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and gastric and intestinal pains. The flesh of over-driven

cattle may prove poisonous from the same cause. Liebig,for example, mentioned a case in which the flesh of a

roebuck, which had struggled violently after having beencaught in a snare, gave rise to symptoms of poisoning whenpartaken of. Again, fatal results ensued when pigs were fedupon the flesh of a horse which had died during its struggleswhen being broken in. This curious formation of poisonousp-oducts in the flesh of animals through a state of terror orexhaustion is a question well worth considering in relationto the wholesomeness of animal foods and emphasises theimportance of slaying animals intended for food in the mosthumane way and without inducing terror or fatigue.

THE ALVARENGA PRIZE OF THE COLLEGE OFPHYSICIANS OF PHILADELPHIA.

THE College of Physicians of Philadelphia announce thatthe next award of the Alvarenga Prize, being the income forone year of the bequest of the late Senor Alvarenga andamounting to about 180 dollars, will be made on July 14th,1901, provided that an essay deemed by the committee ofaward to be worthy of the prize shall have been offered.

Essays intended for competition may be upon any subjectin medicine, but must not have been published and mustbe received by the secretary of the College on or before

May lst, 1901. Each essay must also be sent withoutsignature, be plainly marked with a motto, and be accom-panied by a sealed envelope having on its outside the mottoof the, paper and within the name and address of the author.It is a condition of competition that the successful essay ora copy of it shall remain in the possession of the College ;other essays will be returned upon application within threemonths after the award. The Alvarenga Prize for 1900 hasbeen awarded to Dr. David De Beck of Cincinnati, Ohio, forhis essay entitled " Malarial Diseases of the Eye."

THE GENERAL ELECTION.

THE General Election has now (with one exception)decided who are and who are not to represent the countryin Parliament, and we have to congratulate the followingmembers of our profession upon their election :-R.

Ambrose, L.R.C.P. &, S. Edin. (Mayo West) ; John Dillon,L.R.C.S.Irel. (Mayo East) ; Sir R. B. Finlay, Q.C., whowas at one time a medical practitioner (Inverness Burghs) ;R. Farquharson, M.D. Edin. (Aberdeenshire) ; Sir M. Foster,K.C.B., M.D. Lond. (London University) ; Sir W. Foster,M.D. Erlang., F.R.C.P. Lond. (Derbyshire, Ilkeston) ;F. Rutherford Harris, L.R.C.S. Edin. (Monmouth District) ;M. A. MacDonnell, M.D. R.U.I. (Queen’s Co., Leix) ;R. J. Price, M.R.C.S. Eng., who, like Sir R. B. Finlay, longsince deserted the profession of medicine for that of the law(Norfolk East) ; G(Mid Cork); and Sir J. Batty Tuke, M.D. Edin. (Edinburghand St. Andrews Universities). With the exceptionof Mr. Rutherford Harris, whose connexion with theBritish South Africa Company is well known, allthese gentlemen were members of the precedingHouse of Commons. Sir Charles Cameron, we regret,did not seek re-election at the hands of his Glasgowconstituents. The following medical candidates were

defeated: G. B. Clark, M.D., F.R.C.S. Edin. ; J. Court,L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.C.S. Eng.; A. Conan Doyle, M.D. Edin.,J. F. Fox, M.D. Univ. Cincinnati, F.R.C.P. Kingston,Canada ; A. P. Hillier, M.D. Edin. ; J. King Kerr,M.D. R,U.I.; Chas. O’Neill, M.D. R.U.I.; V. H. Ruther-ford, M.B. Cantab., L.R.C.P. & S. Edin. ; E. C. Thompson,M.B. T.C.D., F.R C,S. Irel., and Sir George Pilkington,M.R.C.S. Eng., L.S.A. Of these Dr. Clark, Dr. Fox, and

Sir George Pilkington sought re-election. Mr. Marshall

Hall, Q.C., who has been returned for the Southportdivision of Lancashire, defeating Sir G. Pilkington, is a

son of the late Dr. Alfred Hall of Brighton who attendedthe late Mr. Wakley, M.P., the Founder of THE LANCET.

BACTERIOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS AND ITS RESULTS.

