of the surgeon, pyaemia, erysipelas, PETER EADE, M.D. Lond. hospital gangrene, and secondary haemorrhage, are likely soon to be among the things that have been. For some months we have had a smouldering agitation at the appointments of certifying surgeons under the Factory LIVERPOOL. Acts being limited to three, which last week culminated in a OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) (FROM public meeting of the profession, convened by the President of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons. He however did not THE Children’s Infirmary in this town, which has now been think fit to attend, but the following day published a letter in existence upwards of sixteen years, has, like many a similar giving his reasons, which are generally admitted to be satisfactory. The discussion at the meeting was painfully perinstitution, a very humble origin. In 1851 a small house in a sonal, and perfectly futile. The resolutions submitted profrequented thoroughfare was rented as a dispensary for child- posed to give the power of certifying under the Acts to any ren by Dr. Stephens, who may be said to have been the propractitioner, without restriction, whom the employer of labour In a very few years the house chose to call in; the effect of which would tend to render moter of the undertaking. some of the important provisions of the Acts null and proved too small, such numbers availingthemselves of the ad i void. What ismost is to increase the number of required vantages and benefits derived from it. A larger house was surgeons, which the Inspector of Factories has the certifying power to taken in a better neighbourhood, and twenty beds fitted up. do. The large sum to be divided, estimated variously from five to ten thousand pounds a year, would afford very snug which it would be almost impossible to overestimate. An berths for ten or fifteen, instead of three, members of our fession. I have little doubt the question will be settled by average daily attendance of70 out-patients ; 70 little sufferers such a division of labour and of money as will be alike benedaily prescribed for ; 3438 during the year 1867, 135 of whom ficial to the profession and the public. were in-patients. These figures but vaguely tell the wideThe 1st of May is commemoration d8.y at our University. which this institution exerts for good on the The ceremonies this year excited more than usual interest, and influence spread health of the poor children of the southern and eastern dis- were conducted with. more formality and decorum than I ever saw before. The graduates in arts and in science were capped tricts of Liverpool. in public. What became of the medical graduates ?‘: The committee have interested the public, and especially Glasgow, May 4th, 1863. ladies, in their infirmary so largely that they have now obtained nearly all the requisite funds for the new hospital which they are building. This is to contain sixty beds ; it is ABERDEEN. nearly completed ; the foundation stone was laid a year ago by (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) the Duke of Edinburgh. H.R.H. the Princess of Wales the lady-patron, and she has more than once in a substantial manner evinced her kindly interest in its welfare. THE ceremony of capping the medical graduates took place An increased staff has become necessary ; hitherto it has in the University Hall, on Thursday, the 23rd ult., when ten consisted of two medical officers ; and two assistant candidates received the degree of M.D., twenty the degree of medical officers. Some very necessary alterations in the laws relative to the working of the infirmary were made M.B., and nineteen the degree of C.M. The scheme for a Fever Hospital, mentioned in my last letter, last year, and it was then decided, with a new and larger hospital in view, to appoint a third medical officer. The is in progress, and may perhaps be looked upon as in a fair election to this office took place last week. There were several way of being carried out, considering the slow and cautious candidates, and among them appeared Dr. Drysdale, the manner in which things are gone about in this part of the leading homoeopathic practitioner here. This being the first country. It is proposed to construct and arrange it on a someattempt made by anyone practising homoeopathy to obtain an and, I am happy to add, what similar plan to that of the Glasgow Fever Hospital, comhospital appointment, it was resisted. who has for some years mencing on a small scale, but so as to admit of additions being Dr. successfully Oxley, acted as assistant medical officer, was the candidate best en- made as necessity may require. The only obstacle that seems titled from his past services to hold the appointment. He to stand in the way is the penny-wise economy of some of the received the greatest amount of support, though every effort committeemen of Old Machar’s parish, who, after all demonwas made by the friends of Dr. Drysdale to secure his return. strations in its favour, still grudge to contribute their share. The result of the voting was 159 for Oxley, and 95 for Drys- I would recommend to these gentlemen the perusal of the dale. admirable paper " On the Statistics of Typhus in Aberdeen," In my next I propose to refer to the mode of electing an read by Dr. Beveridge before the Social Science Association, honorary officer adopted on this occasion, and also a few and published in the last volume of its