- Email: [email protected]
MEDICINE AND THE LAW.
318
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.
and others to replace the crude drug by an equivalent quantity of cantharidin in the official preparations is deserving of serious consideration by clinicians. Referring to cascarilla Mr. Naylor commented on the varying quality of the drug, the chief constituents of which include a bitter substance, cascarillin, an essential oil, and a resin. It is probable that the medicinal properties of the drug are due to those constituents. Ca carillin is so readily obtained in a state of purity that it is a matter of surprise that so little is known If the ofits pharmacological action or medicinal use. therapeutic value of the drug depends on the presence of an agreeable bitter principle then cascarillin might with advantage be administered in place of the usual galenical preparations of cascarilla. Mr. Naylor said that from his own experience of the drug the variations in quality are due to a deficiency of the bitter principle cascarillin in many samples that have been imported during recent In regard to the present knowledge of gelse3e,irs. mium Mr. Naylor stated that the root contains two alkaloids-the crystalline gelsemine and the amorphous gelseminine. Of these, the latter is physiologically much more active than the former. In the case of male fern there is at present no known chemical method of determining the vermifugal activity of the ethereal extract. Clinical observation has repeatedly made clear the fact that this preparation sometimes contains a toxic body in addition to the vermifugal constituents, Senega is another drug that requires further investigation, as it is not at present known to what principle or principles the therapeutical action of the drug is due. In conclusion Mr. Naylor referred to the lamentable fact that drugs of second and third qualitiesare still marketable commodities. Such drags are used in the preparation of official galenicals which necessarily are not of standard strength. The papers that were read at the subsequent sessions of the conference were mainly of pharmaceutical interest, dealing chiefly with the improvement of galenical processes and the standardisation of medicines. Reference may be made to a paper by Mr. E. F. Harrison, B.Sc., F.I.C , and Mr. D. Gair, B.Sc., A.I.C., on the Examination of 13 Commercial Samples of Malt Extract. Of these only three possessed a satisfactory diastatic value, as determined by the wei5’ht of starJh converted by one part of extract. It is obvious that a malt extract deficient or wholly wanting in diastatic power is useless as a medicine and if regarded as a food it offers no advantage over treacle, which. it much exceeds in price. The four best samples had diastatic powers of 468, 356, 346, and 268 respectively, another had a diastatic value of 137, while the values of the remainder fell well below 100, two samples having no diastatic value whatMr. T. Slater Price, D.Sc., Ph.D., of Birmingham, ever. communicated a suggestive pap?r on Some Applications of Physical Chemistry to Pharmacological Problems. Dr. Price considered the question of the toxic and disinfecting action of certain salts, including the chloride, bromide, and cyanide of mercury. He showed the influence of sodium chloride in diminishing the disinfectant properties of a solution of mercuric chloride. From a table given by Dr. Price the dissociation (and toxic effect) of the mercuric chloride is diminished considerably by the addition of sodium chloride. Eight colonies developed from anthrax spores placed in a solution of one molecular weight in grammes of mercuric chloride in 16 litres of water; when one molecular weight of salt was added to this quantity of water 32 colonies developed, while the numbers of colonies developed when two, three, four, and ten molecular weights of sa.lt were added were 124, 282, 382, and 1087 respectively. With these and other illustrations Dr. Price showed the value of applying
physical chemistry to pharmacological problems. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND. ordinary meeting of the Council was held on July 26th, ’, MORRIS, the President, being in the chair. It was resolved to issue diplomas of Membership to 103 successful candidates and to issue in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians of London diplomas in AN
Mr. HENRY
public
health to 15 candidates. The annual report of the Finance Committee was approved and adopted. The gross income of the College for the
past
year was £25,361, being £394 less than in the previous year. The expenditure for the year was £23,031 and the balance of income over expenditure amounted to .63329. ’ A report from the board of examiners in dental surgery The report recommended the was received and adopted. that the period of instruction in (a) following changes : mechanical dentistry required for the licence in dental surgery should be reduced from three to two years; and (b) that students should be admissible to the First Professional Examination as soon as they can produce the required certificates without necessarily completing. six months’ attendance at a -dental school and hospital. A report was received from the committee on the question of admitting women to the examinations of the College. It was resolved to take counsel’s opinion on the interpretation of the Acts and Charter as regards the corporate status of women if admitted as Fellows and Members. The PRESIDENT stated that, in accordance with the wish of the Council, he had forwarded to the President of the Privy Council a copy of the resolution carried at the last meeting of the Council on the subject of the remuneration for professional services by medical men when called into attend. ance by midwives practising under the Midwives Act. A letter was read from the clerk of ’the Privy Council stating that the question will bcarefully considered in connexion with any amendment of the Act. Mr. John Tweedy and Mr. Edmund Owen were appointed members of the executive committee of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Mr. H. T. Butlin was rea member. Mr. TWEEDY, on behalf of Mr. Edward Clapton, F.R.C.S. Eag., presented a branch of the p’ane tree under which Hippocrates taught more than 2300 years ago in the Island of Cos and a photograph of the tree which is still living. The best thanks of the Council were given to Mr. Clapton for his very interesting gift. It was resolved to present an address of congratulation to the University of Aberdeen on the occasion of the celebration of its quater-centenary in September.
