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ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF THE MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION.
1491 in the matter should be given to the local authorities in the manner provided by the Bill. In answer- to Lord BALFOUR OF BURLEIGH counsel - employed by the London County Council admitted that ’that council was not authorised to represent the rural districts in this matter. Counsel for the Hertfordshire Council Council and for the rural districts of Essex said that these authorities were in favour of the Bill as it stood, and the Committee decided .generally in favour of the clause after some amendments had been made. Clause 9 deals with a financial matter-the substitution of water stock for irredeemable debenture stock. Mr. BACGALLAY, on behalf of the ’water companies, - explained that it might be of advantage to the Committee to know that the question as presented was really a sort of ’triangular duel in which the three belligerents were the Local Government Board, the London County Council, and the water companies. The committee decided that the clause should stand. Towards the end of the sitting Mr. PEMBER, K. C., on behalf of two water company directors who were also Members of Parliament, said that they were aggrieved that -counsel for the Local Government Board had, as he stated, said that the water companies were in league with the London County Council to wreck the Bill. Lord BALFOUR of BuRLEIGH asked whether the London County Council and the water companies were keenly desirous that the Bill should pass. Mr. PEMBER could not say that the companies were keenly, desirous that the Bill should pass ; they wished to assist the Committee to so amend it that it might become a just Bill (which being interpreted means that they should obtain a pecuniary compensation of large
amount). At the
sitting of May 15th
Mr. FITZGERALD, K.C., took
to the strictures of Mr. Pember and stated that he ’had said that although the interests of the water companies .and of the London County Council did not always agree they were agreed that this Bill should not become law. That
exception
was the inference he had drawn ; the inference was, ’lie was now told, incorrect. He therefore withdrew and would proceed on the assumption that both the water companies and the London County Council wished that the Bill should become law. Lord BALFOUR of BURLEIGH said that they would take it that these two bodies desired to assist in improving the Bill. The Committee chen proceeded to consider the financial provisions proposed in regard to the expenses of the Water Board and Mr. BLENNEBHASSETT, K. C., on behalf of the City of Westminster, proposed a clause providing that before any charge fell on the rates the Water Board should exercise to the full the powers of charging at present enjoyed by the - companies whose undertakings were to be transferred to the Board. This clause, subject to some amendment, was
.accepted. Clause 12, which deals with powers of borrowing by the Water Board, was.agreed to. Clause 13, which relates to the issue of water stock, was mot fully discussed and a decision in regard to it was referred. Clause 14 (which makes provision as to discharge of loans), Clause 15 (which deals with accounts and audit), clause 16 (which provides as to the borrowing power of certain local authorities), and Clause 17 (which deals with the application of capital receipts) were agreed to.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION.
perfect security against irregularities. The case of Martin v. Allen referred to in the report of the council was of great importance. It was a case in which a matron at a hospital in Belper had brought an action for libel against After three days’ trial the jury failed one of their members. The case was re-tried and though to agree as to a verdict. the union gained a moral victory the case was lost by them. That case, however, was the only one lost during the year. In regard to the Consultative Institute of Birmingham and Dr. Irvine he did not think it necessary to go into details. That matter was absolutely closed. The Consultative Institute of Birmingham had come to an end owing to the action taken by the council of the union in charging Dr. Irvine before the General Medical Council. In consequence of what they had done it had been found impossible to get any medical man to take the appointment offered by the institute. Referring to the case of Dr. R. Rendall he reminded them that the General Medical Council had passed a resolution strongly disapproving of practitioners associating themselves with medical aid societies that touted for patients. That resolution did not carry anything penal with it but the union considered that it would be right to take before the General Medical Council a definite case and the results of their action in regard to Dr. Rendall had been in every way satisfactory. As a matter of fact, since the decision of the General Medical Council medical practitioners associated with these medical aid societies had resigned wholesale and so far as could be gathered from the reports which reached the union the societies involved would find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain men to fill the vacancies. He thought that case ought to be well known to all members of the medical profession, and he thought that medical men who remained associated with medical aid societies who touted for patients should sever themselves from those institutions. If they did not do so the union would consider the advisability of taking further cases before the General Medical Council. In regard to the expenses incurred for legal work 12 cases involved a total expenditure of .E989 but in the remainder the expenditure was not heavy. He emphasised the fact that the Medical Defence Union was quite prepared to fight for, and to defend, their members and never compromised. They were able to do this regardless of what was paid for the defence of any particular member. He thought that that ought to be known because there were many members of the profession who were forgetful of the fact that at any time they might be involved in an action which they would have to defend for themselves. Their solicitor, Mr. W. E. Hempson, said that his experience was that the medical man of all professional men was the one almost invariably selected for speculative actions. Dr. W. T. Law, who successfully defended an action brought against him that was denounced by the judge as a ridiculous one, was in the end obliged to pay E700 for costs. Dr. Law was not a member of that union and appeals for help had appeared in the medical journals. He and it was himself thought that such appeals were not his opinion that the general body of the profession were of the same opinion. The motion for the adoption of the report was seconded by Mr. A. C. ROPER and carried unanimously. Mr. T. GuNTON ALDERTON moved, and Dr. M. BEVERLEY seconded, the adoption of the accounts which was carried more
right
THE unanimously.
