- Email: [email protected]
THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION.
385 instrument for use in naso-pharyngology and derma- t o afford them an opportunity for criticism and an expression shown by Messrs. McKesson and Robbins, New c f opinion on the management of the affairs and finances of York. (This invention was described more fully in our issue t he institution. The mere facts that this criticism occasionof last week.) They also showed their preparations of thea ally exceeds the limits of propriety and good taste, and that stearate of zinc in combination with various drugs. The t he voluntarily assumed attitude of the members of the council who group themselves in the well of the theatre and stearate differs from the oleate in being made from suet Enstead of oil.-Woods’ patent invalid bedstead and other ( :onstitute a butt for the shafts of the assembled Fellows and appliances were exhibited by the Longford Wire, Iron, and Members is not altogether as pleasant as they would wish it Steel Company, Limited. A stall was also occupied by the o be, are not sufficient reasons for cancelling the conceded Liquor Carnis Company, who had a large display of their rivilege. Men who hold public offices must not be too thin patent foods. The exhibit of Messrs. Parke, Davis and Co.’s skinned and wince under criticism, just or unjust. To any products were of a varied nature : a small assortment nisrepresentations and attacks it is open to the members of of fluid extracts, gelatine and sugar-coated pills (oval 1 ;he Council to reply at the time and any irregularities and round) in many colours, tablet triturates, and a pepsin )an be checked at once by the President. To deprive the which they label and sell as one grain, capable of dissolving great body of Fellows and Members of the privilege of 4000 grains of albumen, according to the usual test for eviewing the proceedings of the Council and making showing comparative strength of pepsin. For this purpose a suggestions for the more efficient administration of the affairs unique pepsin tester was in working order on their exhibit )f the College on account of the ebullitions of a few illtable. This tester is made to work automatically by the use regulated spirits would be inexpedient and unjust, and would of a small stream of water and is intended to show the amount to an open confession of inability on the part of the different strengths of pepsin under similar circumstances. Council to maintain order. It would be playing the part of They also exhibited Weld’s syrup of chloride of iron and rulers whose only remedy for disaffection is to " make a soli1rlasquera’s beef products. The practical use of the Remington tude and call it peace." Happily, the Council of the College typewriter was demonstrated by Mrs. Marion Marshall, and a have decided-if not unanimously, at least by a ma,jority-to large number of the members of the Association availed them- meet the Fellows and Members as usual, and we shall be selves of her aid. Hartmann’s Sanitary Wood Wool Com- greatly mistaken and disappointed if the tone and conduct of pany, Limited, exhibited their well -known preparations, the general meeting in November be not such as to convince iincludingwood wool wadding and tissue, which are now used the members of the Council that their decision has been a En almost every hospital in the United Kingdom ; also their wise one. The settlement of the recent action in the Court of Hartmann’s hygienic towelettes, largely used after accouche- Chancery has removed a cause of irritation on both sides and ment as well as for ladies’ general use, and Hartmann’s ought to lead to the establishment of friendly relations between guinea accouchement outfit, which contains all the necessary the Council and the Members of the College. If the spirit of sanitary appliances and is claimed to afford a great saving of distrust of the constituency is laid aside, and if the Fellows time and trouble in supplying to young mothers the various and Members are called together by the Council with a articles they require for the time of confinement. A new sincere desire to consult them and meet their wishes so far revolving operating table was exhibited by Mr. John Carter. as is compatible with the fulfilment of its obligations and the This table can be fixed at any angle or detached and used honest convictions of its members, the meeting in November Mr. Carter also exhibits the Stanmore may prove a fresh starting-point-the closing of