INDIA.

269 Quite recently it was announced in the newspapers that three grammes (less than 50 grains) of radium bad been obtained at a cost of £2000 from ten tons of pitchblende in that place. This is no doubt an exaggeration, for it may be said that this amount approaches the total quantity of radio-active substance found in Joachimsthal during the However that may be, nearly all physiolast few years. logical and physical laboratories in Austria, as well as some clinical stations, possess small quantities of the new element which have been placed at their disposal by the Government. Legislation as to the Certification and Detention of Lunatics. Several cases of grave mistakes and unlawful detention of persons in lunatic asylums which have happened within the last few years have led to the adoption by a Parliamentary subcommittee of a Bill modifying the present conditions of admission into these institutions. Thus before a person can be put under the control of a trustee on account of his mental condition a judge must make an order, after previously hearing the opinion of duly qualified medical men, some of whom may be selected by the person alleged to be insane. No asylum may receive a patient without the written order of a judge unless the patient seeks admission voluntarily. The detention of a person against his will may not last longer than one year and if prolongation is necessary a new examination of his mental condition by a medical committee is

carefully.

again required. ’

Jan. 20th. ___________________

CANADA. (FROM

OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT.)

Sudden and Violent Deaths in Montreal in 1907. ACCORDING to the official report of Coroner McMahon of Montreal there were in that city in 1907 785 deaths attributable to accidents, &c. This was just 25 more than in 1906. There were 83 persons killed by railways, of whom 23 were killed by street railways. There were 27 suicides and 50 people met death from drowning. Fire was responsible for 44 deaths, which number includes the deaths of 17 school children and one teacher which took place in a school. There were 12 homicides and 217 sudden deaths. 51 people died without medical treatment and one through an automobile accident. 18 died in gaols, four in the police stations, and one in the patrol wagon. Alcohol caused four sudden deaths and there were 13 from gas asphyxiation and 17 from scalding. During the year there was only one case of

manslaughter. Birth Statistics. Montreal has a huge birth-rate which is not perhaps exceeded by any other city in the world. It is shown that the birth-rate for 1907 is in the neighbourhood of 44’ 20 per 1000 of the population. The average of births for a period of 19 years has been 37’ 92 per 1000. This was for all nationalities, but during this period the birth-rate amongst French Canadians was over 40. The birth-rate in Montreal is higher than in Toronto by 13’ 21 per 1000, and the excess in comparison with a number of other cities is as follows : Breslau, 5 61 ; Prague, 13’ 18 ; Munich, 55 ; Vienna, 6 - 5 ; Milan, 10 0 ; Rome, 12 3 ; St. Petersburg, 6 - 5 ; London, 8’ 7; Paris, 16 4 ; New York, 10’0 ; and Philadelphia, 13 - 0. It is satisfactory to record that the proportion of illegitimate children born in the province of Ontario is steadily decreasing. In the year 1900 one out of every 55 of the children born there was illegitimate. Gradually year by year the proportion has been diminishing until in 1905 only one out of every 74 - 2 was of that unfortunate class. In 1899 the total number of illegitimate births was 808 ; in 1900, 800 ; in 1901, 812; in 1902, 819 ; in 1903, 782 ; in 1904, 798 ; and in 1905, 699. The proportion of illegitimates to every 100 children born in these years has been as follows : 1 -80, 1 ’ 73, 1 - 76, 1 ’ 72, 1 -6, 158, and 1’34. The comparison with other countries is most favourable, for the latest quinquennial periods return the illegitimate births to every 100 children born as follows : Austria, 14’55; Belgium, 8’51 ; Norway, 735;

England, 4-04; Sweden, 10-80; France, 8-26; Scotland, 6’ 33 ; Ireland, 2’ 65; German Empire, 9 ’ 21 ; Prussia, 7’ 84; and Italy, 6’ 34. The following statistics are given of the multiple births in Ontario. From 1899 to 1905, both years inclusive, there have been in each of the years in the Province of Ontario twins as follows : 1899. 296 ; 1900, 401 ; 1901, 469 ; 1902, 523 ; 1903, 492 ; 1904, 549 ; and 1905, 526.

