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THE CHOLERA IN THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1854.
557 cancies, together with the number rejected, from the first day have emanated from an unsuccessful candidate for honours at this hospital, and who doubtless considered that his producof January, 1853, to the 6th day of March, 1854."*
tion entitled him at the very least to an honorary certificate. He complains of these distinctions never being given when there two competitors. Now, I cannot speak from be possessed of diplomas. Of these, there has been, and still past experience, but if this discontented individual will take exists, a lamentable deficiency. An uncancelled order in the trouble to inquire into the matter he will find that this council states that "no one shall serve as an assistant-surgeon session such is not the case, and on referring to the notice in the navy who has not a diploma from one of the royal placarded in the library regarding the award of prizes he will * find what he in happy ignorance imagines is not applicable in colleges of surgery of the United Kingdom." It would appear, for months past, as no Gazette announces his case. It is there stated An honorary certificate will be the subject, that assistant-surgeons entering without diplomas given in each class to a pupil who has been an unsuccessful have not even received certificates of competency from the competitor for a medal, and whose answers have evinced different national medical colleges. If the colleges have unanimously merit to entitle him to honorary distinction." Is it not likely resolved to certify for no assistant-surgeon but with a diploma, that the answers of this unfortunate gentleman did not evince they have done that which is dignified and honourable, and sufficient merit? or why should the distinction be withheld in for the interests of the profession at large. The proceedings his case more than in any other? This reformer appears, too, to desire an entirely new of the Admiralty favour such influences, at war as the authorities are with the colleges, and the profession in private life. system with regard to the awarding of prizes. A man may It is known that the Admiralty has formed an examining work from morning till night till he becomes so thoroughly board of its own, of three naval medical officers,—Sir John acquainted with every part of his subject that whatever quesLiddell, and Sir John Richardson, Inspectors of Hospitals and tions be put to him he can answer them satisfactorily; but let Fleets, and Dr. Bryson, Deputy Inspector of Hospitals and him write ever so good a paper, yet your correspondent Fleets. grudges him this well-earned fruit of his toil unless he has had D M. D. May.1854. the advantage of seeing plenty of practice before commencing his hospital career, and is, as " Res Facta" calls it, a " practical THE BIRKENHEAD HOSPITAL. man," of which class he no doubt considers himself a distinTo the Editor of THE LANCET. member. SIR,—In answer to a letter which appeared in your impresIt is not to be supposed that either " practical" or sion of Saturday last, referring to the election of house-surgeon theoreticalmen invariably carry off the prizes, but those to the Birkenhead Hospital, from Mr. W. W. St. George, I whom their teachers consider most deserving; and in what beg to make a few remarks in reply; and first, as to his state- way can they more fairly single out such individuals than by that the manner in which the election was conducted ment, their powers by an examination, and bestowing the " will bear the strictest investigation" : this assertion I ques- testing medal upon what they consider the best-written paper. If he tion very much, for upon my arrival in Birkenhead to attend should again try for honours, he will be much more likely to the evening meeting, I was informed that a gentleman (the be successful, if, instead of trusting to his practical knowledge present house-surgeon) had already been elected to fill the alone, he also works, if only half as hard as those to whom the situation. And, moreover, one of the surgeons of the instituhave been most justly awarded. tion informed me that he was " disgusted"with the proceed- prizes this in your next number you will oblige By inserting ings of the committee, and that he would not attend any more of Your obedient servant, their meetings. Now this coming from such a quarter is suffiA LONDON HOSPITAL STUDENT. London Hospital, May, 1854. cient to substantiate the statements contained in a letter signed "Such is Life"of the underhanded manner in which THE LONDON HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL. the election was carried on, and that it was awarded by To the Editor of THE LANCET. interest. But, however, out of eighteen candidates eight were chosen to appear before the" committee": now, Sir, was not this reference to a letter which appeared in THE LANCET SIR,—In a most unreasonable number to select, when they well knew of May 6th from some indignant student of the London that only one could obtain the appointment. Why did the Hospital Medical College, I would venture to suggest to your hon. secretary not write to the other ten? Surely they were maltreated