THE Islington Vestry has set a good example to othervestries in offering to examine the sputum and blood of

persons suspected to be suffering from diphtheria, phthisis,and enteric fever. In the second quarter of this year in 57instances medical practitioners availed themselves of this

valuable offer. The results are interesting. In regard todiphtheria 19 examinations were made, of which eightresulted in a positive diagnosis and 11 in a negative ; in

regard to enteric fever, the blood of 21 persons was

examined, in four cases it gave positive results and in

17 negative ; in regard to phthisis, the sputum was examinedin 17 instances and the bacilli were discovered in onlyseven specimens. The medical officer of health gives thefigures of the Jenner Institute for each of these diseasesin the examinations since 1898. Of 171 cases suspected ofdiphtheria the results were negative in 95. Of 161 cases of

supposed enteric fever 93 were negative ; of 127 cases

examined for tubercle 70 were negative. The public pro-vision made by the Islington Vestry follows logically fromthe Notification and Isolation Acts and will be much

appreciated by the profession until bacteriological work is

simplified. -

AT the funeral of the late Mr. J. F. France, formerlyophthalmic surgeon to Guy’s Hospital, whose death weannounced last week, the Royal Medical Benevolent Collegewas represented by Dr. C. Holman, the treasurer, and Mr.J. Bernard Lamb, the secretary, while the Royal Asylum ofSt. Anne’s Society was represented by Captain R. H. Evans,the secretary. The late Mr. France founded nine perpetualpresentations for female orphans of medical men, these

presentations being held as foundation scholarships at theschool of St. Anne’s Society, the election of the founda-tioners being entrusted by deed to the Council of EpsomCollege.

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THE first meeting of the session 1900-1901 of the Odonto-logical Society of Great Britain will be held at 20, Hanover-square, W., on Monday, Oct. 22nd, when the President,Mr. John Ackery, will deliver his inaugural address. Thechair will be taken at 8 P.M. Casual communications will

be given by Mr. Walter Harrison, on Abnormal Roots ; Mr.Sim Wallace, on Twisted Roots; and Mr. W. A. Rhodes, onthe Mechanical Treatment of Superior Protrusion. Mr. A. E.Baker will show and present to the museum some interestingold operating instruments. -

THE death is announced, at the age of 61 years, of Dr.David Young, formerly resident in the Via Venti Settembre,Rome. The deceased was M. D. of the University of Aberdeen

and a Fellow of the University of Bombay and also Examinerin Midwifery. For some years he was, in addition, Professor

. of Botany at Grant Medical Oollege. He was the authorof a work upon Italian climatology called Rome in Winter

, and the Tuscan Hills in Summer."

, AT the opening meeting of the Cardiff Medical Society,

held on Oct. 12th, Dr. Edward Walford read his presidential,

address upon Reforms in the Procedure of Death Certifica-

, tion. Dr. W. G. Savage gave some interesting details of the

- methods which were adopted in the bacterioscopic examina-,

tions conducted in connexion with the fatal case of plaguewhich recently occurred in the Cardiff Sanatorium.

-

1 THE medical service in state at St. Paul’s Cathedral under

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the auspices of the Guild of St. Luke was held on Oct. 17th.The Bishop of Rochester preached the sermon and theLondon Gregorian Choral Association-the choir consistingof 300 voices-rendered the musical part of the service ina most impressive manner._

WE regret to learn that Professor A. W. Hughes of King’sCollege, chief superintendent of the Welsh Hospital, nowreturning home on board the Saxon, is suffering from anattack of enteric fever. He is reported to be progressingfavourably. -

ON the occasion of the Annual Public Night of theMedical Society of University College, London, held in theCollege on Wednesday evening last, an interesting addresswas given by Dr. Judson S. Bury on Bias in ClinicalMedicine.

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THE London County Council have issued a circular drawnup by Mr. James Cantlie upon the signs and symptoms ofplague for the use of metropolitan medical practitioners.We shall notice this circular at length next week.

A REUTER’S telegram of Oct. 9th from Brisbane statesthat a fresh case of plague has occurred there.

THE WAR IN SOUTH AFRICA.

WE are still compelled to speak of the war in South

Africa, although it cannot any longer be properly called so,for it has degenerated into a species of what was termedin the last Burmese war, dacoity. The remains of the

.dispersed Boer forces, aided and abetted by a friendly and-sympathetic Boer population, continue to make raids in

various directions, to wreck trains and interrupt communica-tions, and to do everything in their power to harass the

British forces. The extent of territory conquered and

occupied by the Queen’s troops, the nature of the country,the length of the railway and telegraphic communica-tions, and a disaffected population, all lend themselvesto operations of this irregular kind. The news duringthe past week is indicative of a recrudescence of.a feverish activity on the part of the enemy. LordRoberts has postponed his own departure and has delayedthat of some of the colonial troops until things shall haveassumed a more settled and satisfactory aspect. However

.annoying the present state of things may be it cannot besaid to have been unexpected, and the situation has to befaced and overcome. While enteric fever has become farless prevalent than it was there is still a good deal of

dysentery-happily of the mild catarrhal and more easilytreated form, as a rule-among the troops in the field. The

.army, as a whole, however, is healthy and in excellentspirits. Lord and Lady Roberts inspected the LangmanHospital at Pretoria on Oct. 19th. Transports with invalidsfrom the seat of war are frequently arriving in this country,.and, as a rule, the health of the sick and wounded has been.greatly benefited by the voyage.

