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THE ANNUS MEDICUS 1901.

London representing the ice commonly supplied for cooling general, gives good promise, because it enables local authodrinks and for other purposes. It was found that most ofrities to purchase and to keep land, so that in time they may the ice supplied in London shops was Norwegian ice and hope to recoup the outlay which they incur out of the rentsthat, moreover, it was of excellent quality, pure andL that they will receive from their tenants. But, nevertheless, clean. The water which was yielded on melting contained we showed that the law was still far too complicated and its. less than a grain per gallon of dissolved mineral matter, noapplication too costly. Therefore, though a great deal has been. nitrogen in organic or mineral shape, and but a trace ofachieved and much more is promised, still, so far as London; This result confirmed the previous results iis concerned, the realisation of all the outstanding projects chlorides. obtained by THE LANCET Special Analytical Sanitarywill at best only serve to prevent the present grievances from Commission on the Character and Quality of the Ice- 1becoming worse. The number of people to be housed by t County Council only keeps pace with the increase of supply of London in 1893. One curious fact came to the and the that was that Therefore, unless a good deal more is done than) whenpopulation. I light during experiments i is as ice is allowed to melt in at ice such pure Norwegian present contemplated, matters will remain much as tthey are, unless, of course, some unforeseen cause were to a leaden vessel the resulting water will be found to be contaminated with a very appreciable amount of the lead. ccheck the flow of new residents to the metropolis. On another occasion we pointed out the undesirability of The Glasgow Congress. exposing food for sale in the streets. In one particular the During Glasgow International Exhibition many coninstance a piece of salmon bought at a fishmonger’s shop in a met in that city, and we described the lengthy and street at a time when new "pickled"" wooden blocks were gresses v varied discussions which were then held on this grave being laid down evinced a strong odour and taste of naphtha- problem. The International Congress of Engineers dealt. I lene, showing how easily articles of food so exposed’ can vwith it at length, and there was an important debate on the become contaminated. s in one of the sections of the British Association; subject Quite recently some laboratory experiments have been which likewise met at Glasgow. Finally, the Glasgow Town, made with a new gas stove known as the Clamond Gas Council conceived the excellent idea of convoking a conferRadiator, the inquiry being more particularly directed to ence of municipal representatives from all parts of the kingpoints of view of heating efficiency and health. We dom to relate what had done in their respective towns briefly recapitulate the results. It was shown that this new and to debate on thethey best means of proceeding. A referencegas-heating appliance was remarkable in producing radiant to the lengthy descriptions we gave of these discussionswill heat presenting the appearance of a bright, cheery fire. show that throughout there was a dual current of opinion. The consumption of gas in regard to the heating effect There were those who were concerned with the deserving poor the air of a room was remarkably small, while no vitiating and there were others who were far more anxious about theeffect upon the air could be traced. These excellent results u] From the sanitary point of view the undeserving poor. may be attributed to the fact that the radiator is constructedlatter the most urgent problem. Much has certainly create with the Kern burner, a burner which produces a been done for the deserving poor, and the great. already intense atmospheric flame the result of the combustion fault of all the schemes that have been carried out is. five and a half volumes of air with one volume of gas, the that they provide homes for a respectable class of tenants. exact ratio requisite for complete combustion. It was therewho do not occasion any great danger to the public health. fore regarded as a distinct advance on all other gas-heating The thriftless and the drunkards, the very filthy and! appliances, being economical, efficient, and healthy. For sections of the population still herd together in its efficient working the stove requires, however, a steady degraded hovels and rookeries, or degrade any better unspeakable gas - supply and constant and sufficient pressure. A class of to which they may gain access. To meet property number of practical experiments were made, as will be seen this danger a dual system of coercion was proposed. First, from the report which appeared in THE LANCET of Nov. 30th, the municipalities, it was suggested, should build shelters’ which we venture to think justified the above conclusions. at the cheapest possible rates, where the rent charged ought. The number of specimens of food, drugs, and other articles not to be more than 18. per week per room. To these anyone, examined in THE LANCET Laboratory and reported on in our however disreputable, was to be admitted ; but, once