appointed
MEDICINE AND THE LAW. Factory Regulations and the Hot Weather. A SUMMONS taken out by the Home Office authorities against Messrs. R Bell and Co., Limited, the well-known match manufacturers, recently showed that the hot weather had been responsible for a breach of the law on their part, for which Mr. Cluer inflicted a fine of 40s. with 28. costs. The offence consisted in allowing the process of dipping to be carried on without the use of exhaust fans and other prescribed appliances for protecting the worker from the fumes of the phosphorus used, in respect of which appliances special regulations have been framed for observance in these particular works. The dipping operations forming the subject of the summons were carried on in a yard upon the day in question owing to the heat instead of in the usual and properly equipped workIt was pointed out by Mr. Bellhouse, inspector of rooms. factories, that such a proceeding laid the workpeople open to those dangers which the special regulations had been framed to protect them from. It was stated on behalf of the defendants that had the work not been removed to the yard as described about 140 hands would have been temporarily thrown out of work, and the magistrate in imposing a nominal penalty seems to have accepted this view. Hot weather, however, is likely to occur in July and August, and it might be suggested that a factory should contain rooms not less cool and airy than a yard for the performance of any work for which a yard suffices. The Poner to Compel Medical or Surgical Treatment. An important point has arisen several times during the last year out of claims under the Workmen’s Compensation Act (1897). As is well known, an injured workman by that Act must submit himself to a physical examination by a medical practitioner before he can obtain an order for compensation. Now occasionally it happens that the medical examiner, either in his report or in the witness-box, states that a surgical operation or a course of medical treatment in all probability would greatly benefit the injured man and enable him to resume his former or another occupation. In law it is certain that the workman cannot
319
MEDICINE AND THE LAW.-VITAL STATISTICS. -
from whooping-cough in Birkenhead; and from diar-rhoea in West Ham, East Hm, Norwich, Handswortb him as the result of tt e accident. On several occasions (Staffs), and Warrington. The fatal cases of diphboth in court and by arbitrators this legal position has been theria showed the largest proportional excels in West enunciated. ’Thus, in the Court of Appeal, in a definite case Hartlepool, Salford, Hull, and West Hamscarlet fever where this question arose, the Master of the Rolls declared caused six deaths in London, five in Sheffield, three in that there was nothing in the Act of 1897 which allowed Liverpool, three in Leeds, and two in Manchester ; wbile such a compulsion. Lately, however, a very dubious ruling of the 23 deaths referred to " fever," three belonged to" wasgiven in the Southwark county court where the judge is London, three to Manchester, two to Devonport, and two to West Ham. One case of small-pox remained under treatreported to have said :— I have Do power to compel him to undergo the operation,but in order ment in the Metropolitan Asylums hospitals at the end of the week, against numbers declining from 13 to- two at the a penny per week ; to induce him to do so I will reduce his alluwat ce to and then if he does undergo the operation, and of it is unsuccessful, he end of the five preceding weeks ; no new cases have been.’ can come to me again and.apply to have the allowan(c increased. admitted during the past five weeks. The number of In this case there was a very strong probability that the scarlet fever cases which had been continuously rising suggested operation would have restored, or at any rate have from 2225 to 2943 on the 14 preceding Saturdays, had relieved, the injured man. In all these operations after further risen to 3042 on Saturday last408 new cases’ accidents there is a risk, be it great or small, that a fatal were admitted during the week, against 378, 4C6, and: issue might result, especially in severe operations which have 413 in the three previous weeks. The deaths in to be performed upon a patient who has been anæsthetised. London referred to pneumonia and other diseases of theIt is not improbable that if the workman succumb d during respiratory organs, which had been 118, 