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TEA-TIPPLING.
1189 and it is not in the power of young, List of offices which either pay no commission on premiums a rule, to maintain the amount of or offer the benefit of the commission to a medical little later on in life, is not only practitioner effecting a policy ivitho2ct the intervention demanded by their circumstancea, but also well within their a commission-paid agent :of compass. This, however, does not invalidate the contention ALLIANCE will pay commission. that young men should be encouraged to look ahead, and, BRITISH EQUITABLE will pay commission. by the exercise of a wise forethought and prudent selfCHURCH OF ENGLAND will pay commission. denial, lighten the burden of the later years, which, even in CLERGY MUTUAL pays no commission. of a fairly prosperous practitioner, are full enough the case COMMERCIAL UNION will pay commission to a medical of pecuniary demands. practitioner willing to accept a "private agency." A point upon which some needless apprehension appears EAGLE will pay commission. to exist is that of the ordeal of medical selection. It is EQUITABLE SOCIETY pays no commission. indeed a little strange to find this a source of trouble to our LONDON LIFE ASSOCIATION pays no commission. readers, for although medical practitioners cannot by any METROPOLITAN pays no commission. means claim immunity in this particular from "the ills NATIONAL of Ireland will pay commission. that flesh is heir to," they might reasonably be expected NORWICH UNION will pay commission. to take a calmer view than some other people of the PATRIOTIC will pay commission. One of our correspondents is medical examination. PELICAN will pay commission. troubled as to the proportion of proposed lives which POSITIVE will pay commission. are either declined or subjected to special rates as RELIANCE will pay commission. The figures which would illustrate this unsafe risks. UNIVERSITY will pay commission. point we have not at hand, nor indeed are we aware YORKSHIRE will pay commission. that they exist, unless ’possibly in a fragmentary form IMPERIAL and SCOTTISH EQUITABLE would pay comin the shape of chance references here and there in mission to a medical committee or central body. the annual report of one company or another. But we understand that the number so declined or charged a special premium is no considerable proportion of the whole, and that the life assurance definition of a first-class life is suffiTEA-TIPPLING. ciently elastic to include almost all men in good health and sound. organically Other snggestions which have reached us relate very TEA-DRINKING has recently been the subject of discussion much to the topic which formed the special subject of our and correspondence in some of our contemporaries, and Supplement last year-namely, the form of policy which is while some of those who have taken part in the discussion best adapted to the needs of the medical practitioner. These suggestions have not been overlooked, although the are inclined to ridicule the idea that the habit is injurious, and to treat such a view as the product of an over-anxious course which the discussion has taken on this occasion has not permitted us to treat them in any sense fully. Our corre- imagination, it will be evident to anyone who has paid spondents will, we hope, understand that in dealing with a attention to the subject-and we venture to think that large subject like this we are obliged to treat it in chapters, medical men have not been slow to take advantage of their so to speak, and although it is not at all congenial to pass for doing so-that it cannot be disover an intrinsically valuable communication on the ground peculiar opportunities merely that it does not fit precisely into our programme, missed with an expression of belief that " tea-drinking has considerations of time and space, if no others, would alone not diminished the native grace and dignity of English. constrain us to adhere, and to adhere even rigidly to this women, and that envy, malice, and all uncharitableness are much more conducive to indigestion than five rule. There is one point upon which some misunderstanding o’clock tea." That a cup of good tea properly made appears to have arisen, and we must therefore make an is for the majority of people both wholesome and refreshing opportunity of referring to it again-namely, that of the will be admitted by all; but to admit so much is very arrangements by which it is possible to secure policies with different from asserting that tea, in the quantity and of the certain offices commission free. We published in our quality in which it is too often partaken by many people, Supplement a list of such offices—a list which, by the way, especially women, is a harmless and pleasant beverage. was incomplete in consequence of the inadvertent omission We do not think that men err much in this way. Possibly of the name of the London Life Association. In that list an they betake themselves to more potent if also more harmful explanatory sentence indicates that some will and some will liquors, but no one who has seen much of the out-patient not pay commission, and it seems to have been supposed that departments of our large hospitals can have failed to be between those that will pay and those that will not pay there struck with the numbers of ansemic and dyspeptic women must be a great difference. Apart from further explanation and white-faced puny children, in whom inquiry elicits the this view would be reasonable enough, but we hoped that history of indulgence in tea not once but many times a day. It is