THE SMOKE NUISANCE.

1348 easy to turn the whole proceedings into a farce. It does not seem fair, however, that persons whose consciences are so elastic in some directions should string them up so tightly in others as to enable them to enjoy the advantages of citizenship while they evade its duties.

THE DENTAL HOSPITAL OF LONDON.

disease existed in any other member of the same family. In 11 cases one or more of the infectious diseases had preceded the onset of the dystrophic manifestation. In 3 cases there had been falls upon the back before the advent of the symptom of the muscular trouble. Dr. Eshner calls attention to the contraction of the muscles of the upper part of the thigh noted in two of the cases, when the sole of the foot was gently irritated notwithstanding the absence of the plantar

THE annual dinner of the staff and present and past reflex. students will be held on Saturday, Dec. 3rd, at the H6tel MEDICO-PSYCHOLOGICAL ASSOCIATION OF ’ Metropole (Whitehall Rooms), under the presidency of Mr. Storer Bennett. Gentlemen either now or formerly conGREAT BRITAIN AND IRELAND. nected with the hospital or medical school who may through1 EXAMINATIONS for the certificate of the Association in inadvertence not have received special notice and who desire! psychological medicine will be held in London, Edinburgh, to be present are requested to communicate with the dean1l Glasgow, Aberdeen, and Dublin, on Thursday, Dec. 15th, at the Dental Hospital, 40, Leicester-square. to themselves for 1898. Candidates

intending present give fourteen days’ notice to the Registrar (Dr. Spence, Burntwood Asylum, Lichfield), from examination should

PAY WARDS IN BRUSSELS HOSPITALS. ACCORDING to the report of the Conseil des Hospices in1 Brussels it appears that last year nearly 1100 persons were admitted to the public hospitals as paying patients, the taxiJI varying from 3 fr. to 15 fr. per diem, for which everything,, including professional services and even important operations, was provided. The total amount received last yearr The medical journals are beginning to comwas 70,000 fr. plain that this system of admitting paying patients is veryr unfair to medical men and that reform is needed which mustt take one of the following shapes : (1) the total abolition off paying wards or (2) the permission for paying patients to) select their own professional attendants who must be allowedl to have free access to them. It is suggested that the Brussels College of Medical Practitioners should take the matter up. -

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whom any further information may be obtained.

THE DIAGNOSTIC VALUE OF KOPLIK’S SPOTS. IN the Nero York Medical Journal of Oct. 15th, 1898, Dra J. Sobel confirms the claims of Koplik’s spots as a pathognomonic sign both in the pre-eruptive and eruptive stage of measles. As stated in an annotation in THE LANCET of April 30th, 1898, these spots are limited to the mucous membrane of the cheeks and lips and are small, irregular, and bright red. In the centre of each is a minute speck, bluish-white in strong daylight, which, according to Koplik, is absolutely pathognomonic of measles. In the early stages of 35 cases of measles Dr. Sobel never found this sign wanting. On the other hand, he never found them present in 1000 adults suffering from a number of affections or in children affected with various eruptions-varicella, scarlet

" MUSCULAR DYSTROPHIES."

fever, vaccinia, rötheln, congenital syphilis, urticaria, purIN the American Journal of the Medical Sciences forr pura, erythema multiforme, miliaria, eczema, and bromide September, 1898, Dr. A. A. Eshner publishes a paper entitled and antipyrin rashes. He corroborates Slawyk’s observation " A Contribution to the Study of the Muscular Dystrophies." that the spots occur most frequently opposite the region of ,

