- Email: [email protected]
"BRITISH MEDICAL MEN AND GERMAN WATERING-PLACES."
489 of quinine internally. The sufficiently relieved by the use of this THE ANNUAL MEETING OF THE BRITISH simple remedy are capable of cure by the galvano-cantery MEDICAL ASSOCIATION AND THE .applied to the nasal mucous membrane. I am. Sirs, yours faithfully, REPORT OF THE CONSTITUCLEMENT DUKES. July 31st, 1901. TIONAL COMMITTEE. overcome few cases
"A
by the administration
that
are
not
SIMPLE FORM OF PUMP FOR INFLATING THE ETHER-BAG."
To the Editors of THE LANCET. SIRS,—One naturally feels some diffidence in commenting upon the remarks of such an able anaesthetist as Mr. Edgar Willett, but I nevertheless feel that his assertion is somewhat too sweeping. To keep the bag adequately filled when the patient is well under the anaesthetic is an easy matter, but in starting the anæsthetic, say ether (without the previous use of nitrous oxide gas), in a nervous patient where the breathing is shallow and somewhat jerky, I consider a mechanical means of filling the bag would be of great service.-I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, FREDERICK W. COLLINGWOOD, Anæsthetist to the National Dental Hospital. Wimpole-street, August 1st, 1901.
"BRITISH MEDICAL MEN AND GERMAN WATERING-PLACES." To the .Editors
of
THE
LANCET.
SIRS,-I have only just read Dr. Bezly Thorne’s letter in THE LANCET of July 27th, p. 228. I am gratified he thinks most medical men agree with me. With regard to Schott’s treatment, although Dr. Thorne õas quoted my letter correctly he must have read it carelessly for I cannot believe Dr. Thorne can wish the profession to think his opinion is that unsuitable cases are benefited by .Schott’s treatment. I never ventured an opinion upon I am. Sirs. vours faithfullv. .suitable cases. THOMAS DUTTON. Manchester-square, W., August 9th, 1901.
To the Editors of THE LANCET.
SIRS,-The report of the Constitutional Committee was submitted to, and with but slight modification adopted at, the annual meeting at Cheltenham after a brief, rapid, generally excited, and at times angry, debate, conducted with perhaps less of the suaviter in modo than of the fortiter in re. The Association is therefore committed to a radical reform of its principles but little, if anything, short of revolutionary ; and although some discussion may possibly be allowed when the consequential new rules and by-laws are submitted for confirmation at a future general meeting the Cheltenham decisions must, I fear, be looked upon as final. The principal changes effected are : 1. The 2cnattached members-numbering about 6000 out of the total of about 18,000-are to be compelled, nolens volens, to join the divisions in the area of which they reside. (Clause 5 of the report.) 2. The annual subscription to the Association is to be raised from 21s. to 25s., or such greater sum, not exceeding 30s., as may be fixed by the Council; and, in addition, every member will be liable for a share of the expenses of his branch or division should they exceed the total amount of the capitulation grant of 4s. to be made from the general funds of the Association. (Clause 20.) 3. The system of delegation-almost peculiar to the ordinary trades’ unions-is definitely adopted; a body of delegates or representatives of the divisions, not exceeding 300 in number, is to be elected, their firstclass travelling expenses are to be paid, they are to meet at the same place and time of the year as the general business and the general scientific meetings, and they are invested with most of the powers hitherto enjoyed by the ordinary members in their general meetings.
(Clause 16.)
