170 SCOTLAND.-IRELAND.

Elswick Workmen and -zVe2veastle Medical Charities.The workmen of Sir W. G. Armstrong, Mitchell and Co. at

Elswick have contributed during the past quarter the

large sum of E324 to various Newcastle medical charities.The bulk of the money goes to the Royal Infirmary, whileabout £100 is distributed amongst the minor charities.

The Queen’s Nursing Association at Darlington.The first annual meeting of the Queen’s Nursing Associa-

tion has been held at Darlington and the report was highlysatisfactory. The mayor, who presided, and other prominentpersons, including medical men, spoke highly of the work of ’,the Association.

Illness of the Medical Officer of Health of Sunderland.I regret to have to state that Mr. Wood, formerly police

surgeon for Sunderland, and now medical officer of health,is suffering from scarlet fever. TogethRr with two of hischildren Mr. Wood has been removed to the new infectiousdiseases hospital. The latest accounts of Mr. Wood’s andhis children’s condition is good.

The Small-pox Epidemic in the North.Small-pox has now assumed an epidemic form; indeed,

there are not many towns in the northern counties free from it.Cases have been notified at Sunderland and at Houghton-le-Spring, about six miles from Sunderland, and the disease hasbeen lingering in the Northallerton district for some time.An outbreak is also reported at Durham County Prison, wherethere are several cases. At some of the colliery villagesnear the city of Durham cases have also been noticed.

Leetures on Nursing at Carlisle.A course of lectures on Sick Nursing has just been com-

menced at Carlisle under the auspices of a committee ofladies. Dr. Lediard is the lecturer, and his syllabus of theeight lectures which he proposes to give show that they willbe of a thoroughly practical and useful character. Eachlecture is illustrated by demonstrations in which nurses ofthe Carlisle Infirmary take part. We understand that up-wards of 300 women of all ranks have joined the class, andthere can be no doubt of its value and importance.Newcastle-on Tyne, Jan. 17th.

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Health of Aberdeen.THE returns of zymotic cases last week were: Measles, 36 ;

scarlet fever, 11 ; diphtheria, 8 ; typhoid fever, 6 ; erysipelas,12 : total cases, 73, being an increase of 6 as compared withthe previous week. The number of cases of measles continuesto decrease, the increase being in erysipelas and diphtheria.Dr. Hay reports two deaths from influenza in December, asagainst one in the previous month and 21 in December,1891. Influenza is undoubtedly present in the city, but it isof a less serious type than in previous visitations.

Aberdeen : A Year’s Work in the Sanitary Department.The sanitary inspector reports that during 1892 the number

of nuisances registered was 6169 and the number abated5593 ; 936 patients were removed to hospitals, 6706 super-vised at home, 6704 houses &c. disinfected after infectiousdiseases and 1052 sets of infected bedding and clothing dis- infected and washed. There were 124 seizures of unwhole-some food, comprising 18,985 lb. of beef, 306lb. of mutton,121b. of tinned meat, 7-2L lb. of ham, 1681b. of offal, 41,955 lb.of wet fish, 224lb. of dried fish, 20161b. of smoked fish,990lb. of fruit, 641b. of jam and 271b. of bread, the totalweight being over 282 tons. The fines amounted to£67 15s. 6d.

Aberdeen Ambulance Association Classes.A meeting was held last Saturday for the purpose of making

arrangements for the formation of ambulance classes underthe auspices of the above Association. Over 400 peoplewere present, including a detachment of city police. Rev.James Smith, St. George’s-in-the-West, presided and gave abrief introductory address, followed by Chief Constable

Wyness. In the absence of the lecturer, Dr. Riddell, throughillness, Dr. M’Gregor took his place and explained the objectof the lectures. Mr. William Smith, advocate, secretary of

the Aberdeen Ambulance Association, explained the systemon which certificates were granted and, in closing, made a,strong appeal to the public for funds to enable the Associa-tion to carry on its good work.

Public Health.Matters are not mending in Glasgow so far as small-pox is

concerned, there being now (Tuesday) 42 cases undertreatment. We have had Dr. Sidney Coupland, the repre-sentative of the Royal Commission on Vaccination, in Glasgow-for some days making inquiry into the manner in which theauthorities are endeavouring to meet the epidemic. Dr.Russell’s report contains some very instructive examples ofthe ways in which the disease is spread.January 19th.

IRELAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

National Children’s Hospital, Ditblin: Albert Victor MemorialBed.

