SANITARY CONDITION OF CYPRUS.

1064 apparently led to the immediate amelioration of some of the symptoms, suchas the absorption of the tubercles and the closing of some o! the ulcers." A Government laboratory was established in February, and numerous articles of food were analysed during the FUNDS. year, but with the detection of little adulteration except in The burden of raising the money necessary to defray the wine and tea, the latter consisting mostly of exhausxd expenses of the Conference, and the printing and publishing leaves. A quantity of wine which had been exportedto of its proceedings, should not be thrown entirely upon the France was seized and destroyed by the French authorities, Social Science Association. The governors of hospitals, those and the offenders were detected and brought to justice; it members of the public who contribute largely to the support was found to be artificially coloured with fuchsine (aniline of hospitals, and the City Companies, might subscribe to red). a special fund for defraying the expenses of the Conference, An epizootic of foot-and-mouth disease broke out, for the because its labours are calculated to be of service to each first time in the island, on Nov. 6th, at Aya-Theodorus, in and all of those we have mentioned. Some fl50 will, we the Larnaka district. Of 187 cattle of that village 17 died. understand, be required, and such a sum should be promptly The disease spread to Korphina, a village about half an hour forthcoming The action of the Social Science Asso- distant ; and there 15 animals died. Owing to the prompt ciation is in striking contrast with, and is no doubt and judicious measures adopted by Dr. Heidenstam, the largely due to, the lack of interest in the subject of our district medical officer, the disease was prevented spreading hospitals displayed by the present Home Secretary. If further, and was completely stamped out by Dec. 3rd. It Sir William Harcourt does not speedily reconsider his was believed to have been introduced an animal by smuggled present attitude of indifference, not to say contempt for into the island from Caramania, where it had been for some the great interests involved, by the prompt appointment of time prevalent. a Hospital Commission of Inquiry, he will one day find Dr. Barry has in his report made some very judicions himself deservedly discredited and unpopular. suggestions for the sanitary improvement of the municipal towns in Cyprus, especially with a view to getting rid of the cesspits and polluted wells, and to the improvement of the SANITARY CONDITION OF CYPRUS. drainage and water-supply, and has given some important cautions to be adopted in case of an outbreak of any epi. THE second annual report of the Sanitary Commissioner demic. We concur in the opinion he has expressed, that with the Government of Cyprus, for the year 1881, has just I I with proper precautions as to dwellings, food, and sanitary been published by the Colonial Office, and, although still the island is well fitted for the residence defective in some respects, it contains much interesting arrangements, of English people. From its physical features, it pos. information respecting the health of the island. It appears sesses the advantage of offering the choice of a variety of from the results of a cemus taken on April 4th, 1881, climates............. For phthisical cases Cyprus is a station that the population was 186,084, of whom one-fourth were second to none in the Mediterranean; and there can be no Mahomedans and nearly three-fourths members of the Greek doubt that, when the reformed municipalities have tho. Church. Full details as to the ages, relative proportion of roughly attended to the wants of their respective towns, sexes, &c., will be given in the census report. During the Cyprus may look forward to becoming one of the favourite year 1881 there was an entire absence of epidemic disease, health-resorts of the Mediterranean." but in July, August, and September intermittent and remittent fevers were, as usual, very prevalent in a mild form. No details are given as to the general mortality in the island, THE SCOTTISH UNIVERSITIES AND THE BILL but it is stated to have been under 20 per 1000 in the town and district of Larnaka. The only available statistics in A DEPUTATION of Scottish University Professors waited the report bearing upon sickness and mortality in proin on the Lord Advocate on the 7th inst. at his chambers portion to population are those of the police force. The the House of Commons, for the purpose of expressing their average strength was 632, which furnished 705 admissions views on certain provisions of the Medical Act Amendment into hospital, being in the ratio of 1115 per 1000, but no Bill. The deputation included Professors Rutherford and deaths. Upwards of one-third of the admissions were for Fraser of Edinburgh, Professors Gairdner and Leishman of paroxysmal fevers, the diseases next in frequency being Glasgow, and Professor Struthers of Aberdeen. gonorrhoea, of which there were 61 cases, and syphilis, numProfessor STRUTHERS, who first addressed the Lord bering 50 cases. At Nikosia 18 cases of malingering were Advocate, said the idea had been widely circulated, and reported. The prisons appear to have been healthy during the impression created, that the Bill was one in favour the year. The total number of prisoners amounted to 1662, of the Scottish universities-that, in fact, it was a Professors’ but unfortunately the average under confinement is not Bill ; and it had even been said that the universities of Scotland had been consulted by the Government before the stated. The number treated amounted to 875, and the Bill was laid before Parliament. It was not deaths to 3; the death-rate must therefore have been low. him to contradict that statement. It was ne3essaryfor supposed they Diseases of the digestive system were the most prevalent- were warmly anxious for the Bill to pads ; but so far as the chiefly diarrhoea, colic, constipation, and dyspepsia; and universities of Scotland were concerned, they did not wish next to these were paroxysmal fevers and rheumatism. In this or any other Medical Bill. They did not wish a Billto an additional examination on their students, and also consequence of the prisoners losing weight under the old impose to cause additional expense to them, as the Scottish univer dietary, a new scale was drawn up by Dr. Barry and sities had all along contended for a very much simpler change. adopted in April, and to it and the attention paid to the They had contended, if what were known as "half diplomas" conservancy of the prisons these satisfactory results may of the corporations were stopped, and certain changes made in a great measure be attributed. Leprosy appears to in the Medical Council, that that was all, or almost all, that The universities were complete in their prevail to a considerable extent in the island, there having was required. in their education, curriculum, in their examinations, and been 55 cases (39 males and 16 females) in the Leper Farm in the legal qualifications which they gave. It was the the ..during year, of whom 7 died. Dr. Barry notes that policy that had been pursued, medical and surgical, by the chaulmoogra oil had been employed in a number of the corporations of the three divisions of the kingdom, which first two and the last subject might profitably be treated by of the independent and more active of the governors and subscribers to hospitals; and the third, when divided into two parts, leaves one part still to be treated by some one familiar with the metropolitan system. some