correspondent the impropriety of perverting facts. as "eligible to fill the situation " as the eight that were Due notice was given in the College that the lecture referred selected; but perhaps on considering the matter over, he to would not take place till Tuesday, May 2nd. No doubt, thought of the time it would occupy in asking the whole Sir, it is annoying when one has, by dint of extraordinary eighteen the questions which were put to myself, which had exertions, managed to get out of bed in time to attend a neither sense nor meaning in them. Were not our credentials summer lecture at half-past eight, to find that a notice has sufficient to satisfy those gentlemen of our competency to dis- been posted a week before to say that no lecture will take charge the duties of the office, without putting us to the place, particularly when one never honours any lecturer more expence of travelling to Birkenhead, to be asked by the than once a fortnight. But we unlucky students must bear a "committee" our religion, as though this had anything to do great deal; indeed, sometimes even greater indignities than with the treatment of disease? I must confess I felt a little this. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A READING MAN. chagrined at the treatment, and wrote to this Mr. St. George May. 1854. for my expences, but the non-payment of which did not suggest the ’’attack" upon the above-named gentleman and Birkenhead Hospital; but I consider it a duty which I owe THE CHOLERA to my professional brethren, of my own standing in the proIN fession, to expose the duplicity which this committee has had THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1854. recourse to, and that they may not be wrecked upon the same rock as myself. I sincerely trust that at all elections the " best THE report we have lately received on the " Asiatic Cholera, man always will win." As this subject has been fully brought before the public, I as it prevailed within the State of Indiana during the years shall leave it for them to decide if the conduct of the com- 1849-50-51-52,"- offers some points of interest at the present mittee was not reprehensible.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, moment, that we are so anxiously dreading its revival amongst ourselves, and as worthy of record in connexion with the obHENRY HANCOX, M.D. Penn, Wolverhampton, May, 1854. servations we havefor some weeks laid before our readers. From reviewing the information collected by the committee, THE PRIZE SYSTEM. the reporter, Dr. Sutton, arrives at the conclusion that locality To the Editor of THE LANCET. had but little influence over the progress of cholera in the Slr, In consideration of your motto, " Audi alteram State. "It prevailed upon the healthy as well as the unpartem," I venture to take up the cudgels with " Res Facta," healthy localities wherever it appeared to have been introthe injured hero who in last week’s LANCET thought fit to lay duced."(p. 66.) From its raging in a malignant form on his supposed grievances before the public. uplands, and in some of the healthiest situations of Dearborn The paper to which I allude is pretty generally known to County, whilst at Lawrenceburgh, Hardington, and Elizabeth Town, upon the low alluvial bottom land, it was compara* The Times, 7th April, 1854. t Search—Admiralty Orders in Council. And the brief royal mandate still tively mild, and even scarcely manifested on many other foliots exists. upon the low-lands annually producing illalarioèls diseases, it The
foregoing return
has been moved for to
gain something
like an official approximation to the truth. Sir James Graham will recollect that " qualified" naval medical candidates must
are more than
great
____________ ———————————————
guished
-
558 is affirmed that such facts do not coincide with the doctrines claims, on account of the losses they had sustained taught in the report of the Registrar-General. That cholera in their private practice during the time they had devoted to selects low damp situations we are told in nearly all works the suppression of cholera. Dr. Hunter moved the reception which treat upon the disorder, but this, in the opinion of the of the claims. Dr. McIntyre, in seconding the motion, paid reporter, is not in accordance with the observations of a large a high compliment to the skill and assiduity of the medical
forcing their
number of our physicians, nor with his own experience in the progress of the epidemics under review. According to Mr. Farr, the cholera of 1849 was not generally fatal on the primary geological formations —on the Granite, the Silurian, or the Devonian system; while Herefordshire, however, on the old Red Sandstone escaped, Cornwall and the South of Devon on the In Indiana it same formation suffered severely. (p. lvii.) was upon the Silurian formations that cholera raged in its most malignant forms, for instance, at Cincinnati, Sandusky, Nashville, Louisville, and St. Louis, but it was not confined to this formation alone, for we see it prevailed at Evansville, Vincennes, Rockport, and many other places alluded to in the report. Thesp. and other analogous facts, according to Dr. Sutton, " show that in this country geological formations have but little influence over the epidemic."