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THE "RED LIGHT" TREATMENT OF SMILL-POX.
1313 the King whose son is now, like his father before him, the President of the hospital, would meet with a response worthy of the name and fame of that great institution founded so many years ago by Rahere.
ROYAL
COLLEGE
OF
SURGEONS OF
ENGLAND.
THE annual meeting of Fellows and Members will be held at the College on Thursday, Nov. 19th, at 3 P.M. Any motion to be brought forward at the meeting must be signed by the mover or by the mover and other Fellows and Members, and must be received by the secretary at the College not later than Nov. 9th. At this meeting the annual report of the work of the Council will be presented. A copy of this report will be sent to any Fellow or Member on application, and on request the name of the Fellow or Member can be registered, so that the report can be sent to him annually without further application. It is important that as many Fellows and Members as possible should attend this meeting, so that any motions which may be carried may really represent the opinions of the body
unfavourable course. He refers, however, to an article by Dr. N. D. Brayton of Indianapolis. This physician treated 300 cases in"red light wards" and was entirely unable to corroborate the good results claimed by the Scandinavian medical men. As partially explanatory of this discrepancy Dr. Schamberg points out that Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are among the best vaccinated countries of Europe. It is obviously illogical and misleading to attribute definitely favourable results to certain measures employed in the treatment of small-pox in persons once vaccinated. It is evident, therefore, that no absolute conclusions can yet be drawn with regard to the red light treatment. Further evidence is necessary. He insists that the general severity of the particular epidemic must be noted and also whether the patients SO treated had ever been vaccinated, or whether revaccination had been performed at a comparatively recent
period.
-
STREET NOISES.
WE have upon several occasions drawn attention to the very great and absolutely unnecessary nuisance caused by corporate. newsvendors shouting their wares in the streets. We have also pointed out that the view which some magistrates take THE "RED LIGHT" TREATMENT OF that a complainant must appear in person renders the SM ILL-POX. law on the subject absolutely useless. We are glad DR. J. F. SCHAMBERG, professor of diseases of the skin inexisting tosee, however, that one magistrate at least has apparently to the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in considered that the recently passed by-law of the London Medicine, has submitted to us a criticism of Council is enough for him and the police to act upon Finsen’s views on the red light treatment of small-pox County On without the attendance of an annoyed ratepayer. which are well known to the readers of THE LAKCET. Dr. Oct. 28th seven newspaper boys appeared before him for Schamberg’s remarks refer perhaps more particularly to ( in the streets. Six of them were fined 2s. 6d. and shouting article which appeared in the British Medical Journal 2s. costs each, and one, who was very small, had to pay ls. June 6th, 1903, by Professor Finsen but they are of conand 2s. costs. The nuisance in a street such as the Strand siderable interest as showing the very varied opinions which is full of workers is absolutely unbearable and, as which have been expressed on this method of treatment. we have pointed out again and again, there are lots of The failure to take into consideration the type of cases in newspaper sellers who do not shout and who do not rush any particular epidemic of infectious disease has frequently the streets like lunatics. The police are exceedingly led to misconception in regard to the value of a new loth to act upon their own initiative but it is perfectly Doubtless the fact that epidemics of small-pox vary greatly’ foc foolish for legal authorities to expect anybody who is at in the case mortality may account in some measure for the work to leave his occupation, to run downstairs, to find different results obtained by the Scandinavian physicians"’ a policeman, to follow up the newspaper seller, to take on the one hand’ and the American physicians on the his name and address, and to promise to appear at some other, and Dr. Schamberg refers to this point in his future fu date at a police-court. What is wanted is that any remarks. Professor Finsen was enthusiastic with regard ne seller who persistently shouts should be then and newspaper to his results and remarked that "the effect of the th there taken to a police-station. red light treatment is one of the most striking resultss known in medicine" and that