cases, with beneficial results : " It has

1065 rndered some legislation necessary. They had given, and sill continued to give, what were called half diplomas ; and ii certain cases the examination for these had not been any kind was made universities in the evidence laid before the Commission. The Scottish universities had abstained from opposing the Bill, however unwelcome it was to them ; bm if their preponderating influence on the Board was removed then, of course, their attitude to the Bill was entirely

satisfactory. Not

a

against the Scottish

single reproach of

before the members their views in regard to the Medical Act Amendment Bill. The Lord Provost presided. Professor T. R. FRASER said the deputation thought it would be unfortunate if any action were taken on the part of the municipal authorities founded upon statements which they regarded as rather of an ex parte nature, without an opportunity having been given to the university to state their views on tome of the points which had been raised. It had long been felt that some legislation was required to

lay

prevent qualifications or titles from being granted on improper Professor RUTHERFORD said it had been argued that the grounds. In all the previous Bills introduced there were extra-mural lecturers on medicine in Edinburgh and Glasgow provisions which were decidedly injurious to the interests of would find their position seriously compromised if the Scotland. In all previous Bills the great function of registrauniversities had a preponderating influence on the Scottish tion was thrown into the hands of a central authority in Medical Board. It was contended that already there existed London, as well as the governing or controlling of medical within the universities a feeling of hostility to extra-mural education in all parts of the kingdom, and the controlling of lecturers, and that if the universities gained the power on the examinations for the conferring of titles. The Bill now the Medical Board which the Bill proposed to give them, before Parliament was to a very great extent free from such they would be unable to resist the temptation of seeking to objections. The local authority in Scotland was the point extinguish extra-mural lecturers, and of bringing about a which had given rise to the greatest dispute. The Board monopoly of medical education favourable to themselves. for Scotland was to consist of eleven members-eight repreHe could assure his lordship that the alleged hostility of sentatives from the universities and three from the corporathe universities to extra-mural teachers did not exist. The tions. The University of Edinburgh had, on account of its extra-mural teachers educated practically all who were importance in comparison with another, received the largest studying for corporation. diplomas only. They had, there- share of representation of the universities-three members fore, a very direct interest in any increase in the number of instead of two, St. Andrews electing only one. The corthose who might be described as non-university students ; porationq, as contrasted with the universities, had not by any yet it was a remarkable fact that there had been scarcely means the same importantpositionin regard both to education any increase in the number of non-university students, and examination. In regard to education, the corporations although there had been so great an increase in the number had absolutely no interest whatever ; on the other hand, the of students qualifying for university degrees, not only in universities had a mostimpertantinterestinmedioaleducation. Edinburgh, but also in Glasgow and Aberdeen. The reason If the corporations succeeded in reducing the majority which why the extra-mural lecturers were taking the side of the had been given in this Bill to the universities, then the corporations in this matter was, that many of them were great purpose which the Bill was designed to fulfil would not examiners for the corporations, and they contended that, if be fulfilled, agitation would not be checked, and the Bill the professors were in a majority on the Medical Board, and would not lead them to the termination of this agitation, had the chief voice in appointing its examiners, their which was injurious altogether to Scottish education. Professor CRUM BROWN stated that the existence of the tendency would be to exclude extra-mural teachers as examiners on the Board. He was convinced that the fear