(p. 67.) Passing by the different theories of the specific cause of the affection, the report notices alone the " zymotic hypothesis, or the one which considers the specific poison of contagious diseases as acting upon the blood in the manner of ferments." It is laid down that facts are met with which are difficult to reconcile with this view of the subject, and the several doctrines of Dr. Carpenter’s expose of the question, are thought to be negatived by what actually occurred. Both from his own observation, and from reviewing the detailed information of the report, Dr. Sutton regards the progress of the epidemic through Indiana to have presented more the appearance of an infectious disease than that of an epidemic depending upon some widespread cause in the atmosphere, "while there is evidently a predisposition acquired to cholera which extends over whole communities, and is independent of local causes." (p. 69.) It is regarded as not inconsistent with the nature of the malady to suppose it may assume a mild form-the form of a diarrhoea only. Wehave a mild type of scarlatina, scarcely attended with any danger, though the well-known malignant form is almost as lœthal as the worst varieties of cholera. Why may not, then, a combination of circumstances make the poison of cholera more malignant, and change to a certain extent the I character of the disease ? Attention is particularly drawn to the existence of a premonitory symptom in the form of a peculiar nervous feeling which passes over the whole system, much resembling the epileptic aura. In regard to the treatment of the pestilence, we have not been able to obtain anything : new. According to the report the Indiana physicians appear to have treated the disease in accordance with the rules laid down in our best medical works, but the results are far from being satisfactory. All agree, however, in considering the disease perfectly manageable in the diarrhœal form, but " after vomiting, purging, and cramps have commenced, and the circulation has begun to fail, nearly half the cases under the best course of treatment at present known amongst us terminate
and he thought they should get at least £50 each, a very small sum for the time they hadevoted to the public service. After some discussion on the motion an amendment was carried, awarding £30 each to the district surgeons, for their extra services during the late epidemic. At Stranraer there have been some isolated cases. At Hoylake a child lately died with all the symptoms of cholera. BELFAST.-Twelve new cases have been reported. There is a decrease of cholera in the dispensary and union hospital, but in private practice many cholera patients are met with. The Kilkenny Moderator announces the appearance of the cholera at Castlecomer, the first victim being Mr. Thomas Hanbridge, victualler, whose case proved fatal, the premonitory symptoms having been neglected.He was a stout, healthy man, aged about forty. Another case was that of a poor woman in the Castlecomer Workhouse, but we are happy to state that she is progressing favourably. Strong premonitory symptoms showed themselves in two instances in the colliery district, but the patients are doing well under the timely attendance and judicious treatment of Dr. Ross.
gentlemen in the late crisis,
THE
WAR.
MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.
ASSISTANT-SURGEONS
OF THE
NAVY.—The following is
a
assistant-surgeons which is at present required for the exigencies of the naval service ; of the number of candidates for the appointment now on the books of the medical department of the admiralty; of the number of applicants for the appointment from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1853 ; and from the lst of January, 1854, up to the present period. And also of the number of candidates for each period who have been proved as unqualified upon return of the number of
their examination :Number of assistant-surgeons required for the exigencies of the naval service, 31. Number of candidates for the appointment now on the of the medical department of the Admiralty, 104. Number of candidates for the appointment, from 1st January, 1853, to 31st December, 1853, 96. Number of candidates for appointment from 1st January, 1854, to May 2nd, 1854, 112. Number, for first period, rejected on examination, 3. Returns of the actual number of vacancies for assistant-surgeons, whether in ships of war or in hospitals, and the number of qualified candidates to fill up such vacancies; together with the number rejected, from the 1st of January, 1853, to the fatally." 6th of March, 1854. And of the number of surgeons appointed EDINBURGH.—One or two cases of cholera have occurred to hospitals to do the duty of assistant-surgeons; together here during the past week. A meeting of the Board of with the number of druggists’ assistants recently employed at Health has recently been held, when there was some con- naval hospitals to compound medicines, a duty hitherto perversation relative to the propriety of having another inspection formed by junior assistant-surgeons :of the town, in order to improve its sanitary condition previous Number of vacancies for assistant-surgeons, whether in ships to the warm weather setting in. or hospitals, 31. JOHNSTONE.