157

HEALTH OF THE CITy.—Dr. Letheby, in his last report, I,states that " the mortality returns for the week show a consi- ’,derable increase in the proportion of deaths, in consequence, nodoubt, of the severity of the cold weather. The total amountof deaths is 64, of which 18 were amongst young children ofless than 5 years of age, and 20 of 60 years and upwards. Thechief causes of death were diseases of the respiratory organs ofthe brain and nervous system ; 17 of the deaths are set down toconsumption, 9 to bronchitis, and 13 to disease of the nervoussystem. "

THE NEW ANÆTHETIC, AMYLENE.—This new agent forthe prevention of pain during surgical operations, was used forthe first time at the Bristol General Hospital, a few days since,with complete success. The operation was one well calculatedto test the powers of the drug, being Chopart’s amputation ofthe foot. The surgeons at the Bristol Hospital speak of theinsensibility to pain under amylene as being perfect, and saythat its anaesthetic effects are of shorter duration than those ofchloroform.MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-This evening, a paper

will be read by George Ross, Esq., on the " Secondary Erup-tion following Vaccination."DR. LIVINGSTONE.-It has been determined by the

Town Council of Glasgow to present Dr. Livingstone with thefreedom of that town.ANOTHER ALLEGED PALMERER CASF.—Dr. 0. C. Wood, of

Toronto, has been committed on the charge of having poisoneda wealthy landowner of the name of Cornell, to whom thedoctor owed large sums of money.ASSOCIATED SOCIETIES OF EDINBURGH UNIVERSITY.-

Sir John M’Neil and Lord John Russell have been nominatedto the presidency.SOUTHERN HOSPITAL, LIVERPOOL.—PURITY OF ELEC-

TION.-The election of two honorary surgeons in the place oftwo retiring took place recently. The committee of the insti-tution had previously determined that it should be conductedwithout canvassing, partly in consequence of an application tothat effect from several of the medical profession resident inLiverpool, who had held meetings on the subject. The planadopted was the following :-A voting paper was sent to eachsubscriber, with the names, qualifications, present or pastappointments, &c., of each candidate. This was to be returned tothe hospital by a certain day, with the initials of the subscriberopposite the names of those two he deemed most suitable.Canvassing, either personally or through the agency of others,would be considered to render the candidate ineligible, but hemight send printed copies of any testimonials he had receivedto each of the subscribers; this was in most cases done. Therewere nine candidates. The election, which excited a good dealof interest in the profession, resulted in Dr. Nottingham, ofRoscommon-street, and Mr. Robert Hamilton, of Great George-square, receiving the greatest number of votes. They weretherefore declared elected.CHOLERA IN INDIA.—Dr. Balfour, an able surgeon at

Madras, has just published a curious volume of reports oncholera. He started, some years ago, a theory that there weremany places exempt from the scourge. In Madras alone thereare thousands of villages which have never felt the visitation,though surrounded by infected districts. Minute lists are sup-plied, and each place is to be separately examined. At presentthe only facts known are that places in very exposed situations,or very well drained, are comparatively favoured.

SPIRITS.-Large quantities of whisky are being exportedfrom Scotland to France, and return to this country in theshape of brandy.

SUPPOSED POISONING BY A QUACK DOCTOR.-At an in-quest lately held at Belfast, a quack doctor was cautioned bythe coroner not to interfere with medicine again. He had givena draught to a woman suffering from delirium tremens. Thewoman died. The jury found the cause of her death " intem-perance." ’’

