- Email: [email protected]
ENTRIES IN THE MEDICAL DIRECTORY.
843 in the literature of the National Insurance Act. It may be feared that the explanation of this word from panel doctors, which must necessarily occur in the next few years, will engender a pleasant feeling among the insured classes towards an office not highly popular already. It is an outrage to suggest that.. specific diseaseclaims the first place in the catalogue of disablements which place the poor worker on the shelf. The fact that a certificate is headed confidential when it is known that it must be handed in to an official, or a number of officials, will not be found in practice to protect medical men from action even if they are handed personally to the patient. It will also become impossible in practice to hand any certificates to any third person, as the refusal in necessary cases to hand them over will in time be interpreted as The inconvenience which will be caused to the a slander. insured public will be enormous, and if every opportunity will be afforded them of realising it the profession cannot be blamed. Another new departure in principle is made in the form of the certificate. The medical man has to certify that he has examined the patient that day, and a case which has recently occurred in the Brighton police court shows clearly that this point will be rigidly enforced. The medical man may perfectly well know that a worker is incapable of work and that he never will be capable of work, but he must not issue a certificate unless he has seen the patient that day. It may be impossible for the patient to visit the medical man, and in that case the man will have to whistle for his money because he cannot get a certificate, or the medical man out of the charity of his heart may have to make a perfectly unnecessary journey of possibly many miles to supply one. These two points are sufficient to condemn this form entirely, and unless they are withdrawn and some practical suggestions sought from men of experience really cognisant of the working of general practice nothing can be expected but friction and ill feeling. I am, Sir, yours faithfully,
population to give the phrase such a prominent place now
THE EFFECTS OF THE DUCTLESS GLANDS UPON DEVELOPMENT.
copious
A. MAUDE, Chairman, Kent Medical Committee.
19
Westerham, Kent, Sept. 6th, 1913.
To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-It appears to me that a great deal of unnecessary consideration has been given to the subject of medical certificates in connexion with the National Insurance Act. Seeing that these are invariably asked for by, and given to, the patient him or herself, or his or her messenger or agent, and never to any other person, where does the difficulty with regard to medical ethics come in ? What can it matter whether the phraseology of a certificate is in the first or the third person so long as it is given to the patient him or herself? The fact of his or her having handed over this certificate to a third person does not involve the original signator-i.e., the medical attendant-in any responsibility, legal or ethical. One of your correspondents, while writing upon this subject, somewhat carpingly asks, "How many certificates per member per week is a medical man expected " to make out free of charge? If he had read carefully Circular M. B. I., par. 8, issued to medical men on the panel by the County Insurance Committees, there would have been no need for him to ask this question. It reads as follows :8. In accordance with the form of agreement signed by the doctor, he will furnish such certificates as are required to be furnished by the insured person in connexion with any claim for sickness or disablement benefit made by him in pursuance of the rules of the Approved Society of which he is a member, and it shall be clearly understood that the terms of the agreement with the Committee do not, of course, require the granting free of certificates in connexion with claims made by an insured person to societies other than the Approved Society of which he is a member under the National Insurance Act, 1911. Such other certificates will, of course, be a matter for private arrangement between the doctor and the insured person.