extra-academical school had turned out a great benefit to the was groundless. university. It had been attempted to make it appear that Professor FRASER submitted that there was ample evidence the pecuniary interests of the professors were opposed to the that the proposed majority of the universities upon the interests of a strong and flourishing extra-academical schoolr Medical Board would not have a prejudicial influence upon but he might say that most of the professors had been the extra-mural lecturers, whose value in the teaching system teachers in the extra-mural school, and were perfectly aware of Scotland they thoroughly recognised. The existence on of the way in which it was worked. the Board of a majority of the professorial element would not Professor GREENFIELD spoke of the manner in which seriously injure the extra-mural lecturers. diplomas granted by the corporations in Scotland were The LORD ADVOCATE. -Do you anticipate that the looked down upon by English practitioners, on account of measure, if passed, would be adverse to them, or do you the easy manner in which they could be obtained. A man, he said, could come down to Edinburgh and, without any merely think there wilt be the loss of prestige ? Professor FRASER.-That is all. I think nothing further trouble, get a diploma, and return to London. If the Town could occur in the way of injury. Council of Edinburgh homologated the action of the corProfessor LEISHMAN drew his attention to the clause in the porations, they would, he believed, do a very serious injury Bill with reference to fees paid by students, and said he tothe prestige of the university ; they would practically say, would consider it unfair if, in addition to the large fees which " We, who are well acquainted with this matter, think that students had already to pay to the university, they were to the universities have no higher footing than the corporabe further taxed for the maintenance of museums and libraries tions. in connexion with the corporations. The LORD PROVOST said they had listened with great Professor GAIRDNER said the universities had never at pleasure to the deputation, and they might depend upon it any time suggested, either before or since the issue of the they would give the most careful attention to the matter. Bill, any definite proposal on the question of representation on the Medical Board ; but they had assumed the Government had adopted, and would adhere to, the recommendaAPOTHECARIES’ HALL, IRELAND, AND tions of the Royal Commission. The University of St. THE BILL. Andrews was exclusively an examining, and not at all a teaching, university. Its position was in no way comparable ON Tuesday, a deputation from the Apothecaries’ Hall of with that of the other universities ; therefore the direct interest of St. Andrews University in the operations of the Ireland had an interview with Mr. Mundella (who was acScottish Medical Board was exceedingly small. It could Mr. Lennox Peel) at the Privy Council with not be reckoned in any proper sene as a university vote, so companied by that the universities would practically have no preponderating reference to the Medical Act Amendment Bill. The deputation consisted of Dr. Collins (the governor of the Hall}, influaiace on the Board. The LORD ADVOCATE informed the deputation that he Sir George Owens, Mr. McDonagh, Dr. White, Dr. should communicate with Mr. Mundella, who was in charge O’Flaherty, and Dr. Fitzgerald ; and they were accompanied of the Bill, and confer with him on the important matters by Mr. O’Shaughnessy, M.P., and Mr. Henderson, M.P. It will be remembered that the Apothecaries’ Hall of Ireland that had been brought under his notice that day. The deputation thanked the Lord Advocate, and withdrew. had been included in the Medical Council under the Bill as first introduced into the House of Lords, but they had been struck out when the Bill was in Committee. The deputation A DEPUTATION from the Edinburgh University Medical pointed out that they had been recognised for centuries as a institution, and that about 2500 general practiSchool, consisting of Professors T. R. Fraser, Crum Brown, corporate tioners belonged to their body. rhey did not want any of Greenfield, and Simpson, waited upon the Lord Provost’s the present representatives to be disturbed, but they asked Committee of the Town Council on the 6th inst., in order to to be reinstated in the Council. If they were not, there

changed.

"