- Email: [email protected]
SMALL-POX AT THE BOROUGH HOSPITAL, SHEFFIELD.
789 matter of course, but it has
evidently been prepared with care previously
It is very short, the author wisely avoiding detailed discussion of methods described in ordinary text-books. Then follows a valuable chapter on cyanogen compounds, in which are included many methods previously to be found only in journals. The alcohols come next, with much useful and some novel matter; but the chapter is confessedly very imperfect in regard to the analysis of wines and beer. The following chapters of this volume deal with alcohol derivatives, such as the ethers, chloral and chloroform, the acids, and the chief derivatives of benzene, including the phenols, benzoic and salicylic acids. The second volume, which has only just appeared, is much larger than the first. It is devoted to hydro-carbons, fixed oils and fats, including soap, sugars, starches, and organic bases. The chapters on the oils and fats and on the sugars and starches seem to us, on the whole, the best in the book. Our readers will study with peculiar interest the accounts of the latest improvements in the methods of estimating sugar by the copper test and by the polarimeter. The recent researches of O’Sullivan, and of Brown and Heron, on maltose and dextrin are well described, and a series of tables, founded on the labours of Professor Prescott, on the systematic analysis of vegetable products will be found particularly useful. It would have been an improvement to the book if the analogous scheme of Dragendorff for the separation of alkaloids had been incorporated. We hope Mr. Allen will be encouraged by the success of his two volumes to publish a third, and that he will shortly have an opportunity in the preparation of a new edition of remedying the defects, chiefly of omission, which he has been unable to avoid in the first.
on
by graduates of Oxford and Cambridge
was
the
of any diminution in the number of candidates for its degrees, such a change might materially affect the interests of other corporate bodies in England, and that if a qualification could be obtained in Scotland or Ireland on terms so much lower as to attract the weaker class of candidates to either of them, it would be impossible to carry the conjoint scheme for England into effect. It is the earnest desire of the Senate of the University of London that the Commission should give the weight of its recommendation to the adoption in Ireland and Scotland of the general principle worked out by the English Licensing Bodies in their conjoint scheme -first, that of requiring the same primary educational qualification from every candidate for a professional licence, whether he intends to practise as a physician, surgeon, or ’general practitioner;’ and, secondly, that this qualification should be as nearly uniform as possible for all divisions of the United Kingdom."
’
THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AND MEDICAL
held
graduates of the University of London by a special Act of 1854, and its degrees were included in the schedule attached to the Medical Act of 1858 as qualifications for either of the departments of medical practice to which they relate. It was with great satisfaction that the Senate found itself invited, twelve years ago, to co-operate with the other English universities and medical corporations in framing a plan of examination and certification which should establish aone portal’ system, as obligatory upon everyone who might desire to obtain a licence to practise medicine in any of its branches; and throughout the protracted discussions which issued in the final adoption of a ’conjoint scheme’ by the English licensing bodies, the university has continued faithful to its original principles : looking to the interest of the general public rather than to that of any particular institution, and endeavouring to secure the best attainable qualification on the part of all who should receive the licence of the conjoint board. It became apparent, however, in the course of these discussions that, though the University of London could afford to give up its own title to grant a licence to practise, disregarding the risk conferred
and competent knowledge, and every chemist will be grateful for it. The first volume opens with an introduction on preliminary examination, solubility, with a useful table, which might with advantage be enlarged, ultimate analysis, &c.