One initial certificate
only, therefore,
is
required
of the
doctor for each patient sufficiently ill to claim benefit, and for those only. The weekly, and in some instances fort-
nightly, signatures cannot properly be called "certificates." All other certificates and signatures are charged for. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, W. W. HARDWICKE, M.D. St. And. Carlyle-square, S.W., Sept. 5th, 1913.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-The above subject is attracting so much attention that I may perhaps be permitted to add a postscript to my paper in your last issue. Since it was written I have examined the skeleton of the dwarf in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and through the kindness. of the conservator have been able more closely to examine the base of the skull. Before the removal of the skull-cap the base, seen through a hole in the vertex, appeared to be normal. But after the cranium had been sawn off and the sella turcica cleansed and measured, it was found that itscapacity was quite 50 per cent. more than that of the normal sella with which it was compared. On the other hand, in a most pronounced case of ateleiosis which formed one of the exhibits at the recent international congress a beautifully clear radiogram (for which I am indebted to the X ray department at the Middlesex Hospital) showed a sella turcica of normal size, though it is true that the posterior clinoid processes were apparently thickened. In this latter respect it resembles a case of ateleiosis (?) described in an interesting paper by Dr. Jameson Evans,in which a sella smaller than usual is apparently encroached upon by a projection of the posterior clinoid processes. In both cases the prominence is within the limits of normal I am, Sir, yours faithfully, variation. HASTINGS GILFORD. Reading, Sept. 7th, 1913. -
THE TREATMENT OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-I noticed that the Tuberculin Dispensary League have recently stated that there are 220,000 tuberculous patients requiring treatment in England and Wales, from which they conclude that it is impossible to provide sanatorium accommodation for these people. They also state that they could deal with and cure 70 per cent. of these people at tuberculin dispensaries. They perhaps hardly realise what a crushing condemnation of their methods is ’ by these figures. In England and Wales in 1906-1 Wiz implied do not happen to have more recent figures beside me, but it is unlikely that the number of deaths has been increased! much during recent years-a little less than 40,000 persons died from pulmonary tuberculosis. This number represents a little over 18 per cent. of the number which they suppose require treatment. If their figures are correct it would appear that if these patients were left alone to ber dealt with as they have been dealt with heretofore, then about 82 per cent. would survive, and the Tuberculin Dispensary League would be only destroying 12 patients out of every 100, a number which might be largely increased supposing tuberculin be administered carelessly. There is one other point which I should like to emphasise before closing : the important point to be decided at present is not whether a patient has been infected with tuberculosis, but whether the tuberculosis is causing him to be ill. Finally. it may be better in some cases to not treat cases rather than use a remedy which has such a capacity for evil. ’ I am, Sir, yours faithfully, EDWARD E. PREST. Ayrshire Sanatorium, Sept. 6th, ]913.
ENTRIES IN THE MEDICAL DIRECTORY. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
MR,—May
1 draw the attention ot
your
reaaers to ins
present circular which the editors of the Medical Directory
sending out. It appears that in order to cut down the size of the volume they are restricting the amount of space allotted to each name, the result being that some 11 appoint" ments held or " scientific papers written " are withheld. I believe this was first done in the 1912 issue, but I for my part certainly overlooked-it, and I have no doubt many other of my professional brethren did also. I find that any man who can put his name at the head of a few lines of print in one or other of the medical journals is allowed eight entries’ are
1
Brit. Med. Jour., 1911, vol. ii., p. 1465.
844 that head, but that he may only put in three entries of (£200,000).-Naples: Dr. Stefano Delle Chiaie has been past appointments held. Now, Sir, if I am wanting a doctor recognised asprivat-docent of Midwifery and Gynaecology.— in the country to whom I may send a patient I do not look to New York (Columbia University College of Physicians and see what a particular man may have persuaded an easy-going Surgeons) :Dr. James A. Miller, Dr. Walton Martin, Dr. editor to publish, but what his record in his younger days Austin W. Hollis, and Dr. H. M. Lyle have been has been, how many and what kind of appointments he has appointed Professors of Clinical Medicine. -Palermo : held and still holds-that gives one a far better idea of the Dr. Andrea Cosentino, of Rome, has been recognised experience of a given man than the titles of his papers. We as privat-docent of Midwifery and Gynmcology.-Parma :
on
all know how easy it is to write original papers culled from other men’s books or brains, and just what value to attach to them ; but if a man has done work in his younger days at certain special departments of medicine or surgery we at least know that he is not totally ignorant of the methods of examination of such cases. I am not sure that the editors rigidly enforce the rules they have laid down for their guidance, but I do venture to hope that their most useful publication will not be rendered less so in the future by a continuation of the present practice, and that they will revert to their former ways. It is in the hope of securing this that I venture to draw public attention to the matter, and to suggest that medical men should more carefully supervise the entries under their names when the circular is sent them. There surely must be other ways of diminishing the bulk of the volume than by leaving out the very information the imparting of which is its raison d’etre. But if that cannot be done, why not let it grow bigger and charge more for it ?2 I am, Sir, yours faithfully, L. G. GLOVER. Hampstead, N.W., Sept. 4th, 1913.