In the seven years 1899 to 1905 inclusive there have been, 29 births in which triplets have occurred. The proportion of male to female births in 1905 shows an increase over thepreceding year, the proportion being 100 female to 105 male. Toronto’s Yital Statistics in 1907. The total number of births registered in Toronto in 1907 The marriage was 6715, two a day more than in 1906. service was performed 3635 times, almost ten times a day, while the messenger of death entered the city 4563 times, nearly 13 times a day. The following is Toronto’s record for the past seven years : 1900 (births, marriages, and deaths) : 4530, 1789, 3604 ; 1901 : 4445, 2148, 3404 ; 1902 (not given); 1903: 5040, 2631, 3730 ; 1904 : 5283, 2867, 3884 ; 1905: 5816, 3060, 3915; 1906: 5985, 3108, 3960 ; and 1907: 6715, 3635, 4563. Small-pox Expensive in Ontario. Owing to neglect on the part of municipalities throughout. the province of Ontario to enforce the Vaccination Act and the small-pox regulations it is estimated by Dr. C. A. Hodgetts, secretary of the Ontario Board of Health, that it. has cost the province$2,000,000 in the past ten years. During those years the disease has been present throughout theprovince in more or less of an epidemic form but of a milcl character. At the present time there are several centres and just within a few days from 15 to 20 cases were located in one of Toronto’s public schools. Ontario now is a largely unvaccinated province and the reflection is on the municipal authorities themselves. If they had enforced the law as they are empowered so to do there would not have been 1 per cent. of the cases that have been reported during the past decade, for 99 per cent. of the cases have been in unvac-cinated persons. Reorganising the Staff of Toronto General Hospital, Work in connexion with the reorganising of the staff of the Toronto General Hospital is proceeding apace and it is quite apparent from the appointments which have been made and those which are on the tapis that this hospital will hereafter be a pure University hospital. There are to be three services in medicine and those who have been appointed heads are: Dr. A. McPhedran, professor of medicine in the University of Toronto ; Dr. W. P. Caven, associate professor ;. and Dr. Graham Chambers, associate in the same University. Mr. I. H. Cameron, M.B., LL.D., F.R.C S. (honorary), professor of surgery in the University, will be chief of thesurgical staff. The heads of the three active serviceswill be Dr. George A. Bingham, Dr. A. Primrose, and Dr. H. A. Bruce, all clinicians of the University Medical Faculty. Dr. R. A. Reeve, dean of the Medical Faculty and Past. President of the British Medical Association, is head in ophthalmology ; Dr. George R. McDonagh, head of laryngology, otology, and rhinology ; Dr. J. F. W. Ross, head of thegynaecological department ; Dr. Kennedy McIlraith, head of obstetrics and paediatrics ; and Dr. Samuel Johnston, head of anaesthetics. The assistants to these and the outdoor appointments have yet to be made. The chiefs of medicineand surgery are to confine themselves to these specialties, and not to do any general practice. ’

visiting-

Jan. 12th. __________________

INDIA. (FROM

OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENTS.)

Civil Sanitary Reorganisation. AN important communication was issued on Dec. 4th last. by the Government of India, Home Department, to all local governments and administrations upon the subject of sanitary reform in civil areas.1 It indicates a distinct advance towards the reorganisation of the civil sanitary department on modern. lines and will no doubt attract the attention of sanitarians of all kinds at home and abroad. Snake-bite in Burma. A Local Government circular issued in Burma states that in view of the large number of deaths occurring annually in Burma from snake-bite it has been decided to distribute as widely as possible through the province the lancets designed by Sir Lauder Brunton for the treatment of snake-bite with permanganate of potassium. The efficacy of this treatment The distribution if at once applied is now established. will be left to the Commissioner of Divisions through -

1

This is dealt with at p.

263 of our present issue.—ED. L.

