"THE MIDWIVES REGISTRATION BILL."

989 cells of the mother and so affected her embryo, situated on the other side of the placenta and at the end of the long umbilical cord, that a hare-lip resulted ? It must be remembered that it is not maintained by those who deny the transmissibility of acquired characters that changes acquired by the parent are incapable of influencing the germ cells ; but it is strenuously maintained that they do not influence the germs in such a manner that particular changes in the parent are reproduced in the child. It is true that at first sight it seems only reasonable to suppose (for instance) that if a man strengthen his muscles by exercise his children will be the stronger, or if he be weakened by disease his children will be the weaker; but, as a matter of fact, though a fierce controversy on the subject has long raged, and though the phenomena of nature have been ransacked, no clear and indubitable example of the transmission of an acquired character has yet been recorded. Syphilis and phthisis, which are instanced by Mr. Thistle, do not touch the point at issue. Similar effects arise in both the child and the parent merely because they are both infected with the same species of pathogenic micro-organism.

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accept such gratuitous service, it will be provided by the guardians on loan, to be refunded as soon as times become good enough. Thus by a mere stroke of the pen we provide at once for all the poorest. The fees for these State patients would be fixed, as now, by the State. The medical profession is a monopoly created by the State in the interests of the public. There could be, to my thinking, no just ground of grievance to those enjoying all the benefits such monopoly and State recognition confer if it were made a condition that its members should act upon these calls of the State and accept the fees regulated by the State. For those of the people less sunk in poverty and requiring: only to be helped to help themselves the Government should immediately create machinery for extending throughout the-kingdom correlating and organising dispensaries, maternity hospitals, and maternity clubs, either voluntary or subsidised, or purely municipal. To all of these the beneficiaries would be required to contribute by fixed payments, in I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, anticipation of the event, a certain part of the cost of Southsea, March 29th, 1897. G. ARCHDALL REID, M.B. Edin. The choice of her attendant would rest with, *** Dr. T. Frederick Pearse writes recommending to our attendance. the patient, who would be supplied with an order from the readers in connexion with this subject a perusal of Dr. institution. If voluntary support were insufficient, State Archdall Reid’s recent work on The Present Evolution of aid from rates or taxes would be needed, with concurrent Man," and adds, "II think Mr. Thistle, if he reads this, public control by parish council or otherwise. With regard will see reason to conclude that acquired lesions cannot be to the floating part of our population, under a proper organisation of these institutions, whenever a family moved transmitted."-ED. L. into another district payments made to the club or dispensary of the previous locality could be transferred tothe newcomer’s credit with the analogous institution at her "THE MIDWIVES REGISTRATION BILL." fresh quarters. To the Editors of THE LANCET. It will be seen that this extension of the sphere and SIRS,-The letter of "For Registration "emphasises onlyoperation of State medicine would be much on all fours with too horribly the intolerable evil of existing conditions, aboutour system of State elementary education, the clubs, &c., in which there is, however, no difference of opinion. The only the one case corresponding to the schools in the other ; and question is, Does registration provide a rational and effectivejust as before the days of free education guardians paid remedy ? If we opponents of the Bill were imbecile enoughschool fees for children (without pauperisation) of parents to argue, as "For Registration"assumes, I I that the poor too poor to afford them, so it might be found advisable to should pay a medical man," or if it were true that unlessrelate the Poor-law unions to the local machinery for medical they pay for medical attendance they must go with-aid to the poor, so that guardians should pay into these out it and be content to fall into the hands of midwives, weagencies for confinements of women too poor to raise the e contributions. should welcome this Bill as offering at least a decided im-regulation Until some serious attempt to tackle the problem in a bold provement, however inadequate to the needs of the case. For those, however, who have no eye to moneyed interestsand statesmanlike way has been made and has failed I of profession, obstetrical society, or incorporated midwives’ confess I cannot understand any one lending himself-and institute (whatever under heaven that may be), but who havestill less herself-to such a half-hearted measure, a piece of at their hearts only compassion for the multitude-a single- quasi-benevolent but essentially contemptuous and degrading minded anxiety for the safety and health of their sisters class legislation for which the utmost that can be said is among the poor-it seems to me that the whole matter turns that it proposes to substitute for a very glaring evil another on the one point of the pretended total impossibility of just as real, but not so bad. I am, Sirs, yours truly, securing in any conceivably practical manner the same THOS. M. WATT. Streatham, March 23rd, 1897. quality of aid in the perils of childbed for the poor citizen as wealthy citizens are careful to engage for themselves. If, on the contrary, such an aim can be shown to be attainable and without the creation of any new agencies, then I con"A SUCCESSFUL SOCIETY ! !" tend earnestly that any scheme falling short of this is no better than an unworthy tinkering with the mischief, a To the -Editors of THE LANCET. penalising of mere poverty as such with avoidable risks to health and life-by the very State, too, that poses SIRS,--You have paid the highest compliment in your with its Poor-law as the great "guardian of the poor" ; power to the arguments in my letter of March 23rd, for in and, finally, a meanly ungenerous proffer on the part your issue of to-day you suppress the letter and then misof property-owning legislators-moved mainly by others represent its contents. I never said that anybody had done we wot of with axes to grind-a proffer of a " cheap and things they were not licensed to do. I said that being nasty"article, whose sole recommendation is its cheapness, licensed to do them they did do them. "Words mean what and which they would disdain to use for themselves. In this they do mean, and not other things," and my words were view of the situation I crave permission to formulate more clear. Those who support vivisection are wise to avoid fuIty a constructive policy that I submit would abundantly legitimate controversy, for if they venture into that arena. meet every requirement, and would effect generally, as it has they are lost. They cry aloud and call their adversary done where it is in even partial operation locally, the total names, which is easier than answering him, but it does not extinction of the midwife as the " unfit." advance truth and is not a very scientific method. Hysteria, First, then, let certain permissive powers-already possessed is not argument. Should you, however, at any time take by boards of guardians and enumerated shortly in my letter heart to argue the question with fairness and courtesy in THE LANCET of Feb. 27th-be made general and obligatory. shall be ready to meet you in a like spirit. I remain, Sirs, your obedient servant, Let it then be proclaimed by the fullest public advertisement STEPHEN COLERIDGE. throughout the land that every woman in circumstances requiring such medical relief can be supplied with an Egerton Mansions, South Kensington, March 27th, 1897. order for medical attendance in confinement, which she ** Mr. Coleridge has stated in a letter to H.R.H. the may present to the medical man of her choice and which Prince of Wales, with regard to the Prince’s Hospital Fund, will be honoured by the guardians; that in case of sudden animals " are slowly cut up alive without even the prethat the of will hold the same liability guardians emergency in many of the laboratories attached to anaesthetics as of that the without this, order ; being statutory any good too honest to

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