A MUTINY AT GUERNSEY
1
272 various medical institutions of Manchester and Salford, similar 1 to the returns which were for a time so usefully published by the Medical Officers of Health in London, but since fallen to the ground from the indifference of the Government, which refused to furnish the funds necessary for defraying the cost of publication. It will be remembered that the International -Statistical Congress, on the report of its Sanitary Section, adopted the resolution urging upon the various Governments the propriety of providing funds for the publication of such health returns, of which the utility is co-ordinate, if not pre- cedent, to that of returns of mortality. Such returns afford the means of comparing the relative unhealthiness of the seve- ral districts to which they relate, and thus serve to direct sanitary and benevolent exertions. They give plain and timely warning of the rise and progress of the various epidemics-of iever, cholera, diphtheria, and other zymotic diseases; so that preventive measures may be applied at their outset, when most likely to be effective. These returns will also prove to be a most valuable series of medical statistics, from which conclusions may be drawn respecting the causes of disease-the laws of epidemics, and their relation to atmospheric changes and seasons of plenty =and scarcity-and many other interesting questions of medical science. It may be hoped that the attention of the sanitary department of the Privy Council will be effectually drawn to the reorganization of similar returns for the metropolis. Mean- time, private enterprise is aiming at the accomplishment of ;this desideratum at Manchester. The Manchester Sanitary Association deserves great credit for its intelligent efforts. ’The returns now before us are well got up, although, being still in an early stage, they have not yet attained all the com- pleteness which is desirable, and which they will doubtless have at a later period. In Manchester, as in London formerly, nearly every medical practitioner who from his public position is enabled to assist the objects of the compilation has freely assumed the slight labour of contributing to the returns; and ithe Committee of the Association gratefully acknowledge the liberal support which they have received from nearly every jone to whom they have applied for assistance. We trust that they will not content themselves with the merely spasmodic :eghibition of energy, but persevere in the regular publication of these systematic tables. A MUTINY AT GUERNSEY. THAT excellent and discreet chief, the Lieutenant-Governor .of Guernsey, is bent on imitating, on a small scale, and with .curiously infelicitous accompaniments, the autocratic pleasures - of the military ruler of a neighbouring empire. Whom he loves he will exalt; whom he desires shall serve him ; his will shall be done, and he will not only be obeyed, but applauded. Recent events in Guernsey have been moulded so as curiously to caricature Gallic precedents; but the results indicate the comparative inflexibility of the English element. The Lieu- tenant-Governor, after insulting the medical officers of the militia by associating with them in the performance of their ,medical duties a homceopath, refused to accept their resigna- tion. That question has been referred to the Home Office, and the strife is still pending. Meanwhile the unwilling regimental surgeons are ordered to return to their duty, which they do i under protest, still maintaining their position of resignation. if Various efforts to terrify and to cajole having failed, and the good sense of the press and the civil public being outraged by the injustice and want of sense characterizing the whole pro- ceeding, the Lieutenant-Governor absents himself for a time from his command. On his return, a military banquet is got up by his staff-officers ; representatives of the press are not present, but an official report is forwarded to a newspaper, according to which " vociferous applause" is plentifully be- stowed on all that was said; and the Lieutenant- Governor, being declared to be the most beloved and amiable of men, replies to his subordinates : "I thank you for this demon- stration of feeling, and be assured that no cabal, however crafty-no clamour, however loud- and no press, however powerful-will ever cause me to swerve." The clamour, the cabal, the powerful press, are ten surgeons of the militia and the Guernsey newspapers. It must be satisfactory to their feelings to be alluded to in terms of such respectful terror, but assuredly they can have no power other than that which they derive from the strength of their cause. The unanimity of this officially. reported military festival, celebrating the triumph of General Slade in compelling his militia surgeons to do duty under pro. test and after resignation, was sorely marred by the insub. ordination of a company of riflemen, who refused to serve as a guard of honour to the Lieutenant-Governor on his way to dinner. These recalcitrants have been forthwith punished by degradation to another battalion; and, being ordered to return their uniforms and accoutrements, formed a procession of porters’ trucks, on each of which the uniform and accoutre- ments were so disposed as to represent a prostrate soldier, and passed through the streets, headed by a band playing the Dead March in " Saul," and accompanied by .an immense crowd, cheering and singing " Cheer, boys, cheer !" and " God save