1460 CYCLING AND MOTOR-CARS.-CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE SCHOOLS.

board the vessels was listened to with interest. All the

patients showed increased appetite, greater interest was shownin papers, magazines, and games, while more cheerfulnessand mental brightness seemed to prevail. During warm andpleasant weather the flaps of the tents were rolled up so thata free circulation of air was established, and the few patientswho remained in bed were practically out-of-doors. The

experiment of tent life for this class of the insane was, addsDr. Wright, an entire success. Several of the patients haveb3en closely observed since the breaking up of the oamp, andit was noted that some of them tended to relapse into theirformer habits. It is intended, says Dr. Wright, to openanother camp during the summer of 1903, for the same classof patients as well as a camp for convalescent patients.

CYCLING AND MOTOR-CARS.

ALTHOUGH cycling is still a popular pastime, yet there isdistinct evidence, we think, that it is not so universally orso vigorously pursued as it used to be a year or so ago.Possibly this is due to the counter attractions of golf andmotor riding. We rather incline to the view that the cyclistis being gradually driven from the road by the motor-carwhich all must agree has not made the road a pleasanterhighway. It is a common remark that cyclists take morefrequently to the by-roads than formerly because the high-roads have been almost monopolised by the motor-car.

The noise and dust and pace of the motor-car havetaken the poetry completely out of a ride on the

high-road. The risks of cycling have been enormouslyincreased and already a crop of accidents to eyelids has

been reported having their orgin in fast-driven motor cars.

The dust created is not only most unpleasant but also veryunhealthy for on any favourite high-road out of London thecondition created by the motor-cars is one of chronic dust

like a fog. All this doubtless the cyclist can avoid bytaking to the by-roads, but when on a tour these roads areoften not direct, while their surfaces may not be good andthere are no sign-posts or caution boards by the waysideto guide him. At night time the danger to the cyclistfrom motor-cars is considerably increased. Indeed, to many Icyclists the motor-car is a source of terror on the road, thetimid dismount as soon as they hear its rattle behind themand others, realising what awkward consequences mightensue from a false turn of the steering gear, give the motor-car the widest berth possible. Again, it is to be feared thatsome few motor drivers, knowing the terror which theyinspire and that they are masters of the situation, are deliber-ately discourteous and allow the smallest margin possible fora cyclist to pass. Is it then a matter for wonder that the

healthy and enjoyable pursuit of cycling should be some-

what on the decline ? But it is a pity that it is so and wecan only hope that impending legislation with regard to theregulation of motor-cars may not ignore the claims of thecyclists to consideration.

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THE LYMPHATICS OF THE URETERS.

DIFFERENCES of opinion exist in regard to the distributionof the lymphatics in the walls of the ureters, Krause, forexample, stating that the lymphatics form a superficial wide-meshed plexus of vessels in the mucous membrane and a

well-developed plexus in the submucosa. The vasa efferentiaor larger abducent ducts are situated in the tunica

adventitia. Sappey, on the other hand, remarks that in thehorse the lymphatics of the ureters arise exclusively in themuscular tunic. If the internal or mucous surface be

pricked no vessels appear, but as soon as the point of a

syringe charged with mercury penetrates the superficiallayer the mercury enters a system of capillaries whichforms a very distinct network extending with irregularmeshes throughout the whole length of the duct. The

subject has again been studied by Dr. K. Sakata, in

the Anatomical Institute of Breslau, and his conclu-

sions are that no plexus of lymphatic vessels can be

demonstrated by Gerola’s method of injection in the

mucous membrane or in the submucous tissue of the

ureter. Such a plexus is, however, to be found in the

muscular tunic and in the adventitia, where the vessels

are larger and run parallel to the blood-vessels. The

vasa efferentia are most conspicuous in the middle

portion of the ureter and pass to the lumbar glandswhich lie close to the aorta and vena cava inferior

and to the mesial side of the common iliac artery. The

lymphatics of the lower segment of the ureter terminate

either in the hypogastric glands or anastomose with the

lymphatics of the bladder. The lymphatics of the uppersegment only occasionally end in the glands that lie at somedistance at the side of the aorta ; in other instances theyjoin the lymphatics of the kidney. The lymphatic vesselswhich establish a connexion between those of the bladderand those of the kidney do not take a direct course betweenthese organs but either form afferent vessels running to

glands or join the lymphatics of the ureter. Coloured draw-

ings illustrating the above statements accompany the textwhich is to be fonnd in the number of the Arakiv ArAnatornie und Pltysiologie of Professors His and Engelmannfor March, 1903.