within,. columns was 107, and the number of individual analytical such tenants were to be severely watched and coerced investigations thereby involved was 323. In connexion into living fairly cleanly and healthy lives. Second, oncespecial work, some 142 analytical observations were made, this accommodation had been provided then another resort, bringing up the total to 465. to coercion was to be made, and this time against all_ THE HOUSING OF THE POOR. farmers-out of tenements and lodgings who allowed overThe fact, possibly, that so many volunteers and recruits cro crowding and filthy habits on their premises. Many otheran( very important questions were discussed, but the sughave had to be rejected because they did not come up to the and gestion just mentioned was the most original that was made military physical standard may, in a measure, account for ges the increased interest manifested this year in regard to the dur during these conferences and congresses. overcrowded housing problem. Undoubtedly dwellings, THE ORGANISATION OF THE PROFESSION. especially in populous and large towns, must result in I regard to the work of organisation undoubtedly theIn physical degeneration. In the earlier months of the year me( meeting of the British Medical Association at Cheltenham we gave in a series of articles an account of what both the was the event of the year. Here a new constitution Metropolitan Board of Works and its successor the London or the greatest Association was adopted which if carried out in. County Council have done and what the latter body is now etter and spirit would convert this great Association into a. doing to provide healthier and cheaper dwellings for the union capable of taking up all the ethical and ighting working classes. It was no easy matter to give a conand grievances which have troubled thedensed account of so many and such complicated schemes ’conomic questions )rofession for so long. But this proposed change is so sudden, together with an analysis of the law on the subject. But so rradical, and so sweeping that it is impossible to avoid thethis work was all the more necessary in consequence of the xpression of some doubts. The special descriptions which, recent creation of district and town councils and the exten- * of the general meetings where all these mighty ve sive powers given to them, including the right to purchase wepublished were adopted cannot be taken as very encouraging> ihanges land for housing purposes outside of their own boundaries. The application of Part III. of the Act, now much more 1 THE LANCET, Oct. 5th (p. 943) and 19th, 1901 (p. 1081). ,

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THE ANNUS MEDICUS 1901.

of the members of the British Medical Associa- honours by reason of the sudden death in the last month of were lured away by the attractions of numerous gardenthe year of Sir WILLIAM MAC CORMAC, Bart., in whose path parties and only a zealous few remained to inaugurate more than in that of any other man during the year 1901 The answer, of course, honours were strewn with gratifying profusion both to him the most potential alterations. to these criticisms is that the lukewarm members of the and to the profession to which he belonged. In addition Association who at Cheltenham neglected these business to the honours which we enumerate below the freedom of matters were not delegates. It therefore remains to be! more than one of the City companies was bestowed upon seen whether on the next occasion a sufficient number of, him, while America honoured him by electing him a Foreign .earnest delegates will be elected to accomplish useful work. Associate Fellow of the College of Physicians of Philadelphia, In the meanwhile werepeat now what we said at the time- the oldest medical body in America, founded as it was by namely, that the independent local unions must continue the BENJAMIN RUSH and other distinguished men in 1787, and task which they have taken up and are accomplishing with a H. M. the KING of ITALY conferred upon him the degree of considerable measure of success. During the year we have: Grand Officer of the Order of the Crown of that country. continued to describe the action and history of these organisaBy far the greater portion of the honours and distinctions tions. We commenced with the medical unions organised in which have fallen to our profession have been in connexion the counties of Durham and Northumberland, where now a with service in South Africa and we are proud to know that good half of the medical practitioners are associated together three more medical heroes have been added to the roll of the so as to defend their economical interests and to create a Victoria Cross. Their names and the records of the gallant higher school of 1-ikiics among the members of the pro- deedfi for which they earned the distinction for valour are fession. In these ounties the chief struggle has been as follows :Lieutenant E. T. INKSON, R.A.M.C., on Feb. 24th, 1900, with the medical aid organisations formed among the mining population. For the most part the miners only paid 6d. carried Second-Lieutenant DEVENISH (who was severely a, fortnigh for medical aid, and this was doubtless wounded and unable to walk) for three or four hundred sufficient when the