119, and 133 irts the surgical treatment the employer would repudiate all the three preceding weeks, declined again to 101 last week,. liability fer compens ,tion, as it would be al’cged that the and were 19 below the corrected average in the correspondoperation and not the precedent accident was the real cause ing week of the four preceding years 1902-05. The cansesof death. Hence, whenever at the suggestion of the court an of 24, or 0.66 per cent., of the deaths registered in the 76 injured workman does agree voluntarily to undergo an opera- towns during the week were not certified either by a tion he should always take legal advice and come to a registered medical practitioner or by a coroner. In 60 of definite, if private, agreement with his en ployer, so that the the 76 towns, including West Ham, Bristol, Leicester,, latter would be bornd to support his family should he die Nottingham, Salford, Sheffie:d, Hull, and Newcastle-on— during or after the operation. Apart from a similar previous Tynp, no uncertified death was registered during thea’rangement the employer would not beailowed to nominatea week ; there were three in London and in Birmingham, two in Manchester, Leeds, R)therham, and Gateshead, and surgton who could demand ad’uishion while the operation was bei g performed, allho gh usually the need for this arragement one each in ten other towns. would not arise vs thu employ er would be only too eager himself to pay the surgeon In this connexion it may be HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS. recalled that a man wl o has feloniously wounded another can The annual rate of mortality in eight of the principal plead neither that the victim’s death would Lot have Scotch towns, which had been equal to 15’3, 14’ 3, and occurred had he placed himself under proper and skilful 13’7 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks, rose again toadvice and treatment, nor that had it not been for the un14 3 in the week ending July 28th, and exceeded by 1.7 snccessfulline of treatment actually adopted the deceased 1000 the rate last week in the 76 large English towns. per man would still have been in the land of the living. Another The rates in the eight Scotch towns ranged from 6’ 0 ir& item of interest is that even if a man agrees to allow an Perth and 12 0 in Leith to 14 8 in Edinburgh and 15-0 in unnecessary operation, such a contract cannot in law be Paisley. The 489 deaths in the towns showed an enforced, so that the pledged forfeiture ofa pound of flesh" increase of 19 on the number in eight the previous week, and in Antonio’s bond would have been regarded as pro non included 23 which were referred to diarrl oea, 11 toscripto had Shvlcck attempted to enforce his unconscionable whooping-cough, nine to "fever," six to measles, four to contract in an Er glish court of justice. diphtheria, and two to scarlet fever, but not any to smallpox. In all, 55 deaths resulted from these principal epidemic diseases last week, against 63 and 40 in the twoVITAL STATISTICS. preceding weeks ; they were equal to an annual rate of 1. 6 per 1000, which was also the rate from the same diseases last week in the 76 large English tcwns. The deaths HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS. attributed to diarrhoea in the Scotch towns, which had been IN 76 of the largest English towns 8348 births and 3813 22 and 1 in the two preceding weeks, rose again last week deaths were registered during the week ending July 28th. to 23, of which 13 occurred in Glasgow, four in Edinburgh, The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which had three in Aberdeen, and two in Dundee. The 11 fatal cases of been equal to 11.77 and 12’0 per 1000 in the twopreceding whooping-cough showed a slight decline from the number in and two weeks, further rose to 12 6 per 10GO la.-t week. During the previous week, and included seven in Glasg&w the first four weeks of the quarter the death-rate in these in Aberdeen. The nine deaths referred to "fever" (intowns has averaged 12’2 per 1000, the rate during the cluding ,even cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis) wereThe lowest in excess of the numbers in the two preceding weeks, same period being 11 . 9 per 1000 in London. death-rates last week in the 76 towns were 4 - 8 in Hornsey, and were all registered in Glasgow. The fatal cases of 4 9 in Handsworth (Staffs), 5 6 in Northampton. 