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QUASI-MEDICAL IMPOSTORS AND THE PRESS.
999
Annotations. "Ne quid nimis."
THE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS OF THE
GROCERS’ COMPANY. IT will be probably well known to such of our readers as it most urgently concerns that applications for appointment to these scholarships must be made during the month of April in each year, so that this seems to us a fitting time to briefly announce the conditions under which they are granted. The scholarships have been designed as stipends for those engaged in research into the etiology and possible preventive treatment of important diseases. Candidates, who must be British subjects and at their first candidature under the age of thirty-five, must apply for appointment to the Clerk of the Company, Grocers’ Hall, E.C., during the month of April, and such application must be accompanied by an exact statement of the nature of the proposed research and unexceptionable testimonials as to the candidate’s ability to conduct the same. The Court of the Company reserve to themselves all discretion as to the appointments, taking every pains to estimate the relative importance of the subjects of research brought under their notice, and in particular the relative probability that the research would result in the desired increase of knowledge. In appointments to scholarships preference within certain limits will be given to gentlemen already holding scholarships who desire to continue their work, this preference being dependent, of course, upon the advances made in the research. All researches are to be conducted under conditions of time and place satisfactory to the Court, so that reasonable facilities may be given to the Court for observing their progress. In bringing these facts before our readers we are only echoing, we are certain, their thoughts when we compliment the great City Company on its enlightened benevolence.
that journals of repute and authority are capable of lending their space without comment to the base purposes of a nostrum-seller, we cannot but feel that an offence has been committed against many readers who are accustomed to trust them as competent sources of information. It is clearly undesirable that medical practitioners, even if blessed with that leisure which they lack, should engage in barren argument with irresponsible persons who admit not even the premisses of scientific teaching. It is their still higher privilege to show, by the skill and care of their methods, as well as by the firm and judicious exercise of that authority which must go with their knowledge, what can and also what cannot be accomplished by the art which they practise. In so doing we con. sider that they are justified in expecting to receive the frank support ofall sections of the Press without the addition of£ insinuations published by mercenary wonder-workers. THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BOARD.
WE announced last week the appointment of Dr. G. Seaton Buchanan as a medical inspector of the Local Government Board. Quite apart from his relationship to Sir George Buchanan, late medical officer to the Board, his claims to consideration were very high. His medical career has throughout been a very distinguished one ; he is a Doctor of State Medicine in the University of London, and he has for several years devoted himself to the practical study of the infectious fevers and of the work of a medical officer of He is certain to maintain the traditions which health. marked his father’s successful official career. But we regret to say that the vacancy, which was created somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly by the resignation of Dr. Hubert Airy, was due to increasing ill-health on Dr. Airy’s part. Dr. Airy has done work in relation to epidemiology and to the etiology of disease of which any worker may feel satisfied; and if he has of late years undertaken duties which, though not of less importance, have brought him less than formerly under public notice, it has been due to slow but increasing failure AND IMPOSTORS THE of health. In his retirement he will carry with him the PRESS. QUASI-MEDICAL kindest and sympathy of all his colleagues ; recollections EVERY charlatan must congratulate himself that his comwill recall him will have in recolleowho and others many merce in the fears and the credulity of mankind is so lightly i tion a cultured and refined personality which always secured regarded by public opinion. It matters not that his medica-for him the friendship and esteem of all who were capable ments may be as old or older than his generation, and may have done service in medical practice to the limited extent; of appreciating his high qualities. We can only wish for of their powers before his very being was thought of. It ishim all the enjoyment which may be possible, in view of the of no moment that his diagnoses, like his knowledge and likecircumstances with which his retirement from public office the testimonies of his grateful" patients," are of the mostis associated. imaginative character. If he will profess enough and loudly THE IDENTIFICATION OF BLOODSTAINS. enough, truth apart, he may long remain the adored of THE third volume of Medico-Legal Studies, compiled