THE PRACTICE OF PATHOLOGY.

54 the percentage of diffusible CaO present in fresh milk is 26.4 per cent., in pasteurised milk (i.e., milk held at 70 C. for 30 minutes) is 20 4 per cent.. and in boiled milk (i.e., a flask of milk immersed in a water-bath at boiling-point for one hour) is 15.7per cent. Dr. A. T. R. Mattick has kindly permitted me to make use of as yet unpublished (letails of work which is being carried out on the effect of heat on the diffusible calcium of milk. A long series of exheriments has been carried out at temperatures which ranged from 105° to 210° F. In each experiment the milk was held at a temperature which did not vary more than 5 degrees. In every case the amount or diffusible calcium was diminished and the coagulation time of the heated milk when treated with rennet was prolonged as the temperature rose, until at a temperature of 205° to 209’F. no true coagulation took place. In ew York an iuvestigation by W. S. Ladd, Ewarts, and Franks on the relative efficiency of Certified and pasteurised milk for im fant feeding was made. It was found that Certified raw milk alone without the addition of orange-juice or cod-liver oil produced a greater increase of body-weight in babies than did pasteurised milk alone or when pasteurised milk was combined with orange-juice and cod-liver oil. The table is as follows :—

No. of

Weight development—

months

observed. At

entrance.

Group I. (61 cases) .. Grade A pasteurised

6.9

At

one

year.

Gain in percentage.

Per cent. Per cent. Per cent. 83.8 1.7 82.1

Cod-liver oil 0 Orange juice 0 Group II. (59 Grade A pasteurised Cod-liver oil 0

cases)..

7.2

82.2

90.1

7.9

Orange juice + Group III. (72 cases). Grade A pasteurised

7.0

80.2

89.7

9.5

6.8

80 .0

94.0

14.0

Cod-liver oil

+

Orange juice+ Group IV.(17 cases)..

THE PRACTICE OF PATHOLOGY. To the Editor of THE LANCET. SIR,—May we draw attention to the fact that meeting will be held at the London School of Medicine for Women at 2.30 P.M. on Friday, Jan. 7th, for ths. purpose of considering the advisability of forming a society to represent the interests of those engaged in the practice of pathology ? There is general agreement among those engaged therein that the conditions of pathological practict throughout the country are very unsatisfactory, ana The competition are in danger of becoming more so. for pathological work on the part of subsidised institutions of various sorts, both academic and commercial, and of local authorities, and the resultant cutting of fees, is threatening to reduce the remunera. tion from pathological work to such an extent that little inducement will be offered to competent met a

to enter this

important branch of medical practice. The present state of pathological practice, moreover offers little encouragement to non-teaching hospital. to attempt to bring their pathological departments to a state of efficiency. It is in the general interest of medicine that pathological knowledge should be ar widespread as possible, and not confined to thr teaching centres. Up to the present pathologists as a class have haà no organisation to represent their interests. Tb; need for such a body appears to be urgent, and we. therefore, hope that all those interested who ca manage to do so will attend the meeting. We are. Sir. vours faithfully. H. A. COOKSON, Royal Infirmary, Sunderland, J. B. DAVEY, General Hospital, Cheltenham, S. C. DYKE, Wolverhampton and Staffordshire Hospital, Wolverhampton. C. E. JENKINS, Salford Royal Hospital, Salford. C. POWELL WHITE, Victoria University, Manchester. A. RENSHAW,

Certified milk, raw Cod-liver oil 0

Ancoats

A. G.

Orange juice 0

Hospital, Manchester.

SHERA,

Princess Alice bourne.

Memorial

Hospital,

East-

A. F. S. SLADDEN, This table shows that the normal development of General Hospital, Swansea. the babies as judged by weight increased 14 per cent.. R. V. SOLLY, on Certified raw inilk against 1 ’7 per cent. on pasteurRoyal Devon and Exeter Hospital, Exeter. ised milk alone,7-9 per cent. on pasteurised milk E. WORDLEY, with the addition of olange-juice, and 9-5 per cent. South Devon and East Cornwall Hospital, on pasteurised milk with the addition of orangePlymouth. juice and cod-liver oil. A. L. Daniels and G. A. F. WRIGHT, Stearns, of the Iowa Cliild Welfare Research C’entre, Coventry and Warwickshire Hospital, Coventry. found that in experiments on rats, that when the rats Dec. 1926. 21st, were fed on pasteurised milk their growth was half the normal. According to them this was due to the OR SURGERY FOR THE OCULIST precipitation of calcium. the calcium adhering to the sides of the v(-s,-ie.1 in which the milk was pasteurised. To the Editor of THE LANCET. If, however, the vessel was washed after the milk SIR,—" Incipiens," in his letter of Dec. 4th, has had been poured out. and the washings added to the the wrong point of view. It is not a question taken then of the In the growth rats was normal. the milk, Iowa Welfare Centre it was found that babies fed on of what form of education would be best for an oculist or best for ophthalmology, but what form of test pasteurised milk (milk held at 145° F. for 30 minutes) shall be applied to reduce the number of would-be
MEDICINE

,

applicant’s