an old as a stretcher. Bishop"hip-disease bed which was devised for use in chapter of disunion and conflict and the commencement of severe cases of morbus coxse, but is also useful for any conanother chapter of unity and concord. The preparation of dition in which prolonged confinement to bed is required, as the annual report, we observe, has been entrusted to a comthe patient can constantly alter the plane of pressure. mittee, and we presume that this committee will consider Messrs. Krohne and Sesemann exhibited their Hyderabad the request of the last annual meeting that a copy of the ’chloroform inhaler, the regulating inhaler and many others. report of the Council should be sent by post to each Fellow and Member a fortnight before the annual meeting. If the Fellows and Members of the College as a body were in the habit of studying the calendars of the College or keeping THE COUNCIL OF THE ROYAL COLLEGE themselves acquainted with the progress of affairs by readthe published minutes of the Council, it would be unOF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND AND THE ing necessary to circulate the report beforehand ; but this duty is ANNUAL MEETINGS OF FELLOWS so often neglected or interfered with by the pressure of daily practice that it is desirable to leave the Fellows and Members AND MEMBERS. of the College without excuse for ignorance of the events of the year and for maintaining that apathy and indifference which are IT will be in the recollection of our readers that the pro- the sole obstacles to their securing their proper weight in the ceedings at the annual meeting of Fellows and Members of administration of collegiate affairs. The cultivation of an the Royal College of Surgeons of England, held on the 5th of interest in the progress and wellbeing of the College on the November, 1891, and the subsequent delay of the Council to part of the Fellows and Members should be one of the deliberate aims of the Council, for it would strengthen the [return an answer to the request of the meeting, ’’ that a copy hands of the executive and tend to enlarge the usefulness of of the Report of the Council should be sent by post to each the College as a scientific institution. We should therefore Fellow and Member a fortnight before the annual meeting," consider that q50 or even f:l00 spent in the circulation of the ed us to entertain the fear that the Council might be induced report would be well spent, even if it should be like bread The extreme cast upon the waters and only found after many days. A more to abolish the annual meeting altogether. immediate return might in all probability be the effect of the brevity of the reports of the proceedings of the Council of distribution-the diffusion of a spirit of loyalty and contenttthe College which are vouchsafed to the Fellows and Members ment with a council which responds so promptly to the wishes prevents the profession from learning the nature of the of its constituents, and a quickened interest in the institution ’discussion which took place in the Council on the lst inst. itself, manifested, it may be, in due season by a better attendance at the lectures of the College and more valuable on the question of holding the annual meeting of Fellows and Members of the College in November next. and to donations to the museum and the library. what extent our fear was well grounded. We are glad, however, to be able to congratulate the Council on the result of’their deliberations, and to learn that it was agreed that the annual meeting of Fellows and Members of the College should THE AMERICAN MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. be held on Thursday, Nov. 3rd, at 3 P.M., and that the usual notices should be issued. A contrary decision would have been derogatory to the dignity of the Council and have placed [SECOND NOTICE.] it-in a false position. The annual meeting of Fellows and IN the previous notice of the important meeting at Detroit of Members was instituted deliberately by the Council in 1884 this Association we gave a short account of the general in response to a resolution unanimously passed by a general which were delivered ; but the chief scienmeeting of Fellows and Members and from a conviction that addresses of the meeting was centred in the matters tific interest it was right to place before the members of the Corporation in the various sections. Of these there were in all discussed the record the of of the and once a year Council, proceedings
fiator,
tology,
an
was
.
