THE EXHIBITION OF HYGIENE IN VIENNA.

1856 his doctor and was "in extremesfrom acute pneu- disinfection of clothing and hospital beds the first system is adopted, whilst the municipal authorities employ the me of a somewhat similar case which occurred in my own practice, but which has hitherto formaldehyde method for disinfection of houses or rooms by remained unpublished. More than twenty years ago, means of an apparatus which contains a large lamp and when in fact nearly fifty, I was in a country district in in use emits a jet of mixed steam and formalin. An extrawhich there was an old woman, known to me only as ordinarily fine exhibit is that of the Vienna hospitals. In it a "Betty," who earned a scanty living by peddling small surgical ward and an operating theatre fitted with the latest wares, going errands, executing commissions in the neigh- aseptic appliances are shown, and the children’s hospitals have bouring market town, and so on. She was an honest sent representations of their cots and playrooms ; the two and worthy old dame, much liked and respected by her nurseries-"how they should be"and"how they should neighbours. I was one day asked to see Betty and was not be "-form an interesting group. The first is fitted told that she was dying and had been " given upby the with white enamelled furniture and has no carpet, whilst parish doctor, Mr. A., who said that he could do no more the latter, with its dusty carpet, long-haired dolls, for her and that she must "look above." I took a and non-washable walls, provides abundant shelter for somewhat different view of her condition, and in the course microbes. The clinics show many kinds of apparatus and of a few days had the satisfaction of seeing her about again very instructive tables of statistics, from which it may be with her basket. I forget the details of my treatment, but learned that the number of out-patients at the hospitals has it was not "Jacobean." The old woman was duly grateful exceeded 700,000 in one year, whilst more than 25,000 infor her restoration, but was furious with the parish doctor, patients occupied the beds of the general hospitals during the same period. Quite a novel feature is the use of on account, I believe, of what she considered to be the The word 1’,nioulage"is his endeavour to turn her casts (moulages) in teaching. of heaventhoughts prematurity It became a joke among the farmhouses to ask applied to the lifelike reproduction of visible pathoward. whether she had seen Mr. A. lately. " Seed he1" she would logical conditions of the body in a material resembling He told me to look wax. These casts are made by Dr. Henning, at once answer, "Noa, nor doant want to. abuv." Now if Mr. Saywell had visited poor Betty in my an artist and a medical man, who has brought the place, and if the vis medicatrix natttrae had as large a preparation of these absolutely lifelike copies of diseased The method share in her recovery as I am inclined to attribute to it, he parts to a high degree of perfection. would have been supplied with a case not only parallel to comes from France but it has been developed here and as that of "Mr. N.," but even bearing to it, when the age of far as the aspect of the diseased part is concerned it fully the patient is considered, the relation described by the compensates for the absence of clinical material. DermatoloCockney as subsisting between the mule and the donkey. gists, surgeons, and ophthalmologists already make use of it Betty’s case would have been like Mr. N.’s, only "more so." as a means of instruction and some casts of syphilitic roseola and of the eruptions of small-pox and scarlet fever convey I am, Sirs, yours faithfully, even a better idea of the disease than the actual cases themF. R. C. S. June 25th, 1906. selves. The reproduction can be made from any part of the living body, except, of course, the inside of organs, whilst post mortem everything short of microscopic changes can be THE EXHIBITION OF HYGIENE IN The collection of Dr. Henning comprises not reproduced. VIENNA. only clinical specimens but also moulages for the use of the Anti-alcohol Society which has its exhibits next to the (FROM OUR VIENNA CORRESPONDENT.) hospital group. An instructive collection is to be seen there, normal organs and of organs diseased IN the middle of May there was opened in Vienna an comprising moulages of the action of alcohol, and the changes are quite perby exhibition which contains so many items of interest to the ceptible even to non-medical eyes. Numerous tables, conmedical profession as well as to the general public that it is taining such particulars as the money spent in drink in worth while to describe it in a medical journal. The ex- different countries, the relation between crime and drunkenhibition is held in the usual place for such undertakings in ness, the prevalence of bodily and mental disease in mortality of abstainers and Vienna-namely, in the building known as the Rotunda, drunkards, and the comparative the admirable and very prettily non-abstainers, complete which was erected in 1873 on the occasion of the World’s arranged group. Exposition in honour of the silver wedding of the Emperor The group which deals with the rendering of first aid in Francis Joseph and the Empress Elizabeth. The managing accidents and in war has a very complete appearance. As committee has arranged the masses of the various regards the latter, there are three different exhibitors who objects in a very convenient way, enabling the visitor have contributed separate groups. First of all the Ministry to see at a glance in which of the eight divisions of War has placed on view a fully equipped hospital train ; they are to be found. Of the committee about one- the train consists of carriages for the medical attendants and third are medical men occupying official positions as nurses, for kitchen purposes, and for dressing materials; directors of hospitals, chairmen of sanitary boards, chief there are also ten carriages, each providing accommodation officers of health, &c., and the remainder are representatives for 15 or 20 wounded men. Similar facilities for the conof the commercial, manufacturing, and wealthy classes. veyance of wounded men are exhibited by the Red Cross The objects on view in the Rotunda have been classified in Society and by the Order of the Knights of Malta; the latter eight divisions, three of which are of essentially medical of these two has also erected a field hospital in the form of a interest. The attention of the visitor is at once attracted tent which is capable of being quickly removed in case of by a group of objects sent by the city of Vienna. This need. Turning to the first-aid institutions, the exhibit of the exhibit offers a good opportunity of studying the progress Vienna Rettungsgesellschaft, or street ambulance corps, the of medical work during the last century. Large models first of its kind in every respect, shows that no efforts are of the first general hospital founded by the reigning spared in maintaining its high position. This institution, Emperor in 1792 are here placed in contrast with its which has served as a model to many similar ones, shows successors-namely, (1) the general hospital as it exists ambulance vehicles of the latest type, fitted with all to-day and (2) the one in course of construction as it appliances for rendering help in cases of accident or will appear in 1909, when it will be finished. Whilst the poisoning, as well as vehicles padded inside for the confirst contained 300 beds and covered an area of about 8000 veyance of lunatics. For infectious cases there are carriages square yards, the last-mentioned one will contain 2400 beds which can be disinfected by steam. For the relief of the and will cover an area exceeding 200,000 square yards. The sufferers from a disaster on a great scale, such as an earthnew hospital has been planned on the pavilion system, quake, an inundation, or a fire, there is a carriage fitted up providing for each clinic all necessary accommodation for as a kitchen, capable of preparing food for nearly 1000 persons scientific research, so that each pavilion may be regarded as in less than three hours. A respiration apparatus supplied with a special hospital in itself. The models of a new institution compressed air for workers in a foul atmosphere is the latest for mental diseases and of the lunatic asylum, also built on addition to the stock of life-saving appliances belonging to the principles of isolation and free access of air, complete the corps. The most attractive feature of the exhibition this group. Methods of disinfection en masse are also is undoubtedly the rescue chamber of a coal-mine which shown. For this purpose two systems are in use, one employ- has been erected by the Ministry of the Interior. The ing steam alone and another based on the production of Austrian mining laws require such precautionary measures. disinfectant gases or vapours, chiefly formaldehyde. For the A narrow passage, closely imitating its prototype in an