THE annual general meeting of the Medical Defence Union held on May 15th at the registered offices of the union at 4, Trafalgar-square, London, under the presidency of Mr. M. A. MESSITER. The PRESIDENT, in moving the adoption of the report of ’the council, congratulated the members of the union on the satisfactory condition of their affairs. Their financial position "was absolutely sound, their work increased as their members increased, and so did their expenses, but correspondingly their income increased. At the end of the year they had in hand .E1100 and that was a sufficient proof of the vitality was
of the union. They had had a quiet year but the work had been very important. The union had lost the services of Dr. W. S. A. Griffith as president through his resignation. The choice of president had fallen on himself which The he accepted as a compliment to the provinces. system of auditing their accounts had been altered and the auditor was paid a somewhat larger sum so as to ensure
Dr. J. S. FERRIS proposed that £100 be paid to provincial members of the council pro ratâ for railway fares when attending council meetings.-This was formally seconded and carried unanimouslv. Dr. W. A. Elliston, Mr. J. Roche Lynch, and Mr. V. A. Jaynes were re-elected members of the council, and upon the suggestion of Mr. P. ROSE, supported by Mr. R. F. TOMLIN, the PRESIDENT intimated that Mr. J. T. Macnamara would be elected a vice-president with a seat on the council. Dr. H. W. LAN&LEY BROWNE proposed the re-election of the auditor, Mr. L. Hardy.-This was seconded by Dr. W. RIGDEN and carried unanimously. Mr. STAMFORD FELCE moved a vote of thanks to the solicitor to the union, Mr. W. E. Hempson, and to the
J.P.,
general secretary,
Dr. A. G. Bateman.-This
was
seconded
1492 Dr. M. BEVERLEY and after being carried unanimously replied to by the officials named. A hearty vote of thanks to the President for taking the chair was accorded on the motion of Dr. W. S. A. GRIFFITH.
by
was
of the earth. Particulars of cremation and its cost.
