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THE LORDS COMMITTEE AND LOCK HOSPITALS.
33 ments on the bonnet monkey (Macacusainicus). As the result of these observations they found the excitable region of the cortex to occupy much the same position as in the bonnet monkey, and that the various parts of the body (face, arm, - &e.) were represented in the cortex in much the same plan as in the lower species. It was observed, however, that in the orang-outanthe representation of each limb and segment was much more clearly differentiated, so that stimulation of one point rarely produced more than one movement, and that of one segment, as, for instance, flexion of the elbow. Fre,quently round one of these "motor areaswould be a zone of inexcitable cortex, thus marking off one area very definitely from the next. Probably in man a similar condition holds,judging from the effects of the electrical exploration of the human cortex for diagnostic purposes in a few published cases in this country and in America.
Dr. Beevor and Mr. Horsley also exposed and stimulated the internal capsule in the orang-outang, and found that the fibres from the different parts of the cortex have exactly the An abstract .same relations as in the bonnet monkey. of their observations on this animal was recorded in THE LANCET of Dec. 28th, 1889. INFANT LIFE INSURANCE.
THE
more or less throughout the length and breadth kingdoms, and in large centres of population, such as London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Mancltester, and other places too numerous to specify, a special hospital for patients suffering from these diseases is imperatively required. For not only is it desirable that patients suffering from gonorrhoea, syphilis, and their sequels, and unable to pay for medical attendance, should have the benefits of hospital treatment, but it is also of great importance that these diseases should be carefully studied by all medical students under the guidance of skilled teachers. These facts, which are palpable to medical readers, are not equally so to laymen, even to those laymen who are familiar with hospitals in general. It also unfortunately happens that the question of venereal diseases is surrounded by ditficulties quite peculiar to them, and involves matters of a specially delicate nature, bound up with, though not absolutely dependent upon, the diseases themselves. It is, therefore, most important that evidence should be given before the Select Committee by some of the surgeons attached to the London Lock Hospital, as well as by other hospital surgeons who have made these diseases a special study. The result would go far to show that these diseases prevail in sufficient number, and are of so grave a character as to justify hospitals for their reception; and that their reception in any but special wards is out of the question. Lock wards can only be satisfactorily conducted in connexion with general hospitals when they are placed in a separate building or wards, and with every arrangement for the complete isolation of the patients from the rest of the hospital. Another point of great importance which should be brought before the committee is the large number of married women, widows and children, who are the innocent victims of those
prevalent of these
question of infant life insurance has been brought prominently under discussion by the debate which recently took place in the House of Lords upon the second reading of the Bishop of Peterborough’s Bill, and the article in support of that proposed legislation which the Reverend Benjamin Waugh has contributed to the current number of the Contemporary Review. The question is one of the very highest importance, for if one-half of what us alleged by the supporters of the measure can be substantiated upon inquiry, then it cannot be denied who have infected them with these diseases. While as for that an irresistible case for legislation has been made those who have brought these diseases upon themselves by out, and the only fault which disinterested parties are vicious conduct, it must be remembered that general likely to find with the Bishop’s Bill is that it does not go diseases are an accidental rather than a necessary accomfar enough. We cannot, however, forget that when this paniment of sexual vicious indulgence. It is neither matter was investigated by a Parliamentary committee last charitable nor politic to leave women, harlots though they year the representative of the largest of the insurance be, to aggravate their own sufferings and to spread these offices doing this class of business adduced some very diseases without affording them the opportunity of treat.striking statistics to show that the mortality among insured ment in hospital, the only really efficient way of curing - children was not heavier, but lighter, than among the un- them. Nor can any justification be found for refusing insured. These statistics have not yet, so far as we are hospital treatment to male patients suffering from these I aware, been answered. The advocates of the measure diseases; a man with a sloughing chancre, a node, syphilitic aow under discussion have indeed criticised them very iritis, &c., should be an object of charity as well as the severely, and have suggested that serious errors have been man suffering from a fractured limb the result of a fall ’committed in their preparation. But criticism so trenchant while drunk. Those who regard such patients as unworthy as this requires to be sustained by a more minute examina. of charitable relief forget or ignore the example of the tion of the incriminated statements than we have yet seen. Great Physician who went about healing all manner of The conclusion reached by the Royal Commission on Friendly sickness and all manner of disease among the people withSocieties in 1874 was that infant life insurance, if badly out any reference to the character of the sufferers or the administered, was a mischievous thing; but that where it cause of their maladies. ___
in the hands of well-administered societies it harmful, but, on the contrary, beneficent. was
was
not
THE LORDS COMMITTEE AND LOCK HOSPITALS. Up till the present time but little evidence has been tendered before the Lords Committee as to lock hospitals. Allusion was made by Sir Sydney Waterlow as to the treatmentof venereal diseases in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, and Dr. Henry Selfe Bennett, who gave evidence at the last of the
committee, mentioned lying-in hospitals, hospitals, and others as justifying their existence as special hospitals, but he omitted all reference to lock hospitals or lock wards. That evidence respecting these will be both tendered and accepted may, we trust, be taken for granted, since the present inquiry would, without such evidence, be very incomplete. Venereal diseases are always
meeting dental
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN LONDON. A CONFERENCE of the vestries and district boards in the metropolis was held last week to consider, amongst other questions, the readjustment of London administrative The interval which has elapsed since the passing areas. of the Local Government Act has given ample time for existing local authorities to think of their own preservation, aid Chelsea, which from its peculiar situation as a district might anticipate modification, has in London therefore taken the lead in enunciating the principle that the boundaries of existing administrations should be altered only where necessary to secure efficient administration. A resolution to this effect was adopted on the motion of Sir Charles Dilke. A rider was proposed that the areas should always be coterminous with either one of a group of Par-
Dr. Beevor and Mr. Horsley also exposed and stimulated the internal capsule in the orang-outang, and found that the fibres from the different parts of the cortex have exactly the An abstract .same relations as in the bonnet monkey. of their observations on this animal was recorded in THE LANCET of Dec. 28th, 1889. INFANT LIFE INSURANCE.