SMALL-POX AT THE BOROUGH HOSPITAL, SHEFFIELD. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,--As the recent outbreak of small-pox in this hospital to have attracted a considerable amount of public the following summary of the facts may be of attention, THE circular letter addressed by the Medical Acts ComAn exaggerated account appeared in the local interest. mission to the various qualifying bodies last year resulted and unfortunately made its way, with various addipapers, in the following statement by the Senate of the University of the London and provincial papers. All into several tions, of London, which now appears in the Report of the Annual of the members the staff were revaccinated except the cook, Committee of Convocation:had had a previous attack of small-pox. On March 30th who "The Senate of the University of London, considering itself charged from the very commencement of its corporate the ward-maid of the small-pox block was taken ill with the existence with the duty, as defined in its Charter,of pro- usual symptoms of commencing small-pox. On April 1st, a moting the improvement of medical education in all its rather scanty rash appeared ; none of the spots went on to branches,’ has been enabled, by the liberality of Parliament, suppuration, and there was no secondary fever. She had to apply itself to this duty with the one single aim of carry- fair marks from infantile vaccination, but the revaccination ing it out in the manner most beneficial to the public. This was only partially successful. My own attack begin on it has done by framing such a scheme of medical education, April 2nd. There was considerable primary fever for three and such modes of testing it results, as would (in its judgdays, but no rash appeared, and rapid convalescence folment) tend to establish and maintain the highest attainable lowed. On April 3rd, the cook was seized with the same standard of professional acquirement. To increase the symptoms. The primary fever ran high, and a copious number of those who might seek the degrees of the Univer- rash came out on the 5th, but only a few spots went on to sity has been, in the estimation of the Senate, quite subor- suppuration. She has now completely recovered. None of dinate to the maintenance of the high qualifications of its the nurses or other servants have been attacked by smallgraduates. And it has been by steady adherence to this pox. There have been several cases of minor ailments, principle, and by progressive improvements in the mode of chiefly" gathered fingers." carrying it out, that the medical degrees of the University The hospital committee of the Town Council have reo of London now attract, in constantly increasing numbers, the medical officer of health (Dr. Hime) and myself quested the ablest students of most of the principal medical schools to make a thorough investigation and report as to the of the kingdom. The Senate, moreover, has adopted from ’, condition of the hospital, and if any defects should sanitary very commencement, as a fundamental principle, what be found to exist will be at once set right. I may add, the 1-4 now generally accepted as the basis of the right method that before the they present year there has been in Sheffield no of medical education-namely, framing the regulations for hospital available for the reception of non-pauper infectious EDUCATION.
’
seems
it M. B. degree in such
a manner as to fit its possessor to cases ; and it is very satisfactory to find that already a conbecome a highly qualified ’general practitioner,’ and after- siderable number have availed themselves of the advantages wards superposing on this primary qualification the degrees offered by this hospital. of Doctor of Medicine, or of Bachelor and Master in Surgery, I am, &c,, which distinguish those who hold them as specially qualified B. A. WHITELEGGK, ’GL M.D. Lond., Loud., for one or the other of these branches of professional practice. Medical Officer, Sheffield Borough Hospital Hospital. A legj.1 qualification to practise medicine equivalent to that Borougli Fever Hospital, 6heffield, May 3rd, 18S.
Sir,A.yours, WHITELEGGE,
-
evidently been prepared with care previously
It is very short, the author wisely avoiding detailed discussion of methods described in ordinary text-books. Then follows a valuable chapter on cyanogen compounds, in which are included many methods previously to be found only in journals. The alcohols come next, with much useful and some novel matter; but the chapter is confessedly very imperfect in regard to the analysis of wines and beer. The following chapters of this volume deal with alcohol derivatives, such as the ethers, chloral and chloroform, the acids, and the chief derivatives of benzene, including the phenols, benzoic and salicylic acids. The second volume, which has only just appeared, is much larger than the first. It is devoted to hydro-carbons, fixed oils and fats, including soap, sugars, starches, and organic bases. The chapters on the oils and fats and on the sugars and starches seem to us, on the whole, the best in the book. Our readers will study with peculiar interest the accounts of the latest improvements in the methods of estimating sugar by the copper test and by the polarimeter. The recent researches of O’Sullivan, and of Brown and Heron, on maltose and dextrin are well described, and a series of tables, founded on the labours of Professor Prescott, on the systematic analysis of vegetable products will be found particularly useful. It would have been an improvement to the book if the analogous scheme of Dragendorff for the separation of alkaloids had been incorporated. We hope Mr. Allen will be encouraged by the success of his two volumes to publish a third, and that he will shortly have an opportunity in the preparation of a new edition of remedying the defects, chiefly of omission, which he has been unable to avoid in the first.
on
by graduates of Oxford and Cambridge
was
the
of any diminution in the number of candidates for its degrees, such a change might materially affect the interests of other corporate bodies in England, and that if a qualification could be obtained in Scotland or Ireland on terms so much lower as to attract the weaker class of candidates to either of them, it would be impossible to carry the conjoint scheme for England into effect. It is the earnest desire of the Senate of the University of London that the Commission should give the weight of its recommendation to the adoption in Ireland and Scotland of the general principle worked out by the English Licensing Bodies in their conjoint scheme -first, that of requiring the same primary educational qualification from every candidate for a professional licence, whether he intends to practise as a physician, surgeon, or ’general practitioner;’ and, secondly, that this qualification should be as nearly uniform as possible for all divisions of the United Kingdom."