were
given
also
as
to the conduct
Disinfecting compounds were well represented, as were special soaps. Messrs. Major, Limited, of Scullcoates,
also
Hull, for example, showed
a series of sanitary preparations. comprised under the distinctive term "Eucryl," including a bath preparation, a toilet soap, an ointment, and a tooth The Sanitary powder. Jeyes Compound Company, THE MEDICAL, SURGICAL, AND HYGIENIC Limited, 64, Cannon-street, E. C., exhibited their well-known EXHIBITION. Creolin compounds and Messrs. Newton, Chambers, and
Co. of Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, decorated their stall exhibition, which was opened at Queen’s Hall, with a large variety of "Izal"preparations. The feature Limited, 205, VictoriaLangham-place, on May 20th, continues to play a useful of the exhibitwasof a Oowana," toilet soap said to contain street, S. ’V., special it role inasmuch as affords general practitioners, surgeons, absolutely no animal matter or artificial colouring, hospital nurses, and others in London an opportunity of the ingredients selected being of a specially pure descripmaking acquaintance with the newest special foods and tion. Attention, it is stated, is also paid to the avoidance of THIS annual
11
and surgical and sanitary appliances. The organising committee may be congratulated on now having established an annual event which has secured for its clientèle a very fair proportion of the medical profession. The exhibition is distinctly instructive, although it is true that many well-established preparations, drugs, and appliances are on view again and again, yet there will invariably be found some novelties marking the progress of medical science in its various collateral branches. At any rate, the increasing number of physicians, surgeons, and the members of hospital staffs who attend must be a very encouraging fact to those concerned in organising the exhibition. A feature of the exhibition this year was the number of electrical appliances shown. Thus, the exhibit of the General Electric Company, 67, 69, 71, 88, and 92, Queen Victoria-street, E.C., attracted a good deal of interest chiefly perhaps on account of the simple apparatus shown for the production of ultra violet rays in photo therapeutics. This company also showed a useful apparatus for obtaining a direct current when only an alternating current is available. Other apparatus for x-ray and high frequency treatment was shown, while simple and convenient apparatus for the production of ultra violet rays from a four-inch spark induction coil with a condenser was inspected by those interested in the execution of this treatment without involving cumbersome apparatus. Electric Baths were exhibited by the Electric Trading Company, 52, Leadenhall-street, E.C., the Dowsing Radiant Heating
drugs
alkaline excess without impairing the detergent power. The Berkefeld Filter Company. Limited, of 121, Oxford-street, W., submitted several examples of their new" tuborimproved germ-proof filter to the notice of the visitors. As regards the section of special foods and drugs it may be said that this display was somewhat smaller in scale than in previous years, although very general interest was shown in the preparations of this class. We propose to deal with this section next week. (To be conc11vlecl.)
VITAL STATISTICS. HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.
IN 76 of the largest English towns 8648 births and 4919 deaths were registered during the week ending May 17th. The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which had been 16’6 and 17’2 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, further rose to 17’3 per 1000 last week. In London the death-rate was 16’2 per 1000, while it averaged 17’7 in the 75 other large towns. The lowest death-rates in these towns were 7’2 in Walthamstow, 8’3 in Hornsey, 8’0 in Warrington, 9’4 in Devonport, 10 ’3 in Hastings and King’s Norton, 11’0 in Bournemouth, and 11-3 in Aston Manor;r the highest rates were 23’5 in Bolton, 23’7 in South Shields, 23-9 in Manchester, 24-9 in St. Helens, 25-7 in Middlesbrough, 26’3 in Wigan, 264 in Sunderland, Company, Limited, 24, Budge-row, Cannon-street, E.C., and 27 0 in Bootle. The 4919 deaths in these towns and by the Sanitas Electrical Company, Limited, 7A, Soho- included 516 which were referred to the principal The last-named exhibited also a new lamp zymotic diseases, against 534, 489, and 519 in the square, W. It is called three preceding weeks ; of these 516 deaths 144 resulted for the production of ultra violet rays. the " Dermolamp and has iron for its terminals, from measles, 126 from whooping-cough, 67 from diphtheria, giving what has now been called an iron light. Messrs. 