Transactions, showing months ago, when a vacancy occurred at the Southern the probable cause and cost of the last epidemic. It is annoyHospital. ing that such men should always be found at every petty April 22nd, 1868. board, to act as a drag on the wheel of progress, and to obstruct even the most necessary improvements. The half-yearly meeting of the Garioch Medical Society took GLASGOW. at Inverary on the 2nd inst., under the presidency of place (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Dr. Mitchell, of Rayne. Dr. Wolferead a paper "On Protoxide of Nitrogen and other Anaesthetics," expressing his WE have lately had two great gatherings of the profession, satisfaction at the discouragement of its use by THE LANCET. tor very different objects,-the one purely scientific, the other He pointed out that laughing gas had been extensively tried well-nigh abandoned on account of its many purely commercial. The first consisted in a very numerously- in America, and and stated that he had been informed by Dr. attended meeting of the Medico-Chirurgical Society, to hear casualties; Lewett, of Fichburgh, Massachusetts, that he had been called Professor Lister on the antiseptic treatment of wounds and to attend one case of complete paralysis, which lasted five abscesses. His paper was methodical and clear, his reasoning months, and another case of cerebral congestion of some close, and his deductions fair and allowable. Whatever differ- weeks’ duration occurring in healthy persons, after its administration by a dentist. Dr. Wolfe added that, among the few ence of opinion may exist as to the truth of the theory on which he founds his practice, all who heard his disquisition cases in which he had seen it used in London by Dr. Evans, the appearance of lividity in one case was such as to cause must admit that the results he has obtained are wonderful. It serious doubts of its safety, the appearances being more those would be against rule, of course, for me to give any outline of suffocation than of genuine anaesthesia. Mr. Lister’s paper, as no doubt he will soon lay before the l Medical AssoThe annual meeting of the North of

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In this forthelastten years an amount of good has been done I

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605 ciation is to be held this year at Inverary, in July. It is to be I think I should explain why I did not feel myself disqualified hoped that the suggestion made at the last meeting by Dr. for competing. As I was aware that the adjudication would G. G. Brown with reference to the scholarship in connexion be entrusted to three members of the Council only, I knew I with our medical school will not be lost sight of. This and could abstain from taking any part in it or in the selection of similar efforts would add to the practical utility of the Asso- those judges. I did not avail myself of any sources of inciation, and tend to ensure its stability. As the place of meet- formation to which as a Councillor I might have had excluing is a matter of considerable importance, a proposal will be sive access, and I studiously and I believe successfully enmade to have it fixed by the meeting itself, instead of leaving deavoured to keep my authorship unknown. Being an interested party, I did not suggest to the Council the it, as hitherto, for the decision of the Council. doubling of the prizes as directed by the testator if no Aberdeen, May 4th, 1868. previous award had been made. If, however, any of the unsuccessful essayists shall question the decision of the judges I will gladly bear the expense of publishing their essays, and ARTISANS AND LABOURERS’ DWELLINGS. thus bring the cause before the highest court of appeal. of the position Permit me, Sir, to say that I feel most WE are glad to say that Mr. Torrens’s Bill passed through of Carmichael prizeman, for it was not gained by purchase, by Committee on Wednesday without a division. By the time nepotism, or by partisanship, which unfortunately determine our readers see this it will probably have passed the third too many high places in our ranks. Feeling that I owe everyto my profession, and this noble institution of it, I trust thing in the House of Commons. The objectionable parts reading will be evinced by the help I will give in reof the Bill, involving the qualifications of officers of health, my gratitude those abuses which have caused the medical calling, forming still remain. There is reason to believe, however, that they so honourable, to be so little honoured. (Cheering.) might be amended if a determined effort were made to this Dr. AsHE thanked the President and the adjudicators most effect in the House of Lords. We would suggest that a strong sincerely for the flattering terms in which they spoke of his representation should be made by the medical officers of health essay. I will only add, said he, that I feel it an honour to of other bodies alive to the officers of health and importance come in second to Dr. Mapother. having a medical character. The Bill is a striking expression Both gentlemen having been warmly congratulated by the of the growing feeling that personal rights of property must members of the profession present, the meeting distinguished now be subordinated to considerations of public health, and it terminated. has the merit of being so framed as to secure private rights as well as great public purposes. It is of great