DUBLIN
2
442 MANCHESTER. (From our own Correspondent.) VICTORIA UNIVERSITY. AT the late examinations in medicine there were thirty- two successful candidates, twenty-six of whom were students from Owens College, and six from University College, Liverpool. At the Preliminary Scientific five Owens College students and one from University College passed in the first division, and five University and seven Owens men in the second division. At the Intermediate, four Owens men passed in the first division and five in the second. At the Final Examination, Part 1, there were three successful candidates (all Owens College men), and in Part 2 of the Final two from the same College. Arrangements have been made for a continuation of the lectures during the coming winter on the model of the "Cambridge Univer- sity Extension" lectures. Professor Munro will deliver one course at Withington on the English Constitution, and Professor Boyd Dawkins another on Evolution and Geology. THE IRWELL AND SEWAGE. Mr. Walmsley continues to draw attention in the public press by a series of letters to the disgraceful condition of the river Irwell from sewage contamination, urging that all offenders should promptly and thoroughly be brought to book. It is to be feared that one of the greatest sinners is the city of Manchester, and until we get our new sewage scheme in operation little improvement can be looked for. In a letter to-day Mr. Walmsley states that the death- rates of those districts of the borough which abut on the river varies from 25 to upwards of 42 per 1000 per annum, a statement of serious import. WATER SUPPLY. Notwithstanding the late acceptable rain, we are still on a limited water supply, and so urgent had the matter become that the corporation were seriously directing their attention to an additional supply from subterranean sources. At some coalpits near Moston, which were flooded a few years ago and rendered unworkable, a quantity of about 4,000,000 gallons is available, and, after examination, has been declared of good quality, though rather hard for manufacturing purposes. SALFORD FEVER HOSPITAL AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES. The acquirement of a site for the new Fever Hospital required by the borough of Salford appears to be a matter of some difficulty. The land last proposed to be used for this purpose has now been objected to on account of its proximity to the workhouse hospital, in addition to the objections made by the residents in the neighbourhood of Hope. The epidemic of measles appears now to be sub- siding, but scarlet fever still continues very prevalent, not- withstanding the large number of cases sent to hospital, the wards of both fever hospitals being very full of scarlet fever patients. The effect on the death-rate by the large number of fatal cases of measles was apparently very marked last quarter. Manchester occupies the unenviable position of having the highest death-rate in the country for the three months ending July 2nd, being no less than 30 per 1000 per year. OPEN SPACES. A wise and philanthropic course has been taken by the dean and canons, who have promised a large piece of land in the populous and increasing district of Newton Heath. The cathedral authorities are possessed of much land in this I manufacturing suburb, and while they will be doing a good thing for the dwellers, they will probably lose but little pecuniarily, as it is usually found that the land adjoining parks and open spaces acquires an enhanced value. The Manchester and Salford Sanitary Association have issued their tenth volume of Health Lectures for the People, com- prising the last course delivered during the winter 1886-87. -Alr. de Jong, the resident surgeon at the Jubilee Exhibition, has had a considerable number of cases pass through his hands during the past month. On Saturday last a serious case of injury from burns occurred by the careless habit of throwing down lighted matches in the grounds. A lady’s dress was thus set on fire, and she was much burnt before the flames were extinguished. Aug. 23rd. NORTHERN COUNTIES NOTES. (From our own Correspondent.) SOUTH SHIELDS. DR. A. CAMPBELL MONRO, medical officer of health for South Shields, has issued his annual report, which is of a satisfactory nature, and shows that during the past year the death-rate was 20’5 per 1000, which is the lowest death-rate in the borough, with two exceptions, since 1872. After pointing out the difficulty of dealing with zymotic cases on account of the small proportion of cases notified to him, Dr. Monro shows that, of 137 persons admitted to the Infectious Hospital, 129 recovered. He points out how the corporation, in converting a large area of waste ground, had made it into a Marine Park second to none in the king- dom. This, with the provision of salt water baths on the most modern principles, had made South Shields pro- verbially a healthy town and a desirable seaside resort; but he, at the same time, urges on the authorities the view that while the sea side of the town is well provided with breathing and recreation space, the west and crowded end requires their attention before it is built up; for to. aged persons and younger children the Marine Park is practically inaccessible. There can be no doubt that " th& folk of Shields possess sufficient public spirit to carry out Dr. Monro’s valuable suggestion. At the late annual meet- ing of the Ingham Infirmary, South Shields, the deepest regret was expressed at the somewhat sudden death of Alderman Williamson, who had laid the foundation stone of the present buildings in May, 1871, and who from that time until his death was president of the hospital, having con- tributed the munificent sum of over £3000 towards the building, and furnishing funds. It was resolved to call No. 1 ward the John Williamson Ward in future. The Hospital Sunday and Saturday fund showed a small increase over the previous year. It has been decided to erect a monument in South Shields to the lifeboat inventors, Wouldhave and Greathead. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE DISPENSARY. The vacancy for the honorary physicianship of the New- castle Dispensary has been filled up, Dr. G. Armstrong Atkinson, after a spirited contest, having been elected. Dr. Atkinson is a brother-in-law of the late Dr. Holland, whose, death caused the vacancy. Dr. Atkinson was late assistant to the Professor of Materia Medica and Demonstrator at Edin- burgh,’and is a distinguished graduate of that University. A CAUTION. A successful female swindler has been operating in New- castle, and the following is her modus operandi. Having somehow become aware that a medical man and his family were travelling, she represented to the servant that she was a great friend of her master, and a surgeon’s daughter herself; being from her own home in Barnsley, owing to the illness of her mother, she was hastily summoned home, but, being confused and in great anxiety, she had, in changing trains, lost her bag and purse, and was without the means of going home. The servant believed her story, and recom- mended her to a kind lady patient of her master, who also believed her story, entertained her, and gave her a £5 note and a warm shawl to proceed home. As she will no doubt try to repeat the trick elsewhere, it is as well to say she is I about twenty years of age, with good manners and address. Newcastle-on-Tyne, August 30th. DUBLIN. (From our own Correspondent.) LUNACY IN IRELAND. FROM the thirty-sixth Annual Report of Lunatic Asylums in Ireland, it appears that insanity throughout Ireland is not only not on the decline, but relatively to a decreasing population quite the reverse, there being a registered excess of 283 at the close of 1886 as compared with the preceding year. With regard to the condition of the 10,077 patients in district asylums on Jan. lst of the present year, the probably curable, or rather those who admit of hope of
Transcript of DUBLIN
442
MANCHESTER.
(From our own Correspondent.)
VICTORIA UNIVERSITY.
AT the late examinations in medicine there were thirty-two successful candidates, twenty-six of whom werestudents from Owens College, and six from UniversityCollege, Liverpool. At the Preliminary Scientific five OwensCollege students and one from University College passed inthe first division, and five University and seven Owens menin the second division. At the Intermediate, four Owensmen passed in the first division and five in the second.At the Final Examination, Part 1, there were threesuccessful candidates (all Owens College men), and inPart 2 of the Final two from the same College. Arrangementshave been made for a continuation of the lectures duringthe coming winter on the model of the "Cambridge Univer-sity Extension" lectures. Professor Munro will deliver onecourse at Withington on the English Constitution, andProfessor Boyd Dawkins another on Evolution and Geology.
THE IRWELL AND SEWAGE.
Mr. Walmsley continues to draw attention in the publicpress by a series of letters to the disgraceful condition ofthe river Irwell from sewage contamination, urging that alloffenders should promptly and thoroughly be brought tobook. It is to be feared that one of the greatest sinners isthe city of Manchester, and until we get our new sewagescheme in operation little improvement can be looked for.In a letter to-day Mr. Walmsley states that the death-rates of those districts of the borough which abut on theriver varies from 25 to upwards of 42 per 1000 per annum, astatement of serious import.
WATER SUPPLY.
Notwithstanding the late acceptable rain, we are still on alimited water supply, and so urgent had the matter becomethat the corporation were seriously directing their attentionto an additional supply from subterranean sources. Atsome coalpits near Moston, which were flooded a few yearsago and rendered unworkable, a quantity of about 4,000,000gallons is available, and, after examination, has been declaredof good quality, though rather hard for manufacturingpurposes.SALFORD FEVER HOSPITAL AND INFECTIOUS DISEASES.
The acquirement of a site for the new Fever Hospitalrequired by the borough of Salford appears to be a matterof some difficulty. The land last proposed to be used forthis purpose has now been objected to on account of itsproximity to the workhouse hospital, in addition to theobjections made by the residents in the neighbourhood ofHope. The epidemic of measles appears now to be sub-siding, but scarlet fever still continues very prevalent, not-withstanding the large number of cases sent to hospital,the wards of both fever hospitals being very full of scarletfever patients. The effect on the death-rate by the largenumber of fatal cases of measles was apparently very markedlast quarter. Manchester occupies the unenviable positionof having the highest death-rate in the country for thethree months ending July 2nd, being no less than 30 per1000 per year.
OPEN SPACES.
A wise and philanthropic course has been taken by thedean and canons, who have promised a large piece of landin the populous and increasing district of Newton Heath.The cathedral authorities are possessed of much land in this Imanufacturing suburb, and while they will be doing a goodthing for the dwellers, they will probably lose but littlepecuniarily, as it is usually found that the land adjoiningparks and open spaces acquires an enhanced value. TheManchester and Salford Sanitary Association have issuedtheir tenth volume of Health Lectures for the People, com-prising the last course delivered during the winter 1886-87.
-Alr. de Jong, the resident surgeon at the Jubilee Exhibition,has had a considerable number of cