IMPERIAL HONOURS TO SIR MORELL MACKENZIE AND MR. MARK HOVELL.
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735 most incidentally. Surely it is quite unjustifiable on principle, as it is certainly very oppressive in practice, for the public to make these facilities, by which it already profits, the occasion of an exaction from their unfortunate owner. The only sound principle is that of total exemption, for a tax of 10s. is, on theoretical grounds, as indefensible as one of double that amount. This is a matter of such very large concern to the profession as a whole that we hope steps will be taken to lay the objections to the principle of such taxation, as applied to horses employed by medical men, before the Government by means of a representative deputation. - EARLY VACCINATION. AN infant aged four weeks, who died from suffocation, was the subject of a coroner’s inquest at East Greenwich last week. That the death was due to suffocation only was perfectly obvious; but the baby had been vaccinated when six days old, and the jury added to their verdict that this was too young an age to vaccinate a child, and desired the coroner to make a representation to the authorities " with a view to the prevention of similar cases in the future." Whether the jury hope to prevent the suffocation of children by this means is not quite clear, but we are led to assume this is their object; they appear, however, to have been informed by the practitioner who made the post-mortem examination that it was certainly not safe to vaccinate a child at so early an age, and on this point we may say a word. The child had been born in the Greenwich Union Infirmary, and children born in such institutions would, unless vaccinated before leaving, go out into the world and remain unprotected against small-pox, for these cases cannot often be traced by vaccination officers. There was, therefore, much reason for the vaccination of the child if it could be done without undue risk. Experience has amply shown that children at this very early period of life bear vaccination well, and we have no hesitation in saying that this operation is as nothing compared with the remaining susceptible to small-pox. We trust, therefore, the Greenwich guardians will not be moved to prevent the early vaccination of children born in their institutions. - OPHTHALMOLOGY IN BRUSSELS. DR. J. CoppEz, in a report of the ophthalmic depart- ment of the Hospital of Saint Jean, in Brussels, makes some instructive remarks on the importance of ophthalmology, and passes some severe strictures on the incompetence of many Belgian practitioners in dealing with eye cases, which call to mind rather forcibly the remarks made not long ago by Dr. Osio, of Madrid, as to the way in which eye diseases are only too often managed or mismanaged by general practitioners in Spain. The material which is avail- able for clinical instruction in the ophthalmic department of the Hospital Saint Jean is ample, as may be judged by the fact that during the year 1887 some 6000 cases were seen, and more than 1000 operations performed, of which 174 were for cataract, 115 were iridectomies, and 130 squint operations. The value of ophthalmoscopy in a large number of diseased conditions which usually come under the notice of the general physician or surgeon is insisted upon by Dr. Coppez, who remarks, in particular, that all patients with Bright’s disease who suffer from amblyopia due to albuminuric retinitis die in a very short time. To this rule he has never met with an exception. " Is it not sad," he writes, " that thirty years after the discoveries of Donders the majority of practitioners are unacquainted with the elements of optometry and ophthalmology, and treat their patients who complain of eye affections as the medical men of the last century might have treated them? So wise women, fortune-tellers, quacks, conjurors, and empirics of every variety in rural districts, and sometimes, indeed, in the capital itself, enjoy far more reputation amongst people who suffer from their eyes than most qualified men. The reason is not far to seek. In fact, instruction in ophthalmology is entirely neglected in the University of Brussels, the students appearing to have a peculiar distaste for it. Can we be astonished, after this state of things, that the majority of students holding hospital appointments who come into our department appear quite alarmed at the sight of the instruments which are used in diagnosis ? " IMPERIAL HONOURS TO SIR MORELL MACKENZIE AND MR. MARK HOVELL. IT is gratifying to English medical journalists to place on record any proof of the esteem of distinguished foreigners for English physicians. The decorations conferred by the Emperor of Germany on Sir Morell Mackenzie and Mr. Hovell are almost unique in their circumstances and sig- nificance. To Sir Morell Mackenzie, on his morning visit on Monday, the Emperor handed the Grand Cross of the Hohenzollern Order, with