270 "whom all local officers should obtain their supplies according to requirements before Nov. lat in each year. To Government servants lancets will be issued free of charge, but cost price will be charged to municipalities, private firms, and individuals. A reserve stock of perEXAMINING BOARD IN ENGLAND BY THE ROYAL manganate of potassium crystals will be kept at all hospitals and dispensaries for distribution to those who have lancets COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON AND SURGEONS OF when the supply of permanganate contained in each lancet ENGLAND -At the first professional examination held on is exhausted. Jan. 7th, 8th, 9th, and 10th, the following gentlemen were Rabies in Jackals. approved in the subjects indicated :to the of rabies in Simla health the Owing Chemistry a2?d Physics.-Gilbert Bailey, Manchester University; prevalence Basil Fraser Beatson, Leys School, Cambridge; William Hackett officer attached to the Simla municipal council has started a Broughton, Manchester University ; Frederick William Campbell, campaign against jackals, large numbers’of which exist in the University College, Cardiff ; Rowland Burnell Campion, Guy’s man has been vicinity of India’s summer capital. A Hospital; Nai Cheune. London Hospital ; Henry Dyer Scott Close, St. Thomas’s Hospital; Edward Percy Drabble, London Hospital; engaged to exterminate these animals by poison and also by Charles Alexander Robertson Gatley, Guy’s Hospital; John shooting them. Bites caused by rabid jackals are always of Llewellyn David Lewis, Guy’s Hospital; Victor Alfred Luna, much greater severity and graver prognosis than dog-bites. Guy’s Hospital; Leonard Robert Pickett, Tonbridge School; Henry Charles Rigg, Charing Cross Hospital; William Andrew The Serum Therapy of Plague. Thompson, Guy’s Hospital; Claude de Boudry Thomson, Middlesex Khan Bahadur N. H. Choksy, M.B., special plague officer, Hospital; Claude William Treherne, St. Thomas’s Hospital; Arnold Viney, Oundle School; and Sydney Arthur Wilkinson. Bombay, has just published a valuable pamphlet recording Chemistry.-Ahmed Abdel-Al, Guy’s Hospital; Frank Cunninghame recent observations on the serum-therapy of plague in Cowton, Alexander Rentoul Ester, and Maberly Squire Esler, St. Thomas’s Hospital; Hassell Dyer Field, Battersea Polytechnic; India. It has been contended by some people that the serum Meredydd Foulkes, St. Thomas’s Hospital; Francis Henry Guppy, treatment of plague cases is ineffectual, if not altogether St. Bartholomew’s Hospital ; Frank Mainwaring Hughes. Ger4d and that are the results Dr. useless, entirely disappointing. Noel Martin, and David Scott, London Hospital; Ivan Lindley contends to the unfavourable that, having regard Waddell, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; and William Neville Pennant Choksy Williams, Liverpool University. conditions that are almost unavoidable in the treatment of Physics.-Allan Stanley Coaloank, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; a disease like plague, the wonder is that serum treatment William Trevor Flooks, University College, Cardiff; Owen -has given such comparatively good results. He supports this Gwatkin, Manchester University; William Fidler Mason, Leeds Andrew assertion by an elaborate discussion of over 1600 cases Joseph Murphy, King’s College; University; Eugene Edmund Uniacke Russell, King’s College; Charles Pearse -treated at Bombay, Poona, Indore, Calcutta, and Karachi. Crodacott Sargent, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; and Henry The average mortality in plague cases in Bombay is about Stanley Young, Birkbeck College. .89 per cent. ; in cases treated with serum the incidence of Biology.-Ramrao Belcrushma Agaskar and George Aspinall-Stivala, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Gilbert Bailey, Manchester University; mortality varied from 33’ 3 among a small number of William Somerset Birch, King’s College; Herbert Chorley, Liverto 3 40 cent. 44. cent. Parsees, per Europeans, per among pool University; Arthur George Bisset Fenwick, St. Thomas’s Hosamong Mahomedans, and 55 per cent. among Hindus. Dr. pital ; Geoffrey Garland, Leeds University; Charles Alexander Robertson Gatley, Guy’s Hospital; William Edward Hallinan, Choksy contends that "the serum treatment is the only Charing Cross Hospital; Leslie Price Harris, Guy’s Hospital; John method of saving a larger proportion of lives in a Rollo Hayman, Middlesex Hospital; George Basil Henley Jones, certain class of patients." At the same time it cannot Guy’s Hospital; Edmund Thomas Howard Lea, Westminster liosall in influence of pital ; David Lewis, London Hospital; Victor Alfred Luna, Guy’s favourably types plague; hospital Hospital; Alexander Macrae, London Hospital; Reginald Victor practice where more than half the cases are of the septiMartin, St. Mary’s Hospital; Arthur Geoffrey Morris, University cæmic type on admission, and consequently not amenable to College, Bristol; Eugene Andrew Joseph Murphy, King’s College it must be of little Hospital; Frank Andrew Miller Nelson, London Hospital; Jorabhai any specific treatment, comparatively Bhaibabhai