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IN THE MATTER OF MR. T. R. ALLINSON.
1656 1 deliberation. It would also be rendered more thorough by homicides among the inmates, who have, as a rule, killed the knowledge derived from a preliminary inquiry into the their t mothers or other near relatives. Acute melancholia and s are very rare, and so also is general paralysis. proof of statements adduced in its support. While admit- suicides all no there can be we feel however, this, doubt, assured, ting that a new arrangement of stand-posts, with stop-cocks, pails, IN THE MATTER OF MR. T. R. ALLINSON. and gully-holes for the removal of refuse water, would serve MR. THOMAS RMHAED ALLINSON, of Spanish-place, Manevery useful purpose cheaply, effectually, and with a nearer than the to success ( trough system. approach sanitary chester-square, appeared at the Marylebone Police-court on r Tuesday last, before Mr. Curtis Bennett, to answer a summons issued at the instance of the General Council PHYSICIANS IN THE OLDEN DAYS. of Medical Education and Registration for describing himIN the Gentleman’s Magazine for July Mrs. J. E. Sinclair self as a licentiate in medicine. Mr. Muir Mackenzie contributes an interesting paper embodying a good deal of conducted the prosecution. Mr. Allinson’s name, it will research upon Old-time Physicians. She quotes, amongst be remembered, was removed from the Medical Register in other things, the following treatment that used to be meted out on substantiation before the Council of the charge to quacks. "A counterfeit doctor was set on horseback, his 1892, a registered medical practitioner, he systematithat, being face to the horse’s tail, the same tail in his hand as a bridle, to attract practice by a system of excally sought a collar of jordans about his neck and so led through tensive public advertisements of a character discreditable the City of London with ringing of basins and banished." to a professional medical man, containing his name, address If only the same thing could be done now the traffic of and qualifications, and invitations to persons in need of Cheapside would have to be stopped in order to let the pro- medical aid to consult him professionally. The action of the cession pass, but the latter-day quack flourishes exceedingly, General Medical Council was later upheld in the High Court and advertises at large in the public press. ef Jastice and in the Court of Appeal ; and, if the twentyninth clause of the Medical Act (1858) has any force THE "INDEX MEDICUS." and meaning, it was a foregone conclusion that the IN another column will be found a letter from the Resident disciplinary tribunal of the profession would be found Librarian of the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society con- to have taken the only proper legal course. Mr. Allinson, cerning the imminent decease of that invaluable publication, however, has continued to use the amx giving him a legal the "Index Medicus." When it is remembered that this title to practise, and for this he was summoned by the Council, work is a carefully classified index of the whole of medical with the result that he has been fined ;E20 and JS10 10s. literature, not only books but pamphlets and original costs or a month’s imprisonment in default, Mr. Bennett. articles in the medical journals, and that on a reference considering the case a bad one and refusing to entertain an to it any articles which have been written on medical application to state a case. The profession will be glad to subjects can be easily found, it will be seen that the recognise by the issue of this case that the General Medical cessation of this work would be an incalculable loss. Our Council is watchful not to allow its decisions to be ignored correspondent’s suggestion that 400 a year should be sub- with impunity. scribed by this country is well worth the consideration of the profession and the medical societies, and as such we THE INFLUENCE OF TROPICAL CLIMATES ON MENSTRUATION. commend it to them. ......