Dr. Attilio Bertolotti has been recognised as privatdocent of Police Sanitation. -RomeDr. Gaetano Paludetti has been recognised as privat-docent of Otology and Laryngology.-San Francisco (University of California):: Dr. W. Palmer Lucas, of Boston, has been appointed to the chair of Pædiatry.
Dr. John Dean
Buchanan, of Blackburn, has
been appointed medical officer and school medical officer for Lancaster at a commencing salary of .6400 per annum, in succession to Dr. Joseph Cates, who has been appointed to similar positions for the county borough of St. Helens.
THE INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE IN QUEENSLAND.-Sir W. MacGregor, Governor of Queensland and a medical man, opened recently the new buildings of the Institute of Tropical Medicine at
NORTH
Townsville, North Queensland.
The institute
owes
its
to the
pioneer work of Dr. Frodsham, then Bishop of North Queensland, and Professor Anderson Stuart, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney. The Imperial Colonial Office gave ;E400 to help at the start, Mr. W. K. D’Arcy contributed £1000, and the origin
*We agree with Dr. Glover that the curtailment of the entries in the Medical Directory may cause a good deal of Universities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide subscribed. Dr. Anton Breinl, late of the Liverpool School of Tropical It is not an easy task, despite his assertion, trouble. was appointed director, and temporary premises Medicine, ’’ to write original papers culled from other men’s books or were secured at the Townsville (North Queensland) Hospital. brains "; and, as a rule, when this is done editors, however The Federal Government of Australia are subscribing .f.4000 a year, and the Government of Queensland E400 a year, -easy-going, detect the imposition..--ED. L. towards the expenses.
Medical News. FOREIGN UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.(Johns Hopkins University):Dr. K. M. Wilson, of Montreal, has been appointed to the chair of Gynsecology, in succession to Dr. Siemens.—-Bo?M :: Dr. Riccardo Luzzatto has been recognised as privat-doaent of Physiological 4hemistry.-Breskcn : Dr. E. Frank has been recognised as privat.docent of Medicine.-Budapest:: Dr. E. Seifert, privat-doaent of Psychiatry, has been granted the title of Extraordinary Professor. - Cologne (Aaaderny of PrccetieccL Medicine) :Dr. Kohner, director of the Municipal Children’s Hospital, has been appointed docent of Pædiatry.—Frankfort: Dr. Neuburger, Sanitary Privy Councillor, who is celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of his doctor’s degree, has been granted the title of Professor.Baltimore
Guatemala:: Dr. Lizardo Estrada has been appointed Professor of Histology and Pathological Anatomy.-Halle:: Dr. V. Schmieden, privat-docent in Berlin, has been appointed Professor of Surgery, in succession to the late Dr. von Bramann; and Dr. Loening and Dr. von Hoesslin, privat-docenten of Medicine, have been granted the title of Professor.-Heidelberg : Dr. G. Hirschel, privatdocent of surgery, has been granted the title of Professor. - Königsberg:Dr. M. Fetzer has been recognised as of Midwifery and Gynæcology.-Leipsic: Dr. W. Kruse, professor in Bonn, has been appointed to the chair of Experimental Hygiene, in succession to Dr F. Hofmann, resigned.-Milwaukee (Marquette University Medical School) :Dr. J. Vander Erve, professor in the University of Alabama, Mobile, has been appointed to the chair of Physiology.-Modena : Dr. Giovanni Marchetti, of Padua, has been recognised as privat-docent of External Pathology.-Munich: Dr. T. G6th has been recognised as privat-docent of Pmdiatry.Münster:This, the Westphalian University, has hitherto been limited to three faculties-Law, Roman Catholic Theology, and Philosophy-which last included a scientific and pharmaceutical department. Two additional faculties of Protestant Theology and Medicine are now about to be established. The buildings for the latter, including pathological and hygienic institutes, will cost over 4,000,000 marks
privat-docent
