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PROGRESS

FOR several years the New York Academy of Medicinehas organised lectures to the laity on various subjectsand they have now published those which were deliveredin 1938 and 1939 (The March of Medicine. HumphreyMilford, Oxford University Press. Pp. 168. 13s. 6d.).The subjects chosen have an interest for any citizenwho is concerned to know something of the progress ofmedicine from its early beginnings in witchcraft andmagic to its present scientific outlook. All were deliveredby distinguished speakers. The later chapters dealwith the romance of modern surgery, the story of in-sanity, and the hard lot of psychiatry which is designated,perhaps with a touch of morbid self-pity, as the Cinder-ella of medicine. In the earlier chapters, Dr. WalterC. Alvarez of the Mayo Clinic deals with the connexionbetween traditional folklore and modern medicine andDr. S. V. Larkey, the librarian of the Welch Libraryat the Johns Hopkins University, contributes an articleon health in Elizabethan England, in which he tracesthe beginnings of the conscious struggle to improvethe public health. The Elizabethans were far from beingas careless about cleanliness and sanitation as we areapt to fancy. A commission on sewers was appointedas early as the fifteenth century, and there were penaltiesfor polluting streams ; brewers and tanners were

required to use cesspools. Overcrowding was recognisedas a cause of epidemics ; Elizabeth, in 1580, proclaimedthat " where there are such great multitudes of peoplebrought to inhabit in small rooms " it must follow thata plague or popular sickness would " spread itself andinvade the whole city and confines, as great mortalityshould ensue to the same " ; and she forbade the build-ing of any new houses in the London area, or the sub-dividing of existing houses into tenements. Dr. Larkeygives an account of St. Bartholomew’s Hospital at thistime. It had been revived, after the Reformation, bythe City of London with the aid of a grant from HenryVIII and was directed by a board of governors. Thesisters were under the charge of a matron ; they werenot allowed in the.wards after 7 P.M. in summer and9 P.M. in winter, and were charged to avoid light, wantonand foolish words, and to detest scolding and drunken-ness. The beadles in their walks through the city wereto be on the look-out for sick persons and report themto the almoner so that provision could be made for them ;and they were to see that former patients were notbegging in the streets. Dr. C. K. Drinker, professor ofphysiology at Harvard, bases a lecture on the diary ofhis great-great-grandmother, Elizabeth Drinker, livingin the Philadelphia of the last half of the eighteenthcentury. She was a Lady Bountiful, treating the minorillnesses of her friends and dependents with energy andconfidence. Some of her recipes, though based onaccepted practice at the time, appear sufficientlyperilous in retrospect. To a bruised foot on which theskin was broken she says " I apply’d a cataplasm ofcow-dung-which I hope will not hurt it." A verybad stye she cured with " rotton appel " and when" our Thomas " ran a nail in his arm she remarks "I

have dressed it with Rabits fat, it does not appear badbut ’tis best to take care." This sort of thing makesone wonder whether posterity will gasp and shake theirheads over our temerity with the drugs and cataplasmsof our own day.

Medical News

University of LeedsAt recent examinations the following were successful :-

M.D.

C. L. Davidson (with distinction).FINAL EXA2vHNA.TION FOR M.B., CH.B.

Part II.-J. Dawson (second-class honours) ; Jc A. Aylwin, N. K.Barber, Katharine M. Barran, Elizabeth Bate, J. H. G. Brodribb,G. H. Cooper, D. M. Davies, N. S. Daw, Beatrice M. Downie, J.Firth, K. 1. Heap, A. G. Hick, G. B. Hirst, J. R. MacLeod, J. S.Mather, R. Morley, R. G. Paley, D. L. Shaw, L. M. Sherwood, A. A.Smith, G. Snowden, T. W. Sutherland, R. Varley, and M. G. Wilson.

King’s College, LondonThe new session of the faculty of medical science of this

college, located until lately at Glasgow, will open at themedical school of the University of Birmingham on Oct. 9.

CasualtiesThe following casualties are reported :—

Wounded.-Surgeon Lieut.-Commander D. P. Gurd, M.B.Belf.,R.N.

Missing.—Surgeon Lieutenant F. H. Williams, L.M.S.S.A., P.1.Prisoners ofWar.-BV.S. Captain J. C. Cameron, M.B., R.A.M.C.;

Major B. B. Hosford, M.D.Lond., R.A.M.C.; Lieutenant D. G.Howatson, M.R.C.S., R.A.M.C. ; Lieutenant A. R. T. Lundie, M.B.St. And., R.A.M.C., and Lieutenant F. R. R. Martin, F.R.C.S.,R.A.M.C.

