paper went some way to support his contention. The Conference was followed by a sparkling lecture in praise of wine, by Dr. Thudichum.

WE are glad to see that the Epidemiological Society is to hold a conference at the International Health Exhibition, on the afternoons of July 24th, July 25th, and July 26th, from 2 p.m to 5 p.m. The President, Dr. Norman Chevers, will open the conference with an address on Health in India, and the following subjects have been selected for discussion :-Prevention of Epidemics; Change in type of Epidemic Disease; Influence of Climate on Epidemic Disease; Behaviour of Typhus in England during the present Century. Papers must not occupy more than twenty minutes, and each speaker taking part in the discussions not

more than ten minutes.

AT the meeting of the Society for the Study and Cure of Inebriety, on Monday, Dr. W. B. Carpenter read a paper on the Ætiology of Inebriety. Every sensation, he said, must have a physical antecedent, and the mental craving for alcohol was the product of a physical condition. This was evidenced by the craving for a fresh dose of alcohol on recovering from the depression induced by preceding excessive doses, the mental condition being this expression of the physical condition. Another evidence was the development of the craving after excessive hæmorrhage, especially in the puerperal state. In such cases, the diseased condition having arisen from a temporary disturbance and not yet being permanent, a cure might be hoped for. The difference between temporary loss of nervous power and permanent depravation of nutrition of the nervous system was clearly seen in the results of treatment. Bodily fatigue was a frequent antecedent cause of inebriety, the diminution of heart power and the consequent depression often calling for alcohol or some other nervine stimulant. It was clear that alcoholic heredity might act as the antecedent physical cause, the alcohol habit in the parents depraving the parental nervous system and then similarly depraving the nervous system of the offspring. Nothing was so certain to induce the drink crave as the habitual use of alcohol by persons susceptible to its action, and when once the nervous system had taken on that depraved form this remained as a diseased condition. Alcohol was a powerful paralyser of the will, and whatever moralists might say, once the diseased condition of alcoholic inebriety had become confirmed moral means were apt to fail, and the diseased state must be recognised and treated. Such were some of the physical causes of inebriety. The moral causes were such as nervous shock and depression from loss of property or friends. The depression from the moral cause was physical, and developed a longing for a nervine stimulant. In the early stage of inebriety, a moral impression could be met and overcome by a moral impression, but in the confirmed stage of inebriety, where there was a permanent depravation of nervous nutrition, the treatment of the diseased physical state must be resorted to. The paper was followed by a brief discussion which was adjourned till Tuesday afternoon, July 1st.

A MOST Successful meeting was held on Tuesday, at the Mansion House, with the view of securing public support for the foundation of a convalescent home hospital by the Home Hospitals Association. The successful career of Fitzroy House, and the cordial support it has received from the medical profession, warrant one in expecting a similar success for the new convalescent hospital, which is quite as much if not more wanted. Sir Risdon Bennett, in one of the best speeches delivered at the meeting, pointed out the twofold danger of the present system of sending convalescents to seaside lodgings, which are often as harmful to the patient as the patient is harmful to them. Another important point suggested by Sir Risdon Bennett, was that there should be inland convalescent hospitals as well as seaside ones. The first requirement of a convalescent home for infectious cases is, that it should be far away from holiday haunts, so that the patients may be able to expose themselves the livelong day to air and sunlight without the likelihood of mixing with healthy people. Such a requirement is more likely to be found inland, within easy reach of London--a prime necessity—than at the seaside. The association should be strong enough to be able to disregard the popular tradition, which prescribes sea-air for the scarlet fever patient when convalescent with the same insistence that it once prescribed a pile of bedclothes for him when the rash was out.

BESIDES the International Medical Congress at Copenhagen in August, the International Congress for Hygiene and Demography will assemble for the fifth

time, from the 21st to the 27th of the same month, at been published at great length in the French Medical the Hague. Judging from the programme, which has Journals, many papers of the highest interest are likely to be discussed, among them, one by Dr. Pasteur, on "The Attenuation of Virus; on "Temperature within the House," by M. Emile Trélat; on "Water Supply," by Dr. Crocq, of Brussels; and field. The first section will be devoted to general and "Science the Enemy of Disease," by Professor Corinternational hygiene; the second, to that of towns and rural districts; the third, to personal, and the fourth to professional hygiene. Information may be obtained from Professor Overbeck de Meijer, of Utrecht, the general secretary.