and numerous dupes. If he should err-and in this respect he is most human-he has ample dexterity in handling excuses. recently published by the Editor of the Medico-Legal Journal, The Press overflows with his self-laudation and with the New York, contains an interesting epitome of the present gibes which, emboldened by his own great ignorance and position of our knowledge bearing upon the identification of that of a simple multitude who worship him, he casts at the bloodstains. In regard to chemical tests-the guaiacum test honest labour of scientific medicine. It must ever appear and the production of crystals by the addition of common to instructed persons a marvellous thing that men of this salt and glacial acetic acid (Teichmann’s crystals)-it is stated type should thrive as long as they do by the practice of such that these several tests, while reliable in determining whether open and unabashed imposture. Yet, after all, the success the matter examined contains blood or not, are of no value of their speculations is not unaccountable. In order to and throw no light whatever upon the question as to whether it we have to make due allowance for the action it was the blood of man or of animals that was examined. explain of shrewd and unscrupulous business capacity upon the The application of the exceedingly delicate instrument, minds of simple and unsuspecting people, many of whom are Sorby’s spectroscopic eye-piece, is next described, and it is still to be found everywhere. We must remember, too, that said that by its means the late Dr. Richardson of Philadelphia the principle of caveat emptar continues to rule the affairs of was able to detect the 3000th part of a grain of blood on an daily life. This explains the complaisance with which many axe-handle supposed to have been used in a case of murder. tales of diseases treated by the magic of some quack mixture, The succeeding section, on the value of the microscope in the showing in every line the evidences of fabrication, are pub- differentiation of the blood of man and of domestic animals, lished at length in the daily press. How far this principle contains a really valuable collection of material which may be allowed to carry us is a question as yet unfortunately 1 Medico-Legal Studies, vol. iii., by Clark Bell, of the New York Bar not settled by any legislative order. When, however, we find and Editor of the Medico-Legal Journal, 57, Broadway, New York. 1895. ,
-
Annotations. "Ne quid nimis."
THE RESEARCH SCHOLARSHIPS OF THE
GROCERS’ COMPANY. IT will be probably well known to such of our readers as it most urgently concerns that applications for appointment to these scholarships must be made during the month of April in each year, so that this seems to us a fitting time to briefly announce the conditions under which they are granted. The scholarships have been designed as stipends for those engaged in research into the etiology and possible preventive treatment of important diseases. Candidates, who must be British subjects and at their first candidature under the age of thirty-five, must apply for appointment to the Clerk of the Company, Grocers’ Hall, E.C., during the month of April, and such application must be accompanied by an exact statement of the nature of the proposed research and unexceptionable testimonials as to the candidate’s ability to conduct the same. The Court of the Company reserve to themselves all discretion as to the appointments, taking every pains to estimate the relative importance of the subjects of research brought under their notice, and in particular the relative probability that the research would result in the desired increase of knowledge. In appointments to scholarships preference within certain limits will be given to gentlemen already holding scholarships who desire to continue their work, this preference being dependent, of course, upon the advances made in the research. All researches are to be conducted under conditions of time and place satisfactory to the Court, so that reasonable facilities may be given to the Court for observing their progress. In bringing these facts before our readers we are only echoing, we are certain, their thoughts when we compliment the great City Company on its enlightened benevolence.
that journals of repute and authority are capable of lending their space without comment to the base purposes of a nostrum-seller, we cannot but feel that an offence has been committed against many readers who are accustomed to trust them as competent sources of information. It is clearly undesirable that medical practitioners, even if blessed with that leisure which they lack, should engage in barren argument with irresponsible persons who admit not even the premisses of scientific teaching. It is their still higher privilege to show, by the skill and care of their methods, as well as by the firm and judicious exercise of that authority which must go with their knowledge, what can and also what cannot be accomplished by the art which they practise. In so doing we con. sider that they are justified in expecting to receive the frank support ofall sections of the Press without the addition of£ insinuations published by mercenary wonder-workers. THE MEDICAL DEPARTMENT OF THE
LOCAL
GOVERNMENT BOARD.
