980

- completely disappear for nearly a week, but during this timethe screen was kept in the dark. The experiment has sincebeen repeated with different metallic objects, such as forceps,.&c., with the same result. It is clear from such observationsas the above that whether the changes be physical or- chemical the effects of the x " rays may not be as transient.as had been previously imagined. I think it right here to’mention, however, that in making the statement that suchthings are the result of "x" rays it should be remembered thatwe have two other forces present which might also act uponthe tissues-viz., heat and electricity. It is true the formeris least likely of the three to be the cause, but one can neverforget that the skin of the hand is subjected to strongelectrical currents, particularly when the vacuum changes.and the sparks tend to go over the tube.

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I am, Sirs, yours faithfully,JOHN MACINTYRE, M.B., C.M. Glasg., F.R.S.EDIN.

Sept. 30th, 1896.

"THE PRACTITIONERS’ M.D."To the Editors of THE LANCET.

SIRS,—If there exists a desire to oppose the St. AndrewsNew Ordinance to be presented to the Qaeen, I think the best- course would be for three or more gentlemen, resident inLondon, who hold the M.D. St. Andrews (practitioners’.degree) to form a committee. An appeal might then bemade through your columns for the support of generalpractitioners anxious to keep at least one door open wherebythey may obtain a registrable British degree. They mightthen present a petition to the Queen through the HomeSecretary.

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I am, Sirs, yours truly,A PRACTITIONER BUT STILL A STUDENT.

.Sept. 29th, 1896.

SANITARY REFORM AT PLYMOUTH.(BY A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

DURING the reign of Edward III. Plymouth was the fourthmost important town in England. Bristol, Hull, and Londonalone had a larger population. In Elizabeth’s reign Plymouthwas the most important naval station, and it was here thatthe British fleet was held in readiness to meet and givebattle to the Spanish Armada. But from that time hence-forth and up to the beginning of this century Plymouthseems to have remained stationary. Indeed, during the

Napoleonic wars the population of Devonport was slightly inexcess of that of Plymouth. This, of course, was due to the vast naval constructions necessitated by the war. Now,however, the town of Plymouth is increasing with leaps andbounds. Unfortunately the local authorities for many yearsadopted a cheese-paring policy and public works were not at.all in keeping with the growing prosperity of Plymouth.The medical officer of health was not only allowed to engagein private practice, but was paid so small a salary that hecould not devote much time to public health questions. Oflate, however, the town has awakened to a better conceptionof its higher interests, and now an enterprising and reform-ing policy is actively pursued. The services of Mr. F. M.’Williams, D.P.H., were secured some five years ago asmedical officer of health for the borough and port,and this on conditions and at a salary that pre-- cluded his engaging in private practice. Mr. Williamshad hardly assumed the reins of office when he denouncedthe dangerous manner in which the water-supply was con-veyed to the town. This was a matter of all the moreimportance as it jeopardised, not only the health of theinhabitants of the town, but that of the sailors and marinesof numerous ships of war that call in or are stationed atPlymouth, which also depend upon this supply. The water is- obtained from the upper reaches of the watershed of the RiverMeavy on Dartmoor. The gathering ground is seven and a’half miles square and from 700 to 1700 feet above the sealevel. The land is composed of rock of igneous origin,.mostly granitic, and the rainfall ranges from fifty to eightyinches in different parts. A channel-locally called a leat-,about seven feet wide and eight miles long conveys thewater to the reservoir at Roborough, whence it reaches

Plymouth, a further distance of six miles, in iron pipes. Theleat is said to have been constructed by Sir Francis Drake,and doubtless in those days the population was so sparse

as to cause but little risk of contamination. This wateris exceptionally soft, possessing only one and a half degrees ofhardness, and is therefore admirably suited for domesticpurposes. The quantity for the year 1891, when Mr. Williamsfirst reported on the subject, was equal to 57 gallons perhead per day. The storage capacity, amounting to only13,000,000 gallons, was only sufficient for two and a halfdays. The most urgent matter, however, was the dangerof contamination. The open canal passed through fields,that were extensively manured. A violent downpour ofrain might wash some of the fresh manure from the landinto the canal. Then there were the leaking cesspits ofYelverton, the cattle droppings, and human excreta on

Roborough Down. Military manceuvres were also held inthe neighbourhood of this open water-course, and thisincreased the risk of pollution. The open channel had afurther inconvenience. It was occasionally blocked, eitherin consequence of mud and stone accumulation during thedroughts, when the current was very feeble, or in the winterwhen blocked up by snow.The soundness of these criticisms was admitted. By a

vote which was practically unanimous the Town Councildecided to adopt the project of their water engineer, Mr.Sandiman. This scheme, which subsequently received thesanction of Parliament, proposed to construct at a sitecalled Burrator a storage reservoir with a capacity of500,000,000 gallons, sufficient to supply a population of130,000 persons for 130 days, and the present population ofPlymouth is only estimated at 91,000. This reservoir is nowin course of construction and progressing rapidly, but itwill not be possible to give a constant supply to the wholetown and to feel safe against the danger of occasionaldroughts till this work is completed. The danger of con-tamination is now, however, obviated. Iron pipes, to thelength of four and a half miles, were laid from the storagereservoir to Roborough, so that the water is now protectedfrom the danger of fouling from the cesspits or the manurefrom the fields. Thus the water problem, so important tothe health of all towns, is in a fair way to a satisfactorysolution at Plymouth.The same cannot be said with regard to the drainage of

the town. Who knows when the sewers were built or wherethey were built ? It was only the other day that a wallof the home or paying hospital gave way. The founda-tions were not secure because there was a big drain under-neath, the existence of which was unknown to the inhabitants.The sewers, with but few exceptions, have been found faultyin construction and in bad repair. Consequently new inter-cepting sewers have been built and many subsidiary sewershave been dug up and relaid or pipe sewers substituted. Howfar this patchwork method will prove satisfactory it would bedifficult to say. There is, however, one thing very certain, thepresent multifarious outfalls are altogether opposed to sani-tary principles. It is proposed to prolong these outfalls tothree and five fathoms of water. But this will not preventthe pollution of the harbour and of the sea front, where manypersons indulge in sea-bathing. Evidently a bigger and moregeneral scheme is necessary by which all the sewage can betaken right away from the town and thrown into the sea atsome distant promontory. Also the discharge should becontinuous. By allowing the sewage to accumulate in thelower reaches of the sewers during flood tide a back pressureof sewer gas must be produced, and yet this is what happensat the western or Millbay outfall. For the eastern outfall alarge impounding reservoir was constructed a few years ago.There can be no doubt that the discharging of sewage onlyat ebb tide and after it has been allowed to accumulate forhours together without any chemical treatment is to becondemned. This method becomes all the more obnoxiouswhen we find that the outfalls are not in the opensea, but in the harbour or in the Sound and closeto a thickly populated and much-frequented shore.With respect to house drainage considerable activityhas been displayed by the sanitary inspectors in visitingprivate houses, testing house drains, and insisting on theproper construction of waterclosets, &c. Something like 4000such improvements, alterations, and repairs were effected inthe course of the year 1893. The municipality has alsoadopted the excellent plan of giving free of charge a sani-tary certificate to lodging-house keepers if after due exami-nation the sanitary inspector finds the drains, &c., in goodorder. Therefore, a visitor renting apartments at Plymouthshould make a point of first inquiring whether the house hasa sanitary certificate. For the modest fee of 2s. 6d, the