386 twelve-viz., Surgery and Anatomy, Practice of Medicine, generally were extensive and varied. Preparations of all Obstetrics and Diseases of Women, Neurology and Medical kinds of drugs were displayed in various forms, and one of use the word, wa4 Jurisprudence, Ophthalmology, Laryngology and Otology, the most interesting shows,’’ if we mayand Co., who gave Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Physiology and Dietetics, the manufactory of Messrs. Parke, Davis Diseases of Children, State Medicine, Oral and Dental every facility to the members of the Association to visit ana I
and Dermatology and Syphilography. Although the inspect their laboratories. The social side of the meeting was of the usual kind. attendance at all the sections cannot be said to have been were a few dinners of Sections; there were reception large, at most it was satisfactory, and at some both the There attendance and the interest in the proceedings were all that by the medical men of Detroit and by others, and an excursion on the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair afforded much could be desired. At the sectional meetings of the first day no subject of pleasure, if it did leave the Sections, to languish a little. of Detroit could do wan very engrossing interest came up for discussion. An impor- In short, everything which the people tant address was delivered by the chairman in the State done, and with a heartiness and geniality which enhancei1 Medicine Section dealing with the responsibility of the the hospitality. National and State Governments for the protection and purity of water supplies. The importance of the purity of a water-supply to a community was pointed out, as well as the ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT REPORT neglect and laxity which had been observed up till recently FOR THE YEAR 1890; with regard to it in America, and in conclusion an energetic APPENDIX. VOL. XXXII., 1892. WITH plea was urged that in dealing with this question local and be should suband inherited political jealousies prejudices ordinated to the higher considerations of the interests and [THIRD AND CONCLUDING As regards the vital statistics of the British Army in India happiness of human life. In the Section of Diseases of Children in the course of a the following table embodies the facts and ratios for the paper on Scorbutus in Children, Dr. Brush made a strong three Presidencies. protest against the too common departures from natural feeding in the case of infants and children. His argument was based upon the statement that every living creature requires some raw living food and he regarded sterilisation and such processes as likely to deprive aliment of some of its necessary qualities. But he certainly overstated his argument when he implied that scurvy is the result of the deprivation of fresh living food. Surely he must have forgotten that vegetables are as a rule boiled before they are eaten, and they can scarcely be imagined to retain their vitality after the fiery ordeal. A paper which evoked some discussion in the Neurological Section was that of Dr. Chaney of Michigan on Responsibility in Will-making. He referred to numerous cases which had recently occurred involving the question of testamentary capacity, and in criticising them he called In Bengal the loss to the command by death and invaliding attention to the unsatisfactory legal definitions of insane delusions as well as to the doubt which existed as to the was 1673, being at the rate of 40 -66 per 1000, and the loss to effect of various disturbed psychical conditions on testa- the army by death and final discharge as medically unfit for further service was 1372, equal to 33’34 per 1000, an increase mentary capacity. Perhaps the most interesting paper on the second day was of 4’09 on the return of the previous year. The highest that of Dr. Rockwell of New York on Electrical Execution. admission rate was among men in their second year of service Dr. Rockwell may be regarded as an authority on this sub- in the country. The mortality ratio was high among men ject, for he was one of a commission of three appointed by his in their first year of service, fell during the second, and feU State to determine whether disfigurement by heat or chemical still further during the third year of service, after which the action was likely to be a result of execution by electricity. rate of mortality increased and kept increasing up to over From the numerous experiments which he made upon animals, ten years’ service in the country. As regards enteric fever, it occupies much the same proand from his experience of electrical execution so far, Dr. Rockwell is firmly of opinion that this mode of execution is minent position as a cause of sickness and mortality as at once the most instantaneous and the least objectionable in heretofore, and the influence of youth and recent arrival in all other respects. The same position was taken up by Dr. the country is fully recognised and dwelt upon. In Fell in his communication on the same subject and he advo- some cases the occurrence of the disease was attributed cated this mode of execution as the least objectionable in and traced to insanitary conditions, in many others it was every way. As is well known, these are not the views held not, although want of success in that direction does not, of course, prove their absence. No material advance by THE LANCET