SOCIETY FOR RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND ORPHANS OF MEDICAL MEN.

1026 on the subject having been distributed. annum, she would, on the present scale, receive health propaganda continued to expand. from the Society a yearly grant of between £75 and The demand for lectures was increasing rapidly. £90, and any children under the age of 16 would Certain aspects of the subject of dental clinics were receive a yearly grant of JE60 each. Over the age of 16G likely soon to be sub judice. The Board could be special grants may be made to orphans to enable assured that members of the Discipline Committee them to continue their education or start in some were fully alive to the possibilities of the commerprofession. These grants in many cases amount to cialisation of dentistry which might be involved and £52 1 Os. a year to each orphan. The directors wish to the danger to the public interest which this might to attract the attention not only of newly qualified entail. Action must be directed solely by the duty and newly married members of the profession, but to see that the law, and the code of conduct proper also of medical men whose dependants would never be in need of assistance from the funds. These latter, to dentists, are maintained. either by becoming annual subscribers or by giving a yearly donation, would be helping the widows and orphans of their less fortunate brethren. Membership TREATMENT OF URTICARIA WITH ALKALIS. is open to any registered medical practitioner who URTICARIA is generally placed in the group of at the time of his election is resident within a 20-mile allergic phenomena, being attributed to a specific radius of Charing Cross. The subscription is small supersensitiveness of the individual to some protein with the benefits that may be derived poison, arising within or without the body. Prof. by unprovided dependants of a deceased member. T. Schreus,1 of Dusseldorf, endeavours to find an The annual subscription for a member who at the explanation of some cases-at any rate, the more time of his election is under 40 years of age is obscure and intractable ones-in a relativediminution 2 if over 40 but under 50, 3 guineas ; and of the alkaline reserve of blood and tissues. He was if guineas; over 50, 4 guineas. There are special terms for led to an investigation of this metabolic factor by life membership. discovering that large doses of bicarbonate of soda are sometimes helpful in treatment, and that some WATER: ITS POLLUTION AND ITS patients can be cured by the intravenous injection of the drug. In order to test the hypothesis he PURIFICATION. estimated the alkaline reservein 81 persons, using Ix his opening address on May 14th at a conference Barcroft’s apparatus, and controlling his results by this week under the auspices of the Society of held van Slyke’s method. Twenty-two were subject to urticaria and the results indicated that in this disease, Chemical Industry, the chairman, Lord Desborough, and in Quincke’s oedema, there is a sensible lowering of referred particularly to the efforts of the Thames the alkaline reserve. A comparativetable shows his Conservancy, of which he has been chairman for many results expressed in terms of carbon dioxide volumes years, to maintain a clean river. In view of possible future demands for additional water-supplies, he per cent. The readings are highest in pruritus and called attention to the general need for safeguarding in eczema 60-9 whereas (60-7 and respectively), the purity of the rivers of this country. Sir Alexander urticaria they may be as low as 53-7and 53. One of the cases in which urticaria was controlled by Houston developed the subject in an address on bicarbonate injections had an alkaline reserveof " Water Purification." The daily consumption of in the area of the Metropolitan Water Board is, only 46 volumes of CO2 per cent. Afenil (calcium- water 260 million gallons, of which about 60 per cent. he said, urea) injections proved of no avail, and when ammonium chloride was administered there was a is drawn directly from the river Thames. Deep wells violent outbreak of wheals. Prof. Schreus does not yield 34 million gallons, and this is the only portion claim that the diminution of alkaline reserve is of the supply which does not need purification. The Thames supply is treated by double filtration and is responsible for more than a certain proportion of then chlorinated. Moreover, storage itself acts as a cases of urticaria, and it would obviously be unreasoneffective very system of purification. Raw water conof this disease as able to regard the problem solved. But it may be worth while to determine the alkaline taining 1000 colon bacilli per 100 c.cm. finally yields water showing their absence in 100 c.cm. The reserve in intractable cases, and where it is low, to steady decrease in the incidence of enteric fever in treat the patient with sodium bicarbonate. London in recent years was a tribute to the work of the Board. The excess lime method of treatment had given very promising results especially in waters which SOCIETY FOR RELIEF OF WIDOWS AND needed softening as well as purification. Mr. J. H. ORPHANS OF MEDICAL MEN. Coste, F.I.C., spoke of the pollution of tidal and nontidal streams. He pointed out that until recent years AT the annual general meeting of this, the oldest medical provident institution, held on May 16th, the pollution of our rivers and streams was caused mainly report for 1927 was presented. During the year by domestic sewage and refuse, but the modern four members were elected, three died and one growth of industrialism had added new sources of Among these were refuse from beetresigned. The Society now consists of one hon. contamination. from wool-washing, and from tanneries, member, 161 life, and 141 ordinary members, making sugar works, a total membership of 303. The invested funds distilleries, and milk products works, also tar-washings amount to £139,400. The income from investments from roads. Organic pollution of a stream produced slight opalescence of the water, and the growth of was £4207 10s. 6d. ; income-tax was returned to the green and blue-green algae and, when pollution was sum of £872 ; and £358 was received in subscriptions and donations. During the year a legacy of £100 more pronounced, the growth of grey woolly sewage The working expenses were £375. fungus. The mud became black and fermentation was received. One widow died during the year and two were elected occurred with the evolution of gas, which, rising in on to the funds ; one orphan was also elected. £4782 bubbles to the surface, might carry with it masses of peaty matter and the river might smell. The general was distributed in grants among 51 widows and In January a set of silver salvers effect of all pollution was to degrade or destroy normal seven orphans. life in the affected stream. A river received more or was presented to the secretary, Mr. E. J. Blackett, less organic matter as well as salts in the form of soil of his successful conduct of the in appreciation washings, and these supplied sufficient nitrogen, case against the Inland Revenue authorities last year. The directors believe that the membership of the phosphorus, and silicon to enable diatoms and algae Society would be larger if it were better known and to thrive, and to attract a population of protozoa increase its membership. The Society is both provi- and small crustacea which, with insect larvae, seemed dent and benevolent. Should a member die and to form the food of most fish. A balance of population leave his widow with an income not above £125 per of all kinds was reached, the plants utilising the carbon of carbon dioxide and bicarbonates, and giving 1 Münch. Med. Woch., 1928, lxxv., 340. up the oxygen required by the animals. Mr. Coste

memorandum Dental

I compared

____

°