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rhesus monkey (Macaca iaulatta) and the Africanguenon (Oercopithecus aethiops) by putting yellow-fever virus into the gastro-intestinal tract through astomach-tube. They have also found that virulentpantropic yellow-fever virus can survive for at least15 days in the cockroach, Blatella germanica. Takingthese two findings together, non-biting arthropodsmust be considered as possible vectors of yellowfever, ’especially as many species of monkeys are

known to eat grubs and insects in addition to theirmainly vegetarian diet.

Since the first isolation of the yellow-fever virus,continually improved methods for the immunisationof human beings against the disease have beenevolved. The inoculation of dead virus, even in

large quantities, has been found to be quite ineffectiveeither in protecting experimental animals from thedisease or producing immune bodies in the blood ofhumans. The aim has therefore been to secure astrain of living virus sufficiently attenuated to givesatisfactory immunity without producing markedreactions. Such an attenuation was found to occurafter many passages through tissue culture withminced chicken embryo, first carried out by Lloyd,Theiler and Ricci. At first it was thought necessaryto give large amounts of immune serum at the sametime as the virus. This was highly unsatisfactory,both because of the discomfort to the patient and thedifficulties of obtaining large quantities of humanimmune serum. For over two years now the virushas been given subcutaneously without immuneserum both in America and London with good resultsand little after-effect. However, the finding of

Findlay and MacCallum that monkeys can be im-munised by oral administration of their vaccine virusopens up the possibility of human immunisationby this route. This would greatly facilitate theadministration of the vaccine especially under jungleconditions. So far attempts at human oral immunisa-tion have failed, probably because the virus is

destroyed by hydrochloric acid.

MARGARET SANGER

FEW of us are so lacking in the spirit of adventurethat we cannot enjoy reading about the work of

pioneers. Margaret Sanger, pioneer of birth-controlin the United States, was born to poverty and member-ship of a long family. From an artistic and erraticfather, a friend of Robert Ingersoll, she early imbibeda political philosophy essentially radical in outlook.Later, under hard and primitive conditions, shetrained as a nurse. This experience, coupled with herearly upbringing and subsequent work in the slumsof New York, provided an ideal culture-medium forthe growth of feministic and other " advanced "ideas. Convinced that family limitation was an

urgent and necessary step in the progress of humanwelfare, she set to work, in defiance of the law,to spread information about birth-control amongworking-class mothers. Such conduct naturallybrought her to grips with the Federal Government,and, to avoid trial and imprisonment, she fled firstto Canada and later to Europe where she continuedher work. In England especially she received muchsympathy and encouragement from many dis-tinguished persons, among them Havelock Ellis,H. G. Wells, and Lord Dawson of Penn. So domin-ated was she by the importance of her task that shebecame estranged from her husband-who inci-

dentally suffered imprisonment for forwarding one

2. Lloyd, W., Theiler, M., and Ricci, N. I., Trans. R. Soc. trop.med. Hyg. 1936, 29, 481.

of her pamphlets through the post-and was obligedto remain separated from her three children to whomshe was devoted. After visiting China, India andJapan, she returned at length to the United Stateswhere she stood trial and was put in gaol ratherthan abandon the cause she had at heart. Theseare a few of the facts revealed in an autobiography 1written with skill, modesty, humour and simplicity.It is the story of a long and ultimately successfulfight for an idea, waged with quiet persistence by aphysically frail woman who hated the limelight.

On Aug. 11 Prof. G. GREY TURNER, of the BritishPostgraduate Medical School, is sailing for SouthAmerica on behalf of the British Council, whichendeavours to promote professional contacts with

foreign countries. He will visit Buenos Aires,Rosario, Cordoba, Montevideo and Chile, and willreturn in October via Canada and the United States.

At a meeting of the council of the Royal Collegeof Surgeons of England held on July 31 it wasdecided to apply for a supplemental charter to givethe college power to grant a higher dental diplomaentitled " master surgeon dentist." The college willalso ask for power to elect annually to the fellow-ship not more than four members of the college of20 years’ standing.The death is announced of Prof. RICARDO JORGE,

professor of zoology and anthropology in the Univer-sity of Lisbon, and formerly president of the public-health council of Portugal. For many years he was

Portugal’s delegate to the Office International

d’Hygiene publique and he was recognised as an

authority on smallpox and postvaccinal encephalitis.

INDEX TO "THE LANCET," VOL. I, 1939

THE Index and Title-page to Vol. I, 1939, whichwas completed with the issue of June 24, is nowready. A copy will be sent gratis to subscribers onreceipt of a postcard addressed to the Manager ofTHE LANCET, 7, Adam Street, Adelphi, W.C.2. Sub-scribers who have not already indicated their desireto receive Indexes regularly as published should doso now.

1. Margaret Sanger. London: Victor Gollancz. 1939.Pp. 494. 16s.

THE LANCET 1M YEARS AGO

August 3, 1839, p. 693.From the evidence of Sir Astley Cooper before a

parliamentary committee on medical education." If I had a son to educate to the profession, I should

give him a preliminary education, which should continueto 18 years. Besides what boys are generally taught,that preliminary education should comprehend Latinsufficient for medical purposes, enough Greek for himclearly to understand the derivation of the terms employedin science (as it facilitates exceedingly the acquirementof medical knowledge), and mathematics to a certainextent, to teach him how to reason. Having thus educatedhim in a preliminary way, I should put him forseven years to some hospital. * * * Whilst he was

engaged as a pupil I should be disposed to send him fora season to Edinburgh, principally with a view to his

following a course of clinical teaching. * * * After havingpassed a season at Edinburgh, he should spend, I am

disposed to think, the seventh or last year of his educationabroad ; and that would bring him to the age of 25...."

"