the Queen !" It is difficult to treat such a proceeding seriously, we imagine; and there is probably no article in the ’ ZTnity Bull which contemplates punishment for such an offence. But we think the whole proceeding makes it tolerably evident that General Slade, who, in his short career of government, contrives to disgust the medical offic3rs of his force, while he refuses to permit their resignation, drives the 61ite of his soldiers into a state closely bordering upon open mutiny. The medical service has been now for some months completely dis- organized, and performed by officers who are straining every < nerve to get their resignations accepted. The rank and file promise soon to arrive at the same desirable condition. Surely it is time that General Slade sent in his resignation. THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD AND DRINK ACT. THE following communication by Dr. Hassall, pointing out the precautions to be taken by tradesmen to avoid offences against -the recent Act for preventing the adulteration -of articles of food or drink, is worthy of attention :- " The -Adulteration of Food and Drink Bill having at length become law, it behoves manufacturers and traders to consider how best to secure themselves under its provisions. " By the Act it is rendered illegal- 1. To sell any article of food or drink with which, to the knowledge of the seller, any ingredient or material injurious to health has been mixed. " 2. To sell as pure or unadulterated any article of food or drink which is adulterated or not pure. " The punishment for the first offence consists in the in- fliction of a fine not exceeding 5; while for subsequent offences it is rendered lawful for the justices to cause the offender’s name, place of abode, and offence to be made public. " It is clear, therefore, that the sale of adulterated articles of consumption, whether with or without the knowledge of the seller, should be carefully avoided. But how, it will be asked, is this object to be accomplished? "It is necessary, in the first place, that manufacturers should take steps to ascertain that all articles sold or used by them are pure. This, inasmuch as most of their commodities are in the natural or raw state, it is not difficult in general to do; but where a doubt exists, the manufacturer might secure himself by requiring from the vendor a guarantee of purity. The retailer, on his part, might protect himself by the observance of the following simple precautions :- ’’ Thus, he should never purchase manufactured articles below the prime cost of the constituent ingredients. " He should require, in all cases, a guarantee of purity from the manufacturer; and, in order to fix the responsibility still more upon him, I would advise that the retailer should sell all manufactured articles in packages bearing upon them the names of the manufacturers. Further, I recommend that a
-
Upload
trinhduong -
Category
Documents
-
view
212 -
download
0
Transcript of A MUTINY AT GUERNSEY
272
various medical institutions of Manchester and Salford, similar 1to the returns which were for a time so usefully published bythe Medical Officers of Health in London, but since fallen tothe ground from the indifference of the Government, whichrefused to furnish the funds necessary for defraying the cost ofpublication. It will be remembered that the International-Statistical Congress, on the report of its Sanitary Section,adopted the resolution urging upon the various Governmentsthe propriety of providing funds for the publication of suchhealth returns, of which the utility is co-ordinate, if not pre-cedent, to that of returns of mortality. Such returns affordthe means of comparing the relative unhealthiness of the seve-ral districts to which they relate, and thus serve to directsanitary and benevolent exertions. They give plain and timelywarning of the rise and progress of the various epidemics-ofiever, cholera, diphtheria, and other zymotic diseases; so thatpreventive measures may be applied at their outset, when mostlikely to be effective. These returns will also prove to be a mostvaluable series of medical statistics, from which conclusions maybe drawn respecting the causes of disease-the laws of epidemics,and their relation to atmospheric changes and seasons of plenty=and scarcity-and many other interesting questions of medicalscience. It may be hoped that the attention of the sanitarydepartment of the Privy Council will be effectually drawn tothe reorganization of similar returns for the metropolis. Mean-
time, private enterprise is aiming at the accomplishment of;this desideratum at Manchester. The Manchester SanitaryAssociation deserves great credit for its intelligent efforts.’The returns now before us are well got up, although, being
still in an early stage, they have not yet attained all the com-pleteness which is desirable, and which they will doubtlesshave at a later period. In Manchester, as in London formerly,nearly every medical practitioner who from his public positionis enabled to assist the objects of the compilation has freelyassumed the slight labour of contributing to the returns; andithe Committee of the Association gratefully acknowledge theliberal support which they have received from nearly everyjone to whom they have applied for assistance. We trust that
they will not content themselves with the merely spasmodic:eghibition of energy, but persevere in the regular publicationof these systematic tables.
A MUTINY AT GUERNSEY.