This habit is doubtless most prevalent amongst the very the further explanation had been clearly given. this: Some life offices make it a rule to pay no commission poor and is perhaps the result of their poverty. The to any person upon premiums-that is to say, they employ morning teapot remains "on the hob," food is perhaps It follows that all scarce, the teapot is handy, and its contents, becoming no commission-paid agents at all. policies effected with these offices are commission free, and hourly more poisonous, temporarily satisfy, or at least ward this is what is meant to be intimated by including in the off, hunger. Butindulgence in this habit-if wehad to do with following table, now republished with the correction above alcohol, it would be called avice, and perhaps that term would indicated, certain offices as offices which pay no commission. be the more correct one-produces results almost as serious if The remaining offices make a practice of paying commis- not quite so obvious as those which the stronger liquid sion to their own agents on business received or transacted excites. It produces disinclination for solid food, dyspepsia, through the agents’ intervention. Of these remaining offices, and consequent ansemia, and these bring in their train A few some have agreed to make to a medical man coming tos nervousness, depression, and even melancholia. effect an assurance without the intervention of an agent ani weeks ago we referred to the case of a poor woman who allowance equal to the agent’s commission. In these cases,, was charged with the murder of her two children. From therefore, a medical man can, if he likes, get his policy com- certain writing found in her possession it was evident that mission free,just as with an office of the first-mentioned1 she had intended to perish with her children, believing that class. In the result, therefore, it comes to the same thing,, they were hopelessly ill, and that she herself was slighted and the note which is appended to the entry of the company’sby her friends and neighbours. She had suffered from name serves only to indmate whether the commission issheadaches, palpitation, and sleeplessness, and it was dealt with by refusing it to anybody, and applying the3 found that she had been in the habit of taking money that would otherwise be spent on agency commis-- large quantities of tea in consequence, as she said, of sion to the increase of bonus benefits, or by consenting tc her troubles, and the divisional surgeon who saw her pay it to the medical proposer, and so enabling him eitheir was of opinion that excessive indulgence in tea had to add it to his policy in the shape of an enlarged assurancee helped to undermine her constitution. Doubtless this is an extreme case, and although it would not be permissible or to receive the benefit of it at once in the shape oj to ascribe the melancholia to excessive tea-drinking, it is diminished premium.
responsibilities,
men, as unmarried insurance which, a
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1190 far from improbable that this indulgence was of considerable members of the Association attended, and the dinner, which effect in upsetting an unstable mental equilibrium. And was honoured by the presence of several guests of distinc,what has been said as regards the evil effects of excessive tea- tion, had its accustomed success. After the usual loyal Navy, Army, and drinking in women applies even more strongly to children. toasts, Mr. MacKellar proposed "The Johnston and Dr. Unfortunately it is the ambition cf many parents, both Reserve Forces," for which Dr. Beech
Mr. Bruce and the Rev. Mr. Bailey Guests," also proposed by the replied President. Mr. Gregono gave the toast of The Chairman." Nelson Hardy, - superior robustness, or from the slight saving of trouble in " The Medical Press " was proposed by Mr. which it may result, of its existence and of the evil effects and Mr. Battle replied for the Editors of THE LANCET. proposed by Mr. Farr, and accruing to the child in consequence of it there can be The toast of the evening was who referred to the growth mo doubt. replied to by Mr. MacKellar, We desire to assist in impressing upon women especially and extension of the Association. "The Dinner Comthe fact that the immoderate use of their favourite mittee " was proposed by Mr. Phillips, and replied to by ’beverage is fraught with considerable danger to health, and Dr. Waters. During the evening some excellent glees &c. ,that this is especially true of those who lead for the most were given by members of the Lyric Vocal Union. Songs part an in-door life. Too often, unfortunately, con- were sung by Miss Kellaway and Mr. C. E. Yarrow, which viction that the habit is injurious comes only after the gave great pleasure to the audience. Before the dinner the break down, and the harm which has been done takes a annual meeting for the election of officers and the presentagood deal of undoing. It ia idle to argue that Australian tion of the report was held. shepherds or half-savage Tartars drink tea in immoderate quantities, and are none the worse for it. Their mode of .life enables them to do many things-we shall not say with CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL. impunity-which town dwellers cannot do, and we are convinced that no one living for the most part an in-door city life THE triennial festival of the governors and friends of can continue to indulge freely in tea five or six times a day without suffering for it in the end. Whether or not " envy,, Charing.cross Hospital was held on Tuesday, 17th inst., at malice, and all