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EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY.
910
.
catarrh of the naso-pharynx. Tli3 first efftets of the latter disease are sweUing and blockage of the Eustachian tubes, and consequent deafness from rarefaction of the air in the tympanum. Obviously all sources of colds in the head must be studiously avoided by those who would escape the chance of an attack of aural catarrh. The disease is usually very insidious, and is commonly for a long time overlooked in children, who often on account of it are accredited with obtuseness and ob3tinacy. Thickening of the membrana tympani, clogging of the tympanic cavity, and interference with the movements of the ossicles are among its ultimate serious fifeets, and autophony and noises caused by the movements of mucus in the tympanum may occur as symptoms. Naso-pharyngeal catarrh can indirectly cause deafness by promoting mout,h-breathing and hence the constant closure of the Euatachian tube. In the more favourable cases one usually observes variation in the hearing distance. Chief among the means of remedying the disease is Politzr’s air bag. The use of this bag, as also of Valsalva’s method of ventilating the tympanum, may be rendered more than futile by a too frequent employment. Astringents, tonics, and mild aperients must not, of course, be ignored, as also the influence of hygienic and local conditions ; and subjects of the disease should be cautioned to provide against the admission of cold water into the ear in bathing. The paper was followed by an account of a case of congenital absence of the external auditory orifices, causing considerable interference with audition, which Mr. Field had treated by operation. The procedure adopted was, first, by , dissection through the posterior part of the auricle, to dipscover the osseous external meatus, and then to secure a permanent opening into the same by an incision into the part of the auricle immediately overlying it and the insertion of a speculum. The operation was both tedious and productive of severe haemorrhage, but bids fair to prove in every way successful. A discussion followed, in which Dr. Buzzard, Mr. R. Owen, Mr. Gant, Mr. Drew, Dr. Hickman, Mr. Culver James, and the President took part.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. A
MEETING
Gower.street,
of this on
Society was held at University College, May 2nd, Dr. Buchanan, F.R.S., President,
ease ; 2’C6 to phthisis ; 3 39 to diseases peculiar to women; 0 73 to apoplexy and sunstroke; 0’24 to abscess; 1’21 to heart disease; 1 94 not specified ; 0 ’25 to syncope. During the decennium 1871 to 1880, both years inclusive, the ad. missions of sick women to hospital exceeded the strength by 1593 cases. But, as it is not alwaysneedful tor these women to go on the sick list for every illness that would be deemed sufficient to disqualify their soldier hub1nds from military
certain number-not defineable with precision-may patiently in their own quarters without being officially reported, and do not, therefore,find a place in the return?. Be this, however, as it may, it appears that out of a strength of 58,260 women of the European Army of India, 39,853 had to be treated for illness, of whom 38,294 admissions were due to the eight principal diseases previously cited, whilst a considerable proportion of the remainder was the result of the direct or indirect operation of malaria, Unlike the contagious and exanthematous fevers, a prior attack of the various types of malarious fever confers not only noim. munity from subsequent seizures, but there is reason to believe that each paroxysm-especially if the individual be still resident in districts where the cause abounds andis endemic-would seem to render the liability to future ones greater and greater. Whether in its comparatively stormless action, gradually, sometimes imperceptibly, resulting in characteristic deterioration of the general health without ever developing into paroxysms of fever, or in the tempest of ague, or remittent, sometimes moderately severe, at other times so pernicious as, in its subjective phenomena, to be indistinguishable from typhus, this thing or condition, which, for want of a better term, we still have to call malaria, exer. cises a deleterious effect, mainly upon the vaso-motor nervous system. Hence, the disorders of digestion and assimilation, visceral congestions and enlargements, altered constitution of tha blood, anaemia, simple and pernicious, pigmentation of the skin and internal organs, weakening of the circulatory and muscular systems, and many other states of impaired health grouped in the returns under the headings, "general debility" or "atrophy and anaemia," accounted for 13,404 cases during the decennium. During the ten years ending 1880, the death-rate among the children of the European Army of India amounted to 67’864 per thousand. The excess of mortality due to climatic causes is well shown in the following figures. Thus the death-rate among the soldiers’ children was-