ON Saturday last his Excellency the Lord Lieutenant.opened the Albert Victor Memorial Bed in the Children’s.Hospital, Harcourt-street. An address having been presentedto his Excellency, he declared the memorial bed dedicatedto the use of the suffering and to the memory of his,Royal Highness Prince Albert Victor, Duke of Clarence-and Avondale. Over the cot hung a portrait of the deceasedprince bearing an inscription to the effect that it was pre-sented to the hospital by their Royal Highnesses the Prince andPrincess of Wales. A brass shield at the head of the bed hactthe following inscription : " In memoriam, Albert VictorMemorial Cot. Founded in memory of H. R. H. Albert VictorChristian Edward, Duke of Clarence and Avondale, K.G.,K.P., Major of the 10th Royal Hussars. Born Jan. 8th, 1864 ydied Jan. 14th, 1892. Supported and endowed by sub-

scriptions from some of Her Majesty’s subjects in Ireland :.as a tribute of loyal affection and regard, this bed was

publicly opened by His Excellency Baron Houghton, LordLieutenant of Ireland, Jan. 14th, 1893."

Barrington’s Hospital, Limerick.The Sir Croker Barrington Memorial Committee have re-

ported that a field adj oining the hospital has been enclosed andlaid out as a recreation ground for the patients, also that,the portion of the hospital formerly occupied by the city dis-pensary has been fitted up as private wards, three in number.The total expenditure in carrying out these works came to£486 18s. 5d. During the past year 539 patients were admittedinto the wards of the hospital and 2917 persons were treated as.extern patients. By the demise of Mr. Michael Riordan the.hospital lost an upright and trustworthy physician. It has.been decided by the committee to discontinue as unnecessarythe employment of probation nurses from the Dublin Nursing-Institution, and in future to train their own nurses, so as to>be provided with a staff of trained nurses for the hospital who*would also be available for private cases when requiredTowards the expenses of the institution the Corporation ofLimerick contributes an annual grant of 300.

Ashford Testimonial.This week there will be placed in position a me-

morial in Irish granite of the late Mr. Ashford, who formany years lived at Ball’s Bridge, near the city, and who.had so endeared himself to the poor of Ringsend and:neighbourhood that they subscribed the necessary fundsfor a memorial of his charitable deeds. One side of the.monument bears the following inscription : "Erected January,.1893, by public subscription, to commemorate the memoryof Dr. W. Ashford for the valuable services he rendered fora period of half a century to the poor of St. Mary’s parish." "

Mr. Callaghan, late visiting physician to the Cork UnionWorkhouse, has received a retiring allowance of £75 a year.

Dr. Norman J. Townsend has been elected medical officerto the Cork Protestant Fellowship Society.

The Belfast Hospital for Consumption and Diseases of theClaest.

The annual meeting of this charity was held on Jan. lltb..There were during the year 864 extern and 50 intern patients.Mr. E. C. Stack has been appointed surgeon in place of Dr.McKisack, resigned. From the balance-sheet it appears thatthere is a sum of over £18 in hand. The building fund was

171BERLIN.-PARIS.

£5189 15s. 2d., out of which the lands for the site of the newhospital &c. had been purchased, leaving a balance to thecredit of the fund of .g2352 2s. 4d. There was a total inveest-ment in the Endowments account of .g1306 9s. 6d.

The Belfast Medical School and the -Royal University.I understand that a memorial has been sent to the Senate

of the Royal University by the students of the Belfast MedicalSchool in which they state that, owing to the resignation ofDr. Swanzy of Dublin, a vacancy has occurred in the list ofmedical examiners of the Royal University, and although an average of about 50 per cent. of the medical students ofthe University have received their professional education inBelfast yet out of the ten examiners at the degree examina-tion there is only one from that city. The students thereforeask the Standing Committee of the Royal University to con-sider this very inadequate representation of the Belfast Schoolof Medicine on the Board of Examiners and at the forth-coming election to appoint a Belfast ophthalmic surgeon tothe vacancy. The petition is signed on behalf of the Belfaststudents by Dr. Morrow, president, and by Mr. T. Houston,B.A., the secretary of the Belfast Medical Students’ Associa-tion. I understand that two Belfast gentlemen are candi-dates for the post of examiner in ophthalmology-Dr. J.Walton Browne, who is Senior Surgeon to the Royal Hos-pital and Ophthalmic Surgeon to the Belfast OphthalmicHospital; and Dr. Nelson, who is Ophthalmic Surgeon to theRoyal Hospital and to the Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

The Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.At an election of medical officers held last week Dr. Stack

was appointed surgeon and Dr. S. B. Smyth assistantsurgeon.

Proposed Clinical Instruction at the Belfast Workhouse.At a meeting of the Board of Guardians held on Jan. 17th

a resolution was moved by one of the members that theresolution approving the proposals submitted by ProfessorCuming of giving clinical lectures to medical students in theinfirmary and hospital of the workhouse be rescinded, butafter a very lengthened and heated discussion it was lost,,eleven voting for and fourteen against it. The question isnow in the hands of the Local Government Board.January 18th.

BERLIN.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Tke Berlin Medical Society.THE Berlin Medical Society held a general meeting in the

Langenbeck House on the llth inst. The number of themembers has risen to 878. Professor Virchow was re-electedPresident by 139 out of 145 votes, three being given to Pro- fessor von Bergmann and three to Professor von Bardeleben.Professor Virchow accepted the office with thanks, but gaveit as his opinion that the assembly should considerfuture circumstances, as the only course he could steerwas the old one. The assembly declared by applause that itwas satisfied with the old course. The other members of theManaging Committee-Drs. Bergmann, Henoch, B. Frankel,Senator, Korte, Falk and Abraham-were also re-elected.Professor Virchow alluded in warm terms to the late PrivyCounsellor Dr. Hollstein and his "Manual of Anatomy,"which he (Professor Virchow) still used as a book of reference.

