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SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN PRUSSIA.
778 far as possible of prisoners in gaol. the cellular tissue of the back or buttocks. In some cases his advice and the lessons of experience, a daily injection for twenty-four days sufficed to cause all Notwithstanding the " however, gang system " is still adhered to, and the the syphilitic appearances to disappear; in most of the cases allotment of one cell to several prisoners is a common thing. the treatment had to be carried on for about a month, and In one prison almost all the inmates are in association, in one case for forty days. Thirty-three patients in all were and here the result has been a marked excess in the treated. In six the gums became affected. In only one was reported number of disgusting immoralities. Sometimes a the pain at the seat of puncture at all severe; usually there glaring wrong brings back the memory of past conditions- was no pain at all. In one case there was abdominal pain and as, for instance, in the case of a man who, while confined diarrhoea, which lasted for five days. Out of twenty-four in one room with five others and a warder, was during acases of primary syphilis which remained under observation and smashed to death, yet for seven months only three developed secondary symptoms, whole night literally not the crime was brought home to anyone. As the resultand one of these was that of a man addicted to drink. Comof a trial conducted, be it observed, before the prison paring the results in preventing secondary symptoms with authorities, a manifest and suggestive peculiarity in legal those obtained by the injection of other mercurial prepara. procedure, and of several questions asked in Parliament, tions, the succinimide appears to be about as efficacious as the yellow oxide, and very much more so than the alaninate, we only know that no one was found guilty, and that two of the subordinate prison officials will not be again employed.the salicylate, or the so-called grey oil. Dr. Selenew looks A case more thoroughly unsatisfactory could hardly beupon the succinimide as a mild and valuable preparation, imagined. What explanations of it we have are due towhich may be very useful in primary and secondary cases of ] the persistent efforts of the Howard Society. These facts, no great severity, especially in women and children, because and others which we cannot now discuss, will prove that of its slight tendency to cause local irritation. In severe there are still defects enough in our penal system to justify cases a more active preparation, as the yellow oxide, the the salicylate, or the oxybenzoate, should be the existence of the Society. Its claims on public support perchloride, ] we would once more heartily commend to our readers, along preferred. ] with its latest publication. ANATOMICAL SOCIETY OF GREAT BRITAIN SUICIDE AMONG SCHOOL CHILDREN IN AND IRELAND. PRUSSIA.
accommodation
as
pummelled
-
-
1HE committee ot
investigation appointed by this Society
IN our annotation upon this subject, which appeared in have issued circulars to the various teachers of anatomy, THE LANCET of Sept. 20th, p. 630, it is stated that of the with a view to obtaining information on the following whole of the 289 suicides 240 were boys and 49 were questions :-1. Mode of origin of the following vessels, girls. The causes assigned were fear of punishment, usually described as branches of the thyroid axis,-viz., insanity and mental depression, excessive ambition, and infeiior thyroid, suprascapular, ascending cervical, and fear of the examinations. In addition to the reasons transverse cervical arteries. 2. Mode of distribution of the here given, we believethat two others might fairly last dorsal and first lumbar nerves. 3. Observation in each have been enumerated-viz., over-taxation of the youthful subject of the distance of the lower margin of the kidney on brain in the amount of work expected of the ahildren, each side from the iliac crest. The sex of the subject to be and, especially in the larger towns and centres of education, stated, and any naked-eye evidence of disease of the organs insufficient out-door physical exercise. In these respects, to be recorded. 4. The distribution of the cutaneous if the educational system were ameliorated, there can be nerves on the dorsum of the foot and toes. 5. Notes on little doubt that the large proportion of juvenile suicides the occurrence of a diverticulum ilei (Meckel’s), in each case would be reduced. Innate tendencies to insanity and giving details of its position and connexions. It is particumental weakness ought also to be considered by the school larly requested that the number of subjects examined be authorities We do not mean that the hereditary nature of recorded, whether the diverticulum be present or not. The the mental defects need always be traced back for this pur- committee express the hope that the next report issued by pose ; but that for weaknesses that show themselves to be them may more fully represent the various schools of natural in individual children every allowance ought to be anatomy in this country. Reports on the above questions, made. A disposition to mental irritability, or weariness, along with a statement of the number of bodies examined, or absolute depression shows itself long before the wakefulshould be forwarded to the Secretary, Mr. Arthur Thomson, ness, the apprehensiveness, or the dull torpidity, as the anatomical Department, Museum, Oxford, not later than case may be, which characterises the onset of active April 15th, 1891. insanity sets in. And it would be well if attention were INDIAN WOMEN AND LADY DOCTORS. paid to the fact that it is possible to recognise these earlier departures from the normal state of mental health, IT has long been supposed that, whatever the consideraand to the obvious benefits arising from a timely relaxation tion accorded to it in this or other European countries, the of discipline and mental strain under the circumstances. female medical element has found its proper sphere of activity among the women of the