1702

of purgation, especially by enemata, the use of intestinal

antiseptics, of which sodium salicylate is that most

approved, and blood-feeding remedies to combat the anasmiaconsequent on the destruction of blood-corpuscles which ispresent in all such cases.

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IS SENSORY APHASIA COMPATIBLE WITH WILL-MAKING P

IN the paper read by Dr. Mantle of Ilalifax at the lastmeeting of the Medical Society of London on Sensory Aphasia,which was reported in THE LANCET of Nov. 28th, he relatedthe fact that one of his patients, while deaf and blind to words,as well as having complete paralysis of motor speech,expressed a wish to make his will and made his wishesknown by forming the outline of the letters on the bed-sheetwith his finger. The pitient made his lawyer and wifeunderstand that when they meant " Yes" they were to

squeeze his hand and when " No " they were to tap it. To

satisfy the patient the will was executed and with his lefthand he managed with difficulty to write his signatureto it. Gowers remarks that inasmuch as the testator

cannot understand what is said to him the testa-

mentary capacity is worthless in the condition of

word-deafness and blindness such as this patient had.But it seems difficult to conceive that a patient in the

condition described could indicate correctly by formingletters on the sheet what his wishes were. If he did

so, then he had no agraphia. And how he could sensiblyindicate the somewhat involved arrangement by which

"yes" or "no" were to be expressed is very difficult to

understand. Such a case with reference to testamentarycapacity would have to be judged on full and completeevidence. Undoubtedly, as a general rule, it is true that a

patient who is word-deaf and word-blind is not in a conditionto understand and therefore to make a valid will.

THE MEDICAL MAN AND THE SERVANT.

A CASE of considerable interest was lately entertained bythe Council of the London and Counties Medical Protection

Society, Limited. The facts were briefly these. An

employer requested a medical man to attend and prescribefor his servant. The information obtained by the medicalman was communicated to the employer, and in consequencethe girl was dismissed. Subsequently she commenced anaction for slander against the medical man, but the actionwas compromised by a solatium and the payment of costs.We understand that a legal opinion was taken as to whethera report of a servant’s condition to his or her employer wasprivileged and that the implied question was answered inthe affirmative, but that information given to a third person-as happened in the above case-would not be covered.To the latter proposition we fully subscribe, but with all.submission we question the former-at least we should notcare to run the gauntlet; of an action at law with any degreeof confidence that the court would rule in our favour.The question of privilege is a very wide one and dependsupon the circumstances in individual cases. The tendencyis to limit its application and wisely so. The Council of theAssociation expressed the opinion "that a doctor consultedby an employer in reference to the health of a servant shouldobtain the written consent of the servant before presentingor divulging the result of his examination to the employer insuch cases where the servant might, be likely to object to his.doing so." We are inclined to go a step further and say thatwhen a medical man’s services are requested under the con-ditions above narrated, it is implied that the employer desiresto know and expects to know the result of the medical exa-mination. We are, therefore, of opinion that the servant

Ishould be acquainted with the fact that the examination is tobe made not only for the purpose of establishing a diagnosis

and so founding a basis for treatment, but with the ulteriorobject of procuring information for the employer. It is

better to make this a hard and fast rule, for if its applicationis limited to those cases where " a servant might be likely toobject" the practitioner will lay himself open to reprisals,however carefully and circumspectly he may otherwise act.

THE CRY OF THE SHOP ASSISTANT.

A MEETING of the Early Closing Association which has justbeen held in the South of London calls attention to the factthat in that district shop assistants are made to work fromseventy to eighty hours per week. This state of things isby no means new. Four years ago we published the reportof a Commission which went into the whole question of"Sanitation in the Shop," and among other things showedthe hours worked by this section of the community to beexcessive. This year it was stated in the House of Commonsthat thousands of shop assistants were being workedfourteen hours a day and sixteen hours on Saturdays. Ifthis obtains at ordinary times throughout the year it is stillmore the state on the approach of public holidays, andChristmas will add greatly to the woes of a much-sufferingclass. A week or a fortnight before Christmas the half-

holiday rule is suspended by many proprietors, and life inthe shop becomes one continuous round of toil. Some of the

employes who have homes in the country are forced by theexigencies of the occasion to leave town on Christmas Eve

by midnight trains, which they are barely allowed time tocatch, and thus wih mental and bodily powers exhaustedthey reach their homes to take part in festivities whichunder the circumstances further exhaust vitality. We have

only touched the fringe of the question, but when it isconsidered that to the strain of continuous working uponscanty or poor food must be added the effects of long standing,and that by far the greater number of hands are young

girls, it will be readily believed that the amount of

preventable sickness and suffering is very great. The

question of long standing and insufficient food can be

remedied by the employers, but the question of long hours isone for which the public are almost entirely to blame.Whatever may be the hour of closing women may be seenrushing into a shop, often for some trivial article, just as thelights are being turned low and the blinds are being drawn.The poor assistant, who has packed up for the night, is com-pelled to undo her wares. Nothing can be more cruel thanthis procrastination. We believe that it arises more fromwant of thought than from want of heart, but we earnestlyhope that the women of England will maintain their reputa-tion for kindness, and will look to it that their sisters, whoare compelled to toil standing all day in a shop and put on asmiling face, however weary and ill they may be, shall notsuffer through thoughtlessness. It is not possible for

many customers to do their shopping until even-time, but allwho can avoid supporting with their custom those shopswhich overwork their employes should do so, especially at atime when peace on earth, good-will towards men should bethe prevailing sentiment. -

ANNUAL DINNER OF THE HARVEIAN SOCIETYOF LONDON.

THE Harveian Society of London held its annual dinner atthe Cafe Monico on Thursday, Nov. 26th, the President,Mr. J. Knowsley Thornton, being in the chair. Nearly100 members and friends were present. A very pleasantevening was spent. After the usual loyal toasts from thechair Professor Clifford Allbutt gave that of "The

Society," congratulating the members on its continued

prosperity and thanking them for their kindness in nominat-ing him as a corresponding member in place of the late