WE announced last week the appointment of Dr. G. Seaton Buchanan as a medical inspector of the Local Government Board. Quite apart from his relationship to Sir George Buchanan, late medical officer to the Board, his claims to consideration were very high. His medical career has throughout been a very distinguished one ; he is a Doctor of State Medicine in the University of London, and he has for several years devoted himself to the practical study of the infectious fevers and of the work of a medical officer of He is certain to maintain the traditions which health. marked his father’s successful official career. But we regret to say that the vacancy, which was created somewhat suddenly and unexpectedly by the resignation of Dr. Hubert Airy, was due to increasing ill-health on Dr. Airy’s part. Dr. Airy has done work in relation to epidemiology and to the etiology of disease of which any worker may feel satisfied; and if he has of late years undertaken duties which, though not of less importance, have brought him less than formerly under public notice, it has been due to slow but increasing failure AND IMPOSTORS THE of health. In his retirement he will carry with him the PRESS. QUASI-MEDICAL kindest and sympathy of all his colleagues ; recollections EVERY charlatan must congratulate himself that his comwill recall him will have in recolleowho and others many merce in the fears and the credulity of mankind is so lightly i tion a cultured and refined personality which always secured regarded by public opinion. It matters not that his medica-for him the friendship and esteem of all who were capable ments may be as old or older than his generation, and may have done service in medical practice to the limited extent; of appreciating his high qualities. We can only wish for of their powers before his very being was thought of. It ishim all the enjoyment which may be possible, in view of the of no moment that his diagnoses, like his knowledge and likecircumstances with which his retirement from public office the testimonies of his grateful" patients," are of the mostis associated. imaginative character. If he will profess enough and loudly THE IDENTIFICATION OF BLOODSTAINS. enough, truth apart, he may long remain the adored of THE third volume of Medico-Legal Studies, compiled and numerous dupes. If he should err-and in this respect he is most human-he has ample dexterity in handling excuses. recently published by the Editor of the Medico-Legal Journal, The Press overflows with his self-laudation and with the New York, contains an interesting epitome of the present gibes which, emboldened by his own great ignorance and position of our knowledge bearing upon the identification of that of a simple multitude who worship him, he casts at the bloodstains. In regard to chemical tests-the guaiacum test honest labour of scientific medicine. It must ever appear and the production of crystals by the addition of common to instructed persons a marvellous thing that men of this salt and glacial acetic acid (Teichmann’s crystals)-it is stated type should thrive as long as they do by the practice of such that these several tests, while reliable in determining whether open and unabashed imposture. Yet, after all, the success the matter examined contains blood or not, are of no value of their speculations is not unaccountable. In order to and throw no light whatever upon the question as to whether it we have to make due allowance for the action it was the blood of man or of animals that was examined. explain of shrewd and unscrupulous business capacity upon the The application of the exceedingly delicate instrument, minds of simple and unsuspecting people, many of whom are Sorby’s spectroscopic eye-piece, is next described, and it is still to be found everywhere. We must remember, too, that said that by its means the late Dr. Richardson of Philadelphia the principle of caveat emptar continues to rule the affairs of was able to detect the 3000th part of a grain of blood on an daily life. This explains the complaisance with which many axe-handle supposed to have been used in a case of murder. tales of diseases treated by the magic of some quack mixture, The succeeding section, on the value of the microscope in the showing in every line the evidences of fabrication, are pub- differentiation of the blood of man and of domestic animals, lished at length in the daily press. How far this principle contains a really valuable collection of material which may be allowed to carry us is a question as yet unfortunately 1 Medico-Legal Studies, vol. iii., by Clark Bell, of the New York Bar not settled by any legislative order. When, however, we find and Editor of the Medico-Legal Journal, 57, Broadway, New York. 1895. ,
-