THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF SURGERY.

755

hope that some practical and successful method might yet be evolved. Grey Turner spoke of the pull-through method and expressed the belief that at some future congress fresh hope would dawn on MADRID, MARCH 14TH-19TH. this dismal subject. Several speakers referred to the diminishing frequency of oesophageal conditions (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) amenable to major surgery because of the earlier diagnosis and treatment of the causative lesions. THE ninth Congress of the International Society Each day the scientific discussions were resumed in of Surgery, held in Madrid, was in every way a notable the afternoons at 3.30 and continued until 5. The President of the Republic and several success. The second question, discussed on Wednesday, members of his government were made members of the Treatment of Non-Tuberculous Suppurawas honour for the occasion, while the local arrangetion of the Lung. Among the reporters were Sauerments were carried out by a committee presided over bruch (Berlin), Lilienthal (New York), Baumgartner by the venerable Prof. Sebastian Recasens, whose (Paris), Martin Lagos (Valencia), Ascoli (Rome), energy and driving force had obviously done much and others, and no less than 29 had signified speakers the The to make occasion was congress possible. their intention of joining in the subsequent discussion. attended by members from some 30 countries, includof these were not present ing such far distant places as Finland, Poland, Japan, Fortunately, perhaps, many THE INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF SURGERY.

in the

or the discussion would have been endless. None the less it is disappointing to read distinguished or The British members were only five and of this names on the order of the day, only to small band Dr. Macdonald was a resident of Huelva interesting find that they are not in attendance when called in Spain. The United States of America sent three members (Drs. Elsberg and Lilienthal, of New York, upon. The third question was The Diagnosis and Surgical and Mixter, of Boston). But the congress generally Treatment of Tumours of the Spinal Cord. Notable was thoroughly representative and was well patronised, communications were made by Prof. Beriel, of Lyons, about 300 members being present. The greater who came by invitation to address the congress on number came from Spain, but there were many from the question of diagnosis, by Elsberg, of New York, France and Italy, while for the first time since the who spoke from his very large experience of over 200 war, Germany sent delegates, and the attendance of de Martel, of Paris, and Jurasz, of Posen. Prof. Sauerbruch, of Berlin, added much to the cases, by In the subsequent discussion, Prof. A. Young vitality of the meetings. The Government of the (Glasgow), Mixter (Boston), and Lambert Rogers Republic and the municipality of Madrid did every- (Cardiff), others, spoke. The caution urged thing possible to make the congress a success and in the useamong of lipiodol was notable, and Elsberg said placed the Senate House at the disposal of the that in a long series of cases it had only been used in members, and here all the principal meetings were 5 per cent. Prof. Young drew attention to the held. difficulties associated with multiple and with Prof. F. de Quervain, of Berne, was the president tumours. Leriche urged the claims of of the congress, and he was ably supported by Prof. metastatic osteoplastic laminectomy, especially in the cervical Verhoogen, of Brussels, president of the society. region, and Lambert Rogers, in a lucid communicaThe vice-president, Prof. Recasens (Madrid), the endeavoured to enumerate the factors which had tion, members of the international committee, and} the a bearing on the question of prognosis after operation. energetic secretary of the society, Dr. L. Mayer The last question, discussed on Friday, was Recent (Brussels), all played a part in carrying through a in Anaesthesia. In this a careful paper was Progress wonderful programme. The Senate House was packed presented by Ishikawa (Japan) whose investigations for the inaugural ceremony at 11 o’clock on Tuesday, on local anaesthesia in animals largely proved the March 15th, and the occasion was notable because well-known conclusions reached by Lennander, of of the attendance of the President of the Republic, The report by Jurasz (Posen) was His Excellency Alcala Zamora, who opened the Upsala, years ago. careful and complete, while that by Anschutz (Kiel) congress, and in welcoming the members to Spain on Avertin was moderate in tone and helpful. took occasion slyly to refer to the bloodless operation well The scientific sessions were attended, very his which had recently been carried out in country. The mayor of Madrid also spoke and gave a warm and it was remarkable how interest was sustained welcome on behalf of the city over which he presides. throughout despite the polyglot assembly. Of course Dr. L. Mayer, the secretary-general, gave an admirable there was the usual difficulty of restraining ardent to something like a reasonable time limit, report of the work of the society, speaking first in speakers this reached a climax when one member, who was and Profs. and and Spanish Verhoogen allotted 5 continuingin French, minutes, continued for 25 ! Copies of many and de Quervain also addressed the assembly. of the papers were distributed at the congress, each SCIENTIFIC SESSIONS. with a short summary in each of the six official The scientific work of the congress began languages. Eventually, these, with others, will be immediately afterwards. The first question was issued in a volume or volumes of 2000 pages which the Surgery of the (Esophagus and reports were will be distributed gratis to each member.

America, and New Zealand.

presented by

Gregoire (Paris), Zaaijer (Leiden),

Lusena (Genoa), Cardenal (Madrid), and Grey Turner (Newcastle). No really new ground was broken;

OTHER ACTIVITIES.