uncharitableness"are, as some assert, pro- the Hôtel Metropole, under the presidency of the Right ductive of indigestion, there is no doubt that excessive tea- Honourable David ; Evans, the Lord Mayor. In submitting drinking is, and for our own part we are inclined to think the toast of " The Prince and Princess of Wales and the rest that indigestion is at least as often the parent as it is the; of the Royal Family," the chairman, who was cordially rechild of the vices which have been mentioned. ceived, and to whom we venture to offer our congratulations on the fact that his first public duty was discharged on behalf of a medical charity, referred in sympathetic terms to the cloud now overhanging Marlborough House, and exIN DUBLIN. SANITARY WORK pressed an earnest hope for the speedy recovery of Prince DUBLIN is well supplied with main sewers, the contents George. Sir Joseph Fayrer proposed "The Navy, the Army, and Reserve Forces," for which Sir John Corbett, General -of which are discharged into the river Liffey, but a large and Colonel Ward respectively replied. The chairman Kent, portion of the city lies so low that the floors of basement then asked the company to drink "Prosperity to Charingstories are below high-water level, and in consequence the cross Hospital."Of all the charities which Lord Mayors were called upon to promote, he said none were more worthy of sewers cannot continuously empty their contents into the than this. The hospital was in the very heart of support river. The mouths of the sewers are provided with valves which open outwards, and which are closed when the water London, and the importance of the work it did could hardly in the river rises to the level of the sewer mouth, and it be exaggerated. During the past three years it had not been follows that the sewers situated near the mouth of the prosperous, partly in consequence of the agricultural deriver are often sealed during the greater part of the twenty- pression that had fallen upon the country. The receipts four hours. In order to prevent their contents from during this period had amounted to .f28,OOOj the expenditure to £42,000. While the sum received from legacies becoming impounded to such an extent as to prevent the showed a great falling-off, the number of patients had from houses the the sewers, powerful drainage entering Mr. Passmore Edwards had written to increased. steadily steam-pumps are employed to lift the surplus sewage to a the treasurer : "II have good reason to know the great good level above high water. Dublin therefore is unfavourably is doing, and that it is a permanent placed in respect of its sewage, and at no distant date, as that the tohospital central London, and, in fact, to the public in out blessing Sir Charles we to see Cameron, pointed by may expect I also know what a pressing need there is for a the Dublin sewage either conveyed to a distant point and general. convalescent home in connexion with the hospital. I have, into the or to some sea, discharged open subjected with interest and anxiety the efforts watched precipitation process. On economic and other grounds consequently, he prefers the latter method. The decayed condi- made for some time past to secure such a home, and have tion of a large number of the tenement houses is been a little surprised at the slow progress made towards also a serious factor in the sanitary condition of Dublin. its attainment. I therefore ask the privilege to be allowed Before 1880 waterelosets were unknown in the tenement to build and furnish, solely at my own expense, a conI houses, some not having any sanitary accommodation at all. valescent home with accommodation for fifty beds ; andfor as an earnest of to a enclose intention, beg, my cheque Figures would seem to show that ten years’ sanitary work, while it has slightly lowered the general death-rate, has f:5000, and I hereby undertake to give a cheque for the of the estimated cost of the home when its apparently greatly reduced the zymotic death-rate. This remainder is laid. The only condition I attach to foundation-stone and the first weeks during thirty improvement continues, the is that home shall remain in perpetuity under the gift of the present year the death-rate was 2’8 under the mean rate for the corresponding period in the previous ten years. the control of the governors and the council of CharingThe Lord Mayor said that he was Typhus fever, which formerly caused terrible ravages in cross Hospital." Dublin, has almost completely disappeared, but no decrease delighted that it had fallen to his lot to announce this splendid gift, which he hoped would act as an incentive, has taken place in typhoid fever. and not as a deterrent, to further charity. Mr. Martin acknowledged the toast, incidentally stating that on the day of the great Trafalgar.square meeting no fewer than ninety cases of injury were treated in the hospital. Sir THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SURGEONS’ John Puleston proposed "The Medical Staff," for whom ASSOCIATION. Dr. Green responded. The secretary announced donations to the amount of £7576, including the f:5000 from Mr. THE annual dinner of this important Association was Passmore Edwards. ’held at the Criterion Restaurant on Thursday, Nov. 12th, DEPUTY CORONER FOR OSWESTRY DISTRICT.—The under the able presidency of the surgeon-in-chief to the Lord Chancellor has confirmed the appointment of Dr. John Mr. MacKellar. A of number Metropolitan Police, large of Oswestry, to the office of deputy coroner for the Griffiths, 1 Report upon the State of the Public Health of Dublin for 1890. Oswestry district.
