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"A VICTIM OF THE LAW."
750
proved innocuous material) accomplished then what thirty- fession few can, without serious inconvenience, if not actual six do not succeed in doing now, and the reputation of the hardship, bear such a strain on their resources; and if you, method was established ! But, mirabile, dictu, that very Sire, would open a subscription list for the unfortunate perfect, ever-successful, though unstable method has now "victim," whose name is, I presume, known to you,1 feel been abandoned for a new one. " The three little inocula- sure that many of his professional brethren who have tions" at any time before the occurrence of hydrophobia happily escaped such vexatious actions themselves will became twelve within thirty-five days of the bite, reduced show their thankfulness by helping to indemnify him for suddenly to fifteen days; though the non-fatal cases were all his pecuniary loss. In " mind and body"he has doubtless the time vauntingly held up as examples of the success of suffered much; it should be the care of his brother practi-
the treatment. Now we have the latest shift, which affects not only the number of inoculations, but the very intensity of the material itself, and which, according to M. Pasteur’s experimental " conditions of success," actually reduces the time to the day of infertion. Bearing in mind the manner in which the method has undergone so many modifications with a never-failing claim to success, we are brought face to face with the fact that we must accept one or other of the following two conclusions:--(1) That there are degrees of inlection, that each method operated efficiently in preventing rabies, and that there was a marvellous adaptability between the degree of infection and the method adopted in each case ; or (2) that in the rare cases in which infection occurred the inutility of the particular method had recourse to was demonstrated, and a change of method was accordingly adopted. Which, may I ask, is the more reasonable conclusion ? It is pitiable to see the intolerance with which M. Peter’s efforts to lay bear the truth are met by M. Pasteur’s partisans ; but the time will surely come when he will make himself heard not only within the walls of the Académie de M6decine, but in every corner of the earth where M. Pasteur’s fame has reached. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, Goalundo, MarC’h lat, 1887. VINCENT RICHARDS. RICHARDA.
tioners that he does not suffer in "estate"also. I am. Sirs. yourss truly, truly. A. W. LEACHMAN, M.D, ** *.:t At the moment of going to press, we learn that the Metropolitan Counties Branch of the British Medical Association have opened a subscription list for the object mentioned above, and that donations towards the fund may be forwarded to Mr. 0 eorge Eastes, M.B., 69, Connaught-street, Hyde Park. The amount given or promised has already reached nearly 40. We need scarcely say that the movement has our hearty sympathy.—ED. L.
THE
DRAINAGE OF THE MONTE CARLO CASINO.
(From
our
Special Correspondent.)
a previous letter the condition of the sewers of Monaco described and criticised, but tourists are more interested in the drainage of the Casino than of this antique town. Most visitors live in the district of Monte Carlo or of the Condamine. There is only one very small and THE CASE OF LENNARD v. BROWN AND modest hotel available at Monaco. Tourists go up to ALLATT. Monaco to see the Palace, the small museum, the quaint To the Editors of THE LANCET. streets of the old town, and the very beautiful garden at the SIRS,—In THE LANCET of the 5th ult. there was a leading extremity of the rock. To the naturalist this garden is inarticle dealing sympathetically with the case of Lennard v. teresting as a contrast to the Casino gardens, situated on Brown and Allatt, in which an attempt was made to provee the opposite hill of Monte Carlo, for they contain no foreign but a luxurious collection of indigenous flowers and adultery against a medical co-respondent. This attempt broke down entirely, and Mr. Brown was absolutely exonerated alike shrut s. Nevertheless, all this may be seen in a couple of The case is very different with regard to the Casino. by the summing-up of the judge and by the verdict of the Even those who do not play spend every day many hours The has no the means of costs paying jury. which Mr. Brown has incurred in defending himself, and within the walls of this magnificent building. The admisthese amount to the sum of£160 18s. Ild. We think sion is absolutely free, and there are concerts twice a day, the case is one in which other practitioners may be given by one of the best orchestras in Europe. The theatre, built by Garnier, the architect of the Paris Grand Opera, is fairly asked to assist Mr. Brown in bearing the expenses in itself a sight which would attract thousandsof people, even which have thus been forced upon him. But he felt it to be a duty to resist the attempt, to which any other without the concerts and theatrical representations. Then member of the profession might be exposed, and in thus t here is a reading-room, with more than a hundred periodicals and the Atrium, a magnificent hall, where deciding he was fighting the battle of the profession as in all languages; much as his own. We trust that you will render us your people walk up and down for hours together, talking to their valuable assistance in bringing forward this aspect of the friends ; the Atrium is, in fact, the universal rendezvous, where half the gossiping of Monte Carlo takes place. Case, and that you will be induced to take