Patel, Bombay University; Montague Pern and George value. The essence of successful serum treatment is that it Breatnall Pritchard, Guy’s Hospital; Walter Alexander Reynolds, should be commenced at an early stage of the disease. This St. Mary’s Hospital; Henry Charles Rigg, Charing Cross Hospital; is rarely possible with hospital patients, most of whom have Charles Pearse Crodacott Sargent, St Bartholomew’s Hospital; Jelal Moochool Shah, Bombay University and St. Bartholomew’s in several before admission. But the been suffering days Hospital; Cuthbert Shaw-Crisp, St. Mary’s Hospital; William case of private patients who call in a medical man at once Andrew Thompson, Guy’s Hospital; Chunilal Bhimbhai Vakil, the results are undoubtedly favourable. Among 468 private St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; William Cuthbert Whitworth, Guys Hospital; William Neville Pennant Williams, Liverpool University; patients the case mortality was only 39’9 per cent., while and William Worger, University College, Bristol. among 613 specially selected hospital patients it was 57 per cent. Again, among first-day patients the case mortality was At the Preliminary Science Examination for the Licence in 30 3, among second-day patients 52’6, and among third-day Dental Surgery held this month the following gentlemen were patients 63 per cent. These figures show, as Dr. Choksy approved in the subjects indicated :— contends, favourable results, and if patients could be taught Chemistry and Physics.-Robert Reginald Adams, Guy’s Hospital to apply for treatment as soon as they were attacked the Edwin Randolph Bailey and Henry Leonard Bailey, Polytechnic Institute ; Stanley Maddox Gardner. Technical Inresults would be still more satisfactory. stitute, Wandsworth; Robert John Harley-Mason, Birkbeck The Ckinsura Cholera Cases. College; Guy William Enstone Holloway, Polytechuic Institute; Sidney William Ingram, Guy’s Hospital; William Howard Keay, Three tragic deaths which occurred recently from cholera Walsall Technical institute; Sidney Saxton, University College, have been the subject of a special investigation by Major Bristol; Herbert Thornton, Guy’s Hospital; and Thomas Reginald Trounce, Birkbeck and City of London Colleges. Clarkson, I.M.S., sanitary commissioner, who traced the transChenaistry.-Eruest Walter bacon. Alleyn s School; Arthur Raymond mission of the cholera germ to the jharans (cloths used for Goddard, University College, Nottingham; Cyril Arthur Pollard, Birkbeck College ; James Stacey Robinson, Walsall Technical cleaning dinner plates) of one of the servants of the house. Institute; George Wesley Royle, Modern School, Bedford; and Mr. Bernard, Commissioner, Mrs. Bernard (his wife), and a James Bennett Sharp, Charing Cross Hospital. Miss White, a visitor, were the victims; several others who ! ltepton Faulkner, Birmingham University; Physics.-Charles Thomas Leonard Fiddick, Guy’s Hospital ; ltuy William List, partook of food with them were also attacked but recovered. Cruss Hospital; William Macqueen Potter. Birkbeek The jharans were infected by being washed in a portion of a Cliaring College; and Frank Pareival Sturdee, Northern Polytechnic river where a cholera corpse of a native had been lying, the Institute and Birkbeck College. disease being transmitted to the dinner plates by the infected At the quarterly examination in Practical Pharmacy held jharans. Jan. 4th. on Jan. 16th the following gentlemen were approved :Burgess Barnett, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Charles Thornton Vere Benson, B.A. Cantab, Cambridge University and St. Thomas’s DEATHS OF EMINENT FOREIGN MEDICAL MEN.Hospital; John William Bowen, private study; Frederick William Campbell, University College, Cardiff ; Arthur Henry Howard The deaths of the following eminent foreign medical men are Catt, Charing Cross Hospital; Nai Cheune, London Hospital; announced :-Dr. Huethe, formerly surgeon-general of the Thomas Bonnor Davies, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital ; Maurice German Navy, at the age of 74 years, who had been living in Dwyer, Leeds University ; Harold Delf Gillies, Cambridge Univerretirement since 1894. He was for some time a professor in sity and St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; Arthur Oliver Gray, King’s College Hospital; Claud Anthony Holburu, Sheffield University; the Naval Military Academy at Kiel. His death took place George Barrowclough Horrocks, Victoria University. Manchester; at Capri.-Dr. Donner, formerly professor of physiology in Gilbert Percy Humphry. St. George’s Hospital; Colin Mackenzie, the Tours Medical School.-Dr. H. P. Loomis, professor of B A. Cantab., Cambridge University and Middlesex Hospital; Dalton Mallam, London Hospital; Samuel Marle. University therapeutics and materia medica in Cornell University.College, Bristol; Guy Harvey Mead, St. Thomas’s Hospital; Karl of Dr. Schwing, extraordinary professor gynæcology Bertram Charles Noble O’Reilly, London Hospital; George Hugh .in the Bohemian University of Prague. Piercy, University College, Bristol; Arthur Harzdwicke Platt,

Medical News.

special