51 from scarlet fever, 49 from diarrhoea, 48 from small-pox, Harry W. Cox, Limited, 9, 10, and 11, Cursitor-street, and 31 from "fever" (principally enteric). No death from Chancery-lane, E.C., showed their latest x-ray apparatus any of these diseases was registered last week in Hastings, and a new improved electrolytic break. The electric current Rotherham, or West Hartlepool ; in the other towns they is utilised by Messrs. W. Bellack and Company, 147, Oxford- caused the lowest death-rates in Brighton, Portsmouth, street, W., for actuating the "Muschik vibratorium,"which Norwich, Wolverhampton, Derby, Birkenhead, and Halifax, is a rapidly-pulsating hammer which is brought in direct and the highest rates in West Bromwich. St. Helens. contact with the body, the exciting penetrating vibration Barrow-in-Furness, Sunderland, South Shields, and Gatesstimulating the blood-flow and exercising a good effect, head. The greatest mortality from measles was recorded in Bournemouth, St. Helens, Bury, Rochdale, Barrow-inamongst other things, on stiff joints. There was again a fair display of hospital sanitary Furness, Bradford, Sunderland, and Rhondda ; from scarlet appliances, Messrs. Doulton and Company’s (Lambeth, S.E.) fever in West Bromwich, Smethwick, Bolton, and South eyhibit claiming, perhaps, first attention. They showed Shields ; from whooping-cough in Walsall, West Bromwich, examples of a special metallo-keramic joint as applied Wallasey, Bootle, St. Helens, South Shields, Gateshead, to closets, a strong white glazed fire-clay mortuary and Tynemouth ; from 11 fever " in Merthyr Tydfil ; and table, white vitreous cast-iron baths (on wheels) for hos- from diarrhoea in Northampton and Merthyr Tydfil. The pital use, bed-pan sinks, and lavatories. Messrs. George mortality from diphtheria showed no marked excess in any Jennings, Limited, 63 and 67, Lambeth Palace-road, S.E., of the large towns. Of the 48 fa ;al cases of small-pox showed similar examples of improved sanitary appliances registered last week 37 belonged Lo London, six to West adapted for general use and for hospitals and sana- Ham, and one each to Tottenham, Leyton, Birmingham, Their patent valves by which hot water Newcastle, and Hornsey. The number of small-pox cases toriums, &c. cannot be turned on without first opening the cold valve under treatment in the Metropolitan Asylums hospitals, and by which without any risk of accident to the patient which had been 1515, 1442, and 1419 at the end of the three any desired temperature of water can be obtained preceding weeks, had further declined to 1360 at the end well worth mentioning. are Messrs. Defries, Limited, of last week ; 233 new cases were admitted duiing the 146 and 147, Houndsditch, E.C., exhibited the Pasteur week, against 367, 250, and 248 in the three preceding filter in various forms and the Equifex disinfecting weeks. The number of scarlet fever patients in these hosand deodorising apparatus. The London Necropolis Com- pitals and in the London Fever Hospital at the end of pany, 121, Westminster-bridge-road, S.E., exhibited photo- last week was 2207, against 2188, 2222, and 2212 at the graphs illustrating their methods of disposal of the dead’and end of the three preceding weeks ; 270 new cases were the cemetery at Brookwood, near Woking. This company admitted during the week, against 283, 258, and 256 in undertakes the so-called "earth-to-earth " disposal in which the three preceding weeks. The deaths referred to diseases the natural dissolution of the body is favoured by the action of the respiratory organs in London, which had been
amount). At the
sitting of May 15th
Mr. FITZGERALD, K.C., took
to the strictures of Mr. Pember and stated that he ’had said that although the interests of the water companies .and of the London County Council did not always agree they were agreed that this Bill should not become law. That
exception
was the inference he had drawn ; the inference was, ’lie was now told, incorrect. He therefore withdrew and would proceed on the assumption that both the water companies and the London County Council wished that the Bill should become law. Lord BALFOUR of BURLEIGH said that they would take it that these two bodies desired to assist in improving the Bill. The Committee chen proceeded to consider the financial provisions proposed in regard to the expenses of the Water Board and Mr. BLENNEBHASSETT, K. C., on behalf of the City of Westminster, proposed a clause providing that before any charge fell on the rates the Water Board should exercise to the full the powers of charging at present enjoyed by the - companies whose undertakings were to be transferred to the Board. This clause, subject to some amendment, was
.accepted. Clause 12, which deals with powers of borrowing by the Water Board, was.agreed to. Clause 13, which relates to the issue of water stock, was mot fully discussed and a decision in regard to it was referred. Clause 14 (which makes provision as to discharge of loans), Clause 15 (which deals with accounts and audit), clause 16 (which provides as to the borrowing power of certain local authorities), and Clause 17 (which deals with the application of capital receipts) were agreed to.