DUFF HOUSE AS A PRIVATE HOSPITAL.-An interesting scheme has just been inaugurated in Banff, where Duff House, which was presented by the late Duke of Fife to the citizens of Banff and Macduff several years ago, has within the last few months been adapted to the needs and conveniences of a hospital, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, as the institution is to be devoted to the treatment of diseases of nutrition. An experienced staff has been secured, the senior physician being Dr. Edmund Ivens Spriggs, formerly physician at St. George’s Hospital, London. An assistant physician, analytical chemist, fully qualified and nurses complete the staff. Duff House was built between the years 1739 and 1745, and is a splendid building in the Renaissance style of architecture. Internally the house has been modified to suit its new purposes, but nothing has been done to mar the external features of the building. Fine views are obtained from all the windows. The hospital possesses an operating theatre and two fully equipped laboratories, the larger for pathological chemistry, and containing all the apparatus for carrying out analyses in diseases of nutrition on the most scientific principles. There is also an X ray room. Extensive baths have been provided, one set for each sex. These baths include intestinal douche baths, douche-massage baths, electric light, and other medicated and special baths. All the bedrooms are heated with steam. Ample kitchen and staff accommodation has been secured, but throughout care has been taken as far as was possible to preserve the original features of the house, which include some fine old Adams’
matron,
mantelpieces. COMPLAINT
BY
BIRKENHEAD
AGAINST
LIVERPOOL
SANITARY AUTHORITY.-Certain Birkenhead councillors have for a long time had a grievance insomuch as the Liverpool Port Sanitary Authority has an isolation hospital at New Ferry on the Cheshire side of the river, and cases have been sent from Liverpool to New Ferry by ambulances which cross the river in the ordinary traffic boats. Lately some members of the Birkenhead council were nominated as advisory members of the hospital committee of management. The complaint now made is that these members were not summoned to a meeting of the committee the day of their election and before it had been confirmed in the city council. They further complain that they were not invited to be of a party of inspection which was visiting all the Liverpool
population to give the phrase such a prominent place now
THE EFFECTS OF THE DUCTLESS GLANDS UPON DEVELOPMENT.
copious
A. MAUDE, Chairman, Kent Medical Committee.
19
Westerham, Kent, Sept. 6th, 1913.
To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,-It appears to me that a great deal of unnecessary consideration has been given to the subject of medical certificates in connexion with the National Insurance Act. Seeing that these are invariably asked for by, and given to, the patient him or herself, or his or her messenger or agent, and never to any other person, where does the difficulty with regard to medical ethics come in ? What can it matter whether the phraseology of a certificate is in the first or the third person so long as it is given to the patient him or herself? The fact of his or her having handed over this certificate to a third person does not involve the original signator-i.e., the medical attendant-in any responsibility, legal or ethical. One of your correspondents, while writing upon this subject, somewhat carpingly asks, "How many certificates per member per week is a medical man expected " to make out free of charge? If he had read carefully Circular M. B. I., par. 8, issued to medical men on the panel by the County Insurance Committees, there would have been no need for him to ask this question. It reads as follows :8. In accordance with the form of agreement signed by the doctor, he will furnish such certificates as are required to be furnished by the insured person in connexion with any claim for sickness or disablement benefit made by him in pursuance of the rules of the Approved Society of which he is a member, and it shall be clearly understood that the terms of the agreement with the Committee do not, of course, require the granting free of certificates in connexion with claims made by an insured person to societies other than the Approved Society of which he is a member under the National Insurance Act, 1911. Such other certificates will, of course, be a matter for private arrangement between the doctor and the insured person.
