LEEDS.
1
193 general influences noxious to health have been so far as possible removed without apparent result the inquiry should go nearer home. The population is a manufacturing one, the mothers work in the mills, and the infants are of neces- sity left to the care of others. Mothers and caretakers are, with occasional exceptions, steeped in the grossest ignorance. The natural food of the child is not forthcoming, for the mother in most cases is a poor creature, unable to furnish it, and the child receives all kinds of substitutes, most of them hurtful. It is difficult to root out the ignorance and prejudice of many generations, more especially in a people who are strongly inclined to what is called independence" " and somewhat sensitive as to being meddled with," but perhaps more may be hoped for in the next generation, if, as is foretold, the education given in the elementary schools is to be so changed as to be really useful to the children in their after life. Some instruction in the simple laws of health and in the care and feeding of young children may surely be given. In the meantime a society like that of the Manchester Ladies’ Health Society may by its tactful and sympathetic ministrations do something to lessen the ignorance, and in some cases the apathy, underlying the waste of life that has become so common as to be almost disregarded. Wanted to Sit on the " -Live " Rail. The dangers surrounding the path through life seem to increase with every application of science and the electric or electrified railway may be taken as an illustration. About a week or ten days ago two drunken fellows were found trespassing about midnight on the Lancashire and Yorkshire line near Southport. This portion of the line is "electrified." One of the men challenged the other to sit on the "live" rail. Fortunately the man challenged was not too drunk to decline and the other said that he would put his foot on it, adding that he was prepared to meet his Maker. A pointsman telephoned for help and with the aid of three porters the men were got off the line safely, though they several times lurched in dangerous proximity to the "live rail. Each man was fined 20s. and costs, which may help to remind them of the dangers of the ’’ live " rail and of being drunk when near it. But apart from any question of drunkenness, there is no doubt that with the increasing use of electrical appliances dangers are multiplied and it is greatly to be desired that more care should be taken to diminish these dangers as much as possible. Jan. 17th. LEEDS. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health. AT the first meeting of the sanitary committee of the Leeds city council Dr. J. Spottiswoode Cameron presented his annual report for 1904, from which it appears that the birth- rate was 28 and the gross death-rate was 18, the average birth- and death-rates for the last ten years standing at 31 and 19 respectivelv. The ratio of deaths under one year to 1000 births is 176, as against an average of 171 for the previous four years. There had been 64 cases of small-pox with two deaths. Leeds Crematorium. Messrs. Toisoul, Fradet, and Co. of Paris have supplied the crematorium which has just been erected at Lawnswood Cemetery with one of their lighting gas furnaces and the experimental trials, as well as the first actual cremation, which took place recently, have been eminently successful. This is the first furnace of its kind erected in this country and it is claimed that the temperature can be regulated to a nicety and the amount of hot air admitted also, so that at first rapid desiccation of the body takes place and then complete combustion occurs on a lowering of the tem- perature with the admission of an extra amount of hot air. A crematorium on similar lines is shortly to be erected at Bradford. Small-pox. Small-pox has been prevalent in some of the districts around Leeds, notably in Dewsbury and the neighbourhood. Last week there were 21 cases notified in Leeds and removed to the hospital. These were mostly due to an outbreak at a common lodging-house and at houses in the insanitary area. At the end of the week there were 28 patients under treatment in the hospital as against ten at the end of the preceding week. For some time the resident staffs of the infirmary and dispensary have been especially on the alert for the possibility of cases turning up in the out-patient rooms and several cases have in this way been detected and dealt with. The infirmary has refused admission except in cases of emer- gency to patients coming from townships known to be infected and the attendance of patients from infected areas at the x ray and the Finsen light departments has been suspended. On investigation it was ascertained that between 90 and 100 of those resident in the infirmary-namely, medical officers, nurses, porters, wardmaids, and servant-had not been re- vaccinated for three years, which had been selected as a working time limit of safety, and these were all revaccinated except three, of whom two were leaving the service of the infirmary and had been vaccinated five years ago. The Sale of Poisons. The Bradford stipendary has delivered his judgment in a case tried before him on Jan. 4th. Six local registered druggists were summoned for an alleged infringement of Sub- section A of the 17th Section of the Pharmacy Act of 1868, which makes it unlawful to sell any poison to any person unknown to the seller, unless introduced by some person known to him. The summonses were taken out by the secretary of the Patent Medicine Vendors’ and Drug Stores’ Association. The general issue was dealt with on one summons