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING OF MEDICAL DEFENCE UNION.
perfect security against irregularities. The case of Martin v. Allen referred to in the report of the council was of great importance. It was a case in which a matron at a hospital in Belper had brought an action for libel against After three days’ trial the jury failed one of their members. The case was re-tried and though to agree as to a verdict. the union gained a moral victory the case was lost by them. That case, however, was the only one lost during the year. In regard to the Consultative Institute of Birmingham and Dr. Irvine he did not think it necessary to go into details. That matter was absolutely closed. The Consultative Institute of Birmingham had come to an end owing to the action taken by the council of the union in charging Dr. Irvine before the General Medical Council. In consequence of what they had done it had been found impossible to get any medical man to take the appointment offered by the institute. Referring to the case of Dr. R. Rendall he reminded them that the General Medical Council had passed a resolution strongly disapproving of practitioners associating themselves with medical aid societies that touted for patients. That resolution did not carry anything penal with it but the union considered that it would be right to take before the General Medical Council a definite case and the results of their action in regard to Dr. Rendall had been in every way satisfactory. As a matter of fact, since the decision of the General Medical Council medical practitioners associated with these medical aid societies had resigned wholesale and so far as could be gathered from the reports which reached the union the societies involved would find it extremely difficult, if not impossible, to obtain men to fill the vacancies. He thought that case ought to be well known to all members of the medical profession, and he thought that medical men who remained associated with medical aid societies who touted for patients should sever themselves from those institutions. If they did not do so the union would consider the advisability of taking further cases before the General Medical Council. In regard to the expenses incurred for legal work 12 cases involved a total expenditure of .E989 but in the remainder the expenditure was not heavy. He emphasised the fact that the Medical Defence Union was quite prepared to fight for, and to defend, their members and never compromised. They were able to do this regardless of what was paid for the defence of any particular member. He thought that that ought to be known because there were many members of the profession who were forgetful of the fact that at any time they might be involved in an action which they would have to defend for themselves. Their solicitor, Mr. W. E. Hempson, said that his experience was that the medical man of all professional men was the one almost invariably selected for speculative actions. Dr. W. T. Law, who successfully defended an action brought against him that was denounced by the judge as a ridiculous one, was in the end obliged to pay E700 for costs. Dr. Law was not a member of that union and appeals for help had appeared in the medical journals. He and it was himself thought that such appeals were not his opinion that the general body of the profession were of the same opinion. The motion for the adoption of the report was seconded by Mr. A. C. ROPER and carried unanimously. Mr. T. GuNTON ALDERTON moved, and Dr. M. BEVERLEY seconded, the adoption of the accounts which was carried more
right
THE unanimously.
THE annual general meeting of the Medical Defence Union held on May 15th at the registered offices of the union at 4, Trafalgar-square, London, under the presidency of Mr. M. A. MESSITER. The PRESIDENT, in moving the adoption of the report of ’the council, congratulated the members of the union on the satisfactory condition of their affairs. Their financial position "was absolutely sound, their work increased as their members increased, and so did their expenses, but correspondingly their income increased. At the end of the year they had in hand .E1100 and that was a sufficient proof of the vitality was
of the union. They had had a quiet year but the work had been very important. The union had lost the services of Dr. W. S. A. Griffith as president through his resignation. The choice of president had fallen on himself which The he accepted as a compliment to the provinces. system of auditing their accounts had been altered and the auditor was paid a somewhat larger sum so as to ensure
Dr. J. S. FERRIS proposed that £100 be paid to provincial members of the council pro ratâ for railway fares when attending council meetings.-This was formally seconded and carried unanimouslv. Dr. W. A. Elliston, Mr. J. Roche Lynch, and Mr. V. A. Jaynes were re-elected members of the council, and upon the suggestion of Mr. P. ROSE, supported by Mr. R. F. TOMLIN, the PRESIDENT intimated that Mr. J. T. Macnamara would be elected a vice-president with a seat on the council. Dr. H. W. LAN&LEY BROWNE proposed the re-election of the auditor, Mr. L. Hardy.-This was seconded by Dr. W. RIGDEN and carried unanimously. Mr. STAMFORD FELCE moved a vote of thanks to the solicitor to the union, Mr. W. E. Hempson, and to the
J.P.,
general secretary,
Dr. A. G. Bateman.-This
was
seconded
1492 Dr. M. BEVERLEY and after being carried unanimously replied to by the officials named. A hearty vote of thanks to the President for taking the chair was accorded on the motion of Dr. W. S. A. GRIFFITH.
