EDINBURGH.

192 the arrangements. The first case of Asiatic cholera in Aberdeen occurred in a seaman who had landed from a vessel, arrived from Sunderland, on the 13th of August, and who was taken ill of the disease in a comparatively mild form THE recent terrible catastrophe at Regent’s-park gives me on the following day. Besides the flushing and lime-washing of the closes and lanes, and the search for and abatement of an opportunity to allude to the gymnasium which a largehearted inhabitant of this city established here about two nuisances, the following measures were adopted :-1. The years ago, and which was opened to the public by Lord Provost division of the city into convenient and manageable districts. Lawson and members of the Town Council. Advantage was 2. The printing of handbills setting forth such plain rules for taken by Mr. Cox (a brother of Sir James Cox, of the Lunacy the preservation of health as might be useful to the community Board), of a vacant piece of ground on the north part of the under existing circumstances. 3. The arrangement of conthroughout the city for the giving out of city to convert it into a place in which all sorts of means for venient stations medicines on application. 4. The appointment appropriate the physical development of youth are collected. There are of a staff of medical house-to-house visitors. 5. The appoint. swings, merry-go-rounds, trapezes, and circular boats. Of the ment of district medical officers. 6. The appointment of a latter there are two, and the larger one holds several hundreds sanitary inspector to carry out the orders of the Nuisance of people, by whose combined efforts the boat is propelled in Removal Committee on the reports of the medical officer and a circle. This is excellent sport for the development of the the district medical staff. 7. The procuring of stated weekly of a cholera muscles. There are also amusements provided for the exercise returns of the health of the city. 8. The procuring with the appliances necessary for the removal and hospital, of the muscles of the lower limbs ; not the least important of treatment of the sick. 9. The obtaining a sufficient staff of which during the winter season is that of skating. The water- nurses for the duties of the hospital, and the charge of patients supply, obtained from a spring previously turned to no useful at their own houses. 10. The finding of a house of reception purpose, is ample, and by convenient arrangement a large for healthy persons requiring removal from unhealthy or insurface capable of giving room to a couple of thousand persons fected localities. Dr. Ogston’s able and valuable report goes on to state how he carried out these measures. Drs. Booth, can be covered with water to a depth which does not exceed three feet. Skating can here be enjoyed by those indulging in Jackson, William Fraser, and John Paterson acted as district it without any of those fears which parents must often feel medical officers, and four gentlemen (a graduate and three ad. when their children are skating over the deeper lochs in the vanced medical students) undertook the house-to-house visita. neighbourhood. Another advantage to those skating is that tion. The services of eighteen nurses were secured. There have been in all 136 cases of Asiatic cholera-74 in the ice, being under the supervision of the manager at the gymnasium is kent in excellent condition. The safety of this females, 62 in males. Of these, 33 were seen in the first new skating and the ease with which it is reached, stage of the disease, and reported as choleraic attacks ; the have enabled many young ladies to join in this healthful and remainder had reached the stage of collapse. Of the whole, invigorating exercise, the good effects of which are evident in 50 were treated in the cholera hospital and the remaining 86 at their rosy cheeks and brilliant eyes. Asa mere commercial their own homes. The total deaths amounted to 64, or 1 death speculationI am glad to learn that Mr. Cox is now drawing a in2’125 patients. The deaths in hospital were in all 18, the fair return; for although the gymnasium was started out of recoveries 31, a proportion of 1 to 1’631 ; the deaths out of benevolent feeling for the promotion of the health of the hospital were in all 45, the recoveries 58, a proportion of 1 to people, that it is paying at the low price of admission charged 2 88. But the proportion of patients brought to hospital in the may be an encouragement to the establishment of similar stage of collapse was greater than that of the patients treated health resorts in other large cities, and the provision of such in this stage at their own homes. Deducting the choleraic attacks (in only one of which did a death occur) the proportion a skating field in the vicinity of London would go far to preof deaths to recoveries was-in hospital, 1 to 2 °845 ; out of vent the repetition of such a tragedy as occurred this winter. Last month two Irishmen were tried before the High Court hospital, 1 to 1-688. The average ages of those treated in and of Justiciary for the murder of Donald Cameron. On the 4th out of hospital closely approximated. Of the deaths in hospital, of August last Cameron was removed to the Infirmary, but 15 occurred in the stage of collapse, the remaining 4 in the condied on the 20th of September. He had been much cut about secutive fever. As to ages, there were under 15 years, 45 cases; the face by blows and kicks, and there had been fracture of from 15 to 30, 23 cases; from 30 to 45, 43 cases; from 45 to 60, bones. The case is of interest professionally, in so far as the 14 cases; from 60 to 75, 9 cases; over 75, 2 cases. As to duration of treatment 2i cases wp.rp. under treatment for 1day 30 man having been the subject of pysemia, in consequence of the injuries, the jury returned a verdict of the alternative for 2 days, 28 for 3 days, the others for longer periods up to 19 charge "of assault as libelled," by a majority of twelve to days. The average duration of treatment was 4-41 days. Dr. The statement of Dr. P. H. Watson enabled Mr. I Ogston’s report speaks in high terms of the diligence and three. Crawford, the counsel for one of the men, to state that death efficiency of the district medical officers and visitors, and of resulted, not on account of the presence of the wound, but in the subordinates (one of whom, a nurse, died of the disease) ; a natural manner, or rather through the agency of pyaemia-an and records his thanks to the medical gentlemen of the town hosnital nest neculiar esnep,iallv to crowded- ili-ventilated. and for the trouble taken by them in furnishing weekly lists of wards.Iam to observe that the managers of the cases of English cholera and diarrhoea, occurring in public Infirmary, in their report lately published, state that they have institutions and in private practice. In their report, the com. taken steps to improve the condition of the Surgical Hospital; mittee of the local authority express their high approbation of£ for I notice that in Dr. Watson’s evidence, as reported in the the zeal and efficiency with which Dr. Ogston has discharged daily papers, it is stated that he, along with other doctors, had his very onerous duties. The mortality on this occasion has occasion to make complaints of the bad ventilation and unclean been much less than that which attended the visitation in state of the infirmary to the authorities within the last twelve 1854, when in the parish of St. Nicholas alone, out of 300 months. cases, 200 proved fatal. This the committee attribute in some Dr. Skae, at the Royal College of Surgeons, read lately a considerable measure to the precautions taken and the operapaper on " The Relations of Insanity," to which I shall again tions carried out. The greater number of the cases occurred in the worst parts of the town, as in the Shiprow, East North. allude. street, West North-street, and Gallowgate. The number of Edinburgh, Jan. 30th, 1867. nuisances of various kinds reported by the medical visitors and sanitary inspectors from August 10th to December 31st was 1531. The total cost to the town of the measures taken to ABERDEEN. meet the epidemic is reported at £ 1158 lOs. 5½d. The new (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) more extensive drainage system of the town is now being actively proceeded with, only about one-third of the streets The undulating OUR most important sanitary matter of late has been the having hitherto been provided with sewers. cholera visitation, which is now happily ended. On the character of the ground on which the city is built is very favourable to drainage, and the new water supply (lately inauguthreatened approach of the epidemic active precautionary rated by her Majesty) taken from the Dee, twenty miles up measures were taken by the local authority, the commissioners the city, is abundant and excellent. of police, by whom Dr. Ogston was entrusted with the medical Aberdeen, Jan. 25th, 1867.

EDINBURGH. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

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