5.99 in measles, which had been ten, 12, and seven in the three preStockton-on-Tees, 6 -2 in Hastings and in York, and 6 9 in ceding weeks, further declined last week to six, of which, Bournemouth ; the highest rates were 17’3 in Warrington, four occurred in Edinburgh and two in Glasgow. The deaths 18.55 in Wigan,18.77 in Huddersfield, 19.11 in Manchester, in the eight towns referred to diseases of the respiratory 19.5in Bury, and 216 in MerthyrTydfil. The 3813, organs, including pneumonia, which had been 54, 59, and 66, deaths in the 76 towns showed an increase of 163 on in the three preceding weeks, declined again last week tothe number in the previous week, and included 486’ 52, and were 18 below the number in the corresponding which were referred to the principal epidemic diseases, period of last year. The causes of 19, or 3 9 per cent., of against 406, 361, and 424 in the three preceding weeks; the deaths registered in the eight towns last week were of these 220 resulted from diarrhoea, 110 from measles, not certified, the proportion in the 76 large English towns 56 from diphtheria, 48 from whooping-cough, 29 from scarlettduring the same week being only 0’ 6 per cent. fever, and 23 from " fever" (principally enteric), but nott any from small-pox. The deaths frcm these principal epidemic HEALTH OF DUBLIN. diseases were equal to an annual rate of 1 - 6 per 1000 in The annual death-rate in Dublin, which had been equal to the 76 towns and to 1. 5 per 1000 in London. No death from any of these epidemic diseases was registered last week in18 ?7 and 20 9 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, dec ided Hastirgs, Smethwick, Coventry, Wallasey, Barrow-in-Furness, again to 20.1per 1000 during the week ending July.28th. Stockton- on-Tees, or Newcastle on-Tyne, while they caused1 During the four weeks of the present quarter the death-rate hasdeath-rates of 3.0ptrr 1000 or upwards in Devonport, averaged 19 2 per 1000. the rates during the same period being Burton. on-Trent, Manchester, Huddersfield, and Halifax- 11.99 in London and 13’11 in Edinburgh. The 146 deaths of The highest death-ratts from measles occurred in Man- Dublin residents during last week showed a decrease of six chester, Salford, Huddnsfield, H lifax, and Ro’.hirham ;; frouz the number in the preceding week, and included ten.
compelled to submit to that operation or treatment prior to the final assessment of the compensation due to be
each
.
-
,
,
.
-
ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.
and others to replace the crude drug by an equivalent quantity of cantharidin in the official preparations is deserving of serious consideration by clinicians. Referring to cascarilla Mr. Naylor commented on the varying quality of the drug, the chief constituents of which include a bitter substance, cascarillin, an essential oil, and a resin. It is probable that the medicinal properties of the drug are due to those constituents. Ca carillin is so readily obtained in a state of purity that it is a matter of surprise that so little is known If the ofits pharmacological action or medicinal use. therapeutic value of the drug depends on the presence of an agreeable bitter principle then cascarillin might with advantage be administered in place of the usual galenical preparations of cascarilla. Mr. Naylor said that from his own experience of the drug the variations in quality are due to a deficiency of the bitter principle cascarillin in many samples that have been imported during recent In regard to the present knowledge of gelse3e,irs. mium Mr. Naylor stated that the root contains two alkaloids-the crystalline gelsemine and the amorphous gelseminine. Of these, the latter is physiologically much more active than the former. In the case of male fern there is at present no known chemical method of determining the vermifugal activity of the ethereal extract. Clinical observation has repeatedly made clear the fact that this preparation sometimes contains a toxic body in addition to the vermifugal constituents, Senega is another drug that requires further investigation, as it is not at present known to what principle or principles the therapeutical action of the drug is due. In conclusion Mr. Naylor referred to the lamentable fact that drugs of second and third qualitiesare still marketable commodities. Such drags are used in the preparation of official galenicals which necessarily are not of standard strength. The papers that were read at the subsequent sessions of the conference were mainly of pharmaceutical interest, dealing chiefly with the improvement of galenical processes and the standardisation of medicines. Reference may be made to a paper by Mr. E. F. Harrison, B.Sc., F.I.C , and Mr. D. Gair, B.Sc., A.I.C., on the Examination of 13 Commercial Samples of Malt Extract. Of these only three possessed a satisfactory diastatic value, as determined by the wei5’ht of starJh converted by one part of extract. It is obvious that a malt extract deficient or wholly wanting in diastatic power is useless as a medicine and if regarded as a food it offers no advantage over treacle, which. it much exceeds in price. The four best samples had diastatic powers of 468, 356, 346, and 268 respectively, another had a diastatic value of 137, while the values of the remainder fell well below 100, two samples having no diastatic value whatMr. T. Slater Price, D.Sc., Ph.D., of Birmingham, ever. communicated a suggestive pap?r on Some Applications of Physical Chemistry to Pharmacological Problems. Dr. Price considered the question of the toxic and disinfecting action of certain salts, including the chloride, bromide, and cyanide of mercury. He showed the influence of sodium chloride in diminishing the disinfectant properties of a solution of mercuric chloride. From a table given by Dr. Price the dissociation (and toxic effect) of the mercuric chloride is diminished considerably by the addition of sodium chloride. Eight colonies developed from anthrax spores placed in a solution of one molecular weight in grammes of mercuric chloride in 16 litres of water; when one molecular weight of salt was added to this quantity of water 32 colonies developed, while the numbers of colonies developed when two, three, four, and ten molecular weights of sa.lt were added were 124, 282, 382, and 1087 respectively. With these and other illustrations Dr. Price showed the value of applying
physical chemistry to pharmacological problems. ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND. ordinary meeting of the Council was held on July 26th, ’, MORRIS, the President, being in the chair. It was resolved to issue diplomas of Membership to 103 successful candidates and to issue in conjunction with the Royal College of Physicians of London diplomas in AN
Mr. HENRY
public
health to 15 candidates. The annual report of the Finance Committee was approved and adopted. The gross income of the College for the
past
year was £25,361, being £394 less than in the previous year. The expenditure for the year was £23,031 and the balance of income over expenditure amounted to .63329. ’ A report from the board of examiners in dental surgery The report recommended the was received and adopted. that the period of instruction in (a) following changes : mechanical dentistry required for the licence in dental surgery should be reduced from three to two years; and (b) that students should be admissible to the First Professional Examination as soon as they can produce the required certificates without necessarily completing. six months’ attendance at a -dental school and hospital. A report was received from the committee on the question of admitting women to the examinations of the College. It was resolved to take counsel’s opinion on the interpretation of the Acts and Charter as regards the corporate status of women if admitted as Fellows and Members. The PRESIDENT stated that, in accordance with the wish of the Council, he had forwarded to the President of the Privy Council a copy of the resolution carried at the last meeting of the Council on the subject of the remuneration for professional services by medical men when called into attend. ance by midwives practising under the Midwives Act. A letter was read from the clerk of ’the Privy Council stating that the question will bcarefully considered in connexion with any amendment of the Act. Mr. John Tweedy and Mr. Edmund Owen were appointed members of the executive committee of the Imperial Cancer Research Fund and Mr. H. T. Butlin was rea member. Mr. TWEEDY, on behalf of Mr. Edward Clapton, F.R.C.S. Eag., presented a branch of the p’ane tree under which Hippocrates taught more than 2300 years ago in the Island of Cos and a photograph of the tree which is still living. The best thanks of the Council were given to Mr. Clapton for his very interesting gift. It was resolved to present an address of congratulation to the University of Aberdeen on the occasion of the celebration of its quater-centenary in September.