on this subject. On the third day of the meeting, among the papers which has been made with regard to the etiology or pathology had most interest was that of Dr. Shepm’d of Brooklyn, of typhoid fever in India. The system of water filtration urging the more general employment of baths and pointing in barracks long ago gave rise to misgivings in our There is only one safe way with water supply, out their efficacy as a preventive of disease. This paper was minds. read at the State Medicine Section, and excited a good dis- and that is to be satisfied that its source is pure and cussion. The general opinion seemed to be in favour of the that the water is not and cannot be contaminated establishment of public baths on a large scale. At the from the time it leaves that source until it reaches, the lips of the consumer. Section the which excited most interest Large filter beds, properly Neurological paper was that of Dr. Dewey. designed and systematically used and superintended in conReference has been made to but a few of the numerous nexion with waterworks at the main are one thing, but and interesting papers which were read. Enough, however, filtration in detail carried out and supervised by a multitude’ has probably been said to indicate the valuable nature of the of human agents with all their liability to carelessness and In the same way it is easy enough to contributions as a whole and the stimulus which was sought to error is quite another. be given in the general addresses. American science is young, lay down excellent regulations on paper for a method of but it is vigorous, and if it is a little narrow and provincial barrack-room filtration, but it is not easy to place implicit in the conception which some of its exponents have of its faith in their fulfilment in practice. However, we propose functions, that is a fault which will almost daily diminish. to omit all further reference to the etiology and pathology The advances which are being made in every direction, of enteric fever in India on the present occasion, as there thanks to the opportunities which the munificence of its will be an opportunity for considering it later on when millionaires have made available, are beyond all parallel dealing with the annual report of the Sanitary Commisremarkable, and it augurs well for the future of American sion with the Government of India for 1890, where these. medicine that such keen and universal interests should be subjects are more fully entered upon. Cholera caused 50 admissions and 41 deaths in the Bengal command. evoked as were evident at this meeting. ,The exhibits of medical books, instruments and appliances being in the ratios of 1-2 and 1 per 1000 respectively.
Surgery,
NOTICE.]
fiator,
tology,
an
was
.
386 twelve-viz., Surgery and Anatomy, Practice of Medicine, generally were extensive and varied. Preparations of all Obstetrics and Diseases of Women, Neurology and Medical kinds of drugs were displayed in various forms, and one of use the word, wa4 Jurisprudence, Ophthalmology, Laryngology and Otology, the most interesting shows,’’ if we mayand Co., who gave Materia Medica and Pharmacy, Physiology and Dietetics, the manufactory of Messrs. Parke, Davis Diseases of Children, State Medicine, Oral and Dental every facility to the members of the Association to visit ana I
and Dermatology and Syphilography. Although the inspect their laboratories. The social side of the meeting was of the usual kind. attendance at all the sections cannot be said to have been were a few dinners of Sections; there were reception large, at most it was satisfactory, and at some both the There attendance and the interest in the proceedings were all that by the medical men of Detroit and by others, and an excursion on the Detroit River and Lake St. Clair afforded much could be desired. At the sectional meetings of the first day no subject of pleasure, if it did leave the Sections, to languish a little. of Detroit could do wan very engrossing interest came up for discussion. An impor- In short, everything which the people tant address was delivered by the chairman in the State done, and with a heartiness and geniality which enhancei1 Medicine Section dealing with the responsibility of the the hospitality. National and State Governments for the protection and purity of water supplies. The importance of the purity of a water-supply to a community was pointed out, as well as the ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT REPORT neglect and laxity which had been observed up till recently FOR THE YEAR 1890; with regard to it in America, and in conclusion an energetic APPENDIX. VOL. XXXII., 1892. WITH plea was urged that in dealing with this question local and be should suband inherited political jealousies prejudices ordinated to the higher considerations of the interests and [THIRD AND CONCLUDING As regards the vital statistics of the British Army in India happiness of human life. In the Section of Diseases of Children in the course of a the following table embodies the facts and ratios for the paper on Scorbutus in Children, Dr. Brush made a strong three Presidencies. protest against the too common departures from natural feeding in the case of infants and children. His argument was based upon the statement that every living creature requires some raw living food and he regarded sterilisation and such processes as likely to deprive aliment of some of its necessary