The writer first refers to Erb’s views-namely, that the changes in the muscles in these conditions are not purely myopathic, but that they may depend upon impalpable nutritional alterations in the ganglion cells of the anterior horns of the spinal cord not capable of demonstration with our present resources-and therefore proposes to designate such cases as come under this group as "muscular dystrophies," thus not indicating definitely any theory of their pathology. Several types of the disease have been described, as, for instance, the idiopathic, the pseudohypertrophic, the juvenile or scapulo-humeral of Erb, the infantile of Duchenne, or the facio-scapulo-humeral of Landouzy-Dejerine, and the hereditary of Leyden; but Dr. Eshner thinks it is doubtful if any useful purpose is subserved by this classification, inasmuch as the boundaries of the several so-called types are ill-defined, and many, if not most, cases present features of two or more varieties. It is probable that these several forms represent rather differences in degree and distribution than variations in essential character. Details are then given of 20 cases. Most of the cases are of mixed type, with a predominant tendency to muscular pseudo-hypertrophy. Of the whole number but 4 occurred in females. So far as could be ascertained the first symptoms in the cases reported were noticed in none later than the thirteenth year, in 2 at birth, in 2 during the first year, in 2 during the second year, in 2 during the third year, in 2 during the fourth year, in 3 during the sixth year, in 1 during the seventh year, in 3 during the eighth year, in 2 during the ninth year, and in 1 during the tenth year. The ages of the patients at the times when they came under observation varied from three to twenty-four years. In only 2 of the cases (in brothers) was it definitely ascertainable that similar

the lower molar teeth.

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THE SMOKE NUISANCE heard at the West London Vestry Clerk of Hammer police-court smith against the East India Produce Company for allowing their chimney at Albert Mills, Upper Mall, to emit black smoke in such quantities as to be a nuisance. The principal witness against the company was Sir William Blake Rich" mond, who said that the smoke issuing from the chimney " as black as his coat and so thick that he could not see was through it." A vestry sanitary inspector gave similar evi dence. The defence was that only yellow and brown smoke issued from the chimney and that smoke-consumers had been applied some two months ago. We do not doubt this fact, but it is quite evident that the smoke-consumers’ do not do their work properly. Mr. Rose, in describing Sir William Richmond as a public benefactor, referred to the difference of opinion as to the colour of the smoke, and said that that gentleman from his profession was the most fitting witness to describe it. He should make a prohibitory order for the prevention of the recurrence of the nuisance and should allow the vestry five guineas costs. We are glad to see that the incriminated company did not put forward any plea about not being able to get Welsh coal, for whether they can or not that has nothing to do with it. We should like to see the sanitary authorities take in hand the case of certain big restaurants and hotels which are much to blame as regards polluting the air, and also we should like to know whether there is any power by which the London County Council can make it obligatory on the builders and architects of any new house or houses to fit the fireplaces

ON Nov. 12th

a summons was

at the instance of the

1349 If the’ Gladstone. The death of Lord Playfair a few months ago removed a member who had also served as a president. the better. New houses are being built every day, and it is A banquet in honour of these scientific men was projected ridiculous to allow new centres of pollution to arise without early in the year and was eventually arranged to takehindrance. place on June 9th. In consequence, however, of the death-’ of Lord Playfair the banquet was postponed till Nov. llth, THE RECORDER AND THE SUPERINTENDENT. when a very representative company of distinguished men of OUR special correspondent at Belfast called attention last all branches of science entertained the surviving past presiweek to the extraordinary action of the Belfast Recorder in dents who have been Fellows for half a century and whose declining to allow Dr. Graham, the medical superintendent names appear above. In replying to the toast of’’ The Past. of the asylum, a fee for making an affidavit in reference to Presidents" which was given by the present President, the condition of a lunatic and for attending the court. Professor Dewar, each veteran gave a most interesting hisDr. Graham’s action has now received considerable official torical sketch of the progress of chemistry during the last five’ support, as will be seen in our special correspondent’s letter decades. The guests present included Mr. Haldane, Q.0., in another column, and he is to be warmly congratu- M.P., and Dr. Bottinger of the Reichstag, who replied’ lated upon the dignified way in which he has pressed to the toast proposed in their honour by Dr. T. E. his rights. It is to be hoped that the Recorder, who is on Thorpe, the treasurer of the society. Congratulations. all accounts a most kind as well as honourable gentleman, were received and announced from the Russian and will, now that both his statements in reference to Dr. German chemical societies. Professor Michael Foster, who> Graham’s predecessor have been disproved and his legal followed Lord Lister in an interesting speech, remarked that. decision called in question, see that the proper course is to when the British Association met their French friends. In our opinion life would at Dover and Boulogne next year Fashoda would have been reverse his previous judgment. be intolerable to medical men if they were to be compelled forgotten and they would not be using the resources of to attend civil courts and prepare important medical reports science to make the two nations as small as possible but each would be using the resources of the other to advance theirsimply because they are Government officials.

with some kind of smoke-preventing apparatus. council has not such powers the sooner it applies

for them

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common

ANKYLOSTOMUM

DUODENALE.

