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THE VULGARISATION OF MEDICAL SCIENCE.
89 from mammalian tuberculosis. 2. That fowl tuberculosis cancer), that it will either be passed over by the readers of may be well cultivated and retain its pathogenic properties the journal in question, or be productive of much confusion between 37° and 430 C. 3. That the guinea-pig and dog in their minds. The same writer contributes to the are able to destroy the bacillus of fowl tuberculosis, its Ncäional I:cviclV a reply to the recent article by Lady Paget inoculation in them often resulting in local abscesses. 4. That on Count Mattei and his cure for cancer. To this there is the guinea-pig may die of marasmus, without any tuber- less objection, since the aim is to correct a misleading and culous nodules forming, up to within four months after in- mischievous teaching, which cannot fail to be disastrous to oculation. 5. That the rabbit may exhibit the general as those who prefer empiricism to knowledge. But we would well as the local form of tuberculosis, but with a special fain hope that the editors of these periodicals would see type of structure of the tubercle and a greater quantity of that no good purpose, scientific or other, is served by the bacilli than occurs in fowls. 6. That tuberculosis of fowls discussion in their pages of abstruse problems of pathological has great power of resistance to physical agents. 7. That interest. There is scope enough in art, literature, and the fowl is insusceptible to mammalian tuberculosis. politics for the most omnivorous reader of 11 reviews," and we question very much whether he really cares for medical disquisitions which he can neither appreciate nor compreBURIAL OF HOSPITAL PATIENTS.
hend.
THE burial of the body of a patient who had died at the North-East London Hospital for Children has been the occasion of some discussion between the authorities of the institution and those of the parish. The house surgeon of the hospital made application to the magistrate at Worshipstreet for an order directing the vestry to undertake the burial, an application which was resisted on the part of the vestry on the ground that the burial of a hospital patient was no part of their duty. Eventually the order desired was made, upon the ground that the unburied body was a nuisance, but subject to the reservation that the vestry should be free to demand the cost of burial from the hospital, and to recover if so entitled. That the funds of a hospital should be liable to the cost of burial is very much to be regretted, and we think that in the case of a pauper patient it might well be made the statutory duty of the parish to which he was chargeable in life But we fear to provide for his burial after death. that there is no doubt as to the legal rights of the hospital and the authorities of the parish in which the hospital is situated. This question was very carefully considered in an action brought by the governors of St. George’s Hospital many years ago against the guardians of St. George’s parish in circumstances precisely similar to those now under consideration. The case is reported under the title of " Regina v. Stewart," and has long been the leading authority upon this point. It is there very clearly laid down that the parish funds are liable only to defray the cost of burial of paupers who die in some "parish house," unless in the cases for which the Poor-law or other special statutes provide ; as, for example, the case of the bodies of drowned persons cast upon the shore. Apart from these exceptions-which do not cover the case of a patient dying in hospital-the householder in whose dwelling a poor person dies is bound to provide decent burial. Such, as we understand, is the law, and we supposed that it was generally known and recognised.
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INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. THE first public step was taken last week to arrange for the meeting of the International Congress of Hygiene and Demography in London next year. There was a large gathering at the Mansion House under the chairmanship of the Lord Mayor, who has given the movement his cordial approval, and who was supported by many distinguished members of the medical profession and other well-known public men. Sir Douglas Galton gave an account of previous congresses that had been held in various continental cities, and announced that the Prince of Wales had accepted the office of President. The Lord Mayor, in urging the claims of the Congress to public support, referred to the probability that the Corporation of the City of London would share in the labour of making the Congress a success, and announced that a subscription list had been opened. We trust that the Lord Mayor’s appeal will meet with a cordial response. From .E5000 to 16000 are required to meet the expenses which will be incurred, and this sum should, as soon as possible, be in the hands of the organisers of the Congress, in order that the necessary arrangements may be made. We do not doubt that every effort will be made to give a befitting reception to the many distinguished foreigners who will visit England on that occasion, and to maintain the character of this country for hospitality.
FEES FOR MEDICAL ATTENDANCE AT POLICE COURTS.
A QUESTION of some considerable importance to medical raised a few days ago at the North London Policecourt. Mr. Gould, a medical practitioner, attended at the request of the police to give evidence. It appeared, however, that his evidence would be of such a character that the prosecution did not desire to call him, and he was consequently in a difficulty about obtaining the certificate necessary to entitle him to recover his fee. In these circumstances he applied THE VULGARISATION OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. to the magistrate for information as to whom he should IN an article contributed to the Ninetecoth Ceutury, Dr. consider liable to pay the fee. The London County Council Herbert Snow comes to the conclusion that there is a very had undertaken the prosecution, but had not made use of notable increase in the prevalence of cancer, and that this his evidence, and the police had desired him to attend. increase is to be attributed less to the influence of heredity The matter was still further complicated by the circumthan to the high pressure of modern life, declaring, from stance that, in the opinion of the magistrates, it had his own experience, that conditions of mental distress and been wholly unnecessary, and therefore improper, to call anxiety are exceptionally frequent as precursors of malig- Mr. Gould at all. The magistrate, however, undertook, if nant disease. We are, we confess, less concerned with such he had power to do so, to see that Mr. Gould got the cerhypothetical reasons than with the appearance in the pages tificate, and we hope that he was able to give effect to this of a popular journal of a discussion upon this subject. It intention. The position in which Mr. Gould found himself seems to us to be wholly out of place, besides being likely was a very unpleasant one, and one, moreover, in which a to create much unnecessary alarm. The question is so medical man ought not to be placed. Perhaps the safest purely one for the investigation of experts, and involves course for a practitioner to adopt when asked to give so much that is technical (vide Dr. Snow’s attempt evidence would be to insist, before giving a "proof"" to the to popularise the description of the various forms of party proposing to call him, either upon payment of the fee men was
hend.