the Star of the same Order. To Mr. Hovell he gave the Second Class of the Kronen Order. After shaking hands warmly with them both, he turned to Sir Morell and said : "When you first came to Berlin I had confidence in you, because you were recommended to me by my German doctors, but I have since learned to appreciate your skill myself. I have much pleasure in giving you this- Order, in recognition of your valuable services, and in re- membrance of my accession to the Throne." Of these gracious words of the Emperor, not the least gratifying to the profession in England is the allusion to his own German doctors and their recommendation of Sir Morell to His- Majesty. It is to the credit of our brethren in Germany that they were magnanimous enough to recommend an English surgeon. There is no fear of any lasting misunder- standing or jealousy between the profession in England and Germany. Nowhere in the world is German medical and surgical science and art more appreciated than in England- and by the English profession, and the great trust displayed in our English brethren at this crisis by Germany in no way diminishes this feeling. Sir Morell Mackenzie and Mr. Hovell are to be congratulated. The decorations they have received they are likely to be permitted to wear, for it is announced that the Emperor has asked Queen Victoria to give her Royal permission to this effect. We have only to wish both these gentlemen the long enjoyment of their honours, and that they may have the satisfaction of prolonging, with the help of their German confreres, the great life of the Emperor, and of leaving intact the mutual respect of the profession in Germany and England. VEGETABLE ALBUMENS. Do vegetable albumens constitute as good a diet for man as those derived from the animal kingdom? In a paper contained in the Zeitschrift fisr Biologie, Dr. Rutgers asks the above question, and gives the following reply as the result of his experiments. First, vegetable albumens are capable of supplying the place of the ordinary albumens we are accustomed to consume as food, without causing any disturbance of the nitrogenous balance in the economy; secondly, beans and peas overcharge the alimentary tract, not only owing to their solids, but to their disposition to develop gas; whilst meat and rice cause no disturbance, and therefore contrast favourably with them. There are con- sequently various contra-indications to an exclusively vege- table diet. The acidity of the stomach as well as of the- urine are much less upon an exclusively vegetable than upon an ordinary mixed diet. Milk, if not taken as an exclusive- diet, can be very perfectly digested by an adult.
Transcript of IMPERIAL HONOURS TO SIR MORELL MACKENZIE AND MR. MARK HOVELL.
735
most incidentally. Surely it is quite unjustifiable on
principle, as it is certainly very oppressive in practice, forthe public to make these facilities, by which it alreadyprofits, the occasion of an exaction from their unfortunateowner. The only sound principle is that of total exemption,for a tax of 10s. is, on theoretical grounds, as indefensibleas one of double that amount. This is a matter of such verylarge concern to the profession as a whole that we hopesteps will be taken to lay the objections to the principle ofsuch taxation, as applied to horses employed by medicalmen, before the Government by means of a representativedeputation. -
EARLY VACCINATION.
AN infant aged four weeks, who died from suffocation,was the subject of a coroner’s inquest at East Greenwich lastweek. That the death was due to suffocation only wasperfectly obvious; but the baby had been vaccinated whensix days old, and the jury added to their verdict that thiswas too young an age to vaccinate a child, and desired thecoroner to make a representation to the authorities " with aview to the prevention of similar cases in the future."Whether the jury hope to prevent the suffocation of childrenby this means is not quite clear, but we are led to assume thisis their object; they appear, however, to have been informedby the practitioner who made the post-mortem examinationthat it was certainly not safe to vaccinate a child at so earlyan age, and on this point we may say a word. The childhad been born in the Greenwich Union Infirmary, andchildren born in such institutions would, unless vaccinatedbefore leaving, go out into the world and remain unprotectedagainst small-pox, for these cases cannot often be traced byvaccination officers. There was, therefore, much reason forthe vaccination of the child if it could be done withoutundue risk. Experience has amply shown that children atthis very early period of life bear vaccination well, and wehave no hesitation in saying that this operation is as nothingcompared with the remaining susceptible to small-pox. We
trust, therefore, the Greenwich guardians will not be movedto prevent the early vaccination of children born in theirinstitutions.
-
OPHTHALMOLOGY IN BRUSSELS.