Iv the Berliner Klinische Wochenschrift, leo. 36, 1896, Dr. W. Ginn and Dr. Martin Jacoby published certain observations which they had made on the presence of the ankylostomum duodenale and other parasites in the intestines of natives of India and they arrived at two main conclusions : (1) when the ankylostomum has gained a hold amongst a native tribe of India it spreads with great rapidity amongst the members of the tribe ; and (2) it appears very probable that a person may have the ankylostoma in his intestine without being the subject of ankylostomiasis. In the summer of this year, 1898, the same observers had opportunities of examining the stools of several natives. Of the faeces of 8 natives of Ceylon, in 8 the ova of ankylostomum duodenale were found, in 7 those of the trichocephalus dispar, and in 6 those of the ascaris. In the stools of 6 natives of Madras in 6 were observed the ova of ankylostomum duodenale, in 6 those of trichocephalus dispar, and in 5 those of ascaris, and in 2 of the Madras natives the larvas of anguillula intestinalis appeared. The first of the above proportions was therefore corroborated by the new investigations. As supporting the second of their conclusions Dr. Ginn and Dr. Jacoby found that a large number of Asiatics and Africans in whose stools the ova of the ankylostomum were found exhibited no signs of anaemia. Amongst certain tribes there seemed to exist a certain immunity from ankylostomiasis. But the immunity was limited and by no means absolute.

knowledge.

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THE SPECTACLE MAKERS’ COMPANY’S OPTICAL EXAMINATION AND THE EXAMINATION OF THE BRITISH OPTICAL ASSOCIATION.

OUR contemporary the Optician gives in this week’s issuethe questions set by the examiners of the above bodies fortheir optical examinations. The examination of the SpectacleMakers’ Company is the first of them and is divided into twoparts-a vivd voce and a written, the latter occupying two hours and’a quarter. It is stated that 93 candidates presented themselves and that amongst these there were a largenumber of old members of the industry, the provinces being well represented by candidates from Leeds, Tunbridge Wells, Deal, Tenby, Carlisle, Kilmarnock, and other places. Thequestions seem to have been carefully thought out, and if’ anything like satisfactory replies were obtained the standard of knowledge in the possession of the opticians is very high, and it is clear that those who pass the examination will not only be thoroughly grounded in their subject, but will be very competent judges of theprescriptions sent to them by ophthalmic surgeons. As it is certain that a large proportion of the public do, and will always continue to, apply to the optician for incipient failure of vision it is obvious that the glasses selected by theoptician should be given with judgment and a sound knowledge of the principles of optics. At the same time theopticians should remember the motto, "Ne sutor ultra. crepidam," and take care when unusual or suspicious phenomena are observed to recommend the patient to obtain. the advice of the surgeon. We append a few of the quesTHE CHEMICAL SOCIETY. tions set at the former of these examinations. 1. How would WHEN the idea was mooted more than half a century ago of you determine the focal length of a simple biconvex lens with, forming a chemical society doubts were expressed by several faces of equal curvature? Give all the practical methods. chemists as to whether success would attend the experiment. you know of. 2. In what way is the position of theThe Chemical Society is now amongst the most active principal focus of a lens dependent upon the choice of thescientific bodies connected with the parent Royal Society. curvatures ? Illustrate your answer by reference to. We believe, too, that financially its position is very satis- the positions of the front and back foci of a planofactory. The work done by the Fellows of the Chemical convex lens of + 20 D. Does it matter which surface you, Society during the past fifty years embraces some of the turn towards the source of light as regards definition ? most important discoveries which have appeared in the annals 3. A prescription is given you as follows : - 3 D. C. axis. of the world of scientific research. Amongst the fellows are horizontal 0 + 1-5 D. C. axis vertical R. &.L. State thesix past presidents who have belonged to the society for half different methods of working such a lens and give reasons for a century. These are Sir Joseph Henry Gilbert, Sir Edward your choice of curves. 4. A boy, aged ten years, has vision. Professor William Odling, Sir Frederick Augustus =1/40/0and with - 2-5 D. S. he sees 2 11, but on testing, his P.P. Frankland, Dr. Alexander William Williamson, and Dr. John Hall is found to be at 12 cm. What is probably his defect and Abel, ___