by

monia, reminds

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1857

coal-pit, leads into a room measuring about three to Mr. J. Dale who took the highest place in the examinaby four metres. The walls are extremely thick and tion. In the dental department Mr. W. Bowater was strong ; there is only one entrance and this can when awarded a first class in the final examination for the degree required be made airtight by means of indiarubber. The of B.D.S. The Hospital Saturday Fund. room contains three cylinders of compressed oxygen, inhalation apparatus, tinned food, and a box with medicines and The Birmingham Hospital Saturday Fund has been in surgical first-aid material. The room will seive as a refuge existence for 34 years and the movement which produces the for 24 men ; the oxygen will enable them to send out rescue fund is thoroughly popular and well managed. The fund parties and to await the arrival of help from above-ground. provides £10,000 a year for the hospitals. It also maintains The supply of oxygen is 5000 litres which will be sufficient a surgical aid department and convalescent homes at Great With such precautions a Barr and Llanrhos, which have received over 24,000 patients. for 30 men for three days. catastrophe similar to that at Courrieres would be almost The special Saturday set apart this year as Hospital Saturday was June 16th, but whilst a large part of the money impossible. Division No. 3 of the exhibits also appeals to the medical collected at the various works is paid into the banking visitor. It comprises three collections of objects shown by account of the fund on that day a very considerable medical men. The first group consists of illustrations of portion is deposited at later dates. Last year the electro-pathology by Dr. Jellinek, an expert on this not very sum of £18.732 was collected and it was hoped that widely known subject. His specimens, which are partly this year R20,000 would be obtained. Whether that natural and partly casts, demonstrate the action of the will be the case or not is uncertain. The moveelectric current on the human body and on metals and explain ment is under absolutely democratic direction and it is why, for instance, a current of 500 volts may kill one man obvious that so large a sum, made up as it is of many man can endure