East, notably in India, THE SUCCINIMIDE OF MERCURY IN SYPHILIS. The male practitioner, excluded alike by his sex and his DR. SELENEW, who has made comparative trials of the religion, had there no opportunity for the exercise of his advantages of several mercurial salts for hypodermic art. Quite recently, however, we learn that native opinion use in the skin and syphilitic clinic at Kieff, which as regards this question has undergone a change. In the is under the direction of Professor Stukovenkow, has hospital at Lucknow, for example, it is usually found that recently obtained considerable success by using the succini- native female patients decidedly prefer to be treated by mide, a salt which was originally recommended for the gentlemen in the civil or military medical service, and this purpose by Dr. Vollert and was used in Professor Wolff’s notwithstanding that the women’s ward is under the care of a syphilitic clinic in Strassburg two years ago in doses of female practitioner. It is worthy of remark that the cases about one-sixth of a grain. Dr. Selenew employed larger treated by operation-most of them by the gentlemen above doses (one-quarter to one-third of a grain) in a solution of mentioned-have not been connected with the sexual the strength of 1 per cent. The injections, of which nearlysystem. Further, we must remember that women of this a thousand were given altogether, were usually made into class are likely to be of inferior caste and of low social -
accommodation
as
pummelled
-
-
1HE committee ot
investigation appointed by this Society
IN our annotation upon this subject, which appeared in have issued circulars to the various teachers of anatomy, THE LANCET of Sept. 20th, p. 630, it is stated that of the with a view to obtaining information on the following whole of the 289 suicides 240 were boys and 49 were questions :-1. Mode of origin of the following vessels, girls. The causes assigned were fear of punishment, usually described as branches of the thyroid axis,-viz., insanity and mental depression, excessive ambition, and infeiior thyroid, suprascapular, ascending cervical, and fear of the examinations. In addition to the reasons transverse cervical arteries. 2. Mode of distribution of the here given, we believethat two others might fairly last dorsal and first lumbar nerves. 3. Observation in each have been enumerated-viz., over-taxation of the youthful subject of the distance of the lower margin of the kidney on brain in the amount of work expected of the ahildren, each side from the iliac crest. The sex of the subject to be and, especially in the larger towns and centres of education, stated, and any naked-eye evidence of disease of the organs insufficient out-door physical exercise. In these respects, to be recorded. 4. The distribution of the cutaneous if the educational system were ameliorated, there can be nerves on the dorsum of the foot and toes. 5. Notes on little doubt that the large proportion of juvenile suicides the occurrence of a diverticulum ilei (Meckel’s), in each case would be reduced. Innate tendencies to insanity and giving details of its position and connexions. It is particumental weakness ought also to be considered by the school larly requested that the number of subjects examined be authorities We do not mean that the hereditary nature of recorded, whether the diverticulum be present or not. The the mental defects need always be traced back for this pur- committee express the hope that the next report issued by pose ; but that for weaknesses that show themselves to be them may more fully represent the various schools of natural in individual children every allowance ought to be anatomy in this country. Reports on the above questions, made. A disposition to mental irritability, or weariness, along with a statement of the number of bodies examined, or absolute depression shows itself long before the wakefulshould be forwarded to the Secretary, Mr. Arthur Thomson, ness, the apprehensiveness, or the dull torpidity, as the anatomical Department, Museum, Oxford, not later than case may be, which characterises the onset of active April 15th, 1891. insanity sets in. And it would be well if attention were INDIAN WOMEN AND LADY DOCTORS. paid to the fact that it is possible to recognise these earlier departures from the normal state of mental health, IT has long been supposed that, whatever the consideraand to the obvious benefits arising from a timely relaxation tion accorded to it in this or other European countries, the of discipline and mental strain under the circumstances. female medical element has found its proper sphere of activity among the women of the East, notably in India, THE SUCCINIMIDE OF MERCURY IN SYPHILIS. The male practitioner, excluded alike by his sex and his DR. SELENEW, who has made comparative trials of the religion, had there no opportunity for the exercise of his advantages of several mercurial salts for hypodermic art. Quite recently, however, we learn that native opinion use in the skin and syphilitic clinic at Kieff, which as regards this question has undergone a change. In the is under the direction of Professor Stukovenkow, has hospital at Lucknow, for example, it is usually found that recently obtained considerable success by using the succini- native female patients decidedly prefer to be treated by mide, a salt which was originally recommended for the gentlemen in the civil or military medical service, and this purpose by Dr. Vollert and was used in Professor Wolff’s notwithstanding that the women’s ward is under the care of a syphilitic clinic in Strassburg two years ago in doses of female practitioner. It is worthy of remark that the cases about one-sixth of a grain. Dr. Selenew employed larger treated by operation-most of them by the gentlemen above doses (one-quarter to one-third of a grain) in a solution of mentioned-have not been connected with the sexual the strength of 1 per cent. The injections, of which nearlysystem. Further, we must remember that women of this a thousand were given altogether, were usually made into class are likely to be of inferior caste and of low social -