duty,
a
be borne
in the chair. A paper was read by Dr. JOSEPH EWART of Brighton, On the Causes of the Excessive Mortality among the Women and Children of the European Soldiers serving in Of the decennial average mortality, 29’726 per thousand of India." The subject was treated in two sections. The first strength were caused by the eight principal diseases already embraced considerations relating to the high mortality referred to, leaving a stilllarger balance of 38’138 from other among the women; the second, the still greater mortality maladies, of which 24’228 resulted from tubercular disease, and hydrocephalus, convulsions among children, and, in both cases, the hygienic and sanitary heat apoplexy, meningitis and dentition. According to age, there died per thousand measures required to effect a material reduction of the exist. of strength— ing death-rates were indicated. The average death-rate among the women of the European forces in India, during the ten years ending 1880, amounted to 24’527 per mille, ranging from 20-83 in 1876 to 36 54 in 1872; in Bengal, from 18’16 in 1877 to 46-12 in 1872; in Madras, from 1472 in 1872 to 26’95 in 1878; and in Bombay, from 14’6 in 1874 to 33’41 in 1872. The author gave side by side the death-rate of the women belonging to the European troops serving in the United Kingdom and in India during a period of four years. Thus it wasMost of this vast mortality is ascribed to malaria, heat, un. healthy parents transmitting enfeebled constitutions to their children, insanitary surroundings, errors in natural and artificial feeding, &c. To enable the soldier’s wife to realise the importance of pure air, pure water, wholesome food, good
cookery, plenty of house room, free ventilation, dailyexer. cise and bathing, avoiding undue exposure to the sun, efficient clothing, a perfect system of hygiene and conservancy in the preservation of her own health and that of her offspring, she should be provided with a sanitary primer, written in 2-143; diarrhoea, 1’442; cholera, 3467; splenitis, 0’00t7; plain language, setting forth, very briefly and concisely, all the hepatitis, 1 ’424; atrophy and ansemia, 1 ’029 per thousand of simple truths for her to know. In the discussion which followed, the President, Drs. strength. In the year 1880, out of a death-rate of 21’05 per mille, 8’70 were accounted for by these eight diseases, while Murray, Chevers, Scriven, Lawson, Bovill, and Mr. Long the balance of 12’35 were ascribed to the following maladies took part. Some comments by Dr. de Renzy on this subject or classes of disease :-0’24 to small-pox ; 1’45 to chest diswere also read.
More than half of the average mortality of the decennial about 12’667 per thousand, was caused by a few diseases peculiar to hot climates. Intermittent fever accounted for 0’103; remittent and continued fever for 3’038; dysentery,
period, or
.
catarrh of the naso-pharynx. Tli3 first efftets of the latter disease are sweUing and blockage of the Eustachian tubes, and consequent deafness from rarefaction of the air in the tympanum. Obviously all sources of colds in the head must be studiously avoided by those who would escape the chance of an attack of aural catarrh. The disease is usually very insidious, and is commonly for a long time overlooked in children, who often on account of it are accredited with obtuseness and ob3tinacy. Thickening of the membrana tympani, clogging of the tympanic cavity, and interference with the movements of the ossicles are among its ultimate serious fifeets, and autophony and noises caused by the movements of mucus in the tympanum may occur as symptoms. Naso-pharyngeal catarrh can indirectly cause deafness by promoting mout,h-breathing and hence the constant closure of the Euatachian tube. In the more favourable cases one usually observes variation in the hearing distance. Chief among the means of remedying the disease is Politzr’s air bag. The use of this bag, as also of Valsalva’s method of ventilating the tympanum, may be rendered more than futile by a too frequent employment. Astringents, tonics, and mild aperients must not, of course, be ignored, as also the influence of hygienic and local conditions ; and subjects of the disease should be cautioned to provide against the admission of cold water into the ear in bathing. The paper was followed by an account of a case of congenital absence of the external auditory orifices, causing considerable interference with audition, which Mr. Field had treated by operation. The procedure adopted was, first, by , dissection through the posterior part of the auricle, to dipscover the osseous external meatus, and then to secure a permanent opening into the same by an incision into the part of the auricle immediately overlying it and the insertion of a speculum. The operation was both tedious and productive of severe haemorrhage, but bids fair to prove in every way successful. A discussion followed, in which Dr. Buzzard, Mr. R. Owen, Mr. Gant, Mr. Drew, Dr. Hickman, Mr. Culver James, and the President took part.
