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its dissociation from pauperism; and the proposition of theAsylums Board (even to meet a temporary exigency), it isheld, would probably seriously compromise the work whichhas been done by the hospital during the past six or eightyears-a work which may be described as one of familiaria-

ing the class of people above paupers with the advantagesof treatment of infectious fevers in isolation. The managersof the hospital hold that, if they were to accede to thewishes of-the Asylums Board, they would render a transientbenefit to the metropolis, at the probable cost of a seriousand long-continued harm. Although not every person sentto an Asylums Board hospital ought to be ranked as a

pauper, every patient admitted into such hospital is, infact, a pauper, admitted under the authority of the relievingofficer. The managers of the London Fever Hospital have,therefore, decided not to turn aside from the particular andvery important work they have set themselves to do, byagain associating the hospital with pauperism, feeling thatthey would not be justified in sacrificing the interests of thenon-paupers in respect to infectious fevers, in order to pro-vide a temporary relief for paupers, which may be morelegitimately if not more readily obtained in another manner.Moreover, the relief asked for is not in view of fever, but of

small pox.Such we understand are, in brief, the reasons which have

influenced the managers of the London Fever Hospitalto refuse the application of the Asylums Board. Theyappear to us to fully justify the managers; and they mani.fest, we think, a sounder view of the requirements of themetropolis in respect both to fever and small pox than ismanifested in the request made by the Asylums Board;although we can sympathise very fully in the present diffi-culty of that Board.

THE IRISH CONJOINT SCHEME.

THREE of the five Irish bodies are creditably attempting torealise a Conjoint Scheme. The three bodies in question areTrinity College. Dublin; the King and Queen’s College of’ Phy-sicians ; and the College of Surgeons. The attempt has so farsucceeded as to have resulted in a scheme on paper proposedby a committee representing the Provost and senior Fellowsof Trinity College, the President and Fellows of the Kingand Queen’s College of Physicians in Ireland, and the Coun-cil of the Royal College of Surgeons. The bogies in

question are to be represented in a Committee of Reference,which is-

(a) To determine the number of examiners to each subjectat eah examination.

(b) To arrange and superintend all matters relating to theexaminations in accordance with regulations approved by thethree corporations.

(c) To consider such questions in relation to examinationsas they may think fit, or such as shall be referred to themby any of the three corp,)rations.None of the co-oper,ting hodies are to grant any of their

qualifications to any candidate who has not previously passedthe examinations of the COf.joint Board.

All medical students availing themselves of this Board areto pass the same preliminary examination, which is to in-clude English, Greek, Latin, arithmetic, algebra, andgeometry.Each of the three corporations is to appoint an examiner

in each of the following suhjpcts : Arts, Botany and MateriaMedioa, Physics, Anatomy, Physiology, Medicine, Surgery,Midwifery, Forensic Medicine. This will make twenty-seven examiners, the three in each subject to constitute aCourt. Professors and lecturers in universities and medicalschools are eligible for examinerships ; but no privateteachers.The examinations are to be divided and subdivided thus :-

The Previous Examination is to consist of four parts (a)Botany and Materia Medica, (b) Physics, (c) Anatomy, (d)Physiology, (including Histology), each to be passed separatelyon payment of a fee of four guineas for each suhject. TheFmal Examination, the fees of which are to be fourteenguineas, is to include (a) Medicine, Clinical Medicine,Medical Pathology and Therapeutics, (b) Surgery, Clinical.Surgery, Surgical Pathology and Therapeutics, (c) Miel.-wifery and Diseases of Women and Children, (d) ForensicMedicine and Hygiene. The whole cost of the series of ex-aminations will be seen to be £32 lls., or thirty-one guineasThe sums so raised are to go to the payment of the expensesof examinations, and the surplus is to be divided betweenthe College of Surgeons, which is to receive five-eighths, andthe College of Physicians, which is to receive three-eighths.,Candidates passing the Conjoint Board and paying all thefees are to receive the licence of the two Colleges. Inas-much as Trinity College is not to share in the surplus, hergraduates and undergraduates will be admitted to the pro-fessional examinations under the Conjoint Board on pay-ment of fees sufficient to cover the expenses of the examina-tions ; to the previous medical examination on payment ofone guinea for each subject, or four guineas in all and tothe final examination on payment of five guineas. Such

graduates and undergraduates are not to be entitled to thelicences of the Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons withoutan additional payment of twenty-one guineas. A curriculumof study is attached to the- Scheme. Further, inasmuch asthe Scheme would involve, if carried out, a diminution inthe emoluments of the teachers of anatomy and surgery,the committee is of opinion that this result should beguarded against by fixing the fees in anatomy and physio-logy and in surgery at five guineas for the first course andfour guineas for the second, two courses in both being re-quired by the curriculum.

WATER-SUPPLY OF HEXHAM.

IN common with many other towns, Hexbam ia sufferingfrom a deficiency in the supply of pure water. The wantfirst began to press severely on the inhabitants in 1868’, andhas reached a pitch that may truly be termed a 16 waterfamine." The scarcity of water has led to a reduction inthe hours of supply, and, corresponding with this reduction,the mortality has risen. The death-rate of the town for1876 was a little over 24 per 1000 ; for last year it reached thestartling figure of 37 per 1000 ! Many of the inhabitantshave recognised the principal cause leading to thia result,and several schemes have been proposed in order to angmea-,the water-supply. Of these the three that most commendthemselves are the Greenridge or Stublick Dyke, the BarleyW...1I, and the Bracken Hill. A summary of these schemes

recently appeared in the columns of the Newcastle Chronicle,together with some excellent comments on the necessity ofimmediate decision on the part of the somewhat vacillatinglocal Board of Health. Our local knowledge is not suffi-cient for us to enter into a lengthy discussion of the meritsof the rival schemes. It is suffieient to say that, after :M.tattentive ppriisal of the summary above alluded to, weshould unbpsitatingly recommend the adoption of theStublick Dyke scheme, which would yield a daily supplyof 200 000 gallons, or more than four times the quantitythat could be obtained by the adoption of either of the.otberplans. The water from Stublick Dyke is slightly peaty,but in all other respects suitable for household and drinkingpurposes. The watershed yielding the supply is remarkablytree from population, and the land is almost wholly usedfor pasturage; so that the chances of pollution fromsewage or manure are reduced to a minimum. Thetime has come for the Hexbam authorities definitely t&decide on one scheme or other. Pure water, in theircase, can be obtained at a moderate outlay, and they havenot the excuse that other towns too often have—the inac-cessibility of supply and ruinons cost of obtaining it, Then-sanitary condition of the town and its high rate of mortalityare urgent pleas for immediate action, and the sanitaryauthority incur considerable responsibility by pursing apolicy of procrastination and vacillation. A little whole-somf pressure from the Local Government Board would, doubt, help them to a speedy decision.