PLURAL BIRTHS.

taken by Dr. Macpherson to stop the increase THE NEW VACCINATION ACT. by having every case, immediately it was de’To the Editor of THE LANCET. under medical an abundant tected, brought treatment, with supply of fresh meat and vegetables for the whole force. This, SIR,—I find in the new Vaccination Act that every four with the other prophylactic measures usually adopted, speedily months the registrar will hand in a list of the children not vacchecked the disease, and it is now rapidly disappearing. cinated to the board of guardians, who will then, it is presumed, I have the honour to be. Sir. vours. &c.. take steps to enforce the vaccination, &c. Permit me to sugJAMESVAUGHAN, that every such list should be submitted by the registrar gest Deputy Inspector-General of Hospitals, T. C. to the public vaccinator of his district one fortnight before he hands the list to the guardians, in order that he may have the to of mention that the majority the medical P.S. I ought opportunity of performing the operation in such cases as had with their patients in Turkish, which been men can converse fluently accidentally overlooked, or where, from sickness, absence, is a great point gained, and so very necessary for the officers of or the necessary certificates could not be procured ignorance, this force. by the parents. The act might also empower the public vaccinator to visit any child whose parents, declining to accept the public vacciPOOR-LAW MEDICAL OFFICERS. nator, had neglected to produce a snfficient certificate from his T’O the Editor of THE LANCET. private medical man, and to offer to vaccinate such child at SIR,—In my last letter, the following words, "salaries of the public expense. This may appear a harsh proposal, but the," were omitted in the quotation from the statement of Mr. unless the production of a certificate be enforced, the registration of vaccination will not be complete. This may appear, Bouverie, which should read as follows :" That with regard to the medical districts, and salaries of also, to sanction interference with the patients of other men, the medical officers, these were matters not immediately under but I am convinced that it would produce the desired result by the control of the Poor-law Board, these being settled in the actingon the natural jealousy of the profession. At present, first instance by the guardians." This correction is important, but few certificates are sent to the registrar frem any others as it proves the utter inutility of petitioning the Poor-law ’than the public vaccinators, and the true protective qualities Board on the subject. I am further strengthened in this opinion of the vaccine lymph cannot be fully ascertained. Moreover, by first acquainting the public vaccinator with the by the resolutions to petition Parliament passed at meetings held last week in London by the Associated Poor-law Medical state of the list, the guardians would often be saved unnecesOfficers of the City of London; and at Cambridge by the sary trouble. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, medical officers of several Unions of that town and neighbourmeasures were

of the disease,

J. WEARNE.

hood. I am,

Sir,

yours, &c. RICHARD GRIFFIN.

THE

SIR GILBERT BLANE’S MEDAL.

To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,-I am sure you will kindly allow me space to rectify a mistake, published in a recent number of your excellent journal, which if unnoticed may detract from the honour of the following Blane Medallists. In THE LANCET of the 23rd ult. (p. 219),

MEDICAL REFORM BILL.

To the Editor of THE LANCET. desired to request you to insert the SIR,—I resolutions in your next number. I am. Sir, vours truly, am

under the head of "Medical Prizes,"the Blane Medal is described as being given for the " best reports of cases;" whereas E. J. SHEARMAN, M.D. it is distinctly stated in the Admiralty Memorandum, printed in the authorised list of the Royal Navy, that this medal was marcn 1866. izrn, hotnemam, founded by the late Sir Gilbert Blane, Bart., ’’ for the encouAt a meeting of the Medical Society of Rotherham-present, of naval medical science," and to be conferred, on Dr. Shearman, President, Dr. Robinson, Dr. Hardwicke, Alr. ragement the decision of the Medical Director-General of H. M. Navy Mr. Mr. E. Robinson, Stone, Darwin, Mr. C. Mellor-it was and the Presidents of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surresolved, in London, upon such medical officers "as shall produce " That the medical practitioners of Rotherham, observing geons the most of theio practice." In the Admiralty in of clause the Medical Act for the absence any proposed pre- letter which usually notifies or the medal, it is venting illegal practice by parties not claiming or admitting to said to be conferred on " medicalaccompanies officers who may have partibe registered, do memoralize the Committee of the House of distinguished thenzselves in the exercise of their profesCommons to insert the clause in the present Apothecaries’ cularly besides which, if any other proof were needed of its imsion;" Act, or one equally stringent for that purpose, before the Act portance as a medical honour, the fact of the present Medical is passed. Sir John Liddell, K.C.B., having been one of£ Director-General, " be That the thanks of the meeting given to the President." the recipients, as also that nearly all the others havebecome inspectors or deputy inspectors of hospitals, or are otherwise in will be a sufficient test of its estimagood professional ON THE TREATMENT OF SCARLATINA tion as a distinctive reward, and evidences that it is not a mere ANGINOSA. students’ medal for well-reported cases, but the result of an honorary contest, in which several hundreds of medical men, To the Editor of THE LANCET. who have been from ten to thirty years in their profession, are SIR,—I quite agree with your correspondent on the treat- engaged. ment of scarlatina anginosa; and, if used in an early stage of Iam, Sir, your obedient servant and old subscriber, the disease, I have always found the injection of warm water BALTIC. March 17th, 1856. London, into the nares to be sufficient to cleanse away all unhealthy secretions collected there, without resorting to any severer proceedings to effect that desirable end. PLURAL BIRTHS. Mr. Hanks, in his letter (see THE LANCET, March 1), has To the Editor of THE LANCET. mistaken the object I had in view, and attributed to me intentions both piratical and unjust. My only reason for advocating SIR,—I enclose and forward for insertion the report of a case that particular plan of treatment in the above-mentioned dis- of triplets which I attended in December last, but have been ease was purely for the benefit of suffering humanity, having prevented from sending it to you before :On the morning of the 14th of December, 1855, I was sumproved its efficacy in so many cases. It would have been better, before making such uncourteous moned to the Union-house to attend S. M--, aged nineteen, remarks upon a neighbouring practitioner’s communication, a single woman, who I found on arriving there to be in labour; had your correspondent paused to consider whether he was the membranes had broken, and a head presented. The child. acting judiciously in publishinghis opinions on, and treatment was now soon born; and, after waiting a little time, I made of, medical cases, in the pages of THE LAN- another examination, when I detected another bag of memCET, before he was placed in a position to do so by a well- branes, and a second head presentation. On rupturing this known Society now existing in Blackfriars. bag, a second child was speedily born. On exploring the abdoI am. Sir. vonrs trnlvmen with my hand, I could readily detect another fœtus in F. C. CORY, M.D. &c. utero. Consequently I again made an examination per vaginam.

approved journals

positions,

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and then discovered another

of membranes

and a membranes So that after a short a second time, and turned the child. labour of a few hours, the woman was safely delivered of three full-grown male children. One lived twelve hours; another, twenty-four; and the last survived three days. Therewas but one placenta, and that not an unusually large one. It was her first pregnancy. T am, Sir. vours obediently. R. COKER N. DAVIES, Surgeon to No. 1 District, Rye Union, and Rye transverse

bag

entire,

presentation; whereupon I ruptured the

Union-house.

POOR-LAW MEDICAL RELIEF. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—The experience of the past agitation upon this subject does not give much hope that the present will be produc-

guardians supplying them with physic gratis. Thirdly, remove

cases at once to the sick wards of the house, and the will perhaps be induced to give assistance to the poor before starvation induces a malady which requires expensive treatment. Fourthly, become a friend of the poor by courtesy and kindness, but an enemy of the guardians by keeping them up to the performance of their legitimate calling - the administration of relief at the right time, and in the right place. Fifthly, never attend a person without an order. Some such rules as these will diminish much of the work of Union Medical Officers, until the time of a grand combina. tion, when every union appointment is thrown into the teeth of the Poor-law Board, and no man will attend a pauper un. less he is legitimately and well paid for it. I remain, Sir, yours very truly, A HARD-WORKED UNION MEDICAL OFFICER.