qualities. But he certainly overstated his argument when he implied that scurvy is the result of the deprivation of fresh living food. Surely he must have forgotten that vegetables are as a rule boiled before they are eaten, and they can scarcely be imagined to retain their vitality after the fiery ordeal. A paper which evoked some discussion in the Neurological Section was that of Dr. Chaney of Michigan on Responsibility in Will-making. He referred to numerous cases which had recently occurred involving the question of testamentary capacity, and in criticising them he called In Bengal the loss to the command by death and invaliding attention to the unsatisfactory legal definitions of insane delusions as well as to the doubt which existed as to the was 1673, being at the rate of 40 -66 per 1000, and the loss to effect of various disturbed psychical conditions on testa- the army by death and final discharge as medically unfit for further service was 1372, equal to 33’34 per 1000, an increase mentary capacity. Perhaps the most interesting paper on the second day was of 4’09 on the return of the previous year. The highest that of Dr. Rockwell of New York on Electrical Execution. admission rate was among men in their second year of service Dr. Rockwell may be regarded as an authority on this sub- in the country. The mortality ratio was high among men ject, for he was one of a commission of three appointed by his in their first year of service, fell during the second, and feU State to determine whether disfigurement by heat or chemical still further during the third year of service, after which the action was likely to be a result of execution by electricity. rate of mortality increased and kept increasing up to over From the numerous experiments which he made upon animals, ten years’ service in the country. As regards enteric fever, it occupies much the same proand from his experience of electrical execution so far, Dr. Rockwell is firmly of opinion that this mode of execution is minent position as a cause of sickness and mortality as at once the most instantaneous and the least objectionable in heretofore, and the influence of youth and recent arrival in all other respects. The same position was taken up by Dr. the country is fully recognised and dwelt upon. In Fell in his communication on the same subject and he advo- some cases the occurrence of the disease was attributed cated this mode of execution as the least objectionable in and traced to insanitary conditions, in many others it was every way. As is well known, these are not the views held not, although want of success in that direction does not, of course, prove their absence. No material advance by THE LANCET on this subject. On the third day of the meeting, among the papers which has been made with regard to the etiology or pathology had most interest was that of Dr. Shepm’d of Brooklyn, of typhoid fever in India. The system of water filtration urging the more general employment of baths and pointing in barracks long ago gave rise to misgivings in our There is only one safe way with water supply, out their efficacy as a preventive of disease. This paper was minds. read at the State Medicine Section, and excited a good dis- and that is to be satisfied that its source is pure and cussion. The general opinion seemed to be in favour of the that the water is not and cannot be contaminated establishment of public baths on a large scale. At the from the time it leaves that source until it reaches, the lips of the consumer. Section the which excited most interest Large filter beds, properly Neurological paper was that of Dr. Dewey. designed and systematically used and superintended in conReference has been made to but a few of the numerous nexion with waterworks at the main are one thing, but and interesting papers which were read. Enough, however, filtration in detail carried out and supervised by a multitude’ has probably been said to indicate the valuable nature of the of human agents with all their liability to carelessness and In the same way it is easy enough to contributions as a whole and the stimulus which was sought to error is quite another. be given in the general addresses. American science is young, lay down excellent regulations on paper for a method of but it is vigorous, and if it is a little narrow and provincial barrack-room filtration, but it is not easy to place implicit in the conception which some of its exponents have of its faith in their fulfilment in practice. However, we propose functions, that is a fault which will almost daily diminish. to omit all further reference to the etiology and pathology The advances which are being made in every direction, of enteric fever in India on the present occasion, as there thanks to the opportunities which the munificence of its will be an opportunity for considering it later on when millionaires have made available, are beyond all parallel dealing with the annual report of the Sanitary Commisremarkable, and it augurs well for the future of American sion with the Government of India for 1890, where these. medicine that such keen and universal interests should be subjects are more fully entered upon. Cholera caused 50 admissions and 41 deaths in the Bengal command. evoked as were evident at this meeting. ,The exhibits of medical books, instruments and appliances being in the ratios of 1-2 and 1 per 1000 respectively.
Surgery,
NOTICE.]