- Email: [email protected]
MEDICAL INSURANCE AGENCY.
1375 is justified by observations made among ’, are in our own hands. The authors point to a perfectly domestic animals and birds ; when the number of males simple and practical procedure where the application in a flock or herd has been increased the birth-rate has of scientific methods and strictly technical procedure invariably fallen, so that by destroying all female rats are hardly needed. Rigid cleanliness is regarded largely caught and releasing all males a desirable result might as their substitute, which includes the practice of thebe brought about. On the whole this Report is a very daily tub. Science has most definitely shown which
This theory
interesting and rat repression.
useful
synopsis
of what is known of
ANCIENT SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS. nas recently Deen mrectea to a Mr. S. Holth, of Kristiania, Norway, on "Greco-Roman and Arabic Bronze Instruments and their Medico-Surgical Use." It is a valuable supplement to Mr. J. Stewart Milne’s " Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times," issued at Oxford in 1907. Mr. Holth purchased a series of instruments at the sale of the collection of antiquities from Syria and Palestine, once the property of Baron Ustinoff. All the surgical instruments are of bronze, excepting the silver handle of a knife, which bears an inscription in Greek, Oés /, KBe7TTK, " Put me dowii, thief." Lucian alludes to surgeons who put pretty gold and silver handles to instruments which they did not really know how to use. Mr. Holth figures a Roman steelyard, such as Milne described, and does not, like Milne, believe that it is an interloper, never employed by the profession ; for classical doctors weighed the drugs which they purchased wholesale, being their own apothecaries. A spoon-spatula of Arabic origin bears, it would seem, its maker’s name. In only one other instance, related by Milne, is such a name found on an antique surgical instrument; and it is well known to those who study British medical literature that makers cut trade-marks, and not their names, on their wares until the days of George III. Mr. Holth’s spoon-spatula probably came from Palmyra, and was made in the days when the Arab Caliphs ruled in Syria. Once more, as in the case of the steelyard, Mr. Holth finds another contrivance similar to a like instrument in Mr. Milne’s series, and does not believe that it is an interloper. It is a long needle made for the weaving of fishing-nets ; the author maintains that this needle; deeply forked at each end, was used to keep suture-threads carefully wound up, and so always ready for use. Mr. Holth also describes an Arabic couching-needle and a sharp spoon, the stem of which bears a scale to measure the length of nstulse and the depth of wounds. The author believes that it is practically a millimetre scale, used by some Roman surgeon ages before the metrical system was introduced by the Constituent Assembly of France, at the beginning of the Revolution.
UUR
attention
pamphlet by
___
CLEAN MILK. WE have dealt with the question of the supply of clean milk and its consummation to the point of fatigue. The reasons for the clean supply being considered a practical necessity have long ago been amply subIt is difficult to understand why there stantiated. should be any delay in this matter in view of the scientific evidence long placed before us in regard to the filthiness of milk supplies in general; the refinements of bacteriology apart, it is enough to witness the dirty routine of the milking of the cow to make us insist on the universal adoption of superior methods in this direction. We have before us a wellstudied and reasoned consideration of the whole question in a report published by the Research Institute in Dairying of University College, Reading. The authors of the report, which is entitled " A Study of the Factors Concerned in the Production of Clean Milk "(Part 1.), are Edith G. Knight, Kathleen Freear. and R. Stenhouse Williams. We realise the difficulties of introducing reforms into the existing ’methods of the dairy farm and of convincing the farmer of the real prejudice to life and health which dirty methods of milk-production may well involve. But if, as this report shows, intelligent and interested labour, aided by special appliances and appropriate buildings, will secure a remarkably clean milk of good keeping quality, with very low bacterial content, the remedies 1 London : P. S. King and Son, Ltd., Orchard House, Westminster, S.W.l.
1920. 1s.
road to take. and
common sense
should do the rest.
