520

times seen. But even in its most intense form the localreaction excited by tuberculin never attains the propor-tions, nor does it present the same characteristics of formand duration, of true erysipelas. A single attack of thislatter disease effects a cure apparently more complete thanhas been noted in any one of the fifty patients of thecommittee. It should be remembered, however, thateven erysipelas never cures lupus. In none of the patientsof the committee has there been obtained a resultsuperior, or even equal, to that realised in the sametime by ordinary methods of treatment. Painful as theselatter are, they occasion less suffering than is entailed bythe fever consecutive to inoculation. M. Besnier thus sumsup :-" 1. In cutaneous tuberculosis in general, and moreparticularly in all the divers forms of lupus, the inoculationof Koch’s liquid is productive of a local reaction, theearliest effect of which is the temporary reduction of themorbid mass. Very appreciable in all the open’ varietiesof the lupus of Willan, this atrophic process becomes lessmarked in the ’closed’ varieties, and is still less in thedry, sclerotic, fibrous forms. The minimum result is seenin the lupus of Cazenove, all the varieties of which are dryand closed.’ In all these forms the beneficial effect may beconsiderably increased by the simultaneous employment ofany therapeutical measures which excite deep irritation ofthe lupus, or which convert it into the open’ variety. Inthe immense majority of cases the treatment, even whenpushed to tolerance, is incapable of curing; it is notsuperior, indeed it is not equal, to methods of treatment inactual use. 2. In every case without exception, how-ever feeble the dose injected, the local reaction cannot beevoked without the ephemeral fever, the intensity of whichcannot be predicted, but which, even with small doses,and with a single inoculation, may kill the patient.Even when the patient does not succumb, the toxinemay occasion grave persistent symptoms in relationmore particularly with the circulatory system, the brain, orthe kidneys, not to mention the awakening up into renewedactivity of tuberculous deposits which had hitherto laindormant. 3. Such being the case, I do not consider myself,nor do I deem any other physician, authorised to continuethese experiments with Koch’s liquid. In refusing to per-severe with the application of the method, I believe I amonly acting in conformity with the dictates of humanity,and with that respect for human life which is one of thenoblest characteristics of French medicine. " M. Hallopeaucontinued in the same strain, and gave it as his opinionthat, the therapeutical value of the liquid being at bestextremely limited, its employment is for the presentcontraindicated.

A Simple Treatment of Corneal Ulcers.M. Valude, one of the ophthalmic surgeons of the Quinze-

Vingts Eye Hospital, communicated to the Académie deMedecine on Feb. 10th a new method of treating thosetroublesome cases-ulcers of the cornea-so simple in itsapplication, and, according to its inventor, so successful inits results that it cannot fail to be generally adopted.Hitherto corneal ulcers complicated with hypopion have beentreated by puncture either by the knife or thermo-cautery,this operation having frequently to be repeated, and toooften leaving behind it opacities, if not actual staphyloma.For this unsatisfactory method M. Valude substitutes asimple dressing, consisting of a pad of salol gauze, which, witha moistened gauze bandage, effectually seals the eye andmaintains a certain amount of complcs8ion. Before beingapplied the eye is carefully disinfected. The dressing isnot renewed until after three or four days have elapsed,when the ulcer is found to be already healing, and thecollection of pus in the anterior chamber much diminished.M. Valude states that the cornea tends to regain its originaltransparency without any opacities. In corneal ulcers un-complicated by bypopion M. Valude, relying on his ex-perience of fifteen successful cases, asserts that this newtreatment is the treatment par exrellence.

Paris, Feb. 24th. _______________

BERLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Ifoc7b’s Method.AT a meeting of the Society for Internal Medicine on the

16th inst., Dr. Thorner, who has used Koch’s remedy sinceNov. 20th, gave a full account of his observations. He is

of opinion that there is no reason for trying to prevent itsuse in private practice, and that, on the contrary, it ishighly and even urgently desirable that it should be madeaccessible to all practitioners. He declared the entering oftubercle bacilli during the application of Koch’s methodinto the bloodvessels, and consequent general miliary tuber-culosis, to be an extremely rare occurrence. With referenceto experiments on animals, he made the new statement,that already existing miliary tuberculosis in animals can becured by Koch’s remedy, and that, during the injectionperiod, certain animals are immune against new inocula-tions with tubercle bacilli. The head of the medicaldepartment of the Prussian army and the Prussian Home-Minister have issued special regulations for the treatmentof tubercular soldiers and prisoners by Koch’s method..The former social democratic deputy Viereck has petitionedthe Reichstag to prohibit the use of Koch’s fluid as dan-gerous to the public welfare.

Professor Angerer.Professor Angerer of Munich has been appointed Nuss.

baum’s successor as professor of surgery there. He wa&born at Geisfeld in Bavaria in 1850, and studied surgeryunder Linhart at Wurzburg. He was assistant, first to-Linhart and then to Linhart’s successor, Bergmann. As a,special province he chose the study of coagulation of the-blood. He has been a university lecturer since 1879, first atWiirzburg and then in Munich. In 1872 Bergmann and hetogether wrote on the relation of ferment intoxication tosepticaemia. His other writings are reports on the Wurzburg;and Munich surgical hospitals, studies on the application ofsublimate, on the excision of joints, &c.