—The virulence which has marked the progress Number of qualified candidates to fill such vacancies, 5. of the disease in this town for the last two weeks has someNumber of candidates rejected from 1st of January, 1853, what abated, and the number of cases has diminished accord- to 6th of March, 1854, 6. ingly, as the epidemic is manifesting itself in a way more MEDICAL COMFORTS.—The Government has ordered an ample easily to be overcome. The following cases are reported, up to stock of wine, spirits, preserved meats, and other comforts, a recent date :-New cases, 80; deaths, 84 ; recovering, 26 ; to be placed on board all the transport steamers, for the use of under The Local Board of Health 10. treatment, remaining the soldiers during their transit to the seat of war in the East. was appointed in October last, and has been entirely engaged in providing medical attendance for those seized, and medical i INVALIDS.—Advices from the Baltic state, that the D2,(,,gon Jiouse-to-house visitation has been adopted. steamer of war is on her way to England, bringing Mr. MacGLASGOW.—Medical remtecneration.-The Medical and Sani- farlane, surgeon of the Valorous, home as an invalid. Mr. tary Committee of Glasgow have reported to the Barony Paro- Bowden, senior assistant-surgeon of the Wellington, fills the chial Board that the extra expenditure incurred during the vacancy in the Valorous, and Mr. Dungan, the senior assisvisitation of cholera would entitle them to an increase of the tant-surgeon of the Royal George, goes to the Wellington in Mr. Government grant. It was agreed that the extra remunera- Bowden’s place. tion to the district surgeons, for additional services rendered APPOINTMFNTS.—Surgeon Augustus Slight (1846), to the during the outbreak of cholera, should be referred simplicetur Betributio2i paddlewheel steam frigate, serving in the Black to the committee of management. A letter was read from the district medical officers, en- Sea; John Belcher, M.D. (1846), to the Wolverine, 12, sloop, at Chatham ; Assistant-surgeon Coward, Assistant-surgeon J. * By George Sutton, M.D., Chairman of the Committee. Indianopolis, J. Norris, of the 55th, Dr. Painter, of the 13th Light Dragoons, and William C. Chapman, Deputy Medical Inspectors. 1854,pup.69.
books
tion entitled him at the very least to an honorary certificate. He complains of these distinctions never being given when there two competitors. Now, I cannot speak from be possessed of diplomas. Of these, there has been, and still past experience, but if this discontented individual will take exists, a lamentable deficiency. An uncancelled order in the trouble to inquire into the matter he will find that this council states that "no one shall serve as an assistant-surgeon session such is not the case, and on referring to the notice in the navy who has not a diploma from one of the royal placarded in the library regarding the award of prizes he will * find what he in happy ignorance imagines is not applicable in colleges of surgery of the United Kingdom." It would appear, for months past, as no Gazette announces his case. It is there stated An honorary certificate will be the subject, that assistant-surgeons entering without diplomas given in each class to a pupil who has been an unsuccessful have not even received certificates of competency from the competitor for a medal, and whose answers have evinced different national medical colleges. If the colleges have unanimously merit to entitle him to honorary distinction." Is it not likely resolved to certify for no assistant-surgeon but with a diploma, that the answers of this unfortunate gentleman did not evince they have done that which is dignified and honourable, and sufficient merit? or why should the distinction be withheld in for the interests of the profession at large. The proceedings his case more than in any other? This reformer appears, too, to desire an entirely new of the Admiralty favour such influences, at war as the authorities are with the colleges, and the profession in private life. system with regard to the awarding of prizes. A man may It is known that the Admiralty has formed an examining work from morning till night till he becomes so thoroughly board of its own, of three naval medical officers,—Sir John acquainted with every part of his subject that whatever quesLiddell, and Sir John Richardson, Inspectors of Hospitals and tions be put to him he can answer them satisfactorily; but let Fleets, and Dr. Bryson, Deputy Inspector of Hospitals and him write ever so good a paper, yet your correspondent Fleets. grudges him this well-earned fruit of his toil unless he has had D M. D. May.1854. the advantage of seeing plenty of practice before commencing his hospital career, and is, as " Res Facta" calls it, a " practical THE BIRKENHEAD HOSPITAL. man," of which class he no doubt considers himself a distinTo the Editor of THE LANCET. member. SIR,—In answer to a letter which appeared in your impresIt is not to be supposed that either " practical" or sion of Saturday last, referring to the election of house-surgeon theoreticalmen invariably carry off the prizes, but those to the