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THE CAIRO LUNATIC ASYLUM. n .I.1IVJHX’.L’111J)jU UOUIHS tU 1l1lli WilO JM10WS UUW
to
WHH
is a motto of very necessary application for English reformers in Egypt. Difficulties which have existed for the last ten years have now been brushed away, and Dr. Warnock has been installed as the pioneer psychologist of Egypt, although it is true that the native heads of the Government have stipulated that Dr. Warnock’s appointment is to be only for two years. Though it is only three months since he arrived, he has already mastered some colloquial Arabic and has set about a number of changes which were of obvious need. Previously some 300 men and 150 women were allowed to sit idly on their beds all day without any means of occupation. Now there may be seen some of the patients engaged in the garden, laundry, and kitchen, while a few work as tailors, carpenters, and basket-makers. The paid gardener has been dismissed as a needless luxury, and his place is supplied by a monomaniac who has believed for years that he is the true Mahdi and now willingly works for the daily wage of a few lumps of sugar. The asylum has been kept very clean for some years, but efforts are now being made to improve its ventilation-efforts which are the more necessary because it must remain overcrowded until some outflow for incurable cases be provided. A postmortem room has been fitted up, and necropsies are now regularly held by the four native medical men who have been appointed as assistants. There are a few paying patients, and their number will probably increase as the fame of the medical superintendent spreads. Criminal lunatics are not unknown, there being generally four or five
WE have received a copy of a paper dealing with this subject by Dr. Joubert, Professor of Midwifery at the Eden Hospital, Calcutta. It is well known that menstruation appears at an earlier age among the natives of tropical climates than in England, and the impression has been that this was due to the influence of the climate. Dr. Joubert has collected statistics on the subject and he finds that there is very little difference as regards the age at which menstruation appears between Europeans and Europeans born in India who have lived all their lives in that
country. Among the natives, however, menstruation does appear at an earlier age than among Europeans ; for instance, of the cases referred to in Dr. Joubert’s paper menstruation appeared in girls between twelve and thirteen years of age in 36 4 per cent. of the natives, while it only appeared at this age in 13’4 per cent. of Europeans, and in only 10’8 per cent. of Europeans born and reared in India. According to Dr. Joubert the cause of this difference is not to be ascribed to the climate, but to the different social customs prevailing among the natives, and especially to the absence of all privacy in the domestic life of an Indian household, which allows children to become acquainted with sexual matters. Thus, he says, when attending a pregnant or lying-in woman he has often had to ask that the children of both sexes who were present should be sent away. Indeed, from his. knowledge of the country Dr. Joubert says he doubts whether there are any little girls or boys who have reached the age of ten years without having a pretty accurate knowledge of what the sexual relations and child-bearing really mean. We think that Dr. Joubert has made out a very probable case for thinking that
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THE CAIRO LUNATIC ASYLUM. n .I.1IVJHX’.L’111J)jU UOUIHS tU 1l1lli WilO JM10WS UUW
to
WHH
is a motto of very necessary application for English reformers in Egypt. Difficulties which have existed for the last ten years have now been brushed away, and Dr. Warnock has been installed as the pioneer psychologist of Egypt, although it is true that the native heads of the Government have stipulated that Dr. Warnock’s appointment is to be only for two years. Though it is only three months since he arrived, he has already mastered some colloquial Arabic and has set about a number of changes which were of obvious need. Previously some 300 men and 150 women were allowed to sit idly on their beds all day without any means of occupation. Now there may be seen some of the patients engaged in the garden, laundry, and kitchen, while a few work as tailors, carpenters, and basket-makers. The paid gardener has been dismissed as a needless luxury, and his place is supplied by a monomaniac who has believed for years that he is the true Mahdi and now willingly works for the daily wage of a few lumps of sugar. The asylum has been kept very clean for some years, but efforts are now being made to improve its ventilation-efforts which are the more necessary because it must remain overcrowded until some outflow for incurable cases be provided. A postmortem room has been fitted up, and necropsies are now regularly held by the four native medical men who have been appointed as assistants. There are a few paying patients, and their number will probably increase as the fame of the medical superintendent spreads. Criminal lunatics are not unknown, there being generally four or five
WE have received a copy of a paper dealing with this subject by Dr. Joubert, Professor of Midwifery at the Eden Hospital, Calcutta. It is well known that menstruation appears at an earlier age among the natives of tropical climates than in England, and the impression has been that this was due to the influence of the climate. Dr. Joubert has collected statistics on the subject and he finds that there is very little difference as regards the age at which menstruation appears between Europeans and Europeans born in India who have lived all their lives in that
country. Among the natives, however, menstruation does appear at an earlier age than among Europeans ; for instance, of the cases referred to in Dr. Joubert’s paper menstruation appeared in girls between twelve and thirteen years of age in 36 4 per cent. of the natives, while it only appeared at this age in 13’4 per cent. of Europeans, and in only 10’8 per cent. of Europeans born and reared in India. According to Dr. Joubert the cause of this difference is not to be ascribed to the climate, but to the different social customs prevailing among the natives, and especially to the absence of all privacy in the domestic life of an Indian household, which allows children to become acquainted with sexual matters. Thus, he says, when attending a pregnant or lying-in woman he has often had to ask that the children of both sexes who were present should be sent away. Indeed, from his. knowledge of the country Dr. Joubert says he doubts whether there are any little girls or boys who have reached the age of ten years without having a pretty accurate knowledge of what the sexual relations and child-bearing really mean. We think that Dr. Joubert has made out a very probable case for thinking that