Professor von Helmholtz.The President of the French Republic has conferred the

Grand Officer’s Cross of the Legion of Honour on Professorvon Helmholtz.

German Death-rates for the tvee7,- ending the 7th inst.Aix-la Chapelle, 23.4 per 1000; Altona,30’8; Barmen, 15’5;

Berlin, 17’5 ; Bremen, 15’3 ; Breslau, 25’4 ; Chemnitz, 26-3;.Cologne, 23’6; Dantzic, 24’4; Dresden, 15’3; Diisseldorf, 20;.Elberfield, 22’8; Frankfort, 14’2; Hamburg, with its suburbs,21-4; Hanover, 16-6; Königsberg, 21’7; Krefeld, 22-3;Leipsic, 19-5; Magdeburg, 21’6 ; Munich, 24’6; Nürnberg,19 ; Stettin, 28’6 ; Strasburg, 23’7; Stuttgart, 19’9.Berlin, Feb. 22nd.

_______________

CANADA.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Cattle Transport.THE evidence given before the Deputy Minister of Marine

at the inquiry held last month in Montreal disproved thevarious charges of heavy losses during transit, great sufferingof the cattle from cruelty, want of fresh air, and sufficientroom to permit of their lying down. A statement sub-mitted by the steamship companies showed the lossesduring the past ten years to be small indeed-in one line-being only 1 in 266. It was generally considered advisableto prohibit the shipping of deck loads after Nov. lst of eachyear, while some of the exporters were of opinion that-shipment in any manner might cease after that date. Theexporters, shippers, and employers were unanimous indisclaiming the acts of cruelty ; the cattle were as welltreated on the steamers as at the farms. An exporterwho has crossed some sixty times with the cattle hadnever witnessed an act of cruelty, but considered themen worse off than the cattle-a fact which receivedtestimony from several witnesses, the food being poor,and in some cases supplied in a pail which was usedfor watering the cattle ; the sleeping accommodationalso was bad. Mr. Baker, V.S , assistant to the chiefGovernment inspector, explained how the cattle were

inspected. First being seen at the stock yard, and if in goo&health a permit was given to load ; after being shipped aninspection was made chiefly with the view to ascertain thatsufficient space was allowed each animal, it being generallyagreed they should have thirty-two inches in warm andthirty inches in cold weather. The space permitted cattleto lie down and rise at will. The steamers on most of the lines.are now provided with steam fans and condensers, the,latter supplying twelve gallons per head of cold water everytwenty-four hours. The shipments last year were givenas 123,136 head of cattle and 43,372 sheep. The commis-

521

sioner, in concluding the inquiry, expressed the hope thatit would have the tffect of stopping legislation hostile toCanada, and in his opinion it would.

Examination for Personal Injuries.In an action to recover damages for personal injuries-

Reily v. City of London-caused by the alleged negligenceof the defendants, a motion by the defendant corporationfor an order directing the plaintiff to attend and submit toan examination of her person by medical experts chosen bythe defendants was decided recently by the Master-in-Ordinary sitting for the Master-in-Chambers, as follows :-"The application of the defendants in this case is to compelthe plaintiff to submit her person to an inspection and exami-nation by surgeons chosen by this Corporation, and subjecther to the contingency of being committed for contempt in- case of her refusal. By the common law, any unlawfulsetting upon or interference with another’a person is anassault (insultus), and therefore what the court is asked todo by the order desired by these defendants is to authorisethe surgeons nominated by the corporation to do what thecommon law forbids; for compelling the plaintiff to submit totheir tactual examination of her person against her willwould come within the definition of an assault. And ifsurgeons can be authorised-for there is no magic in thetitle of ’surgeon’-so may other persons, or even officers ofthe corporation. And if these defendants are entitled tothis compulsory exhibition and examination of the personof this plaintiff in such a way as these surgeons may deter-mine, it must follow that they have also the right to havea similar exhibition and examination made before a jury,for a jury are entitled to see as well as bear for themselves.And if one part of the person may be subjected to such anexamination, so may every part, and this judicial sanctionmight be given to an act trenching upon another rule oflaw governing exposure of the person. On no principle oflaw can acts which involve that which is forbidden by thecriminal law be authorised by the court. The motion musttherefore be refused, with costs to the plaintiff in anyevent."

Death-rates of Canadian Cities.The mortality returns of the principal cities of the

Dominion for the month of December are as follows:Quebec, 2-37; Halifax, 211; Montreal, 1-84; Toronto,35; Ottawa, 131; St. John (N.B.), 1-26; Victoria (B.C.),071 ; Winnipeg, 0-66. Referring to the medical healthofficer’s report of the city of Ottawa for 1890, a leadingdaily says the report records the fact that in one foundlinginstitution, out of 191 children 110 died, and adds : "Thisseems to be a wholesale baby farm." That something isradically wrong with the sanitary condition of Toronto isevidenced by the great increase in the totality of cases ofzymotic diseases. Quoting from the acting health officer’sreport, the figures are :—

Thereported cases during August, September, and Octoberof enteric fever were 500, while during the last quarter ofthe year diphtheria was more prevalent, and in July therecord showed scarlet fever as then most prevalent. Thereport further speaks of an "immense number" of ptivypits in use, and suggests their abolition in the more denselypopulated parts, substituting dry-earth closets therefor in

preference to waterclosets, as the latter plan "involves thedanger of contaminating our water-supply," and yet largequantities of excrement are poured daily into the bay fromthousands of waterclosets, and no voice is raised againstthe ever-increasing evil.