Birkenhead Hospital, from Mr. W. W. St. George, I whom their teachers consider most deserving; and in what beg to make a few remarks in reply; and first, as to his state- way can they more fairly single out such individuals than by that the manner in which the election was conducted ment, their powers by an examination, and bestowing the " will bear the strictest investigation" : this assertion I ques- testing medal upon what they consider the best-written paper. If he tion very much, for upon my arrival in Birkenhead to attend should again try for honours, he will be much more likely to the evening meeting, I was informed that a gentleman (the be successful, if, instead of trusting to his practical knowledge present house-surgeon) had already been elected to fill the alone, he also works, if only half as hard as those to whom the situation. And, moreover, one of the surgeons of the instituhave been most justly awarded. tion informed me that he was " disgusted"with the proceed- prizes this in your next number you will oblige By inserting ings of the committee, and that he would not attend any more of Your obedient servant, their meetings. Now this coming from such a quarter is suffiA LONDON HOSPITAL STUDENT. London Hospital, May, 1854. cient to substantiate the statements contained in a letter signed "Such is Life"of the underhanded manner in which THE LONDON HOSPITAL MEDICAL SCHOOL. the election was carried on, and that it was awarded by To the Editor of THE LANCET. interest. But, however, out of eighteen candidates eight were chosen to appear before the" committee": now, Sir, was not this reference to a letter which appeared in THE LANCET SIR,—In a most unreasonable number to select, when they well knew of May 6th from some indignant student of the London that only one could obtain the appointment. Why did the Hospital Medical College, I would venture to suggest to your hon. secretary not write to the other ten? Surely they were maltreated correspondent the impropriety of perverting facts. as "eligible to fill the situation " as the eight that were Due notice was given in the College that the lecture referred selected; but perhaps on considering the matter over, he to would not take place till Tuesday, May 2nd. No doubt, thought of the time it would occupy in asking the whole Sir, it is annoying when one has, by dint of extraordinary eighteen the questions which were put to myself, which had exertions, managed to get out of bed in time to attend a neither sense nor meaning in them. Were not our credentials summer lecture at half-past eight, to find that a notice has sufficient to satisfy those gentlemen of our competency to dis- been posted a week before to say that no lecture will take charge the duties of the office, without putting us to the place, particularly when one never honours any lecturer more expence of travelling to Birkenhead, to be asked by the than once a fortnight. But we unlucky students must bear a "committee" our religion, as though this had anything to do great deal; indeed, sometimes even greater indignities than with the treatment of disease? I must confess I felt a little this. I am, Sir, your obedient servant, A READING MAN. chagrined at the treatment, and wrote to this Mr. St. George May. 1854. for my expences, but the non-payment of which did not suggest the ’’attack" upon the above-named gentleman and Birkenhead Hospital; but I consider it a duty which I owe THE CHOLERA to my professional brethren, of my own standing in the proIN fession, to expose the duplicity which this committee has had THE UNITED KINGDOM IN 1854. recourse to, and that they may not be wrecked upon the same rock as myself. I sincerely trust that at all elections the " best THE report we have lately received on the " Asiatic Cholera, man always will win." As this subject has been fully brought before the public, I as it prevailed within the State of Indiana during the years shall leave it for them to decide if the conduct of the com- 1849-50-51-52,"- offers some points of interest at the present mittee was not reprehensible.—I am, Sir, your obedient servant, moment, that we are so anxiously dreading its revival amongst ourselves, and as worthy of record in connexion with the obHENRY HANCOX, M.D. Penn, Wolverhampton, May, 1854. servations we havefor some weeks laid before our readers. From reviewing the information collected by the committee, THE PRIZE SYSTEM. the reporter, Dr. Sutton, arrives at the conclusion that locality To the Editor of THE LANCET. had but little influence over the progress of cholera in the Slr, In consideration of your motto, " Audi alteram State. "It prevailed upon the healthy as well as the unpartem," I venture to take up the cudgels with " Res Facta," healthy localities wherever it appeared to have been introthe injured hero who in last week’s LANCET thought fit to lay duced."(p. 66.) From its raging in a malignant form on his supposed grievances before the public. uplands, and in some of the healthiest situations of Dearborn The paper to which I allude is pretty generally known to County, whilst at Lawrenceburgh, Hardington, and Elizabeth Town, upon the low alluvial bottom land, it was compara* The Times, 7th April, 1854. t Search—Admiralty Orders in Council. And the brief royal mandate still tively mild, and even scarcely manifested on many other foliots exists. upon the low-lands annually producing illalarioèls diseases, it The