EPIDEMIOLOGICAL SOCIETY. A
MEETING
Gower.street,
of this on
Society was held at University College, May 2nd, Dr. Buchanan, F.R.S., President,
ease ; 2’C6 to phthisis ; 3 39 to diseases peculiar to women; 0 73 to apoplexy and sunstroke; 0’24 to abscess; 1’21 to heart disease; 1 94 not specified ; 0 ’25 to syncope. During the decennium 1871 to 1880, both years inclusive, the ad. missions of sick women to hospital exceeded the strength by 1593 cases. But, as it is not alwaysneedful tor these women to go on the sick list for every illness that would be deemed sufficient to disqualify their soldier hub1nds from military
certain number-not defineable with precision-may patiently in their own quarters without being officially reported, and do not, therefore,find a place in the return?. Be this, however, as it may, it appears that out of a strength of 58,260 women of the European Army of India, 39,853 had to be treated for illness, of whom 38,294 admissions were due to the eight principal diseases previously cited, whilst a considerable proportion of the remainder was the result of the direct or indirect operation of malaria, Unlike the contagious and exanthematous fevers, a prior attack of the various types of malarious fever confers not only noim. munity from subsequent seizures, but there is reason to believe that each paroxysm-especially if the individual be still resident in districts where the cause abounds andis endemic-would seem to render the liability to future ones greater and greater. Whether in its comparatively stormless action, gradually, sometimes imperceptibly, resulting in characteristic deterioration of the general health without ever developing into paroxysms of fever, or in the tempest of ague, or remittent, sometimes moderately severe, at other times so pernicious as, in its subjective phenomena, to be indistinguishable from typhus, this thing or condition, which, for want of a better term, we still have to call malaria, exer. cises a deleterious effect, mainly upon the vaso-motor nervous system. Hence, the disorders of digestion and assimilation, visceral congestions and enlargements, altered constitution of tha blood, anaemia, simple and pernicious, pigmentation of the skin and internal organs, weakening of the circulatory and muscular systems, and many other states of impaired health grouped in the returns under the headings, "general debility" or "atrophy and anaemia," accounted for 13,404 cases during the decennium. During the ten years ending 1880, the death-rate among the children of the European Army of India amounted to 67’864 per thousand. The excess of mortality due to climatic causes is well shown in the following figures. Thus the death-rate among the soldiers’ children was-
duty,
a
be borne
in the chair. A paper was read by Dr. JOSEPH EWART of Brighton, On the Causes of the Excessive Mortality among the Women and Children of the European Soldiers serving in Of the decennial average mortality, 29’726 per thousand of India." The subject was treated in two sections. The first strength were caused by the eight principal diseases already embraced considerations relating to the high mortality referred to, leaving a stilllarger balance of 38’138 from other among the women; the second, the still greater mortality maladies, of which 24’228 resulted from tubercular disease, and hydrocephalus, convulsions among children, and, in both cases, the hygienic and sanitary heat apoplexy, meningitis and dentition. According to age, there died per thousand measures required to effect a material reduction of the exist. of strength— ing death-rates were indicated. The average death-rate among the women of the European forces in India, during the ten years ending 1880, amounted to 24’527 per mille, ranging from 20-83 in 1876 to 36 54 in 1872; in Bengal, from 18’16 in 1877 to 46-12 in 1872; in Madras, from 1472 in 1872 to 26’95 in 1878; and in Bombay, from 14’6 in 1874 to 33’41 in 1872. The author gave side by side the death-rate of the women belonging to the European troops serving in the United Kingdom and in India during a period of four years. Thus it wasMost of this vast mortality is ascribed to malaria, heat, un. healthy parents transmitting enfeebled constitutions to their children, insanitary surroundings, errors in natural and artificial feeding, &c. To enable the soldier’s wife to realise the importance of pure air, pure water, wholesome food, good
cookery, plenty of house room, free ventilation, dailyexer. cise and bathing, avoiding undue exposure to the sun, efficient clothing, a perfect system of hygiene and conservancy in the preservation of her own health and that of her offspring, she should be provided with a sanitary primer, written in 2-143; diarrhoea, 1’442; cholera, 3467; splenitis, 0’00t7; plain language, setting forth, very briefly and concisely, all the hepatitis, 1 ’424; atrophy and ansemia, 1 ’029 per thousand of simple truths for her to know. In the discussion which followed, the President, Drs. strength. In the year 1880, out of a death-rate of 21’05 per mille, 8’70 were accounted for by these eight diseases, while Murray, Chevers, Scriven, Lawson, Bovill, and Mr. Long the balance of 12’35 were ascribed to the following maladies took part. Some comments by Dr. de Renzy on this subject or classes of disease :-0’24 to small-pox ; 1’45 to chest diswere also read.
More than half of the average mortality of the decennial about 12’667 per thousand, was caused by a few diseases peculiar to hot climates. Intermittent fever accounted for 0’103; remittent and continued fever for 3’038; dysentery,
period, or