AUSTRALIA.

327 ’We’re not ill off as it is."’ Besides the essay on nearly a score of doctors were returned to the House of the intermaxillary bone, Bardeleben communicates two Commons. This utter powerlessness of the medical pro. anatomical essays, both unfinished, but showing that Goethe fession in Australia is probably the reason why the laws. pursued his studies in comparative anatomy with far-sighted affecting the profession are in such a scandalous conditions, with no less an ultimate aim than that of and with no immediate prospect of being reformed. Within sagacityaand gaining uniform basis for the conception of the various the last year or two, however, an effort has been made to animal forms. The first of the two has reference to osteo- organise the medical men for the protection of their prology in general. Only the first part, treating of the com- fessional interests. In New South Wales associations have parative anatomy of the skull in mammalia, is finished, and been formed to counteract the pulling down of the very Bardeleben believes it to have been written in the summer small fees paid by clubs, lodges, and societies for medical of 1794. The second essay, treating of the forms of animals, attendance. The club system prevails to an alarming was written at Breslau four years before, and throws much extent in these colonies. This is mainly owing to the high more light on Goethe’s conception of the nature of comparafees charged for private attendance. The ordinary private tive anatomy than the first. After careful study of these fee for advice, or advice and medicine, is half a guineas essays, Bardeleben concludes that the frequent assumption which is not a small amount to workers, tradesof Goethe having been a pre-Darwinian Darwinite must men, and persons holding positions with small salaries. be subjected to strict criticism. " Whether or how far," Consequently these people join clubs, pay from £1to £11Os-. he says, 11 one is justified in designating Goethe as a fore- a year, and for that sum are entitled to as much medical as they wish. As these members grow rich they runner of Lamarck ortoDarwin, I do not wish to discuss here attendance in detail. It seems me, however, after a thorough study still remain in the clubs, and it is no uncommon thing for of Goethe’s works, especially these newly discovered ones, a club doctor to attend patients who are members of Parthat he did not go beyond an ideal thought or constructed liament, mayors of towns, and leading wealthy citizens at type, and that the idea of man’sdescent from lower animals, sixpence a week. Of late there has been an attemptto reduce this payment of of a real blood relationship among the latter and between in many cases successful 6d. a week to 4d. or less. The method has been for the them and man, was far from him." friendly societies and the various lodges to group together, The Assembly of German Naturalists and Medical Men. a central dispensary, and put one or two> At the Assembly of German Naturalists and Medical establish this medical men in charge at a fixed salary. Men, which is to meet in Halle on Sept. 2tst, the discus- means they economise very largely, and, on theBywhole, sion of Koch’s treatment of tuberculosis will be resumed societies appear to be well satisfied with theIn the section for internal medicine Dr. the once more. associations of medical Aufrecht of the City Hospital in Magdeburg will deliver arrangement. To counteract this, men have been formed, the members of which pledge the opening lecture; in that for children’s diseases Professor to to do with the friendly Ranke of Munich, Professor Ganghofer of Prague, and Dr. themselvesand to have nothing in societies, way any qualified man boycott every Leser of Halle will report their experience ; while Dr. Unna of Hamburg, Dr. Schimmelbusch of Berlin, and who acts for them. Up to the present, the only success Dr. Kromayr of Halle will speak in the section for diseases gained has been that the boycotted dispensaries have found’ it difficult to get medical attendants ; but with our much of the skin. overstocked profession I do not apprehend that that diffiPopular Instruction in Hygiene. will continue. As the medical association is pracThe Prussian Minister of Religious, Educational, and culty a trade union there is a movement certain tically Medical Affairs has advised the presidents of the Prussian of its members to affiliate their union to amongst the workmen’s. provinces to do all they can to further the circulation of unions under the Trades and Labour Council. Such an act the "Rules for the Tending and Nutrition of Children in would have its advantages, but the disadvantages would the First Year of Life, and for the Tending of Lying-in be To mention only one. If a general strike were great. Women," and "Measures to be Taken in Cases of Measles, ordered by the Trades and Labour Council it would beScarlet Fever, and Diphtheria," drawn up by the Society impossible for the doctors to go out on strike of the Medical Officials of the Government District of manifestly and refuse to attend "blackleg" patients until their fellow Diisseldorf, especially among midwives, register officials, unionists’ wrongs were righted. But we are moving so members of women’s societies, teachers, and medical men. fast in such matters that what appears to be an impossible German Death-rates for the week- which ended on the 18th ult. line of action at the present moment may be found perfectly Krefeld, 9-7; Bremen, 14’1; Frankfort-on-the-Maine, feasible hereafter. Death under Chloroform. 14’8; Strasburg, 15 ; Barmen, 17’2; Stuttgart, 17’7; Attona, 18-2; Hamburg and Dresden, 18-8 ; Leipsic, 19-5; Elberfeld Since the beginning of this year not a month has passed and Aix-la-Chapelle, 19-9; Nurenberg, 20; Dantzic, 21 ; that I have not chronicled a death from anaesthetics. The Hanover, 22 ; Berlin, 22-2; Cologne, 22-7; Diisseldorf, 23-5; latest death occurred at the Prince Alfred Hospital, Sydney. Magdeburg, 24-3 ; Munich, 28; Breslau, 31-9 ; Chemnitz, The patient was suffering from cancer of the tongue, and a. 32-5; Konigsberg, 34-5; Stettin, 39-6 The death-rate of mixture-proportions not stated-of chloroform and ether Amsterdam in the same week was 15-7; Dublin, 16-3 ; was being used. Shortly after commencing the administraLondon, 16-9; Copenhagen, 20 ; Paris, 20 6; and Liverpool, tion the man died. In this same institution there were24-4. three deaths last year in three successive weeks, and in Owing to the absence of certain officials on summer each case the unfortunate results were caused by chloroformleave, the Bergmann-Hahn affair remains for the present, Notwithstanding, ether is only rarely used in the colonies. at least so far as the public is concerned, in statzc quo. Apropos of the chloroform deaths at the Melbourne Hospital, The postal authorities in Dantzic have ordered investiga- one of the surgeons writes as follows in a journal of which tions to be made with a view to ascertain whether tele- he is part editor :-" It appears that chloroform is the agent phones are a medium of infection. invariably used, and that it is always administered by the The establishments for the training of physicians and resident medical officers. Two questions immediately sugsurgeons for the Prussian army celebrated the anniversary gest themselves-Is it wise to rely solely on one anæsthetic of their foundation on the 1st inst. for all cases? Are the resident officers sufficiently comBerlin, Aug. 4th. petent anaesthetists when first appointed ? The last question may be considered first. It is true that a resident officer, when newly appointed, may have to give chloroform AUSTRALIA. the first time in his life, and perhaps not to the most for (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) suitable patient. It is hardly correct, however, to say, as has been asserted, that the newly appointed officers have. Medical Practice in New South Wales. never had any experience of, or instruction in, the adminisTHE general election which has just taken place in New tration of the drug. During their student curriculum they South Wales has placed but one medical man in Parliament. have had theoretical lectures on the subject, they have Dr. Hollis, who has been elected by a very large majority watched the procedure hundreds of times, and they have had in the Labour interest for Goulbourn, is a young graduate occasional practical demonstrations from membersof the staff. of the Sydney University, and has the reputation of being On the whole, most resident officers may be considered suffia clear-headed, able thinker and a clever debater. The ciently competent." The italics are mine. It is, under themedical profession in Australia is practically power- circumstances, scarcely matter of wonder why there are so less in political matters. This is in striking contrast many deaths under anaesthetics at the Melbourne Hospital. June 28th. to Canada, where, as your correspondent points out, -

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