-
THE LOSS OF WILLIAM OSLER. WHILE the country of his birth may be justly proud of having produced a great man, he really belongs to, the world, and to all time. Such a man was Osler, and the minute of the Executive Committee of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in Cincinnati, drafted by Dr. C. H. Bunting, is one of the many special tributes to the memory of Osler, which can be paid by all of us to a leader in every sphere of scientific and social activity. The minute runs :In the death of Dr. Osler, the medical profession has suffered an immeasurable loss. Belonging to no cult, or age, or clime, but descended in direct line from Hippocrates, he was master of the art of medicine in its purest form. As a, teacher, he was again master, painting with broad strokes pictures of disease never to be forgotten by the student. An investigator and an inspirer of investigation, a worthy counsellor of brother physicians, a delver into the history of medicine, and an ornament to its letters ; and withal so human and of such rare personal charm as to be beloved of all who came in contact with him. Such was the man we mourn. We grieve not only for the loss of leader and friend, but also that death overtook him in the very shadow of the great conflict which had brought him so great personal loss and sorrow and robbed him of the mellow years which were so fully his due. _____
MEDICAL INSURANCE AGENCY. AT a meeting of the Committee of Management of the Medical Insurance Agency, held at 429, Strand, W.C., Dr. G. E. Haslip, the chairman, presented his report for the year 1919, together with the balance-sheet of the Agency for the year ending Dec. 31st, 1919, from which it emerged that while the expenses have increased the Agency is now self-supporting, and the business transacted in the year has been the largest yet done. Steady progress has been made in accident and fire business, and the income from all sources was 9750 in excess of the income of 1918. The income earned showed an, increase which was not only sufficient to meet the increased expenditure, but to continue the 61000 grants to medical charities and still leave a balance of 632 unallotted for the year. The total sums distributed to medical charities up to the end of 1919 -were ;E5,400. - t-jLit3
L1’V.l-
runs .—
"In commissions and other sums earned by the Agency the three principal sources of business-life, motor-car, and accident insurances-each show marked progress, especially the former. This is a satisfactory feature, as life business is the most steady form of income in so far as that once a policy is negotiated until it becomes a claim by death or maturity, it represents an annuity to the agency. The number of new policies completed during the year totalled 63, as against 25 and 15 in the two previous years. This is the highest number yet reached. Motor-car insurances showed steady progress, and the commissions are up some JE200. (All motor-car premiums have been increased as from January of this year 40 to 50 per cent. on pre-war rates.)" During the year C960 was returned in rebates to the insured, being 280 more than in 1918. The sum returned to the profession in rebates now amounts to .S7000. The report of the chairman and the certified
balance-sheet having been received and approved, the further grants to medical charities were discussed. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Dr. R. A. Gibbons, it was resolved that out of the surplus funds of the Agency the following interim grants of ;S457 10s. to medical benevolent funds be made :-
As a result of this distribution the total sums allocated to medical charities have reached ae5877 10s. A booklet describing the work of the Agency and the advantages of insuring through it has been prepared, and this and other information can be obtained from the Clerk to the Agency, Mr. P. N. Adamthwaite, 429, Strand,.
all
London,
W.C.
This theory
interesting and rat repression.
useful
synopsis
of what is known of
ANCIENT SURGICAL INSTRUMENTS. nas recently Deen mrectea to a Mr. S. Holth, of Kristiania, Norway, on "Greco-Roman and Arabic Bronze Instruments and their Medico-Surgical Use." It is a valuable supplement to Mr. J. Stewart Milne’s " Surgical Instruments in Greek and Roman Times," issued at Oxford in 1907. Mr. Holth purchased a series of instruments at the sale of the collection of antiquities from Syria and Palestine, once the property of Baron Ustinoff. All the surgical instruments are of bronze, excepting the silver handle of a knife, which bears an inscription in Greek, Oés /, KBe7TTK, " Put me dowii, thief." Lucian alludes to surgeons who put pretty gold and silver handles to instruments which they did not really know how to use. Mr. Holth figures a Roman steelyard, such as Milne described, and does not, like Milne, believe that it is an interloper, never employed by the profession ; for classical doctors weighed the drugs which they purchased wholesale, being their own apothecaries. A spoon-spatula of Arabic origin bears, it would seem, its maker’s name. In only one other instance, related by Milne, is such a name found on an antique surgical instrument; and it is well known to those who study British medical literature that makers cut trade-marks, and not their names, on their wares until the days of George III. Mr. Holth’s spoon-spatula probably came from Palmyra, and was made in the days when the Arab Caliphs ruled in Syria. Once more, as in the case of the steelyard, Mr. Holth finds another contrivance similar to a like instrument in Mr. Milne’s series, and does not believe that it is an interloper. It is a long needle made for the weaving of fishing-nets ; the author maintains that this needle; deeply forked at each end, was used to keep suture-threads carefully wound up, and so always ready for use. Mr. Holth also describes an Arabic couching-needle and a sharp spoon, the stem of which bears a scale to measure the length of nstulse and the depth of wounds. The author believes that it is practically a millimetre scale, used by some Roman surgeon ages before the metrical system was introduced by the Constituent Assembly of France, at the beginning of the Revolution.