FOR some months past, writes a Glasgow Correspondent, there have been lively meetings of the Fellows of the Faculty of Physicians and Surgeons, at which the scheme of amalgamation with the Edinburgh Colleges, and the granting along with them of a complete licence in medicine and surgery have been considered. The scheme submitted has been finally adopted by the colleges concerned, and comes into operation in October. The attempt to produce a combination of the Faculty with the Royal College of Surgeons, with the object of forming a Royal College of Surgeons of Scotland, of which the Fellowship should be obtained only by examination, has not been successful. At the last monthly meeting of the Faculty it was announced that the negotiations had been broken off because the

would not have been more than 17.2. As it is, it was 189, the total number of deaths being 14 below the average. As the deaths from respiratory diseases were only 5 below the average, there must have been a considerable deficiency of deaths under other headings to counterbalance the excess of 55 caused by zymotic diseases. On looking through the tables it will be found that this deficiency is in great part furnished under the heading of " old age," which was certified as causing only 15 deaths as compared with an average of 45.5. Considering that the mean temperature of the week was more than 5° below the average, this escape

The lower line represents the general death-rate per 1,000, and the upper line the zymotic death-rate per 10,000 in London, for the first ten weeks of the present quarter. of old age is a little remarkable. Of the zymotic disease small-pox, measles, and whooping-cough were the most fatal, causing between them 213 deaths, or nearly three-fourths of the whole zymotic mortality. In the 28 great English towns, last week's death-rate was 19.6 per 1,000; while in the eight great Scotch towns it was 23.3 per 1,000. The zymotic death-rate in the former was 3'0, and in the latter 4.3.

By the Army Circular of May 1st, 1884, the War Office Authorities sanction the formation of ambulance classes for ambulance drill and instruction in first aid to the wounded, throughout the whole Army, Regular, Militia and Volunteer. The training of officers and men is to be carried out under orders of general officers commanding and principal medical officers of districts. Commanding officers are to afford medical officers undertaking the duty every facility for the formation and instruction of classes, and are to detail a competent non-commissioned officer to assist the medical officer in the drill, and to take charge of equipment and appliances. Details are given as to the number of drills and the inspection of the classes when instructed. Certificates of proficiency will be given only to Militia

and Volunteer corps in which two men of the rank and file per company are told off as recognized stretcher bearers of the corps who will, as now, wear the Geneva badge on the right arm. But to secure efficiency and the retention of the right to wear the badge, the recognized stretcher bearers must attend four drills annually.

Ir is interesting to observe that the authorities look upon the ambulance movement with so much favour as to extend its instruction to the Regular Army and Militia. Originating among the Volunteers, thanks to the untiring energy of Lieutenant Maclure of the London Scottish, the ambulance drills are being generally adopted by most Volunteer surgeons in their respective corps, and their bearer companies are now recognized as a regular part of their regiments. A further development of the movement is the formation of the Volunteer Medical Association which will, if accepted by the War Office, represent the Army Medical Staff of the Volunteers. With respect to this last, its claims for recognition are under the consideration of the authorities, and it promises, if accepted, to render the Volunteer Army complete in its medical arrangements, leaving the Commissariat and Transport still unknown.

VOLUNTEER Medical Officers have now a recognized position in their regiments and definite duties and drills to superintend and men to command and it is to be hoped that they will now accept their position with favour and drill their men in ambulance and stretcher work, thus taking their place among their working brother officers instead of being, as is the case in many regiments, merely ornamental appendages. In several metropolitan and provincial Volunteer regiments, the bearers are intelligent, well instructed and well drilled and considering their few opportunities for practical work they are wonderfully efficient and in all cases are zealous in their duties. We look upon this military ambulance work as a great advance and we trust that the Medical Officers of our Volunteer army will not neglect their opportunity.

IT is stated that M. Parize, a French savant, has discovered swarms of bacteria in the very centre of a common house-brick. These all-pervading creatures had already been found in plaster walls and in wood floors, and doubtless before long they will be sought for and perhaps discovered in iron rails, iron not being, so far as we know, a disinfectant in its uncombined state.

PROFESSOR GOSSELIN, the acknowledged head of French surgery, since the death of Nélaton, has, by reason of advancing years and impaired health, found it necessary to resign his chair in the Paris Faculty, the labour of teaching and especially of examining, which is carried on on so large a scale at Paris, proving too severe a tax upon him.

THE Committee of the Bower and Keates' Fund met at Sir William Jenner's residence on May the 30th.

It was reported that the second civil action had been decided in favour of the defendants,-the jury being so strongly of opinion that there was no case against Messrs. Bower and Keates that they did not desire to hear the witnesses for the defence; that notwithstanding this, Messrs. Bower and Keates' Solicitor had been served with notice of motion for a new trial, on the grounds of " non reception of material evidence, misdirection," &c. The Secretaries read a letter from Dr. Bower giving a detailed statement of the expenses that had been incurred in the defence, amounting to 1,0067., and the Committee unanimously agreed to pay over on account 7501. out of the fund towards meeting

the expenses.