appointed
MEDICINE AND THE LAW. Factory Regulations and the Hot Weather. A SUMMONS taken out by the Home Office authorities against Messrs. R Bell and Co., Limited, the well-known match manufacturers, recently showed that the hot weather had been responsible for a breach of the law on their part, for which Mr. Cluer inflicted a fine of 40s. with 28. costs. The offence consisted in allowing the process of dipping to be carried on without the use of exhaust fans and other prescribed appliances for protecting the worker from the fumes of the phosphorus used, in respect of which appliances special regulations have been framed for observance in these particular works. The dipping operations forming the subject of the summons were carried on in a yard upon the day in question owing to the heat instead of in the usual and properly equipped workIt was pointed out by Mr. Bellhouse, inspector of rooms. factories, that such a proceeding laid the workpeople open to those dangers which the special regulations had been framed to protect them from. It was stated on behalf of the defendants that had the work not been removed to the yard as described about 140 hands would have been temporarily thrown out of work, and the magistrate in imposing a nominal penalty seems to have accepted this view. Hot weather, however, is likely to occur in July and August, and it might be suggested that a factory should contain rooms not less cool and airy than a yard for the performance of any work for which a yard suffices. The Poner to Compel Medical or Surgical Treatment. An important point has arisen several times during the last year out of claims under the Workmen’s Compensation Act (1897). As is well known, an injured workman by that Act must submit himself to a physical examination by a medical practitioner before he can obtain an order for compensation. Now occasionally it happens that the medical examiner, either in his report or in the witness-box, states that a surgical operation or a course of medical treatment in all probability would greatly benefit the injured man and enable him to resume his former or another occupation. In law it is certain that the workman cannot
319
MEDICINE AND THE LAW.-VITAL STATISTICS. -
from whooping-cough in Birkenhead; and from diar-rhoea in West Ham, East Hm, Norwich, Handswortb him as the result of tt e accident. On several occasions (Staffs), and Warrington. The fatal cases of diphboth in court and by arbitrators this legal position has been theria showed the largest proportional excels in West enunciated. ’Thus, in the Court of Appeal, in a definite case Hartlepool, Salford, Hull, and West Hamscarlet fever where this question arose, the Master of the Rolls declared caused six deaths in London, five in Sheffield, three in that there was nothing in the Act of 1897 which allowed Liverpool, three in Leeds, and two in Manchester ; wbile such a compulsion. Lately, however, a very dubious ruling of the 23 deaths referred to " fever," three belonged to" wasgiven in the Southwark county court where the judge is London, three to Manchester, two to Devonport, and two to West Ham. One case of small-pox remained under treatreported to have said :— I have Do power to compel him to undergo the operation,but in order ment in the Metropolitan Asylums hospitals at the end of the week, against numbers declining from 13 to- two at the a penny per week ; to induce him to do so I will reduce his alluwat ce to and then if he does undergo the operation, and of it is unsuccessful, he end of the five preceding weeks ; no new cases have been.’ can come to me again and.apply to have the allowan(c increased. admitted during the past five weeks. The number of In this case there was a very strong probability that the scarlet fever cases which had been continuously rising suggested operation would have restored, or at any rate have from 2225 to 2943 on the 14 preceding Saturdays, had relieved, the injured man. In all these operations after further risen to 3042 on Saturday last408 new cases’ accidents there is a risk, be it great or small, that a fatal were admitted during the week, against 378, 4C6, and: issue might result, especially in severe operations which have 413 in the three previous weeks. The deaths in to be performed upon a patient who has been anæsthetised. London referred to pneumonia and other diseases of theIt is not improbable that if the workman succumb d during respiratory organs, which had been 118, 119, and 133 irts the surgical treatment the employer would repudiate all the three preceding weeks, declined again to 101 last week,. liability fer compens ,tion, as it would be al’cged that the and were 19 below the corrected average in the correspondoperation and not the precedent accident was the real cause ing week of the four preceding years 1902-05. The cansesof death. Hence, whenever at the suggestion of the court an of 24, or 0.66 per cent., of the deaths registered in the 76 injured workman does agree voluntarily to undergo an opera- towns during the week were not certified either by a tion he should always take legal advice and come to a registered medical practitioner or by a coroner. In 60 of definite, if private, agreement with his en ployer, so that the the 76 towns, including West Ham, Bristol, Leicester,, latter would be bornd to support his family should he die Nottingham, Salford, Sheffie:d, Hull, and Newcastle-on— during or after the operation. Apart from a similar previous Tynp, no uncertified death was registered during thea’rangement the employer would not beailowed to nominatea week ; there were three in London and in Birmingham, two in Manchester, Leeds, R)therham, and