foregoing return
has been moved for to
gain something
like an official approximation to the truth. Sir James Graham will recollect that " qualified" naval medical candidates must
are more than
great
____________ ———————————————
guished
-
558 is affirmed that such facts do not coincide with the doctrines claims, on account of the losses they had sustained taught in the report of the Registrar-General. That cholera in their private practice during the time they had devoted to selects low damp situations we are told in nearly all works the suppression of cholera. Dr. Hunter moved the reception which treat upon the disorder, but this, in the opinion of the of the claims. Dr. McIntyre, in seconding the motion, paid reporter, is not in accordance with the observations of a large a high compliment to the skill and assiduity of the medical
forcing their
number of our physicians, nor with his own experience in the progress of the epidemics under review. According to Mr. Farr, the cholera of 1849 was not generally fatal on the primary geological formations —on the Granite, the Silurian, or the Devonian system; while Herefordshire, however, on the old Red Sandstone escaped, Cornwall and the South of Devon on the In Indiana it same formation suffered severely. (p. lvii.) was upon the Silurian formations that cholera raged in its most malignant forms, for instance, at Cincinnati, Sandusky, Nashville, Louisville, and St. Louis, but it was not confined to this formation alone, for we see it prevailed at Evansville, Vincennes, Rockport, and many other places alluded to in the report. Thesp. and other analogous facts, according to Dr. Sutton, " show that in this country geological formations have but little influence over the epidemic."(p. 67.) Passing by the different theories of the specific cause of the affection, the report notices alone the " zymotic hypothesis, or the one which considers the specific poison of contagious diseases as acting upon the blood in the manner of ferments." It is laid down that facts are met with which are difficult to reconcile with this view of the subject, and the several doctrines of Dr. Carpenter’s expose of the question, are thought to be negatived by what actually occurred. Both from his own observation, and from reviewing the detailed information of the report, Dr. Sutton regards the progress of the epidemic through Indiana to have presented more the appearance of an infectious disease than that of an epidemic depending upon some widespread cause in the atmosphere, "while there is evidently a predisposition acquired to cholera which extends over whole communities, and is independent of local causes." (p. 69.) It is regarded as not inconsistent with the nature of the malady to suppose it may assume a mild form-the form of a diarrhoea only. Wehave a mild type of scarlatina, scarcely attended with any danger, though the well-known malignant form is almost as lœthal as the worst varieties of cholera. Why may not, then, a combination of circumstances make the poison of cholera more malignant, and change to a certain extent the I character of the disease ? Attention is particularly drawn to the existence of a premonitory symptom in the form of a peculiar nervous feeling which passes over the whole system, much resembling the epileptic aura. In regard to the treatment of the pestilence, we have not been able to obtain anything : new. According to the report the Indiana physicians appear to have treated the disease in accordance with the rules laid down in our best medical works, but the results are far from being satisfactory. All agree, however, in considering the disease perfectly manageable in the diarrhœal form, but " after vomiting, purging, and cramps have commenced, and the circulation has begun to fail, nearly half the cases under the best course of treatment at present known amongst us terminate
and he thought they should get at least £50 each, a very small sum for the time they hadevoted to the public service. After some discussion on the motion an amendment was carried, awarding £30 each to the district surgeons, for their extra services during the late epidemic. At Stranraer there have been some isolated cases. At Hoylake a child lately died with all the symptoms of cholera. BELFAST.-Twelve new cases have been reported. There is a decrease of cholera in the dispensary and union hospital, but in private practice many cholera patients are met with. The Kilkenny Moderator announces the appearance of the cholera at Castlecomer, the first victim being Mr. Thomas Hanbridge, victualler, whose case proved fatal, the premonitory symptoms having been neglected.He was a stout, healthy man, aged about forty. Another case was that of a poor woman in the Castlecomer Workhouse, but we are happy to state that she is progressing favourably. Strong premonitory symptoms showed themselves in two instances in the colliery district, but the patients are doing well under the timely attendance and judicious treatment of Dr. Ross.
gentlemen in the late crisis,
THE
WAR.