by
was
of the earth. Particulars of cremation and its cost.
were
given
also
as
to the conduct
Disinfecting compounds were well represented, as were special soaps. Messrs. Major, Limited, of Scullcoates,
also
Hull, for example, showed
a series of sanitary preparations. comprised under the distinctive term "Eucryl," including a bath preparation, a toilet soap, an ointment, and a tooth The Sanitary powder. Jeyes Compound Company, THE MEDICAL, SURGICAL, AND HYGIENIC Limited, 64, Cannon-street, E. C., exhibited their well-known EXHIBITION. Creolin compounds and Messrs. Newton, Chambers, and
Co. of Thorncliffe, near Sheffield, decorated their stall exhibition, which was opened at Queen’s Hall, with a large variety of "Izal"preparations. The feature Limited, 205, VictoriaLangham-place, on May 20th, continues to play a useful of the exhibitwasof a Oowana," toilet soap said to contain street, S. ’V., special it role inasmuch as affords general practitioners, surgeons, absolutely no animal matter or artificial colouring, hospital nurses, and others in London an opportunity of the ingredients selected being of a specially pure descripmaking acquaintance with the newest special foods and tion. Attention, it is stated, is also paid to the avoidance of THIS annual
11
and surgical and sanitary appliances. The organising committee may be congratulated on now having established an annual event which has secured for its clientèle a very fair proportion of the medical profession. The exhibition is distinctly instructive, although it is true that many well-established preparations, drugs, and appliances are on view again and again, yet there will invariably be found some novelties marking the progress of medical science in its various collateral branches. At any rate, the increasing number of physicians, surgeons, and the members of hospital staffs who attend must be a very encouraging fact to those concerned in organising the exhibition. A feature of the exhibition this year was the number of electrical appliances shown. Thus, the exhibit of the General Electric Company, 67, 69, 71, 88, and 92, Queen Victoria-street, E.C., attracted a good deal of interest chiefly perhaps on account of the simple apparatus shown for the production of ultra violet rays in photo therapeutics. This company also showed a useful apparatus for obtaining a direct current when only an alternating current is available. Other apparatus for x-ray and high frequency treatment was shown, while simple and convenient apparatus for the production of ultra violet rays from a four-inch spark induction coil with a condenser was inspected by those interested in the execution of this treatment without involving cumbersome apparatus. Electric Baths were exhibited by the Electric Trading Company, 52, Leadenhall-street, E.C., the Dowsing Radiant Heating
drugs
alkaline excess without impairing the detergent power. The Berkefeld Filter Company. Limited, of 121, Oxford-street, W., submitted several examples of their new" tuborimproved germ-proof filter to the notice of the visitors. As regards the section of special foods and drugs it may be said that this display was somewhat smaller in scale than in previous years, although very general interest was shown in the preparations of this class. We propose to deal with this section next week. (To be conc11vlecl.)
VITAL STATISTICS. HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.