One initial certificate
only, therefore,
is
required
of the
doctor for each patient sufficiently ill to claim benefit, and for those only. The weekly, and in some instances fort-
nightly, signatures cannot properly be called "certificates." All other certificates and signatures are charged for. I am, Sir, yours faithfully, W. W. HARDWICKE, M.D. St. And. Carlyle-square, S.W., Sept. 5th, 1913.
To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-The above subject is attracting so much attention that I may perhaps be permitted to add a postscript to my paper in your last issue. Since it was written I have examined the skeleton of the dwarf in the Museum of the Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh, and through the kindness. of the conservator have been able more closely to examine the base of the skull. Before the removal of the skull-cap the base, seen through a hole in the vertex, appeared to be normal. But after the cranium had been sawn off and the sella turcica cleansed and measured, it was found that itscapacity was quite 50 per cent. more than that of the normal sella with which it was compared. On the other hand, in a most pronounced case of ateleiosis which formed one of the exhibits at the recent international congress a beautifully clear radiogram (for which I am indebted to the X ray department at the Middlesex Hospital) showed a sella turcica of normal size, though it is true that the posterior clinoid processes were apparently thickened. In this latter respect it resembles a case of ateleiosis (?) described in an interesting paper by Dr. Jameson Evans,in which a sella smaller than usual is apparently encroached upon by a projection of the posterior clinoid processes. In both cases the prominence is within the limits of normal I am, Sir, yours faithfully, variation. HASTINGS GILFORD. Reading, Sept. 7th, 1913. -
THE TREATMENT OF PULMONARY TUBERCULOSIS. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-I noticed that the Tuberculin Dispensary League have recently stated that there are 220,000 tuberculous patients requiring treatment in England and Wales, from which they conclude that it is impossible to provide sanatorium accommodation for these people. They also state that they could deal with and cure 70 per cent. of these people at tuberculin dispensaries. They perhaps hardly realise what a crushing condemnation of their methods is ’ by these figures. In England and Wales in 1906-1 Wiz implied do not happen to have more recent figures beside me, but it is unlikely that the number of deaths has been increased! much during recent years-a little less than 40,000 persons died from pulmonary tuberculosis. This number represents a little over 18 per cent. of the number which they suppose require treatment. If their figures are correct it would appear that if these patients were left alone to ber dealt with as they have been dealt with heretofore, then about 82 per cent. would survive, and the Tuberculin Dispensary League would be only destroying 12 patients out of every 100, a number which might be largely increased supposing tuberculin be administered carelessly. There is one other point which I should like to emphasise before closing : the important point to be decided at present is not whether a patient has been infected with tuberculosis, but whether the tuberculosis is causing him to be ill. Finally. it may be better in some cases to not treat cases rather than use a remedy which has such a capacity for evil. ’ I am, Sir, yours faithfully, EDWARD E. PREST. Ayrshire Sanatorium, Sept. 6th, ]913.
ENTRIES IN THE MEDICAL DIRECTORY. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
MR,—May
1 draw the attention ot
your
reaaers to ins
present circular which the editors of the Medical Directory
sending out. It appears that in order to cut down the size of the volume they are restricting the amount of space allotted to each name, the result being that some 11 appoint" ments held or " scientific papers written " are withheld. I believe this was first done in the 1912 issue, but I for my part certainly overlooked-it, and I have no doubt many other of my professional brethren did also. I find that any man who can put his name at the head of a few lines of print in one or other of the medical journals is allowed eight entries’ are
1
Brit. Med. Jour., 1911, vol. ii., p. 1465.