I we cannot help comWORKHOUSE NURSING. paring the red light treatment with vaccination." Dr. refute statements both on n to these of THE matter Schamberg attempts nursing in workhouses has already been theoretical and practical grounds. Professor Finsen mainL dE dealt with at some length in these columns but its importtains that the chemical rays of sunlight exert an injurious ance aI justifies some allusion to the proceedings at a meeting on Oct. 29th in connexion with the Hospitals Associainfluence on a diseased skin and that the use of red panes a hE held of glass or red curtains in a room excludes the chemical ti tion. This meeting, which took place at St. Thomas’s Hosthis as an of the e Mr. Thomas Bryant being in the cha-,r, was held for the and he adduces theory rays explanation pi pital, in Dr r benefit of red cases of of considering the Report on Nursin of the Departalleged light small-pox. pi purpose ;o DJ mental Committee which was appointed by the President of Schamberg contests this view and his arguments seem to be well founded. d the tl Local Government Board. In opening the discussion He points out that while prolonged D T. D. Savill found fault with the constitution of the com)t Dr. exposure to the direct solar rays, particularly in the hot n months of the year, commonly induces inflammatory reemittee in that while the Local Government Board was fully rc }e no outside expert on nursing was invited to assist. action, yet there is no evidence of such noxious influence represented 1- h He opposed the arrangement by which it is proposed to from ordinary exposure to diffuse daylight. Further, smalli-certificates to nurses after 12 months’ training on the pox being more prevalent in the winter months, it seem-g grant difficult to believe th-it ordinary exposure in the sick room to grounds g (1) that the material afforded by cases in workdiffuse daylight at that time of the year would result in any b houses is not sufficient for adequate training, especially as ty irritative action of the skin. Dr. Schamberg also is of the t: medical and surgical methods pursued there are or n not opinion that the predilection of the small pox eruption for always up to date ; and (2) that the time is too short the face and the extremities is not because thee parts ts hboth for gaining experience and for the formation of that are exposed to light but that it is due to their greater er character of broad-minded intelligent sympathy which conc It Dr. Schamberg refers to the favourable le stitutes so important a part of a nurse’s qualification. vascularity. inwas v opinion of the treatment expressed by physicians chiefly in pointed out that the object of the Local Government was to manufacture cheap nurses for employment I Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. His own experience is Board limited to two cases of the disease, both of which ran an an i in workhouses, and stress was laid on the injustice: ------
Professor cor
wit an h of 2s. wb we we through remedy. lothe ’
’
’
.
a hi;
’3
.
ROYAL
COLLEGE
OF
SURGEONS OF
ENGLAND.
THE annual meeting of Fellows and Members will be held at the College on Thursday, Nov. 19th, at 3 P.M. Any motion to be brought forward at the meeting must be signed by the mover or by the mover and other Fellows and Members, and must be received by the secretary at the College not later than Nov. 9th. At this meeting the annual report of the work of the Council will be presented. A copy of this report will be sent to any Fellow or Member on application, and on request the name of the Fellow or Member can be registered, so that the report can be sent to him annually without further application. It is important that as many Fellows and Members as possible should attend this meeting, so that any motions which may be carried may really represent the opinions of the body
unfavourable course. He refers, however, to an article by Dr. N. D. Brayton of Indianapolis. This physician treated 300 cases in"red light wards" and was entirely unable to corroborate the good results claimed by the Scandinavian medical men. As partially explanatory of this discrepancy Dr. Schamberg points out that Denmark, Sweden, and Norway are among the best vaccinated countries of Europe. It is obviously illogical and misleading to attribute definitely favourable results to certain measures employed in the treatment of small-pox in persons once vaccinated. It is evident, therefore, that no absolute conclusions can yet be drawn with regard to the red light treatment. Further evidence is necessary. He insists that the general severity of the particular epidemic must be noted and also whether the patients SO treated had ever been vaccinated, or whether revaccination had been performed at a comparatively recent
period.
-
STREET NOISES.