and it appears that a box of Rankin’s ointment, which contains veratrine, was supplied to a woman without any questions being asked. It was ad- vanced for the defence that the ointment was a poisonous compound prepared for the destruction of vermin and that such a preparation, though containing a scheduled poison, was exempt from the section of the Act under which the summons had been taken out. The stipendiary convicted and imposed a fine of .62, with £1 14s. 6d. costs, and intimated that he would consider the question for the state- ment of a case if application were made to him within seven days. Grants to University Colleges. A memorandum from the Treasury dealing with the subject of increased grants to university colleges state ? that the amount voted for 1903-04 was 627,000 and that the amount voted for 1904-05 is .654,000. The original grant of £27,000 is distributed among the various colleges as before. Of the additional 627,000 a sum of e9000 is to be distributed sub- stantially on the old basis ; a further sum of E9000 is to be similarly allotted for the year 1904-05 only, as the present year is of a transitional character and the changes which the committee will recommend in the method of distribution cannot be immediately brought into full effect. The com- mittee reserves its proposals as regards the remaining £9000. The effect of this, so far as the University of Leeds is concerned, is that the grant now stands at £4000, as against 62300 for last year. University of Leeds. Professor R. H. Hartley having resigned the professorship of public health the council of the University has offered the chair to the medical officer of health of the city, Dr. Spottiswoode Cameron. A demonstrator in the subject is also to be appointed. Scholarships for Medical Students. The following rules embody some changes in the regula- tions : 1. The medical scholarship of 64 guineas, which covers the complete course of lectures at the medical school, is now to be awarded on the result of the joint matriculation examination under certain conditions. 2. The infirmary scholarship of the value of 40 guineas, given by the faculty of the infirmary and covering the course of clinical instruction, is to be awarded under certain condi- tions on the result of the first M.B. examination held in June of each year. 3. As heretofore, medical students who are studying also for the B.Sc. may hold the Akroyd and Brown scholarships, the Leeds City Council scholarships, and certain free studentships under the grant of the city council. Jan. 17th.
Transcript of LEEDS.
193
general influences noxious to health have been so far as
possible removed without apparent result the inquiry shouldgo nearer home. The population is a manufacturing one,the mothers work in the mills, and the infants are of neces-sity left to the care of others. Mothers and caretakers are,with occasional exceptions, steeped in the grossest ignorance.The natural food of the child is not forthcoming, for themother in most cases is a poor creature, unable to furnish it,and the child receives all kinds of substitutes, most of themhurtful. It is difficult to root out the ignorance andprejudice of many generations, more especially in a peoplewho are strongly inclined to what is called independence"
"
and somewhat sensitive as to being meddled with," butperhaps more may be hoped for in the next generation,if, as is foretold, the education given in the elementaryschools is to be so changed as to be really useful to thechildren in their after life. Some instruction in the simplelaws of health and in the care and feeding of young childrenmay surely be given. In the meantime a society like thatof the Manchester Ladies’ Health Society may by its tactfuland sympathetic ministrations do something to lessen theignorance, and in some cases the apathy, underlying thewaste of life that has become so common as to be almostdisregarded.
Wanted to Sit on the " -Live " Rail.
The dangers surrounding the path through life seem toincrease with every application of science and the electric orelectrified railway may be taken as an illustration. About aweek or ten days ago two drunken fellows were foundtrespassing about midnight on the Lancashire and Yorkshireline near Southport. This portion of the line is "electrified."One of the men challenged the other to sit on the "live" rail.Fortunately the man challenged was not too drunk to declineand the other said that he would put his foot on it, addingthat he was prepared to meet his Maker. A pointsmantelephoned for help and with the aid of three porters themen were got off the line safely, though they several timeslurched in dangerous proximity to the "live rail. Eachman was fined 20s. and costs, which may help to remindthem of the dangers of the ’’ live " rail and of being drunkwhen near it. But apart from any question of drunkenness,there is no doubt that with the increasing use of electricalappliances dangers are multiplied and it is greatly to bedesired that more care should be taken to diminish these
dangers as much as possible.Jan. 17th.
LEEDS.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
Annual Report of the Medical Officer of Health.AT the first meeting of the sanitary committee of the
Leeds city council Dr. J. Spottiswoode Cameron presented hisannual report for 1904, from which it appears that the birth-rate was 28 and the gross death-rate was 18, the averagebirth- and death-rates for the last ten years standing at 31and 19 respectivelv. The ratio of deaths under one year to1000 births is 176, as against an average of 171 for theprevious four years. There had been 64 cases of small-poxwith two deaths.