Queen’s Hospital, BirminghamOn the recommendation of the casualty hospital sub-

committee the Birmingham Hospitals Council has decidedthat Queen’s Hospital shall be used as a fracture and trau-matic hospital and rehabilitation centre. The subcommitteeconsider that 280 beds are needed, and in the first instance110 will be provided. The hospital will be managed by anindependent board.A.R.P. EtceterasThe Ministry of Home Security has announced that the

larger public air-raid shelters are to be fitted with tiers ofbunks, and that chemical closets and drinking water are alsoto be provided. Millions of earplugs are to be distributedto civilians. This programme will first be put into effect inLondon.

Messrs. ALLEN and HANBUBYS have put on the market asterile non-adherent medicated gauze called Nonad Tulle.It is impregnated with balsam of Peru and vitamins A and Din petroleum jelly. It is available in boxes of 10 pieces4 x 4 in.

AppointmentsBAKER, J. K., B.A. Camb., M.R.C.S. : senior house-officer at the

Mount Vernon Hospital, Northwood.BOND, S. A., M.B.Glasg.: res. asst. M.O. at Mayday Hospital,

Croydon.DiCKsoN, A. M., M.B.Manc. : res. asst. S.O. at Withington Hos-

pital, Manchester.DINGLE, W. T., M.D.Manitoba, M.R.C.O.G., res. asst. M.O. at

Southlands Hospital (E.M.S.), Shoreham-by-Sea.GLASSMAN, MORRIS, M.D.Toronto: R.S.O. at the Royal South

Hants and Southampton Hospital.JANDA, G. S., M.D. Pennsylvania, F.R.C.S.E. : outpatient M.O. at

the Manchester Royal Eye Hospital.MCEIROY, J. R., M.B.Dubl. : R.S.O. at the Emergency Hospital

Gosport.MCMENEMEY, W. H., D.M.Oxfd, M.R.C.P., D.P.M. : pathologist

to Worcester Royal Infirmary.MARTIN, R. A., M.B.Manc.: res. asst. M.O. at Withington

Hospital, Manchester.MOUNSEY, J. M., M.B. Dubl.: temp. asst. school M.O. Northampton.PHILLIPS, A. L., M.B. Camb. : senior R.M.O. at the Victoria Hospital

for Children, Chelsea.SPRlNGFORD, W. E., M.B. Lond. : R.S.O. at the Kent and Sussex

Hospital, Tunbridge Wells.WILMAMSON, H. C., M.B. Belf., D.P.H. : asst. M.O.H. for Oldbury.

Births, Marriages and DeathsBIRTHS

DONALDSON CRAIG.—On Sept. 19, at Gerrard’s Cross, the wife ofFlying-Officer J. Donaldson Craig, M.B., R.A.F.V.R.-a adaughter.

GREEN.-On Sept. 20, at Windsor, the wife of Mr. T. AnthonyGreen, F.R.C.S.—a son.

MARRIAGES ,

EXELL—PIÉJUS.—On Sept. 15, at Southgate, Clifford Exell, B.M.,to Margaret Joan Piejus.

HILL—RICHARDS-ORPEN.—On Aug. 31, at Killanne, Co. Wexford,Edward Parkinson Hill, M.D., A.M.S., to Charmain DorcasRichards-Orpen.

JACOBS—MCCLEMENTS.—On Sept. 19, at Roslin, Midlothian, JoshuaJames Morris Jacobs, M.B., Major R.A.M.C., to Betty ParkerMcClements, M.B.

NOSWORTRY—BARRETT.—On Sept. 21, at Epsom, Michael Nos-worthy, M.D., to Alison Barrett.

PAULI—O’DONOHOE.—On Sept. 16, at the Pro-Cathedral, Bristol,Churton Henry Pauli, M.R.C.S., Major R.A.M.C., to MonicaO’Donohoe, M.B.

DEATHSDODDS-PARKER.—On Sept. 22, A. P. Dodds-Parker, M.B.Oxfd,

F.R.C.S., of 5, Canterbury Road, Oxford.FENTON.—On Sept. 20, at Douglas, Isle of Man, Arthur Wellington

Fenton, M.D. Dubl.GROSVENOR.—Randolph Lea Grosvenor, M.R.C.S., killed, due

to enemy action.HARDWICKE.—On Sept. 16, at St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington,

Edwin Cecil Hardwicke, M.B. Camb., late of Woolpit, Suffolk.JAMIESON.—Alexander Jamieson, M.D. Aberd., killed as a result

of an air-raid.LENNON.—On Sept. 10, at Enfield, co. Meath, Edward Emanuel

Lennon, F.R.C.P.I.WALE.-On Sept. 24, George Wale, M.R.C.S., D.P.H., late of

Croydon, aged 82.