moment that the earliest and most urgent representations should be made on THE LATE M. JARJAVAY. the qualifications of health officers to those lords who may take charge of the Bill in the upper house. Mr. Torrens perTHE School of Medicine of Paris has just lost another of sonally, we believe, is quite alive to the weakness of this part of the interpretation clause. her Professors. Both as an anatomist and a professor of clinioal surgery M. Jarjavay was a man of distinguished abilities, and his teaching at the Hopital de la Clinique, where he sucROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF IRELAND: ceeded Nelaton, was by no means beneath the reputation THE CARMICHAEL PRIZES. which this celebrated surgeon had earned for the hospital. His loss will, therefore, be much regretted by the large number of A MEETING was held on Monday at the Royal College of students who habitually followed him in his wards. Surgeons, Stephen’s-green, for the public announcement of the M. Jarjavay was an enfant du concours, which is to say that successful candidates for the Carmichael prizes. he gradually and meritoriously pushed his way by dint of heavy The chair was occupied by Dr. ROBERT ADAMS, the Pre- work, and success in public competition, to the professoriate. sident, and there was a crowded attendance. He was born of a family who lived in modest circumstances. The PRESIDENT observed that the meeting of the Council of During the whole of his life he preserved the tastes and somethe Royal College of Surgeons was assembled that day to carry what of the manner and habits of a country gentleman, and into effect the object and spirit of the will of the late Mr. he has been buried at his native place, where he had resorted Carmichael, which the following extract from the will relating to seek some rest and a return of health on having fallen ill to the bequest to the College of Surgeons’of Ireland would two months ago. Like many others, he had struggled on with pain and diffisufficiently show :-" In my will, dated the 11th of February, 1849, I bequeathed £ 3000 to the College of Surgeons in Ire- culty at the outset of his career. He had at first devoted himland, the interest arising from which sum is to be disposed of self to the study and cultivation of letters ; but having failed in the following manner : Every fourth year, after the invest- to enter the Normal School, which was then the goal of his ment of this sum in the funds of the College, a premium of ambition, he renounced the pursuit of literature, and became JE200 to be adjudged by the Council of the College for the best a tutor in a private family. Three years later, having amassed essay, and £100 for the second best essay, on the following sufficient means, he repaired to Paris, and there commenced subjects :-1st. The state of the medical profession in its dif- his medical studies. ferent departments of physic, surgery, and pharmacy in Great He worked his way through the intermediary grades of Britain and Ireland at the time of the writing of these prize dresser and house-surgeon to the Paris hospitals, and devoted essays. 2nd. The state of the hospitals and schools of medi- his time with special care to the study of anatomy, under the cine, surgery, and pharmacy. 3rd. The state and mode of i guidance of Blandin, Berard, and Velpeau. Success crowned examination, or of testing the qualifications of candidates of his efforts. In 1845 he became a prosector of the Faculty, the different licensing colleges or corporations in medicine, and in 1847 was named by public competition deputy-professor surgery, and pharmacy." Should the Council not deem any of of the School of Medicine and surgeon to the Paris hospitals.

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the essays worthy of a reward, they are at liberty and authoIn 1849 the chair of Surgical Operations (medécine opératoire) rised to postpone the grant of premiums until the termination became vacant. Jarjavay distinguished himself as a candidate, of the next four years ; and as at this period the interest of the but did not obtain the post. In 1850 the chair of Clinical Surgery capital will be doubled, the reward of the two best essays may was set up for competition. The struggle lay between Jarjavay also be doubled-i.e., 400 for the best, and £200 for the and Nelaton, and the latter gained the day. In 1854 Jarjavay second best. was appointed to the office of Director of the Anatomical Dr. MACNAMARA then read a report of the adjudicators. Works of the Faculty, and in 1858 he eventually obtained a Mr. BRENNEN, the registrar, then handed the envelope con- chair at the School of Medicine, when M. Denonvillier abantaiuing the names of the successful candidates to the Pre- doned the teaching of anatomy for that of surgical pathology. sident, who on opening them announced that the first prize M. Jarjavay’s teaching at the Faculty was highly successful; essay, under the motto " Unite and prosper,had been written his patient investigations and former studies well-fitted him by Dr. Mapother, and that to which the second prize had been for the chair of anatomy, and his course of lectures were inawarded, "Non nobis sed omnibus,"was the composition of variably well attended. Dr. Isaac Ashe, B.A. T.C.D. During nine years he held this chair with honour to himself; Dr. MAPOTHER then said : Being a member of the Council and on Nélaton’s resignation of his, the chair of Clinical Sur-