MEDICAL INTELLIGENCE.
ASSISTANT-SURGEONS
OF THE
NAVY.—The following is
a
assistant-surgeons which is at present required for the exigencies of the naval service ; of the number of candidates for the appointment now on the books of the medical department of the admiralty; of the number of applicants for the appointment from the 1st of January to the 31st of December, 1853 ; and from the lst of January, 1854, up to the present period. And also of the number of candidates for each period who have been proved as unqualified upon return of the number of
their examination :Number of assistant-surgeons required for the exigencies of the naval service, 31. Number of candidates for the appointment now on the of the medical department of the Admiralty, 104. Number of candidates for the appointment, from 1st January, 1853, to 31st December, 1853, 96. Number of candidates for appointment from 1st January, 1854, to May 2nd, 1854, 112. Number, for first period, rejected on examination, 3. Returns of the actual number of vacancies for assistant-surgeons, whether in ships of war or in hospitals, and the number of qualified candidates to fill up such vacancies; together with the number rejected, from the 1st of January, 1853, to the fatally." 6th of March, 1854. And of the number of surgeons appointed EDINBURGH.—One or two cases of cholera have occurred to hospitals to do the duty of assistant-surgeons; together here during the past week. A meeting of the Board of with the number of druggists’ assistants recently employed at Health has recently been held, when there was some con- naval hospitals to compound medicines, a duty hitherto perversation relative to the propriety of having another inspection formed by junior assistant-surgeons :of the town, in order to improve its sanitary condition previous Number of vacancies for assistant-surgeons, whether in ships to the warm weather setting in. or hospitals, 31. JOHNSTONE.—The virulence which has marked the progress Number of qualified candidates to fill such vacancies, 5. of the disease in this town for the last two weeks has someNumber of candidates rejected from 1st of January, 1853, what abated, and the number of cases has diminished accord- to 6th of March, 1854, 6. ingly, as the epidemic is manifesting itself in a way more MEDICAL COMFORTS.—The Government has ordered an ample easily to be overcome. The following cases are reported, up to stock of wine, spirits, preserved meats, and other comforts, a recent date :-New cases, 80; deaths, 84 ; recovering, 26 ; to be placed on board all the transport steamers, for the use of under The Local Board of Health 10. treatment, remaining the soldiers during their transit to the seat of war in the East. was appointed in October last, and has been entirely engaged in providing medical attendance for those seized, and medical i INVALIDS.—Advices from the Baltic state, that the D2,(,,gon Jiouse-to-house visitation has been adopted. steamer of war is on her way to England, bringing Mr. MacGLASGOW.—Medical remtecneration.-The Medical and Sani- farlane, surgeon of the Valorous, home as an invalid. Mr. tary Committee of Glasgow have reported to the Barony Paro- Bowden, senior assistant-surgeon of the Wellington, fills the chial Board that the extra expenditure incurred during the vacancy in the Valorous, and Mr. Dungan, the senior assisvisitation of cholera would entitle them to an increase of the tant-surgeon of the Royal George, goes to the Wellington in Mr. Government grant. It was agreed that the extra remunera- Bowden’s place. tion to the district surgeons, for additional services rendered APPOINTMFNTS.—Surgeon Augustus Slight (1846), to the during the outbreak of cholera, should be referred simplicetur Betributio2i paddlewheel steam frigate, serving in the Black to the committee of management. A letter was read from the district medical officers, en- Sea; John Belcher, M.D. (1846), to the Wolverine, 12, sloop, at Chatham ; Assistant-surgeon Coward, Assistant-surgeon J. * By George Sutton, M.D., Chairman of the Committee. Indianopolis, J. Norris, of the 55th, Dr. Painter, of the 13th Light Dragoons, and William C. Chapman, Deputy Medical Inspectors. 1854,pup.69.
books