SHORTHAND EXAMINATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS
1
836 if required for trade purposes, should be kept and used at the top, not on the lower floors, of the building. Had this precaution been observed most, if not all, of the lives lost in the present case would have been saved. The use of protected lights by workmen handling inflammable matter would further increase the security thus provided for. POPULAR IGNORANCE OF SANITARY RULES. To medical practitioners the ignorance and apathy dis- played by many persons in the presence of infectious disease ere indeed surprising. The indiscriminate use of dwelling- rooms by the sick and healthy, and the glaring ignorance often exhibited in the use, or rather the misuse, of disinfec- tants are far from encouraging to believers in popular sani- tation. Neglect in these particulars is unfortunately of too common occurrence, and such an incident as the employ- ment of a carrier’s cart as an interim hearse for the victims of diphtheria is probably not unique. It is not indeed a very striking example of its kind, for diph- theria is a disease rather of contagious than infectious property. Certainly its influence in this latter respect, though it cannot be excluded, is not to be compared with that of the exanthemata. Experience forbids us to doubt, however, that a disorder of the latter class would ’’have been accommodated with equal readiness by some ,carmen in the vehicle usually devoted to the service of provision dealers. The local sanitary authority where this mismanagement occurred were therefore well advised in interfering with the too willing service - of the self-appointed undertaker. There are silver aspects .on many clouds, however, and we must not forget that, in ,spite of contrary indications like that above mentioned, signs are also met with which prove that even among the poor the sanitary meaning of cleanliness, ventilation, wholesome drainage, and water-supply are not wholly mis- ,understood. ___ SHORTHAND EXAMINATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS. IN our advertising columns will be found a notice of an - examination to be conducted under the auspices of the Shorthand Medical Society. It is the object of the Society to popularise the use of shorthand amongst medical .students, and with this end in view an examination will ’take place in the Examination Hall, Thames Embank- ment, on Friday, Oct. 24th, at 4 P.M. The examina- tion is divided into two portions. The first is de- voted to general proficiency in shorthand, and is in- tended for students commencing their first winter session. The second part consists of an examination in the method - of using the art in epitomising lectures, in taking notes of - cases, dictated at speeds varying from 60 to 100 words per ,minute. The candidate who is first in either branch will be entitled to a prize of books or instruments to the value - of dE5. The members of the Executive Committee are Sir Dyce Duekworth, chairman, Dr. Gowers, hon. treasurer, Dr. Coupland, Mr. Howard Marsh, and Dr. Abraham Wallace, hon. secretary, from whom further information onay be obtained. - THE NOTIFICATION OF DISEASES ACT. IT is curious to notice the discussions on the adoption of .this Act in different parts of the country. In London here, with all our fancied advantages, we do not enjoy the liberty .of the provinces. We were enjoined by legislation to take the Act whether we liked it or not. Other towns were left to their own sweet will. Newport, Isle of Wight, has just re- jected the proffered boon by one vote. The debate occupies four columns of the Isle oj FA< spy&M. The proposition to adopt the Act was supported ably and moderately in a speech by the proposer, Alderman Eldridge. The most noticeable point in the controversy is that all the medical men of Newport, with one exception, approved the proposal. This gentleman’s reasoning was somewhat peculiar-viz., that the sanitary measures already taken had been so effectual that no further benefit could be obtained by adopting the Act. We did not know that the millennium had been so nearly realised even in the Isle of Wight, for in its health reports we read of typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever, &e. The old argument of interference with personal liberty of course was well trotted out, as if all legislation were not a restric- tion of personal liberty for the good of a greater number of persons. The medical officers of health were of course chaffed and rated. Dr. Groves especially was diagnosed to have sanitation on the brain. But he will survive that, and we may not doubt that the minority of one will ere long be converted into a majority of more. The Isle of Wight is a health resort, and is nothing if it is not above suspicion in health matters. NEW ENTRIES AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS. THE following is a list of the entries for the current year (1890-91) at the various metropolitan and provincial medical schools from which returns have been received, together with a column showing the total entries of last year (1889-90) :- First Occa- Total for Year. sional. Total. 1889-90. St. Bartholomew’s ......... 127 .... 27 .... 154 145 Charing-cross ............ 66 .... 14 .... 80 .... 60 St. George’s .......... — .... - ... - ... 