UUR
attention
pamphlet by
___
CLEAN MILK. WE have dealt with the question of the supply of clean milk and its consummation to the point of fatigue. The reasons for the clean supply being considered a practical necessity have long ago been amply subIt is difficult to understand why there stantiated. should be any delay in this matter in view of the scientific evidence long placed before us in regard to the filthiness of milk supplies in general; the refinements of bacteriology apart, it is enough to witness the dirty routine of the milking of the cow to make us insist on the universal adoption of superior methods in this direction. We have before us a wellstudied and reasoned consideration of the whole question in a report published by the Research Institute in Dairying of University College, Reading. The authors of the report, which is entitled " A Study of the Factors Concerned in the Production of Clean Milk "(Part 1.), are Edith G. Knight, Kathleen Freear. and R. Stenhouse Williams. We realise the difficulties of introducing reforms into the existing ’methods of the dairy farm and of convincing the farmer of the real prejudice to life and health which dirty methods of milk-production may well involve. But if, as this report shows, intelligent and interested labour, aided by special appliances and appropriate buildings, will secure a remarkably clean milk of good keeping quality, with very low bacterial content, the remedies 1 London : P. S. King and Son, Ltd., Orchard House, Westminster, S.W.l.
1920. 1s.
road to take. and
common sense
should do the rest.
-
THE LOSS OF WILLIAM OSLER. WHILE the country of his birth may be justly proud of having produced a great man, he really belongs to, the world, and to all time. Such a man was Osler, and the minute of the Executive Committee of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology in Cincinnati, drafted by Dr. C. H. Bunting, is one of the many special tributes to the memory of Osler, which can be paid by all of us to a leader in every sphere of scientific and social activity. The minute runs :In the death of Dr. Osler, the medical profession has suffered an immeasurable loss. Belonging to no cult, or age, or clime, but descended in direct line from Hippocrates, he was master of the art of medicine in its purest form. As a, teacher, he was again master, painting with broad strokes pictures of disease never to be forgotten by the student. An investigator and an inspirer of investigation, a worthy counsellor of brother physicians, a delver into the history of medicine, and an ornament to its letters ; and withal so human and of such rare personal charm as to be beloved of all who came in contact with him. Such was the man we mourn. We grieve not only for the loss of leader and friend, but also that death overtook him in the very shadow of the great conflict which had brought him so great personal loss and sorrow and robbed him of the mellow years which were so fully his due. _____
MEDICAL INSURANCE AGENCY. AT a meeting of the Committee of Management of the Medical Insurance Agency, held at 429, Strand, W.C., Dr. G. E. Haslip, the chairman, presented his report for the year 1919, together with the balance-sheet of the Agency for the year ending Dec. 31st, 1919, from which it emerged that while the expenses have increased the Agency is now self-supporting, and the business transacted in the year has been the largest yet done. Steady progress has been made in accident and fire business, and the income from all sources was 9750 in excess of the income of 1918. The income earned showed an, increase which was not only sufficient to meet the increased expenditure, but to continue the 61000 grants to medical charities and still leave a balance of 632 unallotted for the year. The total sums distributed to medical charities up to the end of 1919 -were ;E5,400. - t-jLit3
L1’V.l-
runs .—
"In commissions and other sums earned by the Agency the three principal sources of business-life, motor-car, and accident insurances-each show marked progress, especially the former. This is a satisfactory feature, as life business is the most steady form of income in so far as that once a policy is negotiated until it becomes a claim by death or maturity, it represents an annuity to the agency. The number of new policies completed during the year totalled 63, as against 25 and 15 in the two previous years. This is the highest number yet reached. Motor-car insurances showed steady progress, and the commissions are up some JE200. (All motor-car premiums have been increased as from January of this year 40 to 50 per cent. on pre-war rates.)" During the year C960 was returned in rebates to the insured, being 280 more than in 1918. The sum returned to the profession in rebates now amounts to .S7000. The report of the chairman and the certified
balance-sheet having been received and approved, the further grants to medical charities were discussed. On the motion of the chairman, seconded by Dr. R. A. Gibbons, it was resolved that out of the surplus funds of the Agency the following interim grants of ;S457 10s. to medical benevolent funds be made :-
As a result of this distribution the total sums allocated to medical charities have reached ae5877 10s. A booklet describing the work of the Agency and the advantages of insuring through it has been prepared, and this and other information can be obtained from the Clerk to the Agency, Mr. P. N. Adamthwaite, 429, Strand,.
all
London,
W.C.