844 that head, but that he may only put in three entries of (£200,000).-Naples: Dr. Stefano Delle Chiaie has been past appointments held. Now, Sir, if I am wanting a doctor recognised asprivat-docent of Midwifery and Gynaecology.— in the country to whom I may send a patient I do not look to New York (Columbia University College of Physicians and see what a particular man may have persuaded an easy-going Surgeons) :Dr. James A. Miller, Dr. Walton Martin, Dr. editor to publish, but what his record in his younger days Austin W. Hollis, and Dr. H. M. Lyle have been has been, how many and what kind of appointments he has appointed Professors of Clinical Medicine. -Palermo : held and still holds-that gives one a far better idea of the Dr. Andrea Cosentino, of Rome, has been recognised experience of a given man than the titles of his papers. We as privat-docent of Midwifery and Gynmcology.-Parma :
on
all know how easy it is to write original papers culled from other men’s books or brains, and just what value to attach to them ; but if a man has done work in his younger days at certain special departments of medicine or surgery we at least know that he is not totally ignorant of the methods of examination of such cases. I am not sure that the editors rigidly enforce the rules they have laid down for their guidance, but I do venture to hope that their most useful publication will not be rendered less so in the future by a continuation of the present practice, and that they will revert to their former ways. It is in the hope of securing this that I venture to draw public attention to the matter, and to suggest that medical men should more carefully supervise the entries under their names when the circular is sent them. There surely must be other ways of diminishing the bulk of the volume than by leaving out the very information the imparting of which is its raison d’etre. But if that cannot be done, why not let it grow bigger and charge more for it ?2 I am, Sir, yours faithfully, L. G. GLOVER. Hampstead, N.W., Sept. 4th, 1913.
Dr. Attilio Bertolotti has been recognised as privatdocent of Police Sanitation. -RomeDr. Gaetano Paludetti has been recognised as privat-docent of Otology and Laryngology.-San Francisco (University of California):: Dr. W. Palmer Lucas, of Boston, has been appointed to the chair of Pædiatry.
Dr. John Dean
Buchanan, of Blackburn, has
been appointed medical officer and school medical officer for Lancaster at a commencing salary of .6400 per annum, in succession to Dr. Joseph Cates, who has been appointed to similar positions for the county borough of St. Helens.
THE INSTITUTE OF TROPICAL MEDICINE IN QUEENSLAND.-Sir W. MacGregor, Governor of Queensland and a medical man, opened recently the new buildings of the Institute of Tropical Medicine at
NORTH
Townsville, North Queensland.
The institute
owes
its
to the
pioneer work of Dr. Frodsham, then Bishop of North Queensland, and Professor Anderson Stuart, Dean of the Faculty of Medicine at the University of Sydney. The Imperial Colonial Office gave ;E400 to help at the start, Mr. W. K. D’Arcy contributed £1000, and the origin
*We agree with Dr. Glover that the curtailment of the entries in the Medical Directory may cause a good deal of Universities of Sydney, Melbourne, and Adelaide subscribed. Dr. Anton Breinl, late of the Liverpool School of Tropical It is not an easy task, despite his assertion, trouble. was appointed director, and temporary premises Medicine, ’’ to write original papers culled from other men’s books or were secured at the Townsville (North Queensland) Hospital. brains "; and, as a rule, when this is done editors, however The Federal Government of Australia are subscribing .f.4000 a year, and the Government of Queensland E400 a year, -easy-going, detect the imposition..--ED. L. towards the expenses.