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CAMBRIDGE SCIENCE SCHOOLS.

THE large lecture room of the engineering laboratories’new wing at Cambridge was the scene of an interestingceremony on May llth when a bust of the late Dr. John

Hopkinson was unveiled. What Sir George Humphry andSir George Paget were to Cambridge in the matter of a

medical school that was Dr. John Hopkinson with regard tothe engineering school of the University. In other words, it

is hardly too much to say that he was the founder of theengineering school which is now flourishing at Cambridge.To have achieved a result such as this is, as Lord Kelvin

observed in his remarks at the ceremony on May llth, tohave benefited, not only Cambridge University, but the

world at large. The practical benefits which are spreadthrough scientific training at a university are well recognisedby men of business and it is an appropriate evidence of suchrecognition that the chairman of the Linotype Company, SirJoseph Lawrence, should have presided at the unveiling ofDr. Hopkinson’s bust, the bust itself being the gift of thecompany to the University of Cambridge. One thing that isoften not recognised by business men is the pecuniarydifficulty which the ancient universities find in providing forthe necessary advances in scientific teaching. Professor

Ewing told a very Ùpropos story on this point at the gatheringon May llth and we hope that his words may lead to anincrease in the coffers of the science schools of the Universityof Cambridge, where the medical faculty does such goodwork and is so much in need of financial help.

RICHTER’S HERNIA.

°’ W oHZER’s hernia " or "partial enterocele " is the nameapplied to the condition when only a portion of the cir-cumference of the bowel is included within the hernialsac. It was formerly confused with Littre’s hernia-that

is, a hernia of Meckel’s diverticulum-but Sir FrederickTreves suggested the suitability of the application of thename of Richter to the partial enterocele, as it appears to

have been clearly described by him in 1779. Mr. McAdamEccles has pointed out, however, that Lavater wrote

an account of this variety of enterocele in 1672, though hisdescription was not published until 1755, and that there-

fore Lavater’s name might reasonably be associated with

1461ANNUAL DINNER OF THE SANITARY INSTITUTE.

this condition. The late Mr. J. W. Hulke made it clear thatLittr6 described not only the hernia of Meckel’s diverticulum,now called a I I Littr6’s hernia," but also in 1714 a true partialenterocele, for he distinctly refers to the fact that the wholecircumference of the bowel was not included. Thus it is clearthat the honour of first recognising the condition must beshared, but as Littre’s name is now applied to another varietyof hernia and as Richter’s name is usually given to partialenterocele it would probably be well to retain the presentdesignation. The condition is not a mere pathologicalcuriosity. So long as no strangulation occurs a partialenterocele is not to be distinguished from an ordinaryenterocele, but it is when this variety is strangulated thatthe peculiar importance of the condition is seen, for in

about two-thirds of the cases the signs and symptoms ofstrangulation are obscure or incomplete. The bowels maycontinue to act during the whole progress of the strangula-tion or they may be opened by aperients. Even persistentdiarrhcea may occur. Inasmuch as frequently there is noblocking of the lumen of the bowel, tympanitic distension ofthe abdomen is rare ; and even when the site of the herniais examined it may be difficult to detect it, for often it formsa very small swelling. Some degree of vomiting is frequentlypresent but it is usually not severe and is rarely feculent. In

spite, however, of the mildness of the symptoms the mortalityis very heavy, amounting in the 53 cases collected by SirFrederick Treves to over 62 per cent. This heavy death-rate is in part to be accounted for by the obscurityof the symptoms, with consequent delay in operation, andpartly to the tightness of the constriction. The hernia is

usually of the femoral variety, for at the crural ring thereespecially exist the conditions required for the nipping of apart of the circumference of the gut. It is of interest tonote that a large proportion of obturator hernias are partialenteroceles and this may help to account for the obscurity ofthe symptoms in that form of hernia. Richter’s hernia is

probably less rare than might be imagined from the numberof recorded cases, but it is probably often unrecognised.In the present issue of THE LANCET (p. 1444) are the notesof two instances of this interesting lesion which were underthe care of Sir William J. Collins.

ANNUAL DINNER OF THE SANITARY INSTITUTE.

