CONSTANTINOPLE
1
1245 ROME.-CONSTANTINOPLE.-NEW YORK. as assured. Dr. Sambon and Dr. Low, as well as the artist Signor Terzi and the two servants who have passed the last three months with them in this highly malarious part of Italy, have not only succeeded in escaping infection thanks to the protection afforded them by their mosquito-proof house, but by their healthy robust appearance offer strong testimony to the salubrity of the much-maligned air of Ostia. After living for three months on the edge of a pestiferous swamp through the hottest and most unhealthy time they are now leaving the dreaded Campagna looking as "fit" and bronzed as if their summer had been spent in the Swiss Alps or the Scottish Highlands. In sad contrast to this pleasing picture is the condition of the inmates of the nearest peasant’s house, little more than 100 yards distant from the mosquito-proof hut. Here live seven persons, all of whom have suffered from malaria during the past summer. The four whom I saw presented the sickly, ansemic, cachectic, emaciated aspect characteristic of the chronic forms of that blighting disease. All had the spleen greatly enlarged. A very cursory examination pf their dwelling sufficed to reveal the source of their ills, for in the cobwebs on the walls, under the table, in every dark corner of the house, lurked numerous specimens of the fever-giving anopheles. Such a contrast as is here presented irresistibly suggests the reflec- tion that the evil repute of many a locality branded as pestilential depends upon no real insalubrity of the place itself, inherent in its soil or in its air, but upon fortuitous, non-essential, and perhaps easily removeable, conditions. Besides attaining the immediate object of the expedition, Dr. Sambon and Dr. Low have made many interesting obser- vations and have collected some important facts bearing upon the habits of the different species of mosquito, the position which they assume when at rest, their mode of flying, and their respective prevalence in the different months. The fnll report of the expedition, to the attractiveness of which the beautiful drawings by Signor Terzi will greatly add, is looked forward to with much interest. oot. 2let. CONSTANTINOPLE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Accident to Professor Rieder. A GOOD while ago the Government of Turkey, having resolved to put medical education in that country on a better footing, requested the German Government to select a competent teacher who would be able also to organise a satisfactory system of medical education in Turkey. Dr. Rieder, extraordinary professor of surgery in the University of Bonn, was chosen for the new appointment and came to Constantinople two years ago. He proved himself admirably fitted for the post and the manner in which he performed the work intrusted to him has been beyond all praise. He taught in a newly-constructed hospital at Gulhaneh in a i corner of the place where the Byzantine Imperial palaces used to be; the beds are 200 in number, 40 of them being for women. He succeeded in introducing two innovations to which the social conditions prevailing in Turkey presented I serious obstacles and which had baffled all previous efforts I in the same direction, for he brought about the withdrawal of distinctions between patients belonging to different races and religious beliefs and he obtained the permission, so I necessary to medical education, to perform necropsies on all patients dying in the above hospital. In addition to his duties as a teacher Professor Rieder was extraordinary I surgeon to the Imperial palace and had general control of the building operations going on at the new medical school i which is in course of erection at Haidar-Pasha near the English cemetery. The original estimate of the cost of this I building was £T200,000, but Professor Rieder made such modifications in the plans as raised the estimate to I ST600,000. The building is now roofed in, and he used to visit it three times a week. On Oct. 2nd, while on the third storey, the part on which he was standing gave way and he i fell to the ground from a height of 49 feet, sustaining i fractures of both legs and thighs, some ribs, and the dorsal spine, followed by paralysis of the lower limbs, rectum, and bladder. When the sad news became known all who were acquainted with Professor Rieder were painfully affected. Dr. Hambouroglou of the German Hospital, together with the surgeon of the German despatch vessel Loreley, were I promptly in attendance. Dr. Zick of Hamburg and Professor Schede of the University of Bonn were telegraphed for, and Dr. Zick has already arrived. Professor Rieder has been removed from Haidar-Pasha to the Gulhaneh Hospital, where he is now lying. ’ The Shah of Persia. When in Constantinople the Shah presented RT500 to the Persian Hospital there. Ârchaeology in the Island of Cos. Two years ago Dr. Rudolf Herzog of Tiibingen undertook excavations in the island of Cos with the view of finding the temple of JEscuIapius. At a depth of 80 centimetres (32 inches) he came upon a mosaic flooring which represented Orpheus charming the wild beasts. At a depth of two and a half metres (eight feet nearly) in the neighbourhood of the church of St. Anna he found two columns and not far from them the remains of an aqueduct and a small statue of a young man. Great importance is attached to Dr. Herzog’s discovery of the supposed temple of Æsculapius. The excavations are still in progress and it is hoped that many antiquities will be found. Oct. llth. NEW YORK. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) The Census in the United States. ALTHOUGH the exact population of the United States has not yet been made public, yet sufficient has been published to make a reasonable conjecture as to an approximate estimate. It is likely that the total number of inhabitants of the United States will be found not to reach 80,000,000. The improvement in the sanitary conditions of large towns, the progress made in the conditions of life generally, and the great advances effected in the treatment of disease are doubt- less adding to the average longevity of life in America as else- where. But notwithstanding these facts all indications tend to strengthen the view that the birth-rate is declining and not increasing. The American Review of Reviews, referring to this point says : : "It is perhaps true that there are now some localities of considerable extent in the United States where, if it were not for the fact that there is some emigra- tion, and also that there is a comparatively high birth-rate among the immigrants, the total population would by no means hold its own on account of the lower birth-rate among the native American element." An analytical study of the facts that the new census will disclose must throw much light upon interesting questions touching the present tendencies of population in the United States. If the statistics are to be relied upon the increase in population which was due to the excess of births over deaths was about 14 per cent. for the 10 years 1880-90; but, further, assuming the correctness of the immigration statistics for the past decade, if we accept the estimates which call for a population of 80,000,000 this year, we shall have to look to an excess of births over deaths for a gain of almost 22 per cent. To anyone familiar with vital statistics it is evident without further discussion that such a radical change in the conditions of population increase in the United States could not possibly have taken place. Even if one were to be content with estimating that we should have gained population at the same rate in the current decade as in the one preceding it would still be necessary on account of the falling off in immigration to rely upon a considerably higher rate of gain in the excess of births over deaths in order to bring up the total and there is not sufficient reason to believe that the actual census work will show any such gain. There is no doubt whatever that the birth-rate among native-born Americans has been decreasing not only steadily but even with some rapidity. The native-born population of the United States resemble in this respect the people of Great Britain and to a lesser extent those of France, in which countries although improved sanitary conditions and methods of treating disease are diminishing the death-rate, yet at the same time, and especially in the latter country, there has been a great falling-off in the birth-rate. Of course, when Great Britain is referred to, it is understood that the falling-
Transcript of CONSTANTINOPLE
1245ROME.-CONSTANTINOPLE.-NEW YORK.
as assured. Dr. Sambon and Dr. Low, as well as the artistSignor Terzi and the two servants who have passed the lastthree months with them in this highly malarious part of
Italy, have not only succeeded in escaping infection thanksto the protection afforded them by their mosquito-proofhouse, but by their healthy robust appearance offer strongtestimony to the salubrity of the much-maligned air ofOstia. After living for three months on the edge of a
pestiferous swamp through the hottest and most unhealthytime they are now leaving the dreaded Campagna looking as"fit" and bronzed as if their summer had been spent in theSwiss Alps or the Scottish Highlands. In sad contrast tothis pleasing picture is the condition of the inmates of thenearest peasant’s house, little more than 100 yards distantfrom the mosquito-proof hut. Here live seven persons, all ofwhom have suffered from malaria during the past summer.The four whom I saw presented the sickly, ansemic, cachectic,emaciated aspect characteristic of the chronic forms of thatblighting disease. All had the spleen greatly enlarged. A
very cursory examination pf their dwelling sufficed to revealthe source of their ills, for in the cobwebs on the walls,under the table, in every dark corner of the house, lurkednumerous specimens of the fever-giving anopheles. Such acontrast as is here presented irresistibly suggests the reflec-tion that the evil repute of many a locality branded as
pestilential depends upon no real insalubrity of the placeitself, inherent in its soil or in its air, but upon fortuitous,non-essential, and perhaps easily removeable, conditions.Besides attaining the immediate object of the expedition,Dr. Sambon and Dr. Low have made many interesting obser-vations and have collected some important facts bearing uponthe habits of the different species of mosquito, the positionwhich they assume when at rest, their mode of flying, andtheir respective prevalence in the different months. Thefnll report of the expedition, to the attractiveness of whichthe beautiful drawings by Signor Terzi will greatly add, islooked forward to with much interest.oot. 2let.