fathers and mothers, to get their children as soon as possible to have 11 a share of what is going," and whether this wish arises from the delusion that the ability to do so is a sign of
.
, .
Burton
responded.
to the toast of "Our
responsibilities,
men, as unmarried insurance which, a
-
-
-
--
-
-
-
.
.
.
-
1190 far from improbable that this indulgence was of considerable members of the Association attended, and the dinner, which effect in upsetting an unstable mental equilibrium. And was honoured by the presence of several guests of distinc,what has been said as regards the evil effects of excessive tea- tion, had its accustomed success. After the usual loyal Navy, Army, and drinking in women applies even more strongly to children. toasts, Mr. MacKellar proposed "The Johnston and Dr. Unfortunately it is the ambition cf many parents, both Reserve Forces," for which Dr. Beech
Mr. Bruce and the Rev. Mr. Bailey Guests," also proposed by the replied President. Mr. Gregono gave the toast of The Chairman." Nelson Hardy, - superior robustness, or from the slight saving of trouble in " The Medical Press " was proposed by Mr. which it may result, of its existence and of the evil effects and Mr. Battle replied for the Editors of THE LANCET. proposed by Mr. Farr, and accruing to the child in consequence of it there can be The toast of the evening was who referred to the growth mo doubt. replied to by Mr. MacKellar, We desire to assist in impressing upon women especially and extension of the Association. "The Dinner Comthe fact that the immoderate use of their favourite mittee " was proposed by Mr. Phillips, and replied to by ’beverage is fraught with considerable danger to health, and Dr. Waters. During the evening some excellent glees &c. ,that this is especially true of those who lead for the most were given by members of the Lyric Vocal Union. Songs part an in-door life. Too often, unfortunately, con- were sung by Miss Kellaway and Mr. C. E. Yarrow, which viction that the habit is injurious comes only after the gave great pleasure to the audience. Before the dinner the break down, and the harm which has been done takes a annual meeting for the election of officers and the presentagood deal of undoing. It ia idle to argue that Australian tion of the report was held. shepherds or half-savage Tartars drink tea in immoderate quantities, and are none the worse for it. Their mode of .life enables them to do many things-we shall not say with CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL. impunity-which town dwellers cannot do, and we are convinced that no one living for the most part an in-door city life THE triennial festival of the governors and friends of can continue to indulge freely in tea five or six times a day without suffering for it in the end. Whether or not " envy,, Charing.cross Hospital was held on Tuesday, 17th inst., at malice, and all uncharitableness"are, as some assert, pro- the Hôtel Metropole, under the presidency of the Right ductive of indigestion, there is no doubt that excessive tea- Honourable David ; Evans, the Lord Mayor. In submitting drinking is, and for our own part we are inclined to think the toast of " The Prince and Princess of Wales and the rest that indigestion is at least as often the parent as it is the; of the Royal Family," the chairman, who was cordially rechild of the vices which have been mentioned. ceived, and to whom we venture to offer our congratulations on the fact that his first public duty was discharged on behalf of a medical charity, referred in sympathetic terms to the cloud now overhanging Marlborough House, and exIN DUBLIN. SANITARY WORK pressed an earnest hope for the speedy recovery of Prince DUBLIN is well supplied with main sewers, the contents George. Sir Joseph Fayrer proposed "The Navy, the Army, and Reserve Forces," for which Sir John Corbett, General -of which are discharged into the river Liffey, but a large and Colonel Ward respectively replied. The chairman Kent, portion of the city lies so low that the floors of basement then asked the company to drink "Prosperity to Charingstories are below high-water level, and in consequence the cross Hospital."Of all the charities which Lord Mayors were called upon to promote, he said none were more worthy of sewers cannot continuously empty their contents into the than this. The hospital was