’
THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON AND MEDICAL
held
graduates of the University of London by a special Act of 1854, and its degrees were included in the schedule attached to the Medical Act of 1858 as qualifications for either of the departments of medical practice to which they relate. It was with great satisfaction that the Senate found itself invited, twelve years ago, to co-operate with the other English universities and medical corporations in framing a plan of examination and certification which should establish aone portal’ system, as obligatory upon everyone who might desire to obtain a licence to practise medicine in any of its branches; and throughout the protracted discussions which issued in the final adoption of a ’conjoint scheme’ by the English licensing bodies, the university has continued faithful to its original principles : looking to the interest of the general public rather than to that of any particular institution, and endeavouring to secure the best attainable qualification on the part of all who should receive the licence of the conjoint board. It became apparent, however, in the course of these discussions that, though the University of London could afford to give up its own title to grant a licence to practise, disregarding the risk conferred
and competent knowledge, and every chemist will be grateful for it. The first volume opens with an introduction on preliminary examination, solubility, with a useful table, which might with advantage be enlarged, ultimate analysis, &c.
SMALL-POX AT THE BOROUGH HOSPITAL, SHEFFIELD. To the Editor of THE LANCET.
SIR,--As the recent outbreak of small-pox in this hospital to have attracted a considerable amount of public the following summary of the facts may be of attention, THE circular letter addressed by the Medical Acts ComAn exaggerated account appeared in the local interest. mission to the various qualifying bodies last year resulted and unfortunately made its way, with various addipapers, in the following statement by the Senate of the University of the London and provincial papers. All into several tions, of London, which now appears in the Report of the Annual of the members the staff were revaccinated except the cook, Committee of Convocation:had had a previous attack of small-pox. On March 30th who "The Senate of the University of London, considering itself charged from the very commencement of its corporate the ward-maid of the small-pox block was taken ill with the existence with the duty, as defined in its Charter,of pro- usual symptoms of commencing small-pox. On April 1st, a moting the improvement of medical education in all its rather scanty rash appeared ; none of the spots went on to branches,’ has been enabled, by the liberality of Parliament, suppuration, and there was no secondary fever. She had to apply itself to this duty with the one single aim of carry- fair marks from infantile vaccination, but the revaccination ing it out in the manner most beneficial to the public. This was only partially successful. My own attack begin on it has done by framing such a scheme of medical education, April 2nd. There was considerable primary fever for three and such modes of testing it results, as would (in its judgdays, but no rash appeared, and rapid convalescence folment) tend to establish and maintain the highest attainable lowed. On April 3rd, the cook was seized with the same standard of professional acquirement. To increase the symptoms. The primary fever ran high, and a copious number of those who might seek the degrees of the Univer- rash came out on the 5th, but only a few spots went on to sity has been, in the estimation of the Senate, quite subor- suppuration. She has now completely recovered. None of dinate to the maintenance of the high qualifications of its the nurses or other servants have been attacked by smallgraduates. And it has been by steady adherence to this pox. There have been several cases of minor ailments, principle, and by progressive improvements in the mode of chiefly" gathered fingers." carrying it out, that the medical degrees of the University The hospital committee of the Town Council have reo of London now attract, in constantly increasing numbers, the medical officer of health (Dr. Hime) and myself quested the ablest students of most of the principal medical schools to make a thorough investigation and report as to the of the kingdom. The Senate, moreover, has adopted from ’, condition of the hospital, and if any defects should sanitary very commencement, as a fundamental principle, what be found to exist will be at once set right. I may add, the 1-4 now generally accepted as the basis of the right method that before the they present year there has been in Sheffield no of medical education-namely, framing the regulations for hospital available for the reception of non-pauper infectious EDUCATION.
’
seems
it M. B. degree in such
a manner as to fit its possessor to cases ; and it is very satisfactory to find that already a conbecome a highly qualified ’general practitioner,’ and after- siderable number have availed themselves of the advantages wards superposing on this primary qualification the degrees offered by this hospital. of Doctor of Medicine, or of Bachelor and Master in Surgery, I am, &c,, which distinguish those who hold them as specially qualified B. A. WHITELEGGK, ’GL M.D. Lond., Loud., for one or the other of these branches of professional practice. Medical Officer, Sheffield Borough Hospital Hospital. A legj.1 qualification to practise medicine equivalent to that Borougli Fever Hospital, 6heffield, May 3rd, 18S.
Sir,A.yours, WHITELEGGE,
-