WE see in the papers an announcement of a Matinée at the Royal Avenue Theatre on Thursday, June 26th, at 2.30 p.m., in aid of the funds of the East London Hospital for Children. Besides its good object of giving much-wanted help to the Charity, this undertaking has a special interest of its own, the play that is to be performed being written, we understand, by a London doctor, and founded upon incidents of hospital life, with which he is intimately acquainted. "Sister Grace," the title rôle in this new and original drama, will be played by a well-known actress, who will be supported by a company of considerable strength. It is much to be hoped that the double interest in this entertainment will ensure a full house. Tickets can be procured, and any enquiries made for seats, &c., at the Theatre; and also of Mr. J. Scott Battams, the Resident Medical Officer at the Hospital, Shadwell.

A SERIOUS epidemic of typhoid fever has broken out at St. Albans, and the Local Government Board have commissioned Mr. Shirley Murphy, Medical Officer of Health for St. Pancras, to act for them in the investigation of the outbreak. More than 100 cases have already occurred, and Mr. R. C. Lloyd, one of the principal medical practitioners of the neighbourhood, has fallen a victim to the disease. The fever is believed to have been spread through the agency of milk.

It is reported from Cairo that the regretable dispute which has arisen in Egypt between Sir Benson Maxwell and Dr. Crookshank, of the Egyptian Prisons' Department, is likely to terminate in favour of the latter. Sir Benson Maxwell's interference with the Prisons' department has been reprobated by his superior officer, and he has been warned that his threats to prosecute Dr. Crookshank must cease.

THE usual annual report made by the Home Office under the Vivisection Act, has just been issued. It states that during the year 1883, 44 persons held licences; and of these 32 performed experiments and 12 performed none. The total number of experiments of all kinds during the year was about 535. Of these, 256 were done under the restrictions of the licence alone; 55 without anæsthetics; 122 under certificates dispensing with the obligation to kill. Four or five experiments on dogs and cats were performed. The

writer of the report is at great pains to prove that the suffering inflicted on animals under the Act was wholly insignificant. What he does not say is, that so long as the restrictions of the Act are maintained, it may be expected that the advance made in England in the direction of relieving human and animal suffering will be equally insignificant, compared with what it otherwise might be.

THE following are candidates for the Council of the

College of Surgeons at the Election in July next :— Mr. Thomas Smith (re-election), Mr. Lawson, Mr. Durham, Mr. Cowell, Mr. Pemberton, Mr. Berkeley Hill, Mr. Barwell, Mr. Allingham, and Mr. Gant,

There are five vacancies, and we should like to see the first five candidates we have named successful. Mr. Berkeley Hill has, no doubt, a strong claim, but the Medical School to which he belongs is already fully represented on the Council.

BREAKING-UP.

WITH this week the academical year in that University of advanced medical teaching, constituted by our various societies, comes practically to a close, and the students will have a time for leisure and thought, before joining in those holiday exercises and contests in Belfast, Copenhagen and Montreal, to which many of them will no doubt be drawn. They have had a very useful and industrious session, the classes have been well attended, and the general progress has been satisfactory. It is true that there has not been any set disputation which can rival in magnitude or importance the debate on syphilis at the Pathological Society a few years ago, or that on diphtheria and croup at the Royal Medical and Chirurgical Society more recently; but it is very questionable whether these academical discussions do so much to extend or to crystallize knowledge, as might be at first sight expected of them. At any rate it will be generally admitted that it would be unwise of our advanced students to allow themselves to be too often tempted away from their ordinary unobtrusive labours to take part in these grand sham-fights. The past session, nevertheless, has witnessed some debates of decided interest. Surgeon-General Hunter's paper, on the "Outbreak of Cholera in Egypt," was followed by a discussion, which, from the number and experience of the speakers, must be admitted to be of value and importance. It is difficult to say that any definite advance has been made in our knowledge by it at present, as such diametrically opposed views were expressed on the mode of propagation of the disease, but independence of thought is always healthy, especially when preceded by and based upon a practical acquaintance with the subject. If Koch be right, then Sir Guyer Hunter and the large number of Indian doctors who think with him—and they include some of the ablest men in the servicehave been working on the wrong tack, for according to present beliefs, insanitary conditions alone will not suffice for the production or evolution of a specific organism. The discussion on the cold water treatment of typhoid fever, at the Medical Society, brought out forcibly the proverbial differing of doctors, and showed once more how difficult and dangerous a thing it is to handle statistics. The evidence was not on the whole