WE have upon several occasions drawn attention to the very great and absolutely unnecessary nuisance caused by corporate. newsvendors shouting their wares in the streets. We have also pointed out that the view which some magistrates take THE "RED LIGHT" TREATMENT OF that a complainant must appear in person renders the SM ILL-POX. law on the subject absolutely useless. We are glad DR. J. F. SCHAMBERG, professor of diseases of the skin inexisting tosee, however, that one magistrate at least has apparently to the Philadelphia Polyclinic and College for Graduates in considered that the recently passed by-law of the London Medicine, has submitted to us a criticism of Council is enough for him and the police to act upon Finsen’s views on the red light treatment of small-pox County On without the attendance of an annoyed ratepayer. which are well known to the readers of THE LAKCET. Dr. Oct. 28th seven newspaper boys appeared before him for Schamberg’s remarks refer perhaps more particularly to ( in the streets. Six of them were fined 2s. 6d. and shouting article which appeared in the British Medical Journal 2s. costs each, and one, who was very small, had to pay ls. June 6th, 1903, by Professor Finsen but they are of conand 2s. costs. The nuisance in a street such as the Strand siderable interest as showing the very varied opinions which is full of workers is absolutely unbearable and, as which have been expressed on this method of treatment. we have pointed out again and again, there are lots of The failure to take into consideration the type of cases in newspaper sellers who do not shout and who do not rush any particular epidemic of infectious disease has frequently the streets like lunatics. The police are exceedingly led to misconception in regard to the value of a new loth to act upon their own initiative but it is perfectly Doubtless the fact that epidemics of small-pox vary greatly’ foc foolish for legal authorities to expect anybody who is at in the case mortality may account in some measure for the work to leave his occupation, to run downstairs, to find different results obtained by the Scandinavian physicians"’ a policeman, to follow up the newspaper seller, to take on the one hand’ and the American physicians on the his name and address, and to promise to appear at some other, and Dr. Schamberg refers to this point in his future fu date at a police-court. What is wanted is that any remarks. Professor Finsen was enthusiastic with regard ne seller who persistently shouts should be then and newspaper to his results and remarked that "the effect of the th there taken to a police-station. red light treatment is one of the most striking resultss known in medicine" and that I we cannot help comWORKHOUSE NURSING. paring the red light treatment with vaccination." Dr. refute statements both on n to these of THE matter Schamberg attempts nursing in workhouses has already been theoretical and practical grounds. Professor Finsen mainL dE dealt with at some length in these columns but its importtains that the chemical rays of sunlight exert an injurious ance aI justifies some allusion to the proceedings at a meeting on Oct. 29th in connexion with the Hospitals Associainfluence on a diseased skin and that the use of red panes a hE held of glass or red curtains in a room excludes the chemical ti tion. This meeting, which took place at St. Thomas’s Hosthis as an of the e Mr. Thomas Bryant being in the cha-,r, was held for the and he adduces theory rays explanation pi pital, in Dr r benefit of red cases of of considering the Report on Nursin of the Departalleged light small-pox. pi purpose ;o DJ mental Committee which was appointed by the President of Schamberg contests this view and his arguments seem to be well founded. d the tl Local Government Board. In opening the discussion He points out that while prolonged D T. D. Savill found fault with the constitution of the com)t Dr. exposure to the direct solar rays, particularly in the hot n months of the year, commonly induces inflammatory reemittee in that while the Local Government Board was fully rc }e no outside expert on nursing was invited to assist. action, yet there is no evidence of such noxious influence represented 1- h He opposed the arrangement by which it is proposed to from ordinary exposure to diffuse daylight. Further, smalli-certificates to nurses after 12 months’ training on the pox being more prevalent in the winter months, it seem-g grant difficult to believe th-it ordinary exposure in the sick room to grounds g (1) that the material afforded by cases in workdiffuse daylight at that time of the year would result in any b houses is not sufficient for adequate training, especially as ty irritative action of the skin. Dr. Schamberg also is of the t: medical and surgical methods pursued there are or n not opinion that the predilection of the small pox eruption for always up to date ; and (2) that the time is too short the face and the extremities is not because thee parts ts hboth for gaining experience and for the formation of that are exposed to light but that it is due to their greater er character of broad-minded intelligent sympathy which conc It Dr. Schamberg refers to the favourable le stitutes so important a part of a nurse’s qualification. vascularity. inwas v opinion of the treatment expressed by physicians chiefly in pointed out that the object of the Local Government was to manufacture cheap nurses for employment I Denmark, Sweden, and Norway. His own experience is Board limited to two cases of the disease, both of which ran an an i in workhouses, and stress was laid on the injustice: ------
Professor cor
wit an h of 2s. wb we we through remedy. lothe ’
’
’
.
a hi;
’3
.