Gateshead, and surgton who could demand ad’uishion while the operation was bei g performed, allho gh usually the need for this arragement one each in ten other towns. would not arise vs thu employ er would be only too eager himself to pay the surgeon In this connexion it may be HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS. recalled that a man wl o has feloniously wounded another can The annual rate of mortality in eight of the principal plead neither that the victim’s death would Lot have Scotch towns, which had been equal to 15’3, 14’ 3, and occurred had he placed himself under proper and skilful 13’7 per 1000 in the three preceding weeks, rose again toadvice and treatment, nor that had it not been for the un14 3 in the week ending July 28th, and exceeded by 1.7 snccessfulline of treatment actually adopted the deceased 1000 the rate last week in the 76 large English towns. per man would still have been in the land of the living. Another The rates in the eight Scotch towns ranged from 6’ 0 ir& item of interest is that even if a man agrees to allow an Perth and 12 0 in Leith to 14 8 in Edinburgh and 15-0 in unnecessary operation, such a contract cannot in law be Paisley. The 489 deaths in the towns showed an enforced, so that the pledged forfeiture ofa pound of flesh" increase of 19 on the number in eight the previous week, and in Antonio’s bond would have been regarded as pro non included 23 which were referred to diarrl oea, 11 toscripto had Shvlcck attempted to enforce his unconscionable whooping-cough, nine to "fever," six to measles, four to contract in an Er glish court of justice. diphtheria, and two to scarlet fever, but not any to smallpox. In all, 55 deaths resulted from these principal epidemic diseases last week, against 63 and 40 in the twoVITAL STATISTICS. preceding weeks ; they were equal to an annual rate of 1. 6 per 1000, which was also the rate from the same diseases last week in the 76 large English tcwns. The deaths HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS. attributed to diarrhoea in the Scotch towns, which had been IN 76 of the largest English towns 8348 births and 3813 22 and 1 in the two preceding weeks, rose again last week deaths were registered during the week ending July 28th. to 23, of which 13 occurred in Glasgow, four in Edinburgh, The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which had three in Aberdeen, and two in Dundee. The 11 fatal cases of been equal to 11.77 and 12’0 per 1000 in the twopreceding whooping-cough showed a slight decline from the number in and two weeks, further rose to 12 6 per 10GO la.-t week. During the previous week, and included seven in Glasg&w the first four weeks of the quarter the death-rate in these in Aberdeen. The nine deaths referred to "fever" (intowns has averaged 12’2 per 1000, the rate during the cluding ,even cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis) wereThe lowest in excess of the numbers in the two preceding weeks, same period being 11 . 9 per 1000 in London. death-rates last week in the 76 towns were 4 - 8 in Hornsey, and were all registered in Glasgow. The fatal cases of 4 9 in Handsworth (Staffs), 5 6 in Northampton. 5.99 in measles, which had been ten, 12, and seven in the three preStockton-on-Tees, 6 -2 in Hastings and in York, and 6 9 in ceding weeks, further declined last week to six, of which, Bournemouth ; the highest rates were 17’3 in Warrington, four occurred in Edinburgh and two in Glasgow. The deaths 18.55 in Wigan,18.77 in Huddersfield, 19.11 in Manchester, in the eight towns referred to diseases of the respiratory 19.5in Bury, and 216 in MerthyrTydfil. The 3813, organs, including pneumonia, which had been 54, 59, and 66, deaths in the 76 towns showed an increase of 163 on in the three preceding weeks, declined again last week tothe number in the previous week, and included 486’ 52, and were 18 below the number in the corresponding which were referred to the principal epidemic diseases, period of last year. The causes of 19, or 3 9 per cent., of against 406, 361, and 424 in the three preceding weeks; the deaths registered in the eight towns last week were of these 220 resulted from diarrhoea, 110 from measles, not certified, the proportion in the 76 large English towns 56 from diphtheria, 48 from whooping-cough, 29 from scarlettduring the same week being only 0’ 6 per cent. fever, and 23 from " fever" (principally enteric), but nott any from small-pox. The deaths frcm these principal epidemic HEALTH OF DUBLIN. diseases were equal to an annual rate of 1 - 6 per 1000 in The annual death-rate in Dublin, which had been equal to the 76 towns and to 1. 5 per 1000 in London. No death from any of these epidemic diseases was registered last week in18 ?7 and 20 9 per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, dec ided Hastirgs, Smethwick, Coventry, Wallasey, Barrow-in-Furness, again to 20.1per 1000 during the week ending July.28th. Stockton- on-Tees, or Newcastle on-Tyne, while they caused1 During the four weeks of the present quarter the death-rate hasdeath-rates of 3.0ptrr 1000 or upwards in Devonport, averaged 19 2 per 1000. the rates during the same period being Burton. on-Trent, Manchester, Huddersfield, and Halifax- 11.99 in London and 13’11 in Edinburgh. The 146 deaths of The highest death-ratts from measles occurred in Man- Dublin residents during last week showed a decrease of six chester, Salford, Huddnsfield, H lifax, and Ro’.hirham ;; frouz the number in the preceding week, and included ten.
compelled to submit to that operation or treatment prior to the final assessment of the compensation due to be
each
.
-
,
,
.
-