THE
more or less throughout the length and breadth kingdoms, and in large centres of population, such as London, Edinburgh, Dublin, Glasgow, Liverpool, Mancltester, and other places too numerous to specify, a special hospital for patients suffering from these diseases is imperatively required. For not only is it desirable that patients suffering from gonorrhoea, syphilis, and their sequels, and unable to pay for medical attendance, should have the benefits of hospital treatment, but it is also of great importance that these diseases should be carefully studied by all medical students under the guidance of skilled teachers. These facts, which are palpable to medical readers, are not equally so to laymen, even to those laymen who are familiar with hospitals in general. It also unfortunately happens that the question of venereal diseases is surrounded by ditficulties quite peculiar to them, and involves matters of a specially delicate nature, bound up with, though not absolutely dependent upon, the diseases themselves. It is, therefore, most important that evidence should be given before the Select Committee by some of the surgeons attached to the London Lock Hospital, as well as by other hospital surgeons who have made these diseases a special study. The result would go far to show that these diseases prevail in sufficient number, and are of so grave a character as to justify hospitals for their reception; and that their reception in any but special wards is out of the question. Lock wards can only be satisfactorily conducted in connexion with general hospitals when they are placed in a separate building or wards, and with every arrangement for the complete isolation of the patients from the rest of the hospital. Another point of great importance which should be brought before the committee is the large number of married women, widows and children, who are the innocent victims of those
prevalent of these
question of infant life insurance has been brought prominently under discussion by the debate which recently took place in the House of Lords upon the second reading of the Bishop of Peterborough’s Bill, and the article in support of that proposed legislation which the Reverend Benjamin Waugh has contributed to the current number of the Contemporary Review. The question is one of the very highest importance, for if one-half of what us alleged by the supporters of the measure can be substantiated upon inquiry, then it cannot be denied who have infected them with these diseases. While as for that an irresistible case for legislation has been made those who have brought these diseases upon themselves by out, and the only fault which disinterested parties are vicious conduct, it must be remembered that general likely to find with the Bishop’s Bill is that it does not go diseases are an accidental rather than a necessary accomfar enough. We cannot, however, forget that when this paniment of sexual vicious indulgence. It is neither matter was investigated by a Parliamentary committee last charitable nor politic to leave women, harlots though they year the representative of the largest of the insurance be, to aggravate their own sufferings and to spread these offices doing this class of business adduced some very diseases without affording them the opportunity of treat.striking statistics to show that the mortality among insured ment in hospital, the only really efficient way of curing - children was not heavier, but lighter, than among the un- them. Nor can any justification be found for refusing insured. These statistics have not yet, so far as we are hospital treatment to male patients suffering from these I aware, been answered. The advocates of the measure diseases; a man with a sloughing chancre, a node, syphilitic aow under discussion have indeed criticised them very iritis, &c., should be an object of charity as well as the severely, and have suggested that serious errors have been man suffering from a fractured limb the result of a fall ’committed in their preparation. But criticism so trenchant while drunk. Those who regard such patients as unworthy as this requires to be sustained by a more minute examina. of charitable relief forget or ignore the example of the tion of the incriminated statements than we have yet seen. Great Physician who went about healing all manner of The conclusion reached by the Royal Commission on Friendly sickness and all manner of disease among the people withSocieties in 1874 was that infant life insurance, if badly out any reference to the character of the sufferers or the administered, was a mischievous thing; but that where it cause of their maladies. ___
in the hands of well-administered societies it harmful, but, on the contrary, beneficent. was
was
not
THE LORDS COMMITTEE AND LOCK HOSPITALS. Up till the present time but little evidence has been tendered before the Lords Committee as to lock hospitals. Allusion was made by Sir Sydney Waterlow as to the treatmentof venereal diseases in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, and Dr. Henry Selfe Bennett, who gave evidence at the last of the
committee, mentioned lying-in hospitals, hospitals, and others as justifying their existence as special hospitals, but he omitted all reference to lock hospitals or lock wards. That evidence respecting these will be both tendered and accepted may, we trust, be taken for granted, since the present inquiry would, without such evidence, be very incomplete. Venereal diseases are always
meeting dental
LOCAL GOVERNMENT IN LONDON. A CONFERENCE of the vestries and district boards in the metropolis was held last week to consider, amongst other questions, the readjustment of London administrative The interval which has elapsed since the passing areas. of the Local Government Act has given ample time for existing local authorities to think of their own preservation, aid Chelsea, which from its peculiar situation as a district might anticipate modification, has in London therefore taken the lead in enunciating the principle that the boundaries of existing administrations should be altered only where necessary to secure efficient administration. A resolution to this effect was adopted on the motion of Sir Charles Dilke. A rider was proposed that the areas should always be coterminous with either one of a group of Par-