In the anterooms of the Senate House there was an everyone was pessimistic about the treatment exhibition of surgical instruments, books, &c. Among of carcinoma and this was emphasised by Sauerbruch these was a notable exhibit from the National who took part in the subsequent discussion. Surgical Instrument Factory which has been Nevertheless it was admitted by several of the established at Toledo, truly an example of the speakers that the alternatives had been almost conversion of bayonets into ploughshares. On equally disappointing and that the methods of Thursday and Friday mornings at 9 o’clock operative radical operation could not be entirely discarded sessions were arranged at the hospital clinic of the

756

OBITUARY

it was an inspiration to see many of the surgeons whose names are bywords in Europe riveted on the work in hand, though probably ROBERT MATTHEW BRONTE, L.R.C.P., this critical audience had an appreciable effect on the L.R.C.S.I., D.P.H. operators. In another hospital, Prof. Recasens also conducted an operative session. Dr. Robert Matthew Bronte, whose death we On Wednesday morning the members of the announced in our issue of last week, was a northern the congress paid a visit to the University City which is Irishman, born at Armagh and educated at his School there. He commenced professional being erected in the suburbs, and where in a large Royal settlement accommodation of every kind is being career in the old-fashioned way as an apprentice to provided for 2000 students of the medical faculty. a medical man in Inniskillen, and completed his This includes not only all the requisites for teaching, medical course in Dublin, qualifying with the double laboratories, &c., but residential quarters, and an diploma in 1907, while in the following year he obtained Social functions were innumer- the D.P.H. of the Irish College of Surgeons. He enormous stadium. able and commenced with a reception, on the night made no attempt to obtain any academic distinction, of our arrival at Madrid, at 10.30, which for that but immediately showed his practical interest in city, is quite a reasonable hour. At this and all subjects familiarity with which gave him afterwards similar functions an ample midnight meal was his public position. He became a demonstrator at provided, euphemistically called " lunch," which the Royal College of Surgeons and held private classes, is a very popular word on the menus in the capital which were very popular among students entering of Spain. This was invariably followed by dancing, for examinations. He lectured on public health which was carried on until 2 or 3 o’clock in the morning. and familiarised himself with the analytical side of Those of us who were expected to be present at some the chemistry required, while he also assisted at one academic function on the following days, commencing time the professor of chemistry in the College. This not later than 9 o’clock, could well understand the led to his holding the appointment in Ireland of sentiments of Sancho Panza when he declared " thrice Crown Analyst, a post which he held until he came to blessed be the man who first invented sleep." Other England ten years ago and went to live in Harrow. social functions included a reception at the National He became here pathologist to the Harrow Hospital, Palace by the President of the Republic, a reception a post which he combined with that of pathologist by the mayor at the town hall, and a gala performance to the Samaritan Free Hospital for Women. He at the theatre. An excellent entertainment and showed himself particularly interested in all questions reception was provided by the president of the of forensic medicine and this led to an increasing congress, de Quervain, where we were introduced to association with the coroner’s court in the Western elsewhere. He was frequently of a wonderful exhibition of Andalusian dancing and District and music. This and other entertainments innumerable considerable help to coroners who, in London were brought to an end with a final "Banquet of especially, find considerable difficulty in getting Closure " which was an enormous affair which every- assistance in the performance of post mortems. body with their ladies attended. Here the speeches Most of the pathological specialists in London hold were limited, for the banquet itself did not commence full time appointments connected with the teaching until 10 o’clock, and if, as at other congresses, every schools or under the L.C.C. and are not available direction. Dr. Bronte delegate had been expected to reply for his country, to help coroners in this the coroners with London till at then we must have gone on the following day undoubtedly provided breakfast time. But the occasion was not wasted expert assistance on many occasions, but he had no by our hosts, for the Minister of Public Instruction official connexion whatever with the Home Office, and again the Mayor of Madrid, took the opportunity and the description of him as the " Home Office of doing a little propaganda on behalf of the new expert," frequently used in newspapers, placed him occasionally in an unpleasant situation with the regime. Government Department. He was never invited to most of the all the pleasant part Perhaps the Crown in medico-legal work except in cases assist of the informal was friends, and, meeting congress indeed, this sort of thing is probably the most useful where he had already performed the post-mortem function of any congress of the kind, for it is a great examination at the instance of the coroner, when, of privilege to meet in the flesh men whose surgical course, he gave his evidence as any other medical He was concerned in names are known the world over, to renew friendships, practitioner would have done. and to make new ones. Nothing is more likely to many causes celebres and proved himself a good promote international good feeling, for truly surgery witness. In big criminal trials it is always important knows no frontiers, and one soon learns that there are that the defence should have expert legal advice caballeros in every land. It is a great pleasure to and Dr. Bronte acted in this capacity on many pay a tribute to the cordiality with which the congress occasions. Although in the two most sensational trials was treated on all hands, and those who took part must with which he was concerned he failed to shake the feel grateful to Prof. Recasens, the president of the belief of the juries in the guilt of the accused, his local committee, and to his collaborators, and to knowledge of pathology was considerable, and he was Prof. Lozano, of Saragossa, whose privilege it was to making good use of his experience when he died on first issue the invitation for the congress to visit Spain. March 22nd, at the comparatively early age of 52. The next meeting has been fixed to take place in Egypt in 1935. Prof. Anton von Eiselsberg, of THE LATE DR. G. B. HILLMAN. Vienna, is president-elect, and the following are the ’, THE for selected discussion : The following appreciative note upon Dr. G. B. (1) subjects already the The Nonof (2) Parathyroids ; Surgery Hillman, whose death was chronicled in THE LANCET week, reaches us from Dr. Wardrop Griffith : Malignant Diseases of the Colon ; (3) The Lumbar " By the death of Dr. G. B. Hillman a great loss has Sympathetic. In addition there will be a fourth to fallen be and this the chosen executive, upon the West Riding, for Wakefield has lost subject by will probably deal with some aspect of tropical disease. its Member of Parliament, a justice of the peace, and

faculty of medicine, and

last