the Boer prisoners at St. Helena are healthy. Very fewof them are in hospital at the present time. Among thedeaths that have recently occurred three have been fromtuberculosis.When the history of this war comes to be written the very

gallant and plucky defence made by a small force of colonial,troops shut up at Elands river camp, Brackfontein, will formone of its brightest pages. Not only is that the opinion,of those acquainted with all of the circumstances but thecorrectness of their judgment has been since ratified and.corroborated by Lord Roberts himself in highly appreciativeterms. A brief statement of the facts is well worthyof being put on record. The force, composed of Australiansand Rhodesians, consisted of 22 officers , and 480 menunder the command of Colonel Hore. They had withthem one small 7-pounder muzzle-loader gun (for which,.there were only 100 rounds of ammunition) and two Maxims

and a large quantity of provisions and stores. It appearsthat the small garrison held a smoking concert in camp onthe night of Aug. 3rd. Early on the following morning thetroops were awakened by the bursting of shells in their camp,which covered about Jour acres on a kopje, and they soonfound themselves in a very tight place as they were

surrounded by a Boer force estimated at 3000 underthe command of Delarey. The only medical officer

present with the besieged garrison was Captain Albert Duka,Army Medical Corps, Queensland Defence Force, who hadvolunteered and had been selected to accompany the Austra-lian contingent to the seat of war. We are indebted tohis father, Surgeon-Lieutenant-Colonel Duka, a retired officerof the Indian Medical Service, for the opportunity of readinga communication from his son written from Mafeking,whither he had proceeded after the relief of the besiegedgarrison at Elands river. We cannot do better thanadhere closely to the interesting description of the siegegiven in this communication. Captain Duka’s expe-rience of the war was probably unique. The shellingof the camp began on the morning of August 4th and wenton all day. There were 32 casualties, nearly all of which(26) were severe shell-wounds. He was told that there were1800’shells sent in on that day and 700 on the next ; then,either because the Boers were running short of ammunitionor because the fighting part of the garrison were disappear-ing underground, the Boer fire became less lively, althoughnot a single man could move across the square and show hishead across the breastwork without having a large number ofbullets fired at him. This sort of thing went on for 12 days,when Lord Kitchener arrived with his division. The Boersevidently knew that he was coming and they withdrew theirguns two days before, but kept the besieged quiet by sniping.Captain Duka adds that he had no one to assist him who hadhad any previous training. His hospital consisted of threeambulance wagons and a small four-feet high parapet formedof biscuit boxes round two sides of it. After the second dayof the siege, and when the men could be spared for the work,which was all done at night, this parapet was raised anothertwo feet and strengthened by earth and stones thrown up atthe back of the biscuit boxes. He had over 70 casualtiesaltogether, five men being wounded in hospital a second tmeby shells bursting inside it. All the wagons were muchknocked about, but Captain Duka fortunately escaped beinghurt and was able to carry on his work throughout. Therewere 73 killed and wounded (51 whites and 22 natives).The great majority, 65 per cent., of the woundswere from shells, and he performed three amputationsand had 48 other operations, such as the extractionof bullets, fragments of shell, &.c. It must have been verygratifying to this medical officer to find himself on the dayafter the relief of the garrison presented by the men withthe only new pipe in the camp with an inscription cut on thebowl of it and to have heard their cheers in token of theirsense of the work which he had done. Nearly all the horsesand cattle belonging to the force were killed during the siege.General Carrington, it will be remembered, had previouslyproceeded to the relief of the very hard-pressed garrisonbut had been unable to achieve his object. As indicativeof the topographical and other difficulties of the countryCaptain Duka remarks, ia propos of the attempts to surroundDe Wet: "In the country we are in it is no wonder thatthe generals cannot catch De Wet and others, as

there are any amount of parallel, or nearly parallel,valleys. One day a patrol of 70 men was out; theBoers knew where we were going and sent 200 men ofDelarey’s force with a quick-firing gun to catch us, but wecarne back by another road and although it was only twomiles off as the crow flies they either did not know we werepassing or could not get at us." It is not hard under suchconditions to realise the ease with which the Boers, whoknow every inch of the country, can elude us. Again,"The reason why convoys are lost is because too fewmen are in charge, or, as in our case, mountedtroops without guns are left to take care oflarge stores, and although they may manage to keepthe post and stores they become practically useless as

their horses are destroyed and their mobility lost." In thecase of the Elands river the difficulty of the defence, hadthe siege been prolonged, would have been want of water.There was an ample supply of stores with the force and itwas the anticipated capture of these no doubt that led tothe attack being made. The Boers never risk fighting in theopen if they can help it, but usually keep at a long distance