Koch’s Remedy.Several of the medical men who went to Berlin to study

the treatment of tuberculosis by Dr. Koch’s liquid, havereturned and given most interesting accounts of theirclinical experience, Dr. J. D. Thorburn reading a paperthereon before the Toronto Medical Society. ThroughProfessor Ramsay Wright, who is still in Berlin, a supplyof the liquid has been received and distributed to thehospitals of the province.

Training of Nurses.The commencement exercises of the Training School for

Nurses of the Toronto General Hospital were held on Jan.16th. The report of the lady superintendent stated that sinceits establishment in 1881 111 had qualified after a two

years’ course of training and at present there were fifty-two pupil nurses during the year. Over 400 applications foradmission were received. The excellent training receivedand high standard attained by the pupils are generallyrfcognisfd, and many are tilling important positions in theUnited States and Canada.

Death of Dr. 7’ohn Stervant.The death is announced at Kingston of Dr. John Stewart,

for many years dean of the Royal College of Physicians andSurgeons, Kingston, in the founding of which he took anactive part. Deceased was a native of Perthshire, Scotland,receiving his medical education in Edinburgh.Canada, Feb.

Medical News.UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.-At a congregation

held on Feb. 19th the following degrees were conferred:-Bachelors of Medicine and Surgery.—Alfred Waugh Metcalfe, Trinity ;Arthur Henry Bindloss, John Crossley Wright, St. John’s ; VictorGrey Molteno, Charles Rolfe, Clare ; Thomas Horace Haydon,Charles Howard Usher, Gonville and Caius ; Henry Sharland Pope,Cavendish Hostel.

ROYAL COLLEGES OF PHYSICIANS AND SURGEONS,IRELAND : CONJOINT EXAMINATION. -The following havepassed the February Supplemental Examination in Physics:

T. Cairns, R. Coffey, T. Conlon, J. Cormack, B. Coyle, W. Croly,G. Davidge, J. Davis, K. Delany, M. Delany, J. Dwyer, G. Fisher,J. Foley, M. Goodwin, H. Herriek, E. Hogan, T. Jordan, E.L’Estrange, H. Martin, J. Martin, E. lkloore, C. U’Gorman,T. Palmer(Mechanics), J. f!hera, J. Walsh, W. Whitla, F. Woods.

ARMY MEDICAL STAFF.-The following is the listof the successful candidates at the recent competitiveexamination for commissions in the Medical Staff of HerMajesty’s Army :-

INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.—The following is a listof the candidates for Her Majesty’s Indian Medical Servicewho were successful at the competitive examination held atBurlington House on Feb. 9th, 1891, when 59 candidatescompeted for 21 appointments, and 57 were reported qualified:

.SOCIETY OF APOTHECARIES OF LONDON.—Thefollowing candidates passed the Examination in Surgeryduring February:-

A. Allen, Charing-cross Hospital; H. Collier, Liverpool UniversityCollege and Middlesex Hospital; C. E. Cornwall, St. Bartholomew’sHospital; R. S. Freeland, L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., Guy’s Hospital ;A. G. Haydon. St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; C. G. Hutchinson,L.K.Q.C.P.I., Birmingham Queen’s College and Dublin ; G. Jones,M.A, Oxford and London Hospital; W. F. H. Newbery, M.D.,Trinity Medical College. Toronto ; J. H. Roberts, Guy’s Hospital;C. B. P. Spencer, Guy’s Hospital; R. D. Waghorn, WestmmsterHospital; F. C. Wood, L.S.A., London Hospital.

The fullowing candidates passed in the subjects indicated :—

D2cdice.ce, Forensic Medicine, and Midwifery—T. S. Byass, UniversityColleee ; H. Fairfax, Charing-cross Hospital; F. Lewis, St. Mary’sHospital; F- H. Lowe, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital; H. F. S.Nuues, St. Mark’s Hospital; C. B. P. Spencer, Guy’s Hospital;J. F. Twist, Queen’s College, Birmingham.

Medicine and Forensic medicine. - W. R. Thomas, M.D., McGill,Montreal, and London Hospital.

Medicine and Midzcifery.-W. R. Willey, St. Mary’s Hospital.1’oreosic Medicine.—W. R. Nicol, M.D., McGill, Montreal; W. E.Toyne, Sheffield and Edinburgh.

The following received the Diploma of the Society, havingpassed in all the subjects required for registration :-A. Allen, T. S. Byass, C. E. Cornwall, H. Fairfax, F. Lewis, F. H.Lowe, H. F. S. Nunes, C. B. P. Spencer, J. F. Twist.