in the very heart of support river. The mouths of the sewers are provided with valves which open outwards, and which are closed when the water London, and the importance of the work it did could hardly in the river rises to the level of the sewer mouth, and it be exaggerated. During the past three years it had not been follows that the sewers situated near the mouth of the prosperous, partly in consequence of the agricultural deriver are often sealed during the greater part of the twenty- pression that had fallen upon the country. The receipts four hours. In order to prevent their contents from during this period had amounted to .f28,OOOj the expenditure to £42,000. While the sum received from legacies becoming impounded to such an extent as to prevent the showed a great falling-off, the number of patients had from houses the the sewers, powerful drainage entering Mr. Passmore Edwards had written to increased. steadily steam-pumps are employed to lift the surplus sewage to a the treasurer : "II have good reason to know the great good level above high water. Dublin therefore is unfavourably is doing, and that it is a permanent placed in respect of its sewage, and at no distant date, as that the tohospital central London, and, in fact, to the public in out blessing Sir Charles we to see Cameron, pointed by may expect I also know what a pressing need there is for a the Dublin sewage either conveyed to a distant point and general. convalescent home in connexion with the hospital. I have, into the or to some sea, discharged open subjected with interest and anxiety the efforts watched precipitation process. On economic and other grounds consequently, he prefers the latter method. The decayed condi- made for some time past to secure such a home, and have tion of a large number of the tenement houses is been a little surprised at the slow progress made towards also a serious factor in the sanitary condition of Dublin. its attainment. I therefore ask the privilege to be allowed Before 1880 waterelosets were unknown in the tenement to build and furnish, solely at my own expense, a conI houses, some not having any sanitary accommodation at all. valescent home with accommodation for fifty beds ; andfor as an earnest of to a enclose intention, beg, my cheque Figures would seem to show that ten years’ sanitary work, while it has slightly lowered the general death-rate, has f:5000, and I hereby undertake to give a cheque for the of the estimated cost of the home when its apparently greatly reduced the zymotic death-rate. This remainder is laid. The only condition I attach to foundation-stone and the first weeks during thirty improvement continues, the is that home shall remain in perpetuity under the gift of the present year the death-rate was 2’8 under the mean rate for the corresponding period in the previous ten years. the control of the governors and the council of CharingThe Lord Mayor said that he was Typhus fever, which formerly caused terrible ravages in cross Hospital." Dublin, has almost completely disappeared, but no decrease delighted that it had fallen to his lot to announce this splendid gift, which he hoped would act as an incentive, has taken place in typhoid fever. and not as a deterrent, to further charity. Mr. Martin acknowledged the toast, incidentally stating that on the day of the great Trafalgar.square meeting no fewer than ninety cases of injury were treated in the hospital. Sir THE METROPOLITAN POLICE SURGEONS’ John Puleston proposed "The Medical Staff," for whom ASSOCIATION. Dr. Green responded. The secretary announced donations to the amount of £7576, including the f:5000 from Mr. THE annual dinner of this important Association was Passmore Edwards. ’held at the Criterion Restaurant on Thursday, Nov. 12th, DEPUTY CORONER FOR OSWESTRY DISTRICT.—The under the able presidency of the surgeon-in-chief to the Lord Chancellor has confirmed the appointment of Dr. John Mr. MacKellar. A of number Metropolitan Police, large of Oswestry, to the office of deputy coroner for the Griffiths, 1 Report upon the State of the Public Health of Dublin for 1890. Oswestry district.
fathers and mothers, to get their children as soon as possible to have 11 a share of what is going," and whether this wish arises from the delusion that the ability to do so is a sign of
.
, .
Burton
responded.
to the toast of "Our