THE MIDWIVES' REGISTRATION BILL.

291 deceased corpse; while the brain was hard, of a dirty On the contrary, many are most regular attendants at church grey colour, as if preserved in spirit. Structurally, the or chapel, notwithstanding the sacrifice which this undoubtorgans retained their outline perfectly, and were so easily edly involves-a sacrifice not experienced by members of the recognisable in tissue as well as configuration that, accord- legal profession. " No day of rest for him, but day of care," ing to Dr. Konig, they might have been exhibited for may be said of many a doctor’s as well as a curate’s "demonstration" in an anatomical lecture room. After Sunday, and it is literally impossible for many a one to forty-one years under water this is indeed a remarkable attend morning service. Patients have to be visited even on phenomenon. The large intestine contained faeces of a Sunday; children are born on that day as well as on other days yellowish-brown colour, quite unaltered and quite in- of the week ; and many a practitioner who would thankfully odorous ; while the bladder was partially filled with straw- accompany his wife and family to the house of God must coloured urine. But perhaps the most significant feature perforce forego that duty to fulfil another more imperative. A disclosed by these corpses is the following :-In their I certain number are members of the Guild of St. Luke, testifyinterior abundant chloride of sodium, crystallised in cubes, ing their sense of the religious obligations devolving upon had been deposited and fixed on the several tissues and them by the observance of certain rules. It is unfortunate that organs, and these salts had not penetrated, mechanically, the word "guild"" has still a deterent effect, acting upon into the dead bodies from without. In the completely some minds much in the same way that a red rag is supclosed and perfectly unimpaired pericardium of the posed to act upon a bull. Might not this be removed corpses on the inner pericardial aspect, and also on by an enlargement of the guild’s operations? Instead of the outer surface of the heart itself, salt crystals of the being limited to members of the Established Church, or same kind, to the weight of five grammes, were found even to a party of it, could it not embrace all members of adherent. This, according to Dr. Konig, clearly shows the medical profession holding any variety of Christian that, in the water, particles held in solution may pass belief ? Could not the Sunday before or after St. Luke’s through the skin and the muscles, and find their way into Day (Oct. 18th) be set apart as a day for the more the most deeply-seated organs. Herein, he adds, we have special observance of the "beloved physician’s" annieonfirmatory proof, if such were needed, that the specific versary and a collection made for the Medical Benevolent virtues of mineral baths exercise in this way their salutary or some other well - recognised medical institution? ,effect on the internal economy of the invalid bather. There Until St. Luke’s Day is made a general holiday, which is a notable difference, however, between the time spent in it is never likely to be, it will be impossible for more the bath by an ordinary bather at a "Curort"" and the than a select few to observe it by attending any place of forty-one years during which the Honveds remained under worship. The preceding or succeeding Sunday is not open water. The phenomenal stillness of the Echoschacht may to the same objection. Many members of the profession also have been a material factor in this impregnation of the would always attend and probably the numbers might be corpses with the chloride of sodium. But, with every increased. The writings of the Evangelist would form a allowance for such considerations, Dr. Konig has furnished fruitful subject for many a sermon, and the more general .a, striking illustration of the permeability of the immersed observance of the bond between Christianity and the human subject to salts in solution, and we hope his pains- profession of healing could not fail to have a beneficial taking researches will lead to others in the same important effect upon clergy and ministers, members of the medical - direction. profession, and laymen. ___

THE MIDWIVES’ REGISTRATION BILL. THERE seems every prospect that this Bill will not be proceeded with this session. The Bill, as amended by the Committee, is a great improvement on the first Bill. But ’there seems reasonableness in the demand that more time should be given for the consideration of further amendments than can possibly be found at this stage of the session. Dr. Rentoul, who seems to have come to the conclusion which most responsible people have reached, that some legislative restriction of practice by midwives must be secured in the interest of women, has, with his usual He has also certainly energy, contended for delay. Bill which it may be faults and in the out defects pointed possible to amend before next session. The Bill stands low down in the orders of the day, and few days now remain. ’On all these grounds we hope the promoters of the Bill will agree to its being withdrawn, to be reintroduced next session.

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THE DIAGNOSIS OF FEVER CASES.

SOME members of the profession in Glasgow are dissatisfied withDr. Russell for bringing the subject of Errors of Diagnosis before a body of laymen. They admit the interest of his statement, and are glad to have errors pointed out ; but they maintain that the statement should have been made to medical men themselves as the persons blamed, and as capable of appreciating the difficulties of diagnosis, and of answering the medical officer of health. Dr. James Hamilton is the chief exponent of this somewhat strong feeling, and introduced the subject for discussion lately to the Glasgow Southern Medical Society. The chief points in the reply to Dr. Russell’s statistics are that some of the errors were not excessive ; that it is understood that the sanitary authority, or the medical officer of health, wishes for an early isolation of suspicious cases-seen, as a rule, only once,-and that in such cases practitioners are led to suppose that their diagnosis would be revised by the superintendent at Belvidere ; that errors THE GUILD OF ST. LUKE.are made in Belvidere as well as by outsiders; and, BESIDES bringing a large annual revenue to the medical above all, that the proper course for securing the best harities, Hospital Sunday has effected much good in results and a cordial cooperation between the sanitary bringing members of the medical profession into closer authorities and the medical profession is for medical officers barmony with the clergy and ministers of all denominations. of health to communicate directly as to errors with those The various local committees which receive and distribute who make or can explain them. There is a great deal of the funds, though composed of members of all creeds, work force in these remarks, and we do not doubt that they will most harmoniously together, forming, indeed, a happy con- receive, as they should, every consideration from Dr. Russell, trast to committees composed of less differing members. It who, everybody admits, can only have had the good of the has tended to disprove the charge so often made against public and the profession in view in the course he took. members of the medical profession that they are an irre- On one point we advise the profession strongly, and that is ligious body of men—a charge as untrue as it is uncharitable. not to certify to please "the authority" or anybody else ___