DR. J. CoppEz, in a report of the ophthalmic depart-ment of the Hospital of Saint Jean, in Brussels, makes someinstructive remarks on the importance of ophthalmology,and passes some severe strictures on the incompetence ofmany Belgian practitioners in dealing with eye cases, whichcall to mind rather forcibly the remarks made not longago by Dr. Osio, of Madrid, as to the way in which eyediseases are only too often managed or mismanaged bygeneral practitioners in Spain. The material which is avail-able for clinical instruction in the ophthalmic department ofthe Hospital Saint Jean is ample, as may be judged by thefact that during the year 1887 some 6000 cases were seen,and more than 1000 operations performed, of which 174were for cataract, 115 were iridectomies, and 130 squintoperations. The value of ophthalmoscopy in a large numberof diseased conditions which usually come under the noticeof the general physician or surgeon is insisted upon byDr. Coppez, who remarks, in particular, that all patientswith Bright’s disease who suffer from amblyopia due toalbuminuric retinitis die in a very short time. To this rulehe has never met with an exception. " Is it not sad," hewrites, " that thirty years after the discoveries of Dondersthe majority of practitioners are unacquainted with theelements of optometry and ophthalmology, and treat theirpatients who complain of eye affections as the medical menof the last century might have treated them? So wisewomen, fortune-tellers, quacks, conjurors, and empirics of
every variety in rural districts, and sometimes, indeed, inthe capital itself, enjoy far more reputation amongst peoplewho suffer from their eyes than most qualified men.
The reason is not far to seek. In fact, instruction in
ophthalmology is entirely neglected in the University ofBrussels, the students appearing to have a peculiar distastefor it. Can we be astonished, after this state of things, thatthe majority of students holding hospital appointments whocome into our department appear quite alarmed at the sightof the instruments which are used in diagnosis ? "
IMPERIAL HONOURS TO SIR MORELL MACKENZIEAND MR. MARK HOVELL.
IT is gratifying to English medical journalists to place onrecord any proof of the esteem of distinguished foreignersfor English physicians. The decorations conferred by theEmperor of Germany on Sir Morell Mackenzie and Mr.Hovell are almost unique in their circumstances and sig-nificance. To Sir Morell Mackenzie, on his morning visiton Monday, the Emperor handed the Grand Cross of theHohenzollern Order, with the Star of the same Order. ToMr. Hovell he gave the Second Class of the Kronen Order.After shaking hands warmly with them both, he turned toSir Morell and said : "When you first came to Berlin I hadconfidence in you, because you were recommended to me bymy German doctors, but I have since learned to appreciateyour skill myself. I have much pleasure in giving you this-Order, in recognition of your valuable services, and in re-membrance of my accession to the Throne." Of these
gracious words of the Emperor, not the least gratifying tothe profession in England is the allusion to his own Germandoctors and their recommendation of Sir Morell to His-
Majesty. It is to the credit of our brethren in Germanythat they were magnanimous enough to recommend anEnglish surgeon. There is no fear of any lasting misunder-standing or jealousy between the profession in England andGermany. Nowhere in the world is German medical and
surgical science and art more appreciated than in England-and by the English profession, and the great trust displayedin our English brethren at this crisis by Germany in noway diminishes this feeling. Sir Morell Mackenzie andMr. Hovell are to be congratulated. The decorations theyhave received they are likely to be permitted to wear,for it is announced that the Emperor has asked QueenVictoria to give her Royal permission to this effect. Wehave only to wish both these gentlemen the long enjoymentof their honours, and that they may have the satisfaction ofprolonging, with the help of their German confreres, thegreat life of the Emperor, and of leaving intact the mutualrespect of the profession in Germany and England.
VEGETABLE ALBUMENS.
Do vegetable albumens constitute as good a diet for manas those derived from the animal kingdom? In a papercontained in the Zeitschrift fisr Biologie, Dr. Rutgers asksthe above question, and gives the following reply as theresult of his experiments. First, vegetable albumens arecapable of supplying the place of the ordinary albumens weare accustomed to consume as food, without causing anydisturbance of the nitrogenous balance in the economy;secondly, beans and peas overcharge the alimentary tract,not only owing to their solids, but to their disposition todevelop gas; whilst meat and rice cause no disturbance, andtherefore contrast favourably with them. There are con-
sequently various contra-indications to an exclusively vege-table diet. The acidity of the stomach as well as of the-urine are much less upon an exclusively vegetable than uponan ordinary mixed diet. Milk, if not taken as an exclusive-diet, can be very perfectly digested by an adult.