system was first started, some 50 yards under a very heavy fire to a place of safety. The years ago, for in those days the wages earned were much ground over which Lieutenant INKSON had to move was less than they are now. On the other hand, the cost of much exposed, there being no cover available. medical education was not so heavy and a great deal of Lieutenant W. H. S. NICKERSON, ’R.A.M.C., attached to the work was done by unqualified assistants. The present and Mounted Infantry, at Wakkerstroom, on the evening of .altered conditions could, it was felt, only be met by raising April 20th, 1900, during the advance of the infantry to the fortnightly subscription from 6d. to 9d. In many districts support the mounted troops, went, in the most gallant this increase has been obtained through the united action manner, under a heavy rifle and shell fire, to attend a of the colliery surgeons and the strength of their unions. wounded man, dressed his wounds, and remained with him But in the towns, as for example Newcastle, Gatesheacl, till he had him conveyed to a place of safety. South and North Shields, and Sunderland, the grievance in Lieutenant H. E. M. DOUGLAS, R.A.M.C.. on Dec. llth, regard to friendly societies, clubs, and insurance companies 1899, during the action at Magersfontein, showed great exists as in the other principal towns of the kingdom. This gallantry and devotion under a very severe fire in advancing phase of the question is not neglected, though as yet less in the open and attending to Captain GORDON, Gordon has been done for the town practitioners than for the Highlanders, who was wounded, and also attending to .calliery surgeons in these two counties. The movement, Major ROBINSON and other wounded men under a fearful fire. .however, is still only in its infancy and no complaint can Many similar acts of devotion and gallantry were performed be made as to loss of time. Premature action only by Lieutenant DOUGLAS on the same day. .courts disaster. It is strongly felt, especially in NorthumberThese officers have now been promoted to the rank of land, that every local practitioner must be induced to sign Captain. an agreement promising his support before a demand is The first Gazette in recognition of the services of officers made. This necessitates an immense amount of negotiation, during the operations in South Africa relating to services up .correspondence, and many personal interviews. The practi- to Nov. 29th, 1900, the day on which Field-Marshal Lord tioners of Northumberland and Durham are fortunate in ROBERTS .handed over the command, was issued in April. having found presidents and committee-men to manage their In the Royal Navy it contained the name of Staff Surgeon unions who do not shrink from undertaking this arduous ERNEST CouRTNEY LoMAS, R.N., who was. made a task and who readily incur all the loss of time and the Companion of [the Distinguished Service Order. In the trouble which it entails. the following Companions of the Military Division of In the latter part of the year we described the formation, Army the Most Honourable Order of the Bath were created :history, and action of the Birmingham and District Medical Colonel WILLIAM FLACK STEVENSON, R.A.1VLC., Professor Practitioners’ Union, which has now been in existence just of Surgery at the Army Medical School, Netley, principal two years. It was brought into being by the attempt to medical officer on the line of communication in South create a Consultative Institute at Birmingham and has now Colonel (local Surgeon-General) JAMES FRANCIS become a vigorous body. The consultants as well as the Africa; SUPPLE, R.A.M.C. ; Lieutenant-Colonel (local Colonel) general practitioners came into line to prevent the formation WILLIAM DONOVAN, R.A.M.C., principal medical officer, of the proposed institute, and this first effort has proved Lieutenant-Colonel (local Colonel) OSWALD Division ; Cavalry .successful ; the institute has ceased to exist. Now the GILLESPIE WOOD, R.A.M.C. ; Lieutenant-Colonel (local Birmingham practitioners are’ collecting data and statistics ALFRED KEOGH, R. A. M. C. ; and Colonel-W. D. C. Colonel) .so as to attack other abuses, and in the meanwhile they WILLIAMS, New South Wales Army Medical Corps ; while are standing shoulder-to-shoulder with their fellow practitioners of Coventry who are struggling against the abuses of Sir WILLIAM MACCORMAC, Bart., K.C.V.0., consulting the Provident Dispensary in that neighbouring town. Takensurgeon to the forces, received a Knight Commandership of .altogether there has been steady progress all along the line, the Order. The following consulting surgeons to the forces though an enormous amount of work still remains to bereceived Companionships of the Order :-Sir THOMAS NAGHTEN FITZGERALD, Kt., Sir WILLIAM THOMSON. Kt., - done. HONOURS TO MEDICAL MEN. Mr. ALFRED DOWNING FRIPP, M. V. 0., Mr. GEORGE HENRY The opening year of a new century has been by no meansMAKINS, Mr. (now Sir) FREDERICK TREVES, M.V.O., Mr. barren of honours for the medical profession, but a gloom is WILLIAM WATSON CHEYNE, Mr. GEORGE LENTHAL CHEATLE, cast over our otherwise pleasing task of recording I KENDAL FRANKS, and Dr. JOHN CHIENE. The following Dr. ’The tion

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