48

of detection in the ordinary way, could be easily and

certainly determined and delay in dealing with it prevented.He narrated a case where by this means a tumour of theoptic nerve was at once diagnosed though there was nointerference with ocular movements. Vision was normal,equalling z. The perimeter showed the field of vision to benormal and the optic disc appeared normal, proptosis beingthe only obvious symptom. The patient and the specimenwere shown. He also referred to another case where, notumour being found in the orbit, the muscle was replacedand the patient subsequently died with symptoms of intra-cranial disease without further evidence of growth in theorbit. Several interesting cases and specimens were shownin illustration of the lecture.

A WORD OF THANKS.

PATEFAMILIAS," in whose behalf we recently appealedto the profession under circumstances which will be foundon page 1608 of THE LANCET of Dec. 18th, 1897, wishes toexpress through our columns "his deep gratitude to thosegood, kind friends who have so generously and so promptlyhelped him out of what was to him an insuperable difficulty."We wish to add to this a few words of thanks from ourselves.The whole of the thirty pounds was made up at once and acheque was sent to "Paterfamilias" to reach him on

Christmas Eve, while later subscriptions have been returned.The generosity which has been displayed in this matter hasbeen as delicate as ready, for in every case the donor hasstipulated that his name should not appear.

A GODALMING MYSTERY,

THE inquiry in this case brought forward some interestingmedico-legal points. On Nov. 3rd a girl named Edith Wiles,twelve years of age, was missed from her home, and thefate which had befallen her remained a mystery until

I

Nov. 22nd, when the body was found in the river a littlebelow Unsted iron bridge. The medical man who was firstcalled said that on examining the body he found what heshould call three marks of violence ; one on the right eye,which completely blackened it, might have been caused bya fall or a blow, and was inflicted before death, there wasanother on the left side of the middle of the throat, therebeing a faint line also on the right side which was

caused during life or immediately after death by, in his

opinion, something being tied tightly round the neck, andon removing the scalp he found a large bruise about half aninch from the centre of the skull. There was a large clot ofblood between the scalp and the skull. In his opinion thisinjury was caused by a blow. In view of this evidence thecoroner adjourned the inquest and one of the countydivisional police surgeons examined the body. This witnessstated that the "signs of strangulation " on the right sideof the neck described by the other medical witness were,in his opinion, due to the skin from the other side ofthe neck having been accidentally pulled across in the

process of sewing up the post-mortem incisions. The other

signs of supposed strangulation were uncertain owing to thedecomposed state of the body, but the witness thought thatthey were most probably caused after the body had beenimmersed in the water. With regard to the black eye andthe bruise on the top of the head he thought that the bodywas too much decomposed to form any opinion as to whetherthey were caused ante mortem or post mortem. We arenclined to agree with the views of this second witness.

Injuries very similar to those produced by assault are

frequently found on bodies which have lain three weeks inrunning water, as was the case in this instance ; portionsof trees may knock against the body or contact with thebottom of the river or objects on the bank may produce

injuries which by reason of post-mortem decompositionmay become indistinguishable from those caused by per-sonal violence. Numerous cases are on record corroboratingthese statements. Another point to which attention wascalled was that the stomach was full of water and food andthis might have been adduced as strong evidence that thedeceased was alive on entering the water. Experience hasshown, however, that this test is open to many fallacies,Liman’s experiments particularly throwing much light on

this subject; he concludes that the occurrence of water inthe stomach may be simply a post-mortem accident.

THE MAIDSTONE EPIDEMIC AND THE MEDICALPROFESSION.

THE claims of the medical profession for attending thenecessitous cases among the 1900 cases of typhoid fever atMaidstone are now being considered. It is in the nature ofmedical claims to come in late for attention when theservices exacted and cheerfully rendered in a time of straincannot well be realised. We commend this fact to theattention of the Relief Committee. It would be betterto postpone the settlement of these claims till thetown has recovered itself than to treat them lightlyand inadequately. Had the visitation been one of cholerainstead of typhoid fever there would have been no

question of properly rewarding medical men for work

involving special risk to their own lives as well as anenormous amount of care and skill. It would be difficultto exaggerate the value of the medical man in the time ofsuch a calamity and it will be hard if he is to be appraisedsuperficially as an ordinary creditor. ’

THE ECONOMIC AND HYGIENIC DISPOSAL OFCONDEMNED MEAT AND ANIMAL CARCASSES.

THE satisfactory disposal of offensive matters is one ofthose troublesome problems with which medical officers ofhealth, sanitary authorities, and others are constantly con-fronted. Cremation is expensive and it yields no returnexcept a practically valueless mineral residue. The sub-

ject is one of the first importance to the health of the come >

munity since with the increasing quantity of animal foodconsumed by an ever-increasing population the amount ofwaste and loss must expand in the same proportion. The

question has been taken up seriously by the healthauthorities of the city of Nottingham, who a short timeago appointed a deputation to visit the working of an

apparatus in Essen in Germany, where three machine5were stated to be in full work in the well-appointedpublic abattoirs of that town. The apparatus referred tois known as the Otte apparatus and consists essentiallyof a big jacketed cylinder in which animal refuse,carcasses, flesh, and other organic materials are reducedoy means of superheated steam. Attached to this

evolving cylinder are receivers for containing the fattnd gelatin separated during the process. The residualibrous mass affords an excellent manure after it has beenlesiccated. The fat commands a fair price and the gelatin,kc., can be used for making size but not, it appears, for;lue. The dried residue, it is said, makes also wholesomemd rich food for pigs and poultry. There is no perceptibleimell or offence connected with these operations. Itwould appear therefore that the process has a busi-iess value apart from the hygienic function whicht apparently carries out effectually.. The medical officerf health of Nottingham, Dr. Philip Boobbyer, has drawntp an interesting and valuable report upon the results.vitnessed at Esen. It is remarked in this report that whilehe members of the deputation cannot but feel that the Otte,pparatus is one of great value for the means it affords of-

lisposing innocuously and profitably of material which