The Transport of the Sick and tlae Dead.Arrangements have been made for instantly securing the

assistance of the fire brigade for the transport of the sickand the dead in case of any severe epidemic in Berlin.

A Nerv Professor of Anatomy at Würzburg.Professor von Lenhossek of Bâle has been called to the

University of Wurzburg to succeed Professor Arnim Fick, who is going to Leipsic.

-Dr. Felix Hirschfeld.Dr. Felix Hirschfeld, assistant in the medical department

of the hospital at Moabit, has established himself as a

private lecturer on internal medicine in the university here.He has already gained himself a name in medical science byhis researches on assimilation and nutrition, published inPflueger’s Archiv, Virchow’s Archiv, Die Klinische Wochen-

schrift (Clinical Weekly) and Das Centralblatt fur Medicin(Central Medical Journal).

Professor Bernhard -Frinkel.Professor Bernhard Frankel has been elected an honorary

member by the Italian Society for Laryngology.Cholera in Hamburg.

Eleven cases of cholera appeared in Hamburg last week..January 15th.

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

A New Hypgnotic.1 IF in these high-pressure days insomnia has become, with-

its congener, neurasthenia, a maladie à la mode, therapeutists)

and chemists cannot be accused of lack of enthusiasm in the

tsearch for fresh remedies for that distressing condition. Thelatest addition to the list of hypnotics has been christened byits

. discoverers, MM. Hanriot and Ch. Richet, chloralose. " These

. physiologists, in the course of their search for chloral com-pounds that in decomposing in the system give up their chloralgradually, found that contrary to their expectations lactic

, chloralide possessed no hypnotic properties, its toxicity how-,

ever being very marked, the untoward symptoms consist-ing of epileptiform attacks, together with abundant bronchialsecretion and consequent asphyxia. A combination of chloralwith glucose-anhydrogluco-chloral, otherwise chloralose-

yielded excellent results. It is prepared as follows : Equalparts of anhydrous chloral and dry glucose are mixedtogether and heated to 100’ C. for an hour. The thick massleft on cooling is treated with a little water and then withboiling ether. Water is added to the part soluble in theether and the mixture distilled five or six times with wateruntil no trace of chloral is discernible. Repeated crystal-lisations of the residue give a compound a (only slightlysoluble in cold water, but fairly soluble in hot water and inalcohol) and a compound 3 (soluble with difficulty even inhot water). The yield of the a-compound is about 3 per cent.It crystallises in fine needles, melting at 184° to 186° C., itsformula being C8H11Cl3O6. Treated with caustic potash it

yields no glucose. The &bgr;-compound or parachlorose crystallisesin pearly plates, melting at 229° C. This latter substancewas found to be inactive. Chloralose, on the contrary,possesses the apparently contradictory properties of acting asa hypnotic and of augmenting at the same time the excitability

’

of the spinal cord. As much as 60 centigrammes per kiloof body weight of it can be given to dogs without involvinga fatal result, but anaesthesia is marked. It begins tomanifest its hypnotic effects at 2 centigrammes per kilo-gramme, being in this respect much superior to chloral, whichis inactive at that dose. This proves that chloralose does notact in virtue of the chloral set free after ingestion, since2 centigrammes of chloralose cannot yield more than 1 centi-gramme of chloral. The discoverers then tried its effects onthemselves beginning with doses of 5 centigrammes andpushing on to 75 centigrammes. No toxic effects were

produced, but hypnotic results were observed with dosesof 30 centigrammes and over. Drs. Landouzy andMoutard-Martin have for the space of five months usedit clinically in cases of obstinate insomnia. They report that.it can be administered in doses not exceeding 80 centi-

grammes, without producing any digestive trouble, headache,or other inconvenience on waking. It is best given in dosesof from 20 centigrammes (minimum dose) to 75 centigrammes.Its solution being very bitter, it is probably best administeredin cachets.

Académie de Medecine.The average Briton is apt to underrate the distinction con-

ferred by the red ribbon or rosette of the Légion d’ffonneur,and yet very few Frenchmen of any standing can be saidto be perfectly happy before they can sport the saidribbon in their button-holes. When I state that in no

’country is our own profession awarded its just quota ofhonours I shall find few bold enough to contradict me. InFrance a considerable number of practitioners take part inpublic life as senators, deputies, county and municipalcouncillors or mayors, and quite a large proportion of thembelong to the premier order of the Legion of Honour. TheAcademie de Medecine, as might have been expected,is well represented in the rank and file of the Legionaries.It counts one Grand Cross (M. Pasteur); three Grand Officers