1251

EDINBURGH.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THE HEALTH OF CITY CHILDREN.

DR. J. B. RUSSELL of Glasgow, medical officer of healthfor that city, addressed a crowded audience last Saturday on"The Children of the City: what can we do for them ?" Hespoke in the first place of the crowded state of our citiesand the tendency to rural depopulation, showing that inthe last twenty-five years the town population in Englandhas grown from 63 per cent. of the whole population to68 per cent., and in Scotland from 61 per cent. to 69 percent. This increased proportion is not fully explained bythe more rapid rate of natural growth of population intowns, but is due to a large extent to a drafting in fromrural districts of immigrants whose native robustness ofconstitution loses considerably by the transference. Re-ferring to the conditions of city life which at present obtain,Dr. Russell commented on the general absence of openspaces and playgrounds, or of anything that makes a citylook as though intended as a rearing-place for children.The modern idea of city life seemed to be to crowd togetherthe adults as closely as they could be packed, and shake thechildren down into the chinks. Speaking of the vicioustendency exerted upon children by insanitation, parentaldelinquencies, and want of open space, he laid special stresson the desirability of providing playgrounds for theirphysical development and mental recreation. A child isimpelled to play by a ceaseless natural instinct tending toits good, and not by the devil, as the landlord and policemantoo often seem to think. He put these matters strongly tothe artisan classes, who are the chief sufferers from theevils produced, and urged them to press these matters uponthe attention of their municipal and Parliamentary repre-sentatives ; and in the provision of spaces in cities for thepurposes of recreation to see to it that the flower-bed didnot too much encroach on space set apart for yet moreimportant ends.

LORD WEMYSS ON UNIVERSITY REFORM.

On Monday a very influential gathering of Edinburghgraduates took place in the Royal Hotel at the annual

general meeting of the Association of the General Councilof the University of Edinburgh. Lord Wemyss, the Pre-sident of the Association, occupied the chair, and gave aninteresting address on the present phase of the question ofUniversity reform. He referred to the condition of ScottishUniversities prior to reforms in which he had taken a warminterest from 1853 to 1858, and he sketched the rapid andextraordinary advances that have been made since the

passing of the last Universities Bill in the latter year,referring to the increase in the number of professorialchairs, and to the amount of special University funds,endowments, &c., which have increased from .661,000 toover £300,000 in the last twenty-five years. That increasespeaks well for the administration of these funds whilesolelyin the hands of the Senatus; and on that accountLord Wemyss urged care and caution in the work of theAssociation, that it may result in reform, not in revolution.At the same time, it was evident that the graduates, num-bering over 5000, should have some more direct influence inmanaging University matters than is at present the case. TheGeneral Council, theirrepresentative body, must have a greatervoice than now in University government-to that principlehe was fully committed,-but he was not quite prepared tosay how far it should be extended. These remarks he madein the interests of the University above all. Nothing wouldbe more unfortunate than that this should become a questionof faction ; and that success in obtaining their object, rightthough it were, should be looked on as a party victory. He

hoped to see both sides agreeing to a reasonable solution ofthe matter in the best interests of all. The annual reportof the Association was afterwards read. It was of an

encouraging nature, and shows that the views of the Edin-burgh and Glasgow Associations have been brought pro-minently before those interested in the matter, and thatthere is a greatly increased general feeling favourable to thEline of action they have taken. Lord Wemyss has beerelected President of the Association for the coming yearand Sir Risdon Bennett and Mr. R. W. Cochran-Patrick vice-

presidents for the same period. On the motion of Dr. HeronWatson a committee was appointed to take charge of theinterests of the Association in any legislation which may takeplace in regard to the Scottish Universities.

THE COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS’ LABORATORY.

The proposal made two years ago, and which has beenunder discussion twice since then, that a new experimentalpathological laboratory should be established by the Collegeof Physicians, seems at length to have a near prospect ofconsummation. A committee of the Fellows reportednearly a year ago as to the requirements of such an insti-tution, and their suggestions, which are of a wise and

practical character, will, if carried out, confer a consider-able benefit upon the medical practitioners of Edinburgh.The object of the laboratory is to supply would-be wcrkersin scientific subjects connected with medicine with facilitiesfor carrying on original research in connexion with anyinteresting cases which occur in their practice or in dis-pensary work. The laboratory, which is to have a centralsituation, will be under the charge of a competent custodian,well trained in technical work, and ready to assist in, or toprepare materials for, any researches which may be in courseof prosecution. A fine set of scientific apparatus for histo-logical, physiological, and pathological investigations is alsoto be at the disposal of workers in the laboratory. TheRoyal College of Physicians have already conferred anincalculable boon on the Scottish medical world by thegenerous way in which their library is conducted and thecare with which it is constantly kept up to date and main-tained in a high degree of practical usefulness, and theycertainly can find no better or more acceptable way ofextending the useful work they are in a position to carryon than by establishing a laboratory such as that now aboutto take up an objective existence.

THE CHRISTMAS RECESS.

The lectures in the Edinburgh School closed on Wednes-day, Dec. 22nd, and are to recommence on that day fo rt nightEdinburgh, Dec. 32nd.

BELFAST.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THE ULSTER HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.

A SALE of work, promoted on behalf of the funds of theabove institution, was held on Dec. 9th and 10th. In con-

sequence of the lease of the hospital buildings falling in, itbecame necessary for the executive to make internal altera-tions and improvements, the cost of which amounted to.E300, and to defray this sum the bazaar was organised, thesame ladies who had undertaken the arrangements on aformer occasion again giving their services. The Presidentof Queen’s College (Rev. Dr. Porter) took the chair at theopening ceremony, and owing to the untiring exertions ofMrs. Porrer the fete was a great success, and a considerablesum has been realised for the benefit of the hospital.

THE THRONE HOSPITALS, BELFAST.

On Tuesday, Dec. 14tb, a large number of the friends ofthese charities assembled in the Throne Hospital to celebratethe first anniversary of the opening of the ConsumptionHospital. From the reports I gather that the hospital hasbeen opened since Dec. 19tb, 1885, and since then all thebeds have been continuously occupied, four for males andfour for females, the number of patients treated beingtwenty-five. The board of management regret sorely thattenfold more accommodation is needed, as the numberof applicants is out of all proportion to those admittedinto the hospital. The board is profoundly anxious thatMr. Green’s offer to build a new wing for consumptivepatients should be made practicable by the generosityof friends in providing the endowment of £15,000. Asthe effect of the endowment fund was to provide foronly six patients, it was moved that a subscription list beopened to meet the expenses of the two additional beds ;this, however, was rendered unnecessary by Mr. Greengiving another .E1000. All present spoke of Dr. Lindsay,the physician in charge of the Throne Consumption Hospital,in the warmest terms.