THE members and friends of the Sanitary Institute dined ’,together on May 15th at the Hotel Cecil, London, the Duke

I’of Cambridge, the President of the institute, being in

the chair. In replying to the toast of the " Queen and

Royal Family," proposed by the Duke of Northumberland,the Duke of Cambridge said that the work and welfare ofthe Sanitary Institute had always interested him and as

long as he was granted health and strength he would bewilling to promote its prosperity. "The Navy, Army, andAuxiliary Forces" was given by Sir Francis S. Powell and wasreplied to by Sir Henry F. Norbury (Director-General of theRoyal Navy Medical Department) who gave some interest-ing details concerning the increase in the navy. This Itoast was also acknowledged by Lieutenant-Colonel A. S, IfJones, V. C. Sir Henry G. Howse, President of the

Royal College of Surgeons of England, proposed the toast liof "The Houses of Parliament " and pointed out thatthe members of the Sanitary Institute included eminent ;,engineers, members of the House of Lords and members ’iof the House of Commons, scientific men, and representa-tives of municipal authorities and of the medical profession.The meeting together of these members of the Sanitary ’,Institute must be useful in crystallising their views in regard ’,,to sanitary legislation. Lord Monkswell and Mr. Talbot, ’,M.P., acknowledged the toast. In proposing the toast of ’’,"The Sanitary Institute " Sir William S. Church, President ofthe Royal College of Physicians of London, congratulated the I

institute on its flourishing conditicn. In the course of some

interesting remarks on the history of sanitary legislationSir William Church described how in the archives of the

City of London there were some instructive accounts of themeasures taken to benefit the health of the people. Thebeadles of the City were enjoined to perambulate the streetsand to prevent swine straying, and further they were orderedto arrest all vagrant men because, as the directions went on toexplain, these men might be the cause of spreading disease.He urged the Sanitary Institute to spread the knowledge ofsanitary matters among the people and to continue holdingcongresses in provincial cities, thereby attracting generalattention to the subject of hygiene. The institute had done

good work in giving 470 lectures which were attended byupwards of 22,000 people. After Mr. W. Whitaker had

briefly acknowledged the toast the company separated.Amongst those present besides the speakers were Sir H.Crawford, Sir S. Black, Sir A. Binnie, Major R. Ross, Dr.L. C. Parkes, and Dr. W. Collingridge.

POST-GRADUATE STUDY IN LONDON.

IT is satisfactory to hear that the Association of LondonHospitals and Medical Schools, which offers such excep-tional advantages for clinical study to qualified medical

men, is still steadily increasing its scope. We are authorisedto state that the London Hospital has now joined the schemewhich is therefore complete so far as it embraces all theinstitutions recognised by the University of London formedical education-viz. :- General hospitals: : Charing Cross,Guy’s, King’s College, London, Middlesex, St. Bartholo-

mew’s, St. George’s, St. Mary’s, St. Thomas’s, UniversityCollege, and Westminster. Special hospitals The BromptonHospital for Diseases of the Chest, the Hospital for

Sick Children, Great Ormond-street, the London Schoolof Tropical Medicine, the National Hospital for the

Paralysed and Epileptic, and the Royal London Oph-thalmic Hospital. The wealth of clinical material in

London is almost incalculable but unfortunately its valuefor post-graduate instruction is materially diminished, partlyby the extent of the area over which it is spread and partlyby the lack of connexion between the various hospitals inwhich it is contained. The one difficulty, that of distance,is of course irremediable ; the other, that of lack of coördina-tion, is to a large extent met by the present scheme, and forthat reason we wish it continued success. The fee is

moderate (seven guineas for a three months’ course and tenguineas for six months) and should offer no obstacle to thosewho wish to devote some time to clinical study in medicine,surgery, or any of the special departments. Particulars maybe obtained on application to the Secretary, the AssociatedSchools of Medicine in London for Post-Graduate Teaching,Examination Hall, Victoria Embankment, London, W.C.

THE PREVENTION OF DUST DISEASES.

THE Society of Arts is once again directing its attentionto the means of protection available against diseases due tothe inhalation of dust. Under the terms of the BenjaminShaw Trust the council of the society has just offered a prizeof a gold medal, or £20, for the best dust-arresting respiratorfor use in dusty processes and dangerous trades. Specimenswith full description may be sent in to the society’s officesin John-street, Adelphi, until Dec. 31st next. Competitorsmust themselves look to the securing of any patent rightswhich they wish to retain. There is, of course, no lackof respirators already, but such as are actually in use areopen to objections, not all of them very reasonable,perhaps, which seriously diminish their value. Male workers

object to respirators because of their general inconvenience,while factory girls, like girls more happily situated, are oftenready to sacrifice health to appearances. Possibly, too, the