33 Guy’s .... ,....... 101 31 .... 132 .... 144 King’s College ....... 30 S7 S7 ... 78 London Hospital 59 .... 30 .... 89 115. St. Mary’s 33 .... 14 .... 47 .... 63 Middlesex ........ 58 .... 59 117* . 111 St. Thomas’s 65 .... 34 .... 99 .... 112 University College 67 .... 21 .... 88 .... 154 Westminster .......... 21 .... 2 .... 23 .... 34 Birmingham ...... 41 .... 32 .... 73 .... 87 Newcastle-on-Tyne 35 .... 17 .... 52 .... 63 ’ Owens College, Manchester.. 86 .... 32 .... 118 .... Yorkshire College ...... 35 .... 4 .... 39 ..... - * These returns are not yet complete. It is interesting to observe the number of students who have joined the classes at the various schools for the Prelimi- nary Scientific Examination of the University of London. They are as follows : University College, 65; King’s College, 10; St. Mary’s, 5 ; St. Thomas’s, 7 ; Guy’s, 16; Owens College, Manchester, 37 ; and the Yorkshire College, 15. Taking into consideration the large number of such students in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and other hospitals not mentioned in the list, it will be seen how much import- ance is attached to these classes by those entering upon the study of medicine. Our list of the dental students is not complete, but we note 16 in Guy’s Hospital, 1 in West- minster Hospital, 6 in Owens College, and 7 in Queen’s College, Birmingham. - THE BIRMINGHAM COMMITTEE ON HOSPITAL ABUSE. THE evidence before this committee promises to be more effective, because more specific, than in many similar inquiries. Mr. Jordan Lloyd, surgeon both to the Queen’s and Children’s Hospitals, as well as to the Workhouse Infirmary, gave on the 8th his views with much clear- ness. He said the staff of the Workhouse Infirmary was exceptionally good, similar to that of a large hos- pital. He thought the relief there was absolutely free from abuse. On the other hand, he believed that at the Children’s Hospital not more than one case in five required a man with hospital experience. Iti was no uncommon thing for shopkeepers and other fairly well-to-do people to send their children in the care of shabbily-dressed women. Hospitals did not always send the unfit away because of the
Transcript of SHORTHAND EXAMINATION FOR MEDICAL STUDENTS
836if required for trade purposes, should be kept and used atthe top, not on the lower floors, of the building. Had this
precaution been observed most, if not all, of the lives lostin the present case would have been saved. The use of
protected lights by workmen handling inflammable matterwould further increase the security thus provided for.
POPULAR IGNORANCE OF SANITARY RULES.
To medical practitioners the ignorance and apathy dis-played by many persons in the presence of infectious diseaseere indeed surprising. The indiscriminate use of dwelling-rooms by the sick and healthy, and the glaring ignoranceoften exhibited in the use, or rather the misuse, of disinfec-tants are far from encouraging to believers in popular sani-tation. Neglect in these particulars is unfortunately oftoo common occurrence, and such an incident as the employ-ment of a carrier’s cart as an interim hearse for thevictims of diphtheria is probably not unique. It is notindeed a very striking example of its kind, for diph-theria is a disease rather of contagious than infectious
property. Certainly its influence in this latter respect,though it cannot be excluded, is not to be comparedwith that of the exanthemata. Experience forbids us todoubt, however, that a disorder of the latter class would’’have been accommodated with equal readiness by some,carmen in the vehicle usually devoted to the serviceof provision dealers. The local sanitary authoritywhere this mismanagement occurred were thereforewell advised in interfering with the too willing service- of the self-appointed undertaker. There are silver aspects.on many clouds, however, and we must not forget that, in,spite of contrary indications like that above mentioned,signs are also met with which prove that even among thepoor the sanitary meaning of cleanliness, ventilation,wholesome drainage, and water-supply are not wholly mis-,understood.
___
SHORTHAND EXAMINATION FOR MEDICALSTUDENTS.
IN our advertising columns will be found a notice of an- examination to be conducted under the auspices of theShorthand Medical Society. It is the object of the Societyto popularise the use of shorthand amongst medical
.students, and with this end in view an examination will’take place in the Examination Hall, Thames Embank-ment, on Friday, Oct. 24th, at 4 P.M. The examina-tion is divided into two portions. The first is de-
voted to general proficiency in shorthand, and is in-
tended for students commencing their first winter session.The second part consists of an examination in the method- of using the art in epitomising lectures, in taking notes of- cases, dictated at speeds varying from 60 to 100 words per,minute. The candidate who is first in either branch willbe entitled to a prize of books or instruments to the value- of dE5. The members of the Executive Committee areSir Dyce Duekworth, chairman, Dr. Gowers, hon. treasurer,Dr. Coupland, Mr. Howard Marsh, and Dr. AbrahamWallace, hon. secretary, from whom further informationonay be obtained. -
THE NOTIFICATION OF DISEASES ACT.