IN 76 of the largest English towns 8648 births and 4919 deaths were registered during the week ending May 17th. The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which had been 16’6 and 17’2 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, further rose to 17’3 per 1000 last week. In London the death-rate was 16’2 per 1000, while it averaged 17’7 in the 75 other large towns. The lowest death-rates in these towns were 7’2 in Walthamstow, 8’3 in Hornsey, 8’0 in Warrington, 9’4 in Devonport, 10 ’3 in Hastings and King’s Norton, 11’0 in Bournemouth, and 11-3 in Aston Manor;r the highest rates were 23’5 in Bolton, 23’7 in South Shields, 23-9 in Manchester, 24-9 in St. Helens, 25-7 in Middlesbrough, 26’3 in Wigan, 264 in Sunderland, Company, Limited, 24, Budge-row, Cannon-street, E.C., and 27 0 in Bootle. The 4919 deaths in these towns and by the Sanitas Electrical Company, Limited, 7A, Soho- included 516 which were referred to the principal The last-named exhibited also a new lamp zymotic diseases, against 534, 489, and 519 in the square, W. It is called three preceding weeks ; of these 516 deaths 144 resulted for the production of ultra violet rays. the " Dermolamp and has iron for its terminals, from measles, 126 from whooping-cough, 67 from diphtheria, giving what has now been called an iron light. Messrs. 51 from scarlet fever, 49 from diarrhoea, 48 from small-pox, Harry W. Cox, Limited, 9, 10, and 11, Cursitor-street, and 31 from "fever" (principally enteric). No death from Chancery-lane, E.C., showed their latest x-ray apparatus any of these diseases was registered last week in Hastings, and a new improved electrolytic break. The electric current Rotherham, or West Hartlepool ; in the other towns they is utilised by Messrs. W. Bellack and Company, 147, Oxford- caused the lowest death-rates in Brighton, Portsmouth, street, W., for actuating the "Muschik vibratorium,"which Norwich, Wolverhampton, Derby, Birkenhead, and Halifax, is a rapidly-pulsating hammer which is brought in direct and the highest rates in West Bromwich. St. Helens. contact with the body, the exciting penetrating vibration Barrow-in-Furness, Sunderland, South Shields, and Gatesstimulating the blood-flow and exercising a good effect, head. The greatest mortality from measles was recorded in Bournemouth, St. Helens, Bury, Rochdale, Barrow-inamongst other things, on stiff joints. There was again a fair display of hospital sanitary Furness, Bradford, Sunderland, and Rhondda ; from scarlet appliances, Messrs. Doulton and Company’s (Lambeth, S.E.) fever in West Bromwich, Smethwick, Bolton, and South eyhibit claiming, perhaps, first attention. They showed Shields ; from whooping-cough in Walsall, West Bromwich, examples of a special metallo-keramic joint as applied Wallasey, Bootle, St. Helens, South Shields, Gateshead, to closets, a strong white glazed fire-clay mortuary and Tynemouth ; from 11 fever " in Merthyr Tydfil ; and table, white vitreous cast-iron baths (on wheels) for hos- from diarrhoea in Northampton and Merthyr Tydfil. The pital use, bed-pan sinks, and lavatories. Messrs. George mortality from diphtheria showed no marked excess in any Jennings, Limited, 63 and 67, Lambeth Palace-road, S.E., of the large towns. Of the 48 fa ;al cases of small-pox showed similar examples of improved sanitary appliances registered last week 37 belonged Lo London, six to West adapted for general use and for hospitals and sana- Ham, and one each to Tottenham, Leyton, Birmingham, Their patent valves by which hot water Newcastle, and Hornsey. The number of small-pox cases toriums, &c. cannot be turned on without first opening the cold valve under treatment in the Metropolitan Asylums hospitals, and by which without any risk of accident to the patient which had been 1515, 1442, and 1419 at the end of the three any desired temperature of water can be obtained preceding weeks, had further declined to 1360 at the end well worth mentioning. are Messrs. Defries, Limited, of last week ; 233 new cases were admitted duiing the 146 and 147, Houndsditch, E.C., exhibited the Pasteur week, against 367, 250, and 248 in the three preceding filter in various forms and the Equifex disinfecting weeks. The number of scarlet fever patients in these hosand deodorising apparatus. The London Necropolis Com- pitals and in the London Fever Hospital at the end of pany, 121, Westminster-bridge-road, S.E., exhibited photo- last week was 2207, against 2188, 2222, and 2212 at the graphs illustrating their methods of disposal of the dead’and end of the three preceding weeks ; 270 new cases were the cemetery at Brookwood, near Woking. This company admitted during the week, against 283, 258, and 256 in undertakes the so-called "earth-to-earth " disposal in which the three preceding weeks. The deaths referred to diseases the natural dissolution of the body is favoured by the action of the respiratory organs in London, which had been