Medical News. FOREIGN UNIVERSITY INTELLIGENCE.(Johns Hopkins University):Dr. K. M. Wilson, of Montreal, has been appointed to the chair of Gynsecology, in succession to Dr. Siemens.—-Bo?M :: Dr. Riccardo Luzzatto has been recognised as privat-doaent of Physiological 4hemistry.-Breskcn : Dr. E. Frank has been recognised as privat.docent of Medicine.-Budapest:: Dr. E. Seifert, privat-doaent of Psychiatry, has been granted the title of Extraordinary Professor. - Cologne (Aaaderny of PrccetieccL Medicine) :Dr. Kohner, director of the Municipal Children’s Hospital, has been appointed docent of Pædiatry.—Frankfort: Dr. Neuburger, Sanitary Privy Councillor, who is celebrating the sixtieth anniversary of his doctor’s degree, has been granted the title of Professor.Baltimore
Guatemala:: Dr. Lizardo Estrada has been appointed Professor of Histology and Pathological Anatomy.-Halle:: Dr. V. Schmieden, privat-docent in Berlin, has been appointed Professor of Surgery, in succession to the late Dr. von Bramann; and Dr. Loening and Dr. von Hoesslin, privat-docenten of Medicine, have been granted the title of Professor.-Heidelberg : Dr. G. Hirschel, privatdocent of surgery, has been granted the title of Professor. - Königsberg:Dr. M. Fetzer has been recognised as of Midwifery and Gynæcology.-Leipsic: Dr. W. Kruse, professor in Bonn, has been appointed to the chair of Experimental Hygiene, in succession to Dr F. Hofmann, resigned.-Milwaukee (Marquette University Medical School) :Dr. J. Vander Erve, professor in the University of Alabama, Mobile, has been appointed to the chair of Physiology.-Modena : Dr. Giovanni Marchetti, of Padua, has been recognised as privat-docent of External Pathology.-Munich: Dr. T. G6th has been recognised as privat-docent of Pmdiatry.Münster:This, the Westphalian University, has hitherto been limited to three faculties-Law, Roman Catholic Theology, and Philosophy-which last included a scientific and pharmaceutical department. Two additional faculties of Protestant Theology and Medicine are now about to be established. The buildings for the latter, including pathological and hygienic institutes, will cost over 4,000,000 marks
privat-docent
DUFF HOUSE AS A PRIVATE HOSPITAL.-An interesting scheme has just been inaugurated in Banff, where Duff House, which was presented by the late Duke of Fife to the citizens of Banff and Macduff several years ago, has within the last few months been adapted to the needs and conveniences of a hospital, the first of its kind in the United Kingdom, as the institution is to be devoted to the treatment of diseases of nutrition. An experienced staff has been secured, the senior physician being Dr. Edmund Ivens Spriggs, formerly physician at St. George’s Hospital, London. An assistant physician, analytical chemist, fully qualified and nurses complete the staff. Duff House was built between the years 1739 and 1745, and is a splendid building in the Renaissance style of architecture. Internally the house has been modified to suit its new purposes, but nothing has been done to mar the external features of the building. Fine views are obtained from all the windows. The hospital possesses an operating theatre and two fully equipped laboratories, the larger for pathological chemistry, and containing all the apparatus for carrying out analyses in diseases of nutrition on the most scientific principles. There is also an X ray room. Extensive baths have been provided, one set for each sex. These baths include intestinal douche baths, douche-massage baths, electric light, and other medicated and special baths. All the bedrooms are heated with steam. Ample kitchen and staff accommodation has been secured, but throughout care has been taken as far as was possible to preserve the original features of the house, which include some fine old Adams’
matron,
mantelpieces. COMPLAINT
BY
BIRKENHEAD
AGAINST
LIVERPOOL
SANITARY AUTHORITY.-Certain Birkenhead councillors have for a long time had a grievance insomuch as the Liverpool Port Sanitary Authority has an isolation hospital at New Ferry on the Cheshire side of the river, and cases have been sent from Liverpool to New Ferry by ambulances which cross the river in the ordinary traffic boats. Lately some members of the Birkenhead council were nominated as advisory members of the hospital committee of management. The complaint now made is that these members were not summoned to a meeting of the committee the day of their election and before it had been confirmed in the city council. They further complain that they were not invited to be of a party of inspection which was visiting all the Liverpool