As regards the unattached members (1) it is not unlikely that many may resent so compulsory a dictum ; and the enhanced cost of membership (2) may likewise lead not a few to reconsider their position in this respect. The adoption of the principle of delegation (3) is, however, a very momentous change and its effect upon the numerical strength of the Association may be still more serious. Some members, especially those connected with the public services, as the navy, the army, &c., may have scruples "LEGISLATION AGAINST NATIONAL regarding the propriety of belonging to a society the objects INTEMPERANCE." and methods of which are so closely allied to those of the To the Editors of THE LANCET. ordinary trades’ unions, since the delegate system is foreign to other scientific and professional bodies. It may be Reid seems to Archdall the existence SIRS,-Dr. challenge ’of cases of the "inheritance of acquired characters." May expedient, or even necessary, for ordinary trades’ I refer him to a very simple case, one which he can test for unions, because the members of such have, generally, himself without much expenditure of time ?7 The instance neither the time nor the means, nor perhaps the referred to is small and unimportant, but so much the better capacity, for taking part in their general meetings ; for the purpose in view, and is described in Nature of but the medical profession is, as a whole, a wealthy and its members are intellectually well able, one, August 8th, 1901, p. 351, under the heading, "Hair on individually, to conduct the affairs of an Association such as the Digits of Man." There are, I may add, many other ’, the British Medical. Again, the setting up of a body of in man and the of hair-direction lower animals phenomena ’, which bear a Lamarckian and only a Lamarckian interpreta- delegates or representatives-the terms in this connexion are synonymous-will to a great extent supersede the ordinary tion. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, annual meeting of members, whilst it will undoubtedly tend WALTER KIDD. Blackheath, August 10th, 1901. to degrade the status of the Central Council. In my opinion this body is a superfiuous and expensive machine, a cumbrous and complex duplicate, not only quite unnecessary to the "THE COMING ELECTION OF DIRECT requirements of the Association, but its adoption is derogaREPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL tory to the position of the Association as a learned and professional society, and will tend, I fear, still further to MEDICAL COUNCIL." lower its influence with the public. To the Editors of THE LANCET. I thought it very desirable that the principle of delegation SIRS,-I do not wish to call in question the accuracy of should be formally discussed at the Cheltenham meeting. An your reporter in reference to my answer to Dr. Brown amendment by me to that effect was accepted by the Council Ritchie’s question at the recent Cheltenham meeting, re the and appeared for days on the agenda printed in the Daily possibility of making the attendance of a medical man Journals, and I was informed by the general secretary that ’compulsory in cases of confinement,’ but his version of my it would come up in the discussion upon resolution No. 2, reply differs from what I meant to say. Instead of stating that, namely, "approving generally the principles of the that I had conversed with members of "both Houses " on the Constitutional Committee’s report." Before my motion was subject I intended to say that from conversations with reached, however, the discussion upon that resolution was members of " both parties " in the House of Commons I was abruptly closured, the resolution was put to the meeting at -certain that such legislation would not be entertained. once and it was carried. Thus, no opportunity was Thanking you in anticipation for permitting me to make this afforded for discussing a principle which the chairman of the Constitutional Committee, Mr. Edmund Owen, in his .correction,—I am. Sirs, yours faithfully, GEORGE BROWN, speech proposing the reception of their report, said he Direct Representative for England and Wales on the was the ’’ crux " of the whole matter. thought General Medical Council. I am. Sirs. vours faithfullv. 1901. Gibson-square, N., August 13th, JOHN INCE, M.D. St. And., Major I.M.S. (retired). 1 THE LANCET, August 10th, 1901, p. 409. Swanley, August 11th, 1901.
"A
by the administration
that
are
not
SIMPLE FORM OF PUMP FOR INFLATING THE ETHER-BAG."
To the Editors of THE LANCET. SIRS,—One naturally feels some diffidence in commenting upon the remarks of such an able anaesthetist as Mr. Edgar Willett, but I nevertheless feel that his assertion is somewhat too sweeping. To keep the bag adequately filled when the patient is well under the anaesthetic is an easy matter, but in starting the anæsthetic, say ether (without the previous use of nitrous oxide gas), in a nervous patient where the breathing is shallow and somewhat jerky, I consider a mechanical means of filling the bag would be of great service.-I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, FREDERICK W. COLLINGWOOD, Anæsthetist to the National Dental Hospital. Wimpole-street, August 1st, 1901.
"BRITISH MEDICAL MEN AND GERMAN WATERING-PLACES." To the .Editors
of
THE
LANCET.
SIRS,-I have only just read Dr. Bezly Thorne’s letter in THE LANCET of July 27th, p. 228. I am gratified he thinks most medical men agree with me. With regard to Schott’s treatment, although Dr. Thorne õas quoted my letter correctly he must have read it carelessly for I cannot believe Dr. Thorne can wish the profession to think his opinion is that unsuitable cases are benefited by .Schott’s treatment. I never ventured an opinion upon I am. Sirs. vours faithfullv. .suitable cases. THOMAS DUTTON. Manchester-square, W., August 9th, 1901.
To the Editors of THE LANCET.
