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which this method can be applied is, of course, limitedin another way-viz., by the surgical conditions presentwhich are quite peculiar to the eye. When the fragmentof metal or other missile is large the eye is usually irre-parably damaged and its removal is imperative; when, onthe other hand, the object is very small it seems to bedoubtful whether any indication of its presence could beobtained. The Roentgen rays would seem to be most

likely to prove serviceable in the recognition of shot or

other moderate-sized fragment of metal or of glass embeddedin the anterior portion of the sclerotic or in the vitreous,especially if surrounded by blood. Such cases are ex-

tremely difficult, if not impossible, to diagnose by any meanswhich up to the present time are at the disposal of the

surgeon. Dr. Lewkowitsch deserves much credit for the

ingenuity of the method he has devised for the applicationof these rays, and especially for the arrangement of theapparatus by which double images can be obtained and theexact position of the foreign body determined. The originalphotographs, it is due to Dr. Lewkowitsch to say, show the

images much better than is possible in the reproductions bymeans of process blocks. -

THE FUTURE OF THE ABERDEEN SCHOOL.

IN his address to the graduates at Aberdeen Universityon July 27th the Principal, Sir William Geddes, took a

survey of the past achievements of that school and auguredfavourably from them as to its future. If, he legitimatelyargued, with the scanty resources previously at her command,Aberdeen has put forth such eminently satisfactory results,what may we not expect from her when the extension scheme(already described in THE LANCET and steadily advancingto completion) shall have placed her on more even termswith her hitherto better-equipped rivals ? 7 Thanks to local

benefactors, conspicuous among whom stands forth the lateMr. Mitchell, she has doubled her old teaching accommoda-tion and furnished the various laboratories with means ofresearch. One-third of the scheme yet remains to be

accomplished, but Sir William Geddes was able to showfrom the response already made to academic appeals thatby April 2nd, 1900-just four centuries after the foundation-stone of King’s College was laid-the coping-stone of com-pletion will be placed upon the younger college. On all

this the Principal enlarged with justifiable pride and

exhorted the young graduates to improve upon the achieve-ments of their predecessors, and, while themselves proudof their alma mater, to make their alma mater equallyproud of them. Judging by the energy with which AberdeenUniversity has surmounted obstacles apparently insuperablewe can share his hope that to the bulk at least of his

young audience he will not have spoken in vain.

THE SURVIVAL OF TYPHUS FEVER.

TYPHUS fever has long been the reproach of Liverpool.Though greatly reduced in its proportions it still lingersthere in spite of all the efforts of the sanitary authorities.It looks, indeed, as if students of this disease would soonhave no other field for its observation. It is dis-

appearing in Ireland. Doubtless Glasgow could still

supply a few cases. But in the hospitals of the Metro-

politan Asylums Board of London last year there were

only 3 cases, all in the Eastern Hospital ; all the patientshappily recovered. In any general hospital of London itis a veritable rarity, but in Liverpool the disease stillhas a habitation and a name. There were last year in the

city, according to Dr. Hope’s report, 162 cases, of which 24died. Even in Liverpool the increasing rarity of it makes

diagnosis difficult, especially in the dirty and dark con-

ditions under which the poor in Liverpool live. The first

cases, it is said, usually occur among 6children. The

symptoms are obscure and the eruption much covered andconcealed. The ages at death of the cases were as follows:from two to five years, 2 ; from five to ten years, 1;ten to fifteen years, 1 ; twenty to thirty years, 1 ; thirtyto forty years, 8 ; forty to fifty years, 8 ; fifty to sixtyyears, 1 ; and sixty years and upwards, 2.

THE STATE AND ANTITOXIN.

, THE question addressed last week in the House of

Commons to the President of the Local GovernmentBoard by Mr. Harry Samuel serves to show how slow

this country is to move in certain directions affectingthe public weal. The query related to the use of theantitoxin of diphtheria and was based upon the recent

report of THE LANCET Oommissioners.1 It will be

remembered that this report showed conclusively thatthere was a great variation in the potency of the varioussamples that are to be procured in this country, and as

it is now proved that the best results are only to beobtained by using antitoxin of full strength it seemed

only right that some means should be provided whereby theantitoxin supplies should be tested and standardised beforebeing allowed to be sold. Such a duty would, of course,have to be undertaken by a central authority, and our Com.missioners, who strongly urged this procedure, pointed outthat in Germany there is a State institution for this verypurpose. However, Mr. Chaplin turned a deaf ear to thearguments in favour of such a course being adopted in thiscountry, sheltering himself under the plea that the depart-ment of which he is the official head had only to do with theprevention of disease and not with its treatment. This is

all very true, but we fail to see why it is not considered tofall somewhere within the function of the State to safeguardthe people in a question of primary importance to their

welfare. The prophylactic treatment of diphtheria with

antitoxin surely comes within the purview of the Presidentof the Local Government Board. In this respect its

influence is quite as marked as in the case of vacci-nation. Diphtheria is becoming the most widespread ofinfectious diseases, and it is one of the most deadly.The light which scientific investigation has thrown

upon its nature has revealed a method of averting its

worst effects, provided that the remedy employed be of suit-able quality. From the knowledge at present obtained it is

beyond dispute that lives have been saved by the right useof this remedy. It follows that if it be wrongly used liveswhich would otherwise be rescued must be sacrificed. The

State, in its care to prevent disease, can take no heed of theravages that disease produces once it has gained a footing.It is none of its concern that a remedy should be freelyused in a condition in which it is known to be comparativelyineffective when by a slight extension of its sphere of actiona Government department could ensure uniformity and safetyin the method employed.

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THE HEALTH OF THE BRITISH TROOPS ININDIA.

WE are extremely glad to notice that the gravity of thepresent position is fully appreciated by the Government,and that an inquiry is about to take place-probably by asmall committee constituted of independent persons-with aview of ascertaining the amount of preventable contagiousdisease in India, and whether any steps can be taken to

remedy it. Everybody admits that the extent of the evilin the British Army in India is already enormous and thatit shows signs of increasing. There is unfortunately, how-ever, a good deal of dispute as to what should be done.It is contended, on the one hand, that the increase of

1 THE LANCET, July 18th, 1896.