HEALTH OF LONDON DURING THE WEEK ENDING

SATURDAY, JAN. 31sT.-The deaths registered in the week thatended on Saturday were 1209, which is nearly the same as thenumber returned in the previous week. In the ten years 1847-56 the average number of deaths in the weeks correspondingwith last week was 1167 ; and if this is raised for the purposeof comparison, proportionally to increase of population, it willbecome 1284. The rate of mortality that now rules is not highas compared with that of previous seasons, although it has

lately shown that tendency to increase which is to be expected

at a period of the year usually the most fatal to human life.The deaths caused by diseases of the respiratory organs werelast week 288, being rather less than a fourth part of the totalnumber returned. The average rate of mortality from thisclass of diseases at this season would have produced nearly thesame number. The number referred to bronchitis in the pre-sent return is 166, which exceeds the average, and is double thenumber referred to pneumonia. Seventy-three of the deathscaused by bronchitis occurred to persons who were 60 years oldor more, whilst 70 of the 84 from pneumonia occurred tochildren. Phthisis, which is not included in the above class,was fatal to 146 persons (being almost the same as the correctedaverage) ; and of these, 107 died in that period of life whichextends from 20 to 60 years. Hooping-cough is at presentdecidedly the most fatal disease included in the zymotic class;57 children died of it, whilst 29 died of scarlatina, and 28 per-sons at various ages of typhus and common fever.

Births, Marriages, and Deaths.BIRTHS.—On the 15th of Dec., at Alexandria, Egypt, the

wife of J. F. Ogilvie, M.D., of a son.On the 5th ult., at Finsbury-square, the wife of H. Jeaffreson,

M.D., of a son.On the 17th inst., the wife of J. F. France, Esq., F.R.C.S.,

of Bloomsbury-square and Guy’s Hospital, of a son.On the 22nd ult., at Wolverhampton, the wife of J. Topham,

M.D., of a son. ____

MARRIAGES.—On the 3rd ult., at St. Dunstan’s, Stepney,Thomas Poole Collier, Esq., F.R.C.S., of Worship-street, Fins-bury, to Sarah Anne, eldest daughter of L. B. Harris, Esq.,of Mile-end-green,On the 22nd ult., at St. John’s Church, Broughton, John

Wycliffe Goodwin, M.D., of Norwich, to Frances Emma, eldestdaughter of J. Peel, Esq., Singleton Brook, Manchester.

DEATHS. —On the 4th inst., Arthur Charles Augustus, thebeloved child of Dr. Hale.On the 28th inst., at his residence, Heath-green, near Birming-

ham, Samuel Holmden Amphlett, Esq., surgeon to the Bir-mingham General Hospital, aged 44.On the 31st ult., at Boulogne-sur-Mer, Edward Croasdaile,

M.D., aged 77. __ _____

MEDICAL DIARY OF THE WEEK.

ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL. - Operations,

2p.M. ROYAL ORTHOPŒDic HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2L P.M.GuY’s HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION.-3 P.M. Prof. Huxley, " On

{ the Senses."

ROYAL MEDICAL AND CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY OFLONDON.—8½ P.M.(ST. MARY’S HosPITAL.-Operations, 1 a2.UNIVEBSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL. - Operations,

2 P.M.ROYAL ORTHOPŒDIC HOSPITAL. - Operations, 36P.M. HUNTERIAN SOCIETY. - 7 P.M. Annual Meeting

and Election of Officers.—8 P.M. Oration.NORTH LONDON MEDICAL SOCIETY. - 8 P.M.Election of Ofllcers and Oration.

LETHNOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—8½ P.M.(MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.-Operations, 12½ P.M.

ST. GEORGE’S HOSPITAL,Operations, 1 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIA HOSPITAL. -*Operations, 1 P.M.

LONDON HOSPITAL.-Operations, 1½ P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION.-3 P.M. Prof. Tyndall, ″Onl Sound."rOPHTHALYIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS. - Opera-

’ tions, 10 A.M.

WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL. - Opera-J tions, 1½ P.M.

ROYAL INSTITUTION. - 8½ P.M. F. A. Malone,Esq., "On the Application of Light and Elee-tricity to the Production of Engravings-Photo-L galvanography "

(CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.—Operations, l2½ p.M.WESTMINSTER HosPITaL.—Operations, 1 P.M.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 p.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½

J P.M.

KiN&’s COLLEGE HOSPITAL.-Operations, 2 P.M.

ROYAL INSTITUTION.-3 P.M. Prof. Phillips, "Onthe Origin and Progress of Life on the Globe--

Fossil Plants."MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—8 P.M.