SIRS,-The report of the Constitutional Committee was submitted to, and with but slight modification adopted at, the annual meeting at Cheltenham after a brief, rapid, generally excited, and at times angry, debate, conducted with perhaps less of the suaviter in modo than of the fortiter in re. The Association is therefore committed to a radical reform of its principles but little, if anything, short of revolutionary ; and although some discussion may possibly be allowed when the consequential new rules and by-laws are submitted for confirmation at a future general meeting the Cheltenham decisions must, I fear, be looked upon as final. The principal changes effected are : 1. The 2cnattached members-numbering about 6000 out of the total of about 18,000-are to be compelled, nolens volens, to join the divisions in the area of which they reside. (Clause 5 of the report.) 2. The annual subscription to the Association is to be raised from 21s. to 25s., or such greater sum, not exceeding 30s., as may be fixed by the Council; and, in addition, every member will be liable for a share of the expenses of his branch or division should they exceed the total amount of the capitulation grant of 4s. to be made from the general funds of the Association. (Clause 20.) 3. The system of delegation-almost peculiar to the ordinary trades’ unions-is definitely adopted; a body of delegates or representatives of the divisions, not exceeding 300 in number, is to be elected, their firstclass travelling expenses are to be paid, they are to meet at the same place and time of the year as the general business and the general scientific meetings, and they are invested with most of the powers hitherto enjoyed by the ordinary members in their general meetings.
(Clause 16.)
As regards the unattached members (1) it is not unlikely that many may resent so compulsory a dictum ; and the enhanced cost of membership (2) may likewise lead not a few to reconsider their position in this respect. The adoption of the principle of delegation (3) is, however, a very momentous change and its effect upon the numerical strength of the Association may be still more serious. Some members, especially those connected with the public services, as the navy, the army, &c., may have scruples "LEGISLATION AGAINST NATIONAL regarding the propriety of belonging to a society the objects INTEMPERANCE." and methods of which are so closely allied to those of the To the Editors of THE LANCET. ordinary trades’ unions, since the delegate system is foreign to other scientific and professional bodies. It may be Reid seems to Archdall the existence SIRS,-Dr. challenge ’of cases of the "inheritance of acquired characters." May expedient, or even necessary, for ordinary trades’ I refer him to a very simple case, one which he can test for unions, because the members of such have, generally, himself without much expenditure of time ?7 The instance neither the time nor the means, nor perhaps the referred to is small and unimportant, but so much the better capacity, for taking part in their general meetings ; for the purpose in view, and is described in Nature of but the medical profession is, as a whole, a wealthy and its members are intellectually well able, one, August 8th, 1901, p. 351, under the heading, "Hair on individually, to conduct the affairs of an Association such as the Digits of Man." There are, I may add, many other ’, the British Medical. Again, the setting up of a body of in man and the of hair-direction lower animals phenomena ’, which bear a Lamarckian and only a Lamarckian interpreta- delegates or representatives-the terms in this connexion are synonymous-will to a great extent supersede the ordinary tion. I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, annual meeting of members, whilst it will undoubtedly tend WALTER KIDD. Blackheath, August 10th, 1901. to degrade the status of the Central Council. In my opinion this body is a superfiuous and expensive machine, a cumbrous and complex duplicate, not only quite unnecessary to the "THE COMING ELECTION OF DIRECT requirements of the Association, but its adoption is derogaREPRESENTATIVES TO THE GENERAL tory to the position of the Association as a learned and professional society, and will tend, I fear, still further to MEDICAL COUNCIL." lower its influence with the public. To the Editors of THE LANCET. I thought it very desirable that the principle of delegation SIRS,-I do not wish to call in question the accuracy of should be formally discussed at the Cheltenham meeting. An your reporter in reference to my answer to Dr. Brown amendment by me to that effect was accepted by the Council Ritchie’s question at the recent Cheltenham meeting, re the and appeared for days on the agenda printed in the Daily possibility of making the attendance of a medical man Journals, and I was informed by the general secretary that ’compulsory in cases of confinement,’ but his version of my it would come up in the discussion upon resolution No. 2, reply differs from what I meant to say. Instead of stating that, namely, "approving generally the principles of the that I had conversed with members of "both Houses " on the Constitutional Committee’s report." Before my motion was subject I intended to say that from conversations with reached, however, the discussion upon that resolution was members of " both parties " in the House of Commons I was abruptly closured, the resolution was put to the meeting at -certain that such legislation would not be entertained. once and it was carried. Thus, no opportunity was Thanking you in anticipation for permitting me to make this afforded for discussing a principle which the chairman of the Constitutional Committee, Mr. Edmund Owen, in his .correction,—I am. Sirs, yours faithfully, GEORGE BROWN, speech proposing the reception of their report, said he Direct Representative for England and Wales on the was the ’’ crux " of the whole matter. thought General Medical Council. I am. Sirs. vours faithfullv. 1901. Gibson-square, N., August 13th, JOHN INCE, M.D. St. And., Major I.M.S. (retired). 1 THE LANCET, August 10th, 1901, p. 409. Swanley, August 11th, 1901.