all serious

guardians

GRIEVANCES OF POOR-LAW SURGEONS. tive of good to those who have entered the lists to combat this huge and monstrous grievance. It is true that eventually something will be done by stirring up the smouldering embers At a meeting of the Medical Officers of the St. Alban’s of a fire nearly extinguished, and a temporary blaze result ; Union, held on the 10th inst., the following resolutions were but in the present Parliament, who takes an interest in the adopted :poor ? what know members of the haunts and habits, the sick- , Resolved,-" That Dr. West be requested to act as local ness and distress, of those for whom they ought to legislate ? and treasurer. secretary " Has any one member been a Poor-law doctor ? Is there one That our thanks are especially due to Mr. Griffin, for his member of the Poor-law Board who has ever been connected manly and strenuous exertions in our behalf ; and that we have in the slightest way with the minute workings of the Act they full confidence in his wisdom and discretion, and will lend all are called upon to administer ? Not one. The inspectors the aid in our power to carry out the suggestions contained in travel from workhouse to workhouse, and sit at the various his letter. " Boards, it is true ; but do you ever see them go to the objects That in our opinion it is advisable that a general meeting which the Boards relieve, and see the actual working of the be held in London, or where more convenient, with as little system? Do they care a jot what number of miles an union delay as possible, for the purpose of petitioning Parliament for surgeon may have to travel to his case, or what hardships he the redress of our numerous grievances. may have to encounter before he brings it to a satisfactory That with regard to our payment, there ought to be issue ? some fixed principle on which it should be regulated, and not Whenever—and I have seen it over and over again-the left (as at present) to the discretion of local Boards. question of raising or remunerating a medical man more for That all appointments of Medical Officers should be percertain services is raised, so surely do all the guardians come manent, not nominally, but in fact. together and negative the proposition. I have always ob" That it is essentially necessary there should be a reviserved, too, the medical agitators of the question directly or in- sion and re-adjustment of the districts of the different unions. directly ousted from their holdings, and men less honest, less That we enter into a subscription of five shillings per talented, but more subservient to the interest of the guardians quarter, half to hold for our local expenses, and the remainder chosen in their place. And in one instance I have known the forwarded to Mr. Griffin to defray a small portion of his now Poor-law Board in London sanction the re-appointment of a somewhat outlay. heavy man they had previously compelled to resign ; because, for’’ That a copy of these resolutions be forwarded to Mr. sooth, an agitator and redresser of grievances should not again Griffin and the medical journals. disturb the even tenour of their way-a way of cruel and unmi"HENRY R. WEST, M.D., Secretary and Treasurer." tigated barbarism to the poor, who might perish by the score if the yearly rating could only be shown to have diminished under their superintendence one penny in the pound. Oh At a meeting held at Salisbury on the 15th instant, (Mr. Fox, of Broughton, in the chair,) for the purpose of giving p2cdor/ Little, then, do I think will result from agitation, until some aid and support to the movement commenced by Mr. Griffin, active intelligent worker of the Poor Law is chosen to be a of Weymouth. The following gentlemen were present, and member of the Poor-law Board itself. After we have devoted represented their brethren of the respective Unions, viz. :years to attendance upon the sick, would it not be gracious to Thos. Anstie, Esq., Devizes, Devizes Union; R. Cream, Esq., reward such services by a position in the State ? Would it Rushall, Pewsey Union; Davis, Esq., Heytesbury, Warnot be well sometimes to take a relieving officer from the ranks minster Union ; L. 0. Fox, Esq., Broughton, Alderbury and place him in a situation where the aristocratic heads of Union ; John Baker, Esq., -Fordingbridge, Fordingbridge the office could consult him upon certain points appertaining Union; Henry Tizard, Esq., Tisbury, and Richard Charles to his past experience. I ask not for medical superintendence, Shettle, Esq., Tisbury Union; W. Cooke, Esq., Bower Chalk, I simply ask for some acknowledgment of the important ser- Wilton Union ; - Spears, Esq., Totton Union; J. Winzar, vices we render to the State. A brutal apathy, a settled in- Esq., Salisbury, Salisbury Union. The following propositions were proposed and unanimously difference, exists upon the subject of Poor-law relief: instead of its being the first, it is the last subject of contemplation. carried. 1st.—"That the thanks of this meeting be given to Richard Money is doled out to the poor in the most careless way; the drunken and importunate receive relief, whilst the sick and de- Griffin, Esq., for his exertions on behalf of Union Medical serving are ever being robbed of their requirements. A sum Officers. 2nd.-" That this meeting considers the present mode of of money is paid to a medical man, which can alone, except for his feeling, secure the worst attendance from him; and the payment objectionable, affording as it does facilities for the relieving officer, badly paid also, gives orders upon him indis- guardians and overseers to grant relief indiscriminately, at the criminately, without first visiting the case, to save his time and expense of the Medical Officers. 3rd.-" That in the opinion of this meeting, the payment labour. Now let me advise all union medical officers, till we to Medical Officers should be out of the Consolidated Fund ,can get better paid, first, to compel all relieving officers, as the Act dictates, to visit personally every house, and report entirely. 4th. -’IThat the list of cases classed under extra medical upon the condition of the parties to whom the medical order is given ; and whenever this is not done, to report the same to fees be revised and extended. the guardians. In one month the orders would diminish one5th.—’ ‘ That in the opinion of this meeting, Union Medical half, and in the next to one-third their usual amount. Secondly, Officers should be under the control of a Medical Board (being to give as much extra relief as the case demands-such as meat, a department of the Board of Health), and not under the conThe reaction upon the former trol of a Board of Guardians. milk, rice, wine, blankets, &c. 6th.—" That Mr. Fox and Mr. Winzar be requested to act system of giving indiscriminate orders will be great ; few will come in, the poor in many instances asking for bread, and the as secretaries in carrying out the objects of this meeting. "

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