charge of any These explanations are necessary to show that the sanifund which may be raised for the purpose indicated. condition of the Casino must have an important tary We are, Sirs, yours truly, influence on the health of those persons who spend any time ROBERT BARNES, in the Principality. It so happens, however, that though SYDNEY JONES, money has been lavished on this superb building and no W. II. BROADBENT. have been spared to render it attractive, the usual pains *** We understand that Dr. Murray, of Meadowside, continental ignorance with regard to sanitary matters has Upper Richmond-road, Putney, has expressed his willing- very considerably marred the general result. The organisation of the drainage has been left to mere hazard, and the same ness to receive subscriptions towards a fund for the purpose may be said with respect to ventilation. There are eight intimated in the above letter.- En. L. closets for the use of the public in the basement of the Atrium, placed back to back and separated by a narrow passage. "A VICTIM OF THE LAW." Formerly a small metallic pail or tinette was placed under each closet, which only retained the solid materials; and, To the Editors of THE LANCET. it may seem, the liquid contents were actually incredible SIRS,-The letter which appeared in THE LANCET of allowed to asoverflow on the floor of the passage. The floor March 19th with the above signature discloses a case which concave, the sewage, of a very offensive and being slightly seems to me to call for some practical sympathy from memconcentrated description, slowly trickled to the centre, thus bers of our profession. The writer tells us that, in com- converting the passage into an open drain gravitating pliance with a magistrate’s order (which, I presume, he was towards a little sewer. Of course, the smell from this passage bound to obey), he examined and certified to the insanity of occasionally invaded the whole building. This is now, a patient who, in consequence of his certificate, was conhowever, altered. The tinelte system is abolished. English signed to a lunatic asylum. On regaining her liberty, she closets, draining into hardware pipes, are employed in their brought an action against the medical man who signed the stead. The ilush is insufficient and badly delivered, but still certificate ; and though the verdict was given in his favour, the closets are free from odour, and the passage is no longer he is now called upon to pay costs to the sum of£240, the a standing nuisance. Here the improvements end. Imme plaintiff professing herselt a pauper. In our ill-paid pro- diately outside and almost touching the wall of the Casino
Ix
was
plants,
hours.
petitioner
proved innocuous material) accomplished then what thirty- fession few can, without serious inconvenience, if not actual six do not succeed in doing now, and the reputation of the hardship, bear such a strain on their resources; and if you, method was established ! But, mirabile, dictu, that very Sire, would open a subscription list for the unfortunate perfect, ever-successful, though unstable method has now "victim," whose name is, I presume, known to you,1 feel been abandoned for a new one. " The three little inocula- sure that many of his professional brethren who have tions" at any time before the occurrence of hydrophobia happily escaped such vexatious actions themselves will became twelve within thirty-five days of the bite, reduced show their thankfulness by helping to indemnify him for suddenly to fifteen days; though the non-fatal cases were all his pecuniary loss. In " mind and body"he has doubtless the time vauntingly held up as examples of the success of suffered much; it should be the care of his brother practi-
the treatment. Now we have the latest shift, which affects not only the number of inoculations, but the very intensity of the material itself, and which, according to M. Pasteur’s experimental " conditions of success," actually reduces the time to the day of infertion. Bearing in mind the manner in which the method has undergone so many modifications with a never-failing claim to success, we are brought face to face with the fact that we must accept one or other of the following two conclusions:--(1) That there are degrees of inlection, that each method operated efficiently in preventing rabies, and that there was a marvellous adaptability between the degree of infection and the method adopted in each case ; or (2) that in the rare cases in which infection occurred the inutility of the particular method had recourse to was demonstrated, and a change of method was accordingly adopted. Which, may I ask, is the more reasonable conclusion ? It is pitiable to see the intolerance with which M. Peter’s efforts to lay bear the truth are met by M. Pasteur’s partisans ; but the time will surely come when he will make himself heard not only within the walls of the Académie de M6decine, but in every corner of the earth where M. Pasteur’s fame has reached. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, Goalundo, MarC’h lat, 1887. VINCENT RICHARDS. RICHARDA.
tioners that he does not suffer in "estate"also. I am. Sirs. yourss truly, truly. A. W. LEACHMAN, M.D, ** *.:t At the moment of going to press, we learn that the Metropolitan Counties Branch of the British Medical Association have opened a subscription list for the object mentioned above, and that donations towards the fund may be forwarded to Mr. 0 eorge Eastes, M.B., 69, Connaught-street, Hyde Park. The amount given or promised has already reached nearly 40. We need scarcely say that the movement has our hearty sympathy.—ED. L.
