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LIFE-SAVING AT SEA.
869 the number of fresh cases arising fell from nearly 40 to two dozen, and the deaths registered from the disease were, as in each of the two preceding weeks, 2 in number. There were 6 attacks notified in Manchester, but Salford was again free from the malady. At Liverpool 4 deaths were registered and a dozen cases were heard of, a decrease on A few cases have been reported in recent records. different parts of the country, in addition to those above chronicled, but in England no other localised outbreaks seem to be now prevailing. In Dublin the progress of the smallpox epidemic during September was as follows. In the week ended the 8th the cases admitted to hospital numbered 16 ; there were two deaths, and the patients remaining in hospital totalled 85. In the next week the admitted cases were 12, with one death, and the patients remaining under treatment 80. These latter fell to 68 at the close of the third week, with 13 admissions and 1 death ; and in the last week of the month as many as 19 patients were admitted, 1 case proved fatal, and 64 patients were left in hospital.
mentions infantile scurvy, a very common complaint, and yet how often not recognised, and allowed to "pass as rickets, or
rheumatism,
or
injury,
or
temper,
or
’pure cussednes,’ and
on." Another disease, which, although very common, yet varies very much in severity and in the mode in which the pain manifests itself, is angina pectoris, and this is often mistaken for indigestion, neuralgia, rheumatism, flatulence, &c.; and instances must occur to all medical men when, owing to suitable treatment not having been adopted, fatal results have followed. One of the most interesting portions of Dr. Goodhart’s address is cccupied with the consideration of the uric acid diathesis. He utters a warning against the popular fallacy of confusing the passage of urates with that of uric acid, and also against treating all the subjects of the complaint in the same way-namely, by a rigid form of dieting to get the uric acid out of the system. " It is all very well," he observes, "for a man to make experiments upon himself and then go and preach a universal rule." He maintains that a cardinal medical rule is that disease is in all cases individualised, and that we have to treat the individual, and his malady through him. After reference to LIFE-SAVING AT SEA. cases of renal colic and chlorosis, Dr. Goodhart concludes NOT the least useful of the functions discharged by the by emphasising the fact that not a few of the methods and Board of Trade is that which is directly concerned with theaims of medicine are faulty by reason of the ready assumpsaving of life upon our coasts. We are apt at times to forget tion that their bases are unassailable, that men are conthis, and to assign even more than its due of reputation, if that stantly driven back upon their own experience, and compelled were possible, to another national and world-famous organinot to accept it, but to question it. sation. An official series of life-salvage tables recently issued by the Department is, therefore, the more interesting. We THE SALE OF LAUDANUM TO A CHILD. are reminded by these that, although but two lifeboats are IN the course of a recent prosecution of an unqualified within the Board’s control, other and equally valued mEans in a druggist’s shop at Glasgow some curious facts assistant to the same end are subject to it. these are Among to be numbered some 3C0 life-saving stations, with rocket connected with the sale of poisons were elicited. It appeared apparatus, cliff ladders, heaving-lines, and lifebuoys. Unless that four pennyworth of laudanum had been sold to a child it be on a comparison in the number of boats and the eight years of age, and that the laudanum had been taken total result in life saved by their invaluable aid, not even the by the boy’s father and had caused his death. The only preNational Lifeboat Institution can show a better record. cautions taken by the vendor had been to ask for what purDuring the year ended on June 30th ro fewer than 402 pose. the laudanum was required, and to place two labels on the bottle, one marked "poison" in red letters. As the persons owed their lives to the Board’s live-saving apparatus. There is not, indeed, nor can there be, any essential accused pleaded guilty there was no dispute about the difference or semblance of disagreement between these two facts of the case, and, being charged under the Pharmacy associations. One is doubtless official, the other voluntary, Act, the full penalty of E5was inflicted. The point of special but both are alike so far in their purpose. Each is, more- interest, however, lies in the fact that there appears to be no clause in the Act relating to the sale of poisons to over, a counterpart of the other, shaiirg in one work, one children. In the course of argument this point was raised, and one reward honour and of This ,affect, gratitude. leads us to consider a project which has already been and the counsel acting for the Pharmaceutical Society said discussed at some length-namely, the necessity of con- that, although it was the practice of registered druggists never necting by telegraphic wires our coastguard stations and to sell poisons to children, there was no provision prohibiting from EO doing. The custom was for them to send lighthouses. It is clear that success in life-saving at them children home and say that they must have an older person sea must be greatly aided by such communications. We with them. So far as we are aware this is the first case in have on shore the fire-alarm bell, and the great facilities this curious which omission has been referred to. The nonfor rescue which it provides are obvious to every one. These observance of "custom" opans up such terrible possibilities coast telegraphs are the alarm bells of shipwreck. Doubtless that we trust the omission will be rectified at an early date. they might also subserve other purposes. They constitute However strictly the rules relating to the sale of poisons may in any case a more than desirable part of our coast equipbe drawn up, means of evading them will constantly be found ; ment, and we trust therefore that they will before long be but this loophole-the employment of children to effect the adced to the accomplished facts of our national policy. purchase-is certainly one which should not be left un-
"COMMON DISEASES MISTAKEN OR
MIS-
so
guarded.
TREATED."
-
DIPHTHERIA IN LONDON.