actual

metres

whilst another shocks with a current four five times more powerful. The pathological results seen in fatal cases consist in extensive haemorrhage in the respiratory passages, in punctures of the tissue, and in nervous shock of a depressing character. Sometimes the current or the lightning simply tears cff parts of the clothing or the skin without doing further injury. The second group deals with the pathology ef the teeth and is exhibited by dentists and the Union of Stomatologists. The phylogenetic development of the teeth, their anatomy, the means of correction of malformation, and methods of preventing caries are demonstrated in a very instructive, simple way, whilst the patbology is explained by fine drawings and specimens. The third group is a small one dealing with miners’ diseases; the exhibitor is Dr. Goldmann, who is regarded as an authority on the subject. Interesting, though somewhat difficult, reading is provided by the tables of the Hilfsverein fiir Lungenkranke (Society for the Aid of Patients sufferingtrom Pulmonary Diseases). The tables containstatistical data as to the ravages of pulmonary tuberculosis in Austria, the mortality of patients following ’various occupations, the sanatoriums erected, the results obtained (they are not very bright), and maps referring to the frequency of the disease. Similar tables have been placed in the exhibition by the Educational Department to illustrate the data collected from the examination of schoolchildren as now practised in some parts of the empire. Thus the percentage of diseases of the eye and the ear, the influence of mixed teaching (boysacd girltogether) in regard to mental capacity, and the hours of work at school and cf gymnastics allotted to the different age periods will no doubt be of interest to teachers as well as to medical men. Finally, the section dealing with food, pure and adulterated, deserves the attention of every visitor. Methods of sterilising milk, of modifying cow’s milk for the use of infants, and of distributing it without contamination to the different parts of the country are shown on small models of the whole establishment, which monopolises the milk-supply of the capital. Next to this pleasing group the municipal market board has an exhibit which gives a good insight into the adulterations which are practised. The samples of adulterated or otherwise unwholesome articles to be found here include flour, meat, pastry, canned fruit, tinned preserves, and all kinds of sweetmeats, the latest scientific discoveries being made use of for the purpose of deception. Of course, the above-mentioned groups do not include all the objects in the exhibition, for my intention is only to give a brief description of such as are most likely to attract the attention of a medical man.

- or

BIRMINGHAM. (FROM

OUR OWN

CORRESPONDENT.)

The THE

term is

University. rapidly nearing

its end and the professional examinations have commenced. The third part of the examination for the degrees of M.B. and Ch.B. has been completed and of the candidates who entered six have passed in pathology and bacteriology and five in materia medica and practical pharmacy. The Queen’s scholarship was awarded summer

small sums, cannot be collected and dealt with without a amount of work. It is not surprising, therefore, that the executive committee finds it necessary to devote two evenings a week to the work throughout the whole year. This is a large demand upon the time of the members of the committee but it is given ungrudgingly in the service of a good cause. Perhaps no one has done more for the movement than Alderman Cook and as this year is the twentyfifth year that he has presided over the committee it was decided that it was the time to make a special acki3owledgment of his services and at the annual meeting he was presented with an album containing a record of the movement in which he has taken so prominent a part during a quarter of a century and photographs of those who have been associated with him. Whether or not the collection will reach the .B20,000 desired this year cannot yet be decided but in the early part of the week it was stated that .618,043 had been received and the account was still open. Lunacy in Birmingham. It appears from the report of the lunatic asylums committee of visitors that the number of patients in the Birmingham asylums has increased from 1903 to 2029 during the past year and this cannot be considered a very alarming increase. The average death-rate has been slightly higher10’*98 per cent. as contrasted with 10 64 per cent. in the previous year, and the cost per patient has risen from 10s. 6gd. to 10s. 9d. The causes, so far as they appear in the report, are much as in preceding years, intemperance being set down as the causative agent in 134 per cent. and heredity in 168per cent. Many of the patients admitted at Winson Green have been old, many suffered from bodily ailments, and many were general paral3tics. As a result the asylum has been temporarily converted more into an infirmary than an institution for the cure of mental diseases.

large

Open Spaces and Playgrounds. Almost simultaneously with the formal opening of the beautiful Warley Woods which have been secured to our city partly by public subscriptions and partly by the wise expenditure sanctioned by the council, a Birmingham Playgrounds, Open Spaces, and Playing Fields Scciety has been successfully inaugurated. The objects of the society are to provide open spaces and playing felds in the congested areas of Birmingham and the suburbs and to preserve similar spaces in those areas which are not yet fully developed. The meeting at which the society was definitely formed and named was presided over by the Lord Mayor (Councillor A. J. Reynolds) who pointed out that although the objects of the society had his full sympatby and were very laudable the rates of the city were already so high that further expenditure would have to be watched very carefully. Councillor Nettlefold (chairman of the provisional committee) said that he fully recognised that for the present, at all events, it would be nfcessary for the society to find the whole of the purchase money for any area which it wished to acquire. At the present moment the society wishes to acquire 1000 square yards in the neighbourhood of Tower Hill, which will probably cost about .E1000, and towards that sum £550 have already been promised, .&250 by Mr. W. Cadbury, £100 each by Mr. Albright and Mr. George Kenrick, and £50 each by Mr. W. Barrow and The objects of the society are Councillor Nettlefold. thoroughly praiseworthy and sensible, the committee is