THE burial of the body of a patient who had died at the North-East London Hospital for Children has been the occasion of some discussion between the authorities of the institution and those of the parish. The house surgeon of the hospital made application to the magistrate at Worshipstreet for an order directing the vestry to undertake the burial, an application which was resisted on the part of the vestry on the ground that the burial of a hospital patient was no part of their duty. Eventually the order desired was made, upon the ground that the unburied body was a nuisance, but subject to the reservation that the vestry should be free to demand the cost of burial from the hospital, and to recover if so entitled. That the funds of a hospital should be liable to the cost of burial is very much to be regretted, and we think that in the case of a pauper patient it might well be made the statutory duty of the parish to which he was chargeable in life But we fear to provide for his burial after death. that there is no doubt as to the legal rights of the hospital and the authorities of the parish in which the hospital is situated. This question was very carefully considered in an action brought by the governors of St. George’s Hospital many years ago against the guardians of St. George’s parish in circumstances precisely similar to those now under consideration. The case is reported under the title of " Regina v. Stewart," and has long been the leading authority upon this point. It is there very clearly laid down that the parish funds are liable only to defray the cost of burial of paupers who die in some "parish house," unless in the cases for which the Poor-law or other special statutes provide ; as, for example, the case of the bodies of drowned persons cast upon the shore. Apart from these exceptions-which do not cover the case of a patient dying in hospital-the householder in whose dwelling a poor person dies is bound to provide decent burial. Such, as we understand, is the law, and we supposed that it was generally known and recognised.
___
INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OF HYGIENE AND DEMOGRAPHY. THE first public step was taken last week to arrange for the meeting of the International Congress of Hygiene and Demography in London next year. There was a large gathering at the Mansion House under the chairmanship of the Lord Mayor, who has given the movement his cordial approval, and who was supported by many distinguished members of the medical profession and other well-known public men. Sir Douglas Galton gave an account of previous congresses that had been held in various continental cities, and announced that the Prince of Wales had accepted the office of President. The Lord Mayor, in urging the claims of the Congress to public support, referred to the probability that the Corporation of the City of London would share in the labour of making the Congress a success, and announced that a subscription list had been opened. We trust that the Lord Mayor’s appeal will meet with a cordial response. From .E5000 to 16000 are required to meet the expenses which will be incurred, and this sum should, as soon as possible, be in the hands of the organisers of the Congress, in order that the necessary arrangements may be made. We do not doubt that every effort will be made to give a befitting reception to the many distinguished foreigners who will visit England on that occasion, and to maintain the character of this country for hospitality.
FEES FOR MEDICAL ATTENDANCE AT POLICE COURTS.
A QUESTION of some considerable importance to medical raised a few days ago at the North London Policecourt. Mr. Gould, a medical practitioner, attended at the request of the police to give evidence. It appeared, however, that his evidence would be of such a character that the prosecution did not desire to call him, and he was consequently in a difficulty about obtaining the certificate necessary to entitle him to recover his fee. In these circumstances he applied THE VULGARISATION OF MEDICAL SCIENCE. to the magistrate for information as to whom he should IN an article contributed to the Ninetecoth Ceutury, Dr. consider liable to pay the fee. The London County Council Herbert Snow comes to the conclusion that there is a very had undertaken the prosecution, but had not made use of notable increase in the prevalence of cancer, and that this his evidence, and the police had desired him to attend. increase is to be attributed less to the influence of heredity The matter was still further complicated by the circumthan to the high pressure of modern life, declaring, from stance that, in the opinion of the magistrates, it had his own experience, that conditions of mental distress and been wholly unnecessary, and therefore improper, to call anxiety are exceptionally frequent as precursors of malig- Mr. Gould at all. The magistrate, however, undertook, if nant disease. We are, we confess, less concerned with such he had power to do so, to see that Mr. Gould got the cerhypothetical reasons than with the appearance in the pages tificate, and we hope that he was able to give effect to this of a popular journal of a discussion upon this subject. It intention. The position in which Mr. Gould found himself seems to us to be wholly out of place, besides being likely was a very unpleasant one, and one, moreover, in which a to create much unnecessary alarm. The question is so medical man ought not to be placed. Perhaps the safest purely one for the investigation of experts, and involves course for a practitioner to adopt when asked to give so much that is technical (vide Dr. Snow’s attempt evidence would be to insist, before giving a "proof"" to the to popularise the description of the various forms of party proposing to call him, either upon payment of the fee men was