THAT excellent and discreet chief, the Lieutenant-Governor.of Guernsey, is bent on imitating, on a small scale, and with.curiously infelicitous accompaniments, the autocratic pleasures- of the military ruler of a neighbouring empire. Whom he loveshe will exalt; whom he desires shall serve him ; his will shallbe done, and he will not only be obeyed, but applauded.Recent events in Guernsey have been moulded so as curiouslyto caricature Gallic precedents; but the results indicate the
comparative inflexibility of the English element. The Lieu-
tenant-Governor, after insulting the medical officers of the
militia by associating with them in the performance of their,medical duties a homceopath, refused to accept their resigna-tion. That question has been referred to the Home Office, andthe strife is still pending. Meanwhile the unwilling regimentalsurgeons are ordered to return to their duty, which they do
iunder protest, still maintaining their position of resignation. ifVarious efforts to terrify and to cajole having failed, and thegood sense of the press and the civil public being outraged bythe injustice and want of sense characterizing the whole pro-ceeding, the Lieutenant-Governor absents himself for a timefrom his command. On his return, a military banquet is gotup by his staff-officers ; representatives of the press are notpresent, but an official report is forwarded to a newspaper,according to which " vociferous applause" is plentifully be-stowed on all that was said; and the Lieutenant- Governor,being declared to be the most beloved and amiable of men,
replies to his subordinates : "I thank you for this demon-stration of feeling, and be assured that no cabal, howevercrafty-no clamour, however loud- and no press, howeverpowerful-will ever cause me to swerve." The clamour, thecabal, the powerful press, are ten surgeons of the militia and theGuernsey newspapers. It must be satisfactory to their feelingsto be alluded to in terms of such respectful terror, but assuredlythey can have no power other than that which they derive fromthe strength of their cause. The unanimity of this officially.reported military festival, celebrating the triumph of GeneralSlade in compelling his militia surgeons to do duty under pro.test and after resignation, was sorely marred by the insub.ordination of a company of riflemen, who refused to serve as aguard of honour to the Lieutenant-Governor on his way todinner. These recalcitrants have been forthwith punished bydegradation to another battalion; and, being ordered to returntheir uniforms and accoutrements, formed a procession of
porters’ trucks, on each of which the uniform and accoutre-ments were so disposed as to represent a prostrate soldier, andpassed through the streets, headed by a band playing theDead March in " Saul," and accompanied by .an immensecrowd, cheering and singing " Cheer, boys, cheer !" and " Godsave the Queen !" It is difficult to treat such a proceedingseriously, we imagine; and there is probably no article in the
’ ZTnity Bull which contemplates punishment for such an offence.But we think the whole proceeding makes it tolerably evidentthat General Slade, who, in his short career of government,contrives to disgust the medical offic3rs of his force, while herefuses to permit their resignation, drives the 61ite of hissoldiers into a state closely bordering upon open mutiny. Themedical service has been now for some months completely dis-organized, and performed by officers who are straining every <nerve to get their resignations accepted. The rank and file
promise soon to arrive at the same desirable condition. Surelyit is time that General Slade sent in his resignation.
THE ADULTERATION OF FOOD ANDDRINK ACT.
THE following communication by Dr. Hassall, pointing outthe precautions to be taken by tradesmen to avoid offencesagainst -the recent Act for preventing the adulteration -ofarticles of food or drink, is worthy of attention :-
" The -Adulteration of Food and Drink Bill having at lengthbecome law, it behoves manufacturers and traders to considerhow best to secure themselves under its provisions.
" By the Act it is rendered illegal-1. To sell any article of food or drink with which, to the
knowledge of the seller, any ingredient or material injuriousto health has been mixed.
" 2. To sell as pure or unadulterated any article of food ordrink which is adulterated or not pure.
" The punishment for the first offence consists in the in-fliction of a fine not exceeding 5; while for subsequentoffences it is rendered lawful for the justices to cause theoffender’s name, place of abode, and offence to be made public.
" It is clear, therefore, that the sale of adulterated articlesof consumption, whether with or without the knowledge ofthe seller, should be carefully avoided. But how, it will beasked, is this object to be accomplished?
"It is necessary, in the first place, that manufacturersshould take steps to ascertain that all articles sold or used bythem are pure. This, inasmuch as most of their commoditiesare in the natural or raw state, it is not difficult in general todo; but where a doubt exists, the manufacturer might securehimself by requiring from the vendor a guarantee of purity.The retailer, on his part, might protect himself by the
observance of the following simple precautions :-’’ Thus, he should never purchase manufactured articles
below the prime cost of the constituent ingredients." He should require, in all cases, a guarantee of purity from
the manufacturer; and, in order to fix the responsibility stillmore upon him, I would advise that the retailer should sell allmanufactured articles in packages bearing upon them thenames of the manufacturers. Further, I recommend that a