THE
DRAINAGE OF THE MONTE CARLO CASINO.
(From
our
Special Correspondent.)
a previous letter the condition of the sewers of Monaco described and criticised, but tourists are more interested in the drainage of the Casino than of this antique town. Most visitors live in the district of Monte Carlo or of the Condamine. There is only one very small and THE CASE OF LENNARD v. BROWN AND modest hotel available at Monaco. Tourists go up to ALLATT. Monaco to see the Palace, the small museum, the quaint To the Editors of THE LANCET. streets of the old town, and the very beautiful garden at the SIRS,—In THE LANCET of the 5th ult. there was a leading extremity of the rock. To the naturalist this garden is inarticle dealing sympathetically with the case of Lennard v. teresting as a contrast to the Casino gardens, situated on Brown and Allatt, in which an attempt was made to provee the opposite hill of Monte Carlo, for they contain no foreign but a luxurious collection of indigenous flowers and adultery against a medical co-respondent. This attempt broke down entirely, and Mr. Brown was absolutely exonerated alike shrut s. Nevertheless, all this may be seen in a couple of The case is very different with regard to the Casino. by the summing-up of the judge and by the verdict of the Even those who do not play spend every day many hours The has no the means of costs paying jury. which Mr. Brown has incurred in defending himself, and within the walls of this magnificent building. The admisthese amount to the sum of£160 18s. Ild. We think sion is absolutely free, and there are concerts twice a day, the case is one in which other practitioners may be given by one of the best orchestras in Europe. The theatre, built by Garnier, the architect of the Paris Grand Opera, is fairly asked to assist Mr. Brown in bearing the expenses in itself a sight which would attract thousandsof people, even which have thus been forced upon him. But he felt it to be a duty to resist the attempt, to which any other without the concerts and theatrical representations. Then member of the profession might be exposed, and in thus t here is a reading-room, with more than a hundred periodicals and the Atrium, a magnificent hall, where deciding he was fighting the battle of the profession as in all languages; much as his own. We trust that you will render us your people walk up and down for hours together, talking to their valuable assistance in bringing forward this aspect of the friends ; the Atrium is, in fact, the universal rendezvous, where half the gossiping of Monte Carlo takes place. Case, and that you will be induced to take charge of any These explanations are necessary to show that the sanifund which may be raised for the purpose indicated. condition of the Casino must have an important tary We are, Sirs, yours truly, influence on the health of those persons who spend any time ROBERT BARNES, in the Principality. It so happens, however, that though SYDNEY JONES, money has been lavished on this superb building and no W. II. BROADBENT. have been spared to render it attractive, the usual pains *** We understand that Dr. Murray, of Meadowside, continental ignorance with regard to sanitary matters has Upper Richmond-road, Putney, has expressed his willing- very considerably marred the general result. The organisation of the drainage has been left to mere hazard, and the same ness to receive subscriptions towards a fund for the purpose may be said with respect to ventilation. There are eight intimated in the above letter.- En. L. closets for the use of the public in the basement of the Atrium, placed back to back and separated by a narrow passage. "A VICTIM OF THE LAW." Formerly a small metallic pail or tinette was placed under each closet, which only retained the solid materials; and, To the Editors of THE LANCET. it may seem, the liquid contents were actually incredible SIRS,-The letter which appeared in THE LANCET of allowed to asoverflow on the floor of the passage. The floor March 19th with the above signature discloses a case which concave, the sewage, of a very offensive and being slightly seems to me to call for some practical sympathy from memconcentrated description, slowly trickled to the centre, thus bers of our profession. The writer tells us that, in com- converting the passage into an open drain gravitating pliance with a magistrate’s order (which, I presume, he was towards a little sewer. Of course, the smell from this passage bound to obey), he examined and certified to the insanity of occasionally invaded the whole building. This is now, a patient who, in consequence of his certificate, was conhowever, altered. The tinelte system is abolished. English signed to a lunatic asylum. On regaining her liberty, she closets, draining into hardware pipes, are employed in their brought an action against the medical man who signed the stead. The ilush is insufficient and badly delivered, but still certificate ; and though the verdict was given in his favour, the closets are free from odour, and the passage is no longer he is now called upon to pay costs to the sum of£240, the a standing nuisance. Here the improvements end. Imme plaintiff professing herselt a pauper. In our ill-paid pro- diately outside and almost touching the wall of the Casino
Ix
was
plants,
hours.
petitioner