Leeds Crematorium.
Messrs. Toisoul, Fradet, and Co. of Paris have suppliedthe crematorium which has just been erected at LawnswoodCemetery with one of their lighting gas furnaces and theexperimental trials, as well as the first actual cremation,which took place recently, have been eminently successful.This is the first furnace of its kind erected in this countryand it is claimed that the temperature can be regulated toa nicety and the amount of hot air admitted also, so thatat first rapid desiccation of the body takes place and thencomplete combustion occurs on a lowering of the tem-
perature with the admission of an extra amount of hot air.A crematorium on similar lines is shortly to be erected atBradford.
Small-pox.Small-pox has been prevalent in some of the districts
around Leeds, notably in Dewsbury and the neighbourhood.Last week there were 21 cases notified in Leeds and removed
to the hospital. These were mostly due to an outbreak at acommon lodging-house and at houses in the insanitary area.At the end of the week there were 28 patients under treatmentin the hospital as against ten at the end of the precedingweek. For some time the resident staffs of the infirmaryand dispensary have been especially on the alert for thepossibility of cases turning up in the out-patient rooms andseveral cases have in this way been detected and dealt with.The infirmary has refused admission except in cases of emer-gency to patients coming from townships known to be infectedand the attendance of patients from infected areas at the xray and the Finsen light departments has been suspended. Oninvestigation it was ascertained that between 90 and 100 ofthose resident in the infirmary-namely, medical officers,nurses, porters, wardmaids, and servant-had not been re-vaccinated for three years, which had been selected as a
working time limit of safety, and these were all revaccinatedexcept three, of whom two were leaving the service of theinfirmary and had been vaccinated five years ago.
The Sale of Poisons.
The Bradford stipendary has delivered his judgment in acase tried before him on Jan. 4th. Six local registereddruggists were summoned for an alleged infringement of Sub-section A of the 17th Section of the Pharmacy Act of 1868,which makes it unlawful to sell any poison to any personunknown to the seller, unless introduced by some personknown to him. The summonses were taken out by thesecretary of the Patent Medicine Vendors’ and DrugStores’ Association. The general issue was dealt withon one summons and it appears that a box of Rankin’sointment, which contains veratrine, was supplied to a
woman without any questions being asked. It was ad-vanced for the defence that the ointment was a poisonouscompound prepared for the destruction of vermin andthat such a preparation, though containing a scheduledpoison, was exempt from the section of the Act under whichthe summons had been taken out. The stipendiary convictedand imposed a fine of .62, with £1 14s. 6d. costs, andintimated that he would consider the question for the state-ment of a case if application were made to him within sevendays.
Grants to University Colleges.A memorandum from the Treasury dealing with the subject
of increased grants to university colleges state ? that theamount voted for 1903-04 was 627,000 and that the amountvoted for 1904-05 is .654,000. The original grant of £27,000is distributed among the various colleges as before. Of theadditional 627,000 a sum of e9000 is to be distributed sub-
stantially on the old basis ; a further sum of E9000 is to besimilarly allotted for the year 1904-05 only, as the presentyear is of a transitional character and the changes which thecommittee will recommend in the method of distributioncannot be immediately brought into full effect. The com-mittee reserves its proposals as regards the remaining£9000. The effect of this, so far as the University of Leedsis concerned, is that the grant now stands at £4000, asagainst 62300 for last year.
University of Leeds.Professor R. H. Hartley having resigned the professorship
of public health the council of the University has offeredthe chair to the medical officer of health of the city, Dr.Spottiswoode Cameron. A demonstrator in the subject isalso to be appointed.
Scholarships for Medical Students.The following rules embody some changes in the regula-
tions : 1. The medical scholarship of 64 guineas, whichcovers the complete course of lectures at the medicalschool, is now to be awarded on the result of thejoint matriculation examination under certain conditions.2. The infirmary scholarship of the value of 40 guineas,given by the faculty of the infirmary and covering the courseof clinical instruction, is to be awarded under certain condi-tions on the result of the first M.B. examination held in Juneof each year. 3. As heretofore, medical students who arestudying also for the B.Sc. may hold the Akroyd and Brownscholarships, the Leeds City Council scholarships, andcertain free studentships under the grant of the city council.Jan. 17th.