IT is curious to notice the discussions on the adoption of.this Act in different parts of the country. In London here,with all our fancied advantages, we do not enjoy the liberty.of the provinces. We were enjoined by legislation to takethe Act whether we liked it or not. Other towns were left totheir own sweet will. Newport, Isle of Wight, has just re-jected the proffered boon by one vote. The debate occupiesfour columns of the Isle oj FA< spy&M. The proposition
to adopt the Act was supported ably and moderately in aspeech by the proposer, Alderman Eldridge. The mostnoticeable point in the controversy is that all the medicalmen of Newport, with one exception, approved the
proposal. This gentleman’s reasoning was somewhat
peculiar-viz., that the sanitary measures already takenhad been so effectual that no further benefit couldbe obtained by adopting the Act. We did not knowthat the millennium had been so nearly realised evenin the Isle of Wight, for in its health reports we readof typhoid fever, diphtheria, scarlet fever, &e. The old
argument of interference with personal liberty of coursewas well trotted out, as if all legislation were not a restric-tion of personal liberty for the good of a greater number ofpersons. The medical officers of health were of coursechaffed and rated. Dr. Groves especially was diagnosed tohave sanitation on the brain. But he will survive that, andwe may not doubt that the minority of one will ere long beconverted into a majority of more. The Isle of Wight is ahealth resort, and is nothing if it is not above suspicion inhealth matters.
NEW ENTRIES AT THE MEDICAL SCHOOLS.
THE following is a list of the entries for the current year(1890-91) at the various metropolitan and provincial medicalschools from which returns have been received, together witha column showing the total entries of last year (1889-90) :-
First Occa- Total forYear. sional. Total. 1889-90.
St. Bartholomew’s ......... 127 .... 27 .... 154 145Charing-cross ............ 66 .... 14 .... 80 .... 60St. George’s .......... — .... - ...
-
... 33Guy’s .... ,....... 101 31 .... 132 .... 144King’s College ....... 30 S7 S7 ... 78London Hospital 59 .... 30 .... 89 115.St. Mary’s 33 .... 14 .... 47 .... 63Middlesex ........ 58 .... 59 117* . 111St. Thomas’s 65 .... 34 .... 99 .... 112
University College 67 .... 21 .... 88 .... 154Westminster .......... 21 .... 2 .... 23 .... 34
Birmingham ...... 41 .... 32 .... 73 .... 87Newcastle-on-Tyne 35 .... 17 .... 52 .... 63
’ Owens College, Manchester.. 86 .... 32 .... 118 .... -
Yorkshire College ...... 35 .... 4 .... 39 ..... -
* These returns are not yet complete.It is interesting to observe the number of students who havejoined the classes at the various schools for the Prelimi-
nary Scientific Examination of the University of London.They are as follows : University College, 65; King’sCollege, 10; St. Mary’s, 5 ; St. Thomas’s, 7 ; Guy’s, 16;Owens College, Manchester, 37 ; and the Yorkshire College,15. Taking into consideration the large number of suchstudents in St. Bartholomew’s Hospital and other hospitalsnot mentioned in the list, it will be seen how much import-ance is attached to these classes by those entering upon thestudy of medicine. Our list of the dental students is not
complete, but we note 16 in Guy’s Hospital, 1 in West-minster Hospital, 6 in Owens College, and 7 in Queen’sCollege, Birmingham. -
THE BIRMINGHAM COMMITTEE ON HOSPITALABUSE.
THE evidence before this committee promises to bemore effective, because more specific, than in many similarinquiries. Mr. Jordan Lloyd, surgeon both to the Queen’sand Children’s Hospitals, as well as to the WorkhouseInfirmary, gave on the 8th his views with much clear-ness. He said the staff of the Workhouse Infirmarywas exceptionally good, similar to that of a large hos-pital. He thought the relief there was absolutely freefrom abuse. On the other hand, he believed that at theChildren’s Hospital not more than one case in five requireda man with hospital experience. Iti was no uncommon
thing for shopkeepers and other fairly well-to-do people tosend their children in the care of shabbily-dressed women.Hospitals did not always send the unfit away because of the