AN address under the above title, by Dr. James F. Goodhart, DIPHTHERIA showed an increase in its fatal form in the appears in this week’s issue, and draws attention to matters metropolis last week over any of the twelve preceding weeks, upon which every member of the profession will do well to the deaths registered having been 66 in number. For the five ponder. Dr. Goodhavt does not consider the difficulties of weeks of August the total was 252, yielding a weekly diagnosing a case of actinomycosis attacking the pleura from average of 50 ; and in the four weeks of September one of empyema, or the latest application of the antitoxin the total was 213, giving a weekly average of 53. The principle—avast subject only just in its infancy,-but he dis- corrected average for the week corresponding to last week cusses the diagnosis and treatment of everyday practice, for the ten years 1884-93 is 36 9, so that the deaths cases which practitioners must Eea daily, and yet which of last week were 29 in excess of that average. As are frequently mistaken and mistreated. For instance, he the wide diffusion of diphtheria in London, we
showing
mentions infantile scurvy, a very common complaint, and yet how often not recognised, and allowed to "pass as rickets, or
rheumatism,
or
injury,
or
temper,
or
’pure cussednes,’ and
on." Another disease, which, although very common, yet varies very much in severity and in the mode in which the pain manifests itself, is angina pectoris, and this is often mistaken for indigestion, neuralgia, rheumatism, flatulence, &c.; and instances must occur to all medical men when, owing to suitable treatment not having been adopted, fatal results have followed. One of the most interesting portions of Dr. Goodhart’s address is cccupied with the consideration of the uric acid diathesis. He utters a warning against the popular fallacy of confusing the passage of urates with that of uric acid, and also against treating all the subjects of the complaint in the same way-namely, by a rigid form of dieting to get the uric acid out of the system. " It is all very well," he observes, "for a man to make experiments upon himself and then go and preach a universal rule." He maintains that a cardinal medical rule is that disease is in all cases individualised, and that we have to treat the individual, and his malady through him. After reference to LIFE-SAVING AT SEA. cases of renal colic and chlorosis, Dr. Goodhart concludes NOT the least useful of the functions discharged by the by emphasising the fact that not a few of the methods and Board of Trade is that which is directly concerned with theaims of medicine are faulty by reason of the ready assumpsaving of life upon our coasts. We are apt at times to forget tion that their bases are unassailable, that men are conthis, and to assign even more than its due of reputation, if that stantly driven back upon their own experience, and compelled were possible, to another national and world-famous organinot to accept it, but to question it. sation. An official series of life-salvage tables recently issued by the Department is, therefore, the more interesting. We THE SALE OF LAUDANUM TO A CHILD. are reminded by these that, although but two lifeboats are IN the course of a recent prosecution of an unqualified within the Board’s control, other and equally valued mEans in a druggist’s shop at Glasgow some curious facts assistant to the same end are subject to it. these are Among to be numbered some 3C0 life-saving stations, with rocket connected with the sale of poisons were elicited. It appeared apparatus, cliff ladders, heaving-lines, and lifebuoys. Unless that four pennyworth of laudanum had been sold to a child it be on a comparison in the number of boats and the eight years of age, and that the laudanum had been taken total result in life saved by their invaluable aid, not even the by the boy’s father and had caused his death. The only preNational Lifeboat Institution can show a better record. cautions taken by the vendor had been to ask for what purDuring the year ended on June 30th ro fewer than 402 pose. the laudanum was required, and to place two labels on the bottle, one marked "poison" in red letters. As the persons owed their lives to the Board’s live-saving apparatus. There is not, indeed, nor can there be, any essential accused pleaded guilty there was no dispute about the difference or semblance of disagreement between these two facts of the case, and, being charged under the Pharmacy associations. One is doubtless official, the other voluntary, Act, the full penalty of E5was inflicted. The point of special but both are alike so far in their purpose. Each is, more- interest, however, lies in the fact that there appears to be no clause in the Act relating to the sale of poisons to over, a counterpart of the other, shaiirg in one work, one children. In the course of argument this point was raised, and one reward honour and of This ,affect, gratitude. leads us to consider a project which has already been and the counsel acting for the Pharmaceutical Society said discussed at some length-namely, the necessity of con- that, although it was the practice of registered druggists never necting by telegraphic wires our coastguard stations and to sell poisons to children, there was no provision prohibiting from EO doing. The custom was for them to send lighthouses. It is clear that success in life-saving at them children home and say that they must have an older person sea must be greatly aided by such communications. We with them. So far as we are aware this is the first case in have on shore the fire-alarm bell, and the great facilities this curious which omission has been referred to. The nonfor rescue which it provides are obvious to every one. These observance of "custom" opans up such terrible possibilities coast telegraphs are the alarm bells of shipwreck. Doubtless that we trust the omission will be rectified at an early date. they might also subserve other purposes. They constitute However strictly the rules relating to the sale of poisons may in any case a more than desirable part of our coast equipbe drawn up, means of evading them will constantly be found ; ment, and we trust therefore that they will before long be but this loophole-the employment of children to effect the adced to the accomplished facts of our national policy. purchase-is certainly one which should not be left un-
"COMMON DISEASES MISTAKEN OR
MIS-
so
guarded.
TREATED."
-
DIPHTHERIA IN LONDON.
AN address under the above title, by Dr. James F. Goodhart, DIPHTHERIA showed an increase in its fatal form in the appears in this week’s issue, and draws attention to matters metropolis last week over any of the twelve preceding weeks, upon which every member of the profession will do well to the deaths registered having been 66 in number. For the five ponder. Dr. Goodhavt does not consider the difficulties of weeks of August the total was 252, yielding a weekly diagnosing a case of actinomycosis attacking the pleura from average of 50 ; and in the four weeks of September one of empyema, or the latest application of the antitoxin the total was 213, giving a weekly average of 53. The principle—avast subject only just in its infancy,-but he dis- corrected average for the week corresponding to last week cusses the diagnosis and treatment of everyday practice, for the ten years 1884-93 is 36 9, so that the deaths cases which practitioners must Eea daily, and yet which of last week were 29 in excess of that average. As are frequently mistaken and mistreated. For instance, he the wide diffusion of diphtheria in London, we
showing