CONSTANTINOPLE.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Accident to Professor Rieder.A GOOD while ago the Government of Turkey, having
resolved to put medical education in that country on a betterfooting, requested the German Government to select a
competent teacher who would be able also to organise asatisfactory system of medical education in Turkey. Dr.Rieder, extraordinary professor of surgery in the Universityof Bonn, was chosen for the new appointment and came toConstantinople two years ago. He proved himself admirablyfitted for the post and the manner in which he performed thework intrusted to him has been beyond all praise. Hetaught in a newly-constructed hospital at Gulhaneh in a icorner of the place where the Byzantine Imperial palacesused to be; the beds are 200 in number, 40 of them beingfor women. He succeeded in introducing two innovationsto which the social conditions prevailing in Turkey presented Iserious obstacles and which had baffled all previous efforts Iin the same direction, for he brought about the withdrawalof distinctions between patients belonging to different racesand religious beliefs and he obtained the permission, so Inecessary to medical education, to perform necropsies onall patients dying in the above hospital. In addition tohis duties as a teacher Professor Rieder was extraordinary Isurgeon to the Imperial palace and had general control ofthe building operations going on at the new medical school iwhich is in course of erection at Haidar-Pasha near theEnglish cemetery. The original estimate of the cost of this Ibuilding was £T200,000, but Professor Rieder made suchmodifications in the plans as raised the estimate to I
ST600,000. The building is now roofed in, and he used tovisit it three times a week. On Oct. 2nd, while on the thirdstorey, the part on which he was standing gave way and he ifell to the ground from a height of 49 feet, sustaining ifractures of both legs and thighs, some ribs, and the dorsalspine, followed by paralysis of the lower limbs, rectum, andbladder. When the sad news became known all who wereacquainted with Professor Rieder were painfully affected.Dr. Hambouroglou of the German Hospital, together with thesurgeon of the German despatch vessel Loreley, were I
promptly in attendance. Dr. Zick of Hamburg and ProfessorSchede of the University of Bonn were telegraphed for, andDr. Zick has already arrived. Professor Rieder has beenremoved from Haidar-Pasha to the Gulhaneh Hospital, wherehe is now lying. ’
The Shah of Persia.
When in Constantinople the Shah presented RT500 to thePersian Hospital there.
Ârchaeology in the Island of Cos.Two years ago Dr. Rudolf Herzog of Tiibingen undertook
excavations in the island of Cos with the view of findingthe temple of JEscuIapius. At a depth of 80 centimetres(32 inches) he came upon a mosaic flooring which representedOrpheus charming the wild beasts. At a depth of twoand a half metres (eight feet nearly) in the neighbourhoodof the church of St. Anna he found two columns and notfar from them the remains of an aqueduct and a small statueof a young man. Great importance is attached to Dr.Herzog’s discovery of the supposed temple of Æsculapius.The excavations are still in progress and it is hoped thatmany antiquities will be found.
Oct. llth.
NEW YORK.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
The Census in the United States.
ALTHOUGH the exact population of the United States hasnot yet been made public, yet sufficient has been publishedto make a reasonable conjecture as to an approximateestimate. It is likely that the total number of inhabitants ofthe United States will be found not to reach 80,000,000.The improvement in the sanitary conditions of large towns,the progress made in the conditions of life generally, and thegreat advances effected in the treatment of disease are doubt-less adding to the average longevity of life in America as else-where. But notwithstanding these facts all indications tendto strengthen the view that the birth-rate is declining and notincreasing. The American Review of Reviews, referring tothis point says : : "It is perhaps true that there are nowsome localities of considerable extent in the United Stateswhere, if it were not for the fact that there is some emigra-tion, and also that there is a comparatively high birth-rateamong the immigrants, the total population would by nomeans hold its own on account of the lower birth-rate amongthe native American element." An analytical study of thefacts that the new census will disclose must throw muchlight upon interesting questions touching the presenttendencies of population in the United States. If thestatistics are to be relied upon the increase in populationwhich was due to the excess of births over deaths was about14 per cent. for the 10 years 1880-90; but, further, assumingthe correctness of the immigration statistics for the pastdecade, if we accept the estimates which call for a populationof 80,000,000 this year, we shall have to look to an excess ofbirths over deaths for a gain of almost 22 per cent. To anyonefamiliar with vital statistics it is evident without furtherdiscussion that such a radical change in the conditions ofpopulation increase in the United States could not possiblyhave taken place. Even if one were to be content with
estimating that we should have gained population at the samerate in the current decade as in the one preceding it wouldstill be necessary on account of the falling off in immigrationto rely upon a considerably higher rate of gain in theexcess of births over deaths in order to bring up the totaland there is not sufficient reason to believe that the actualcensus work will show any such gain. There is no doubtwhatever that the birth-rate among native-born Americanshas been decreasing not only steadily but even withsome rapidity. The native-born population of the UnitedStates resemble in this respect the people of Great Britainand to a lesser extent those of France, in which countriesalthough improved sanitary conditions and methods oftreating disease are diminishing the death-rate, yet at thesame time, and especially in the latter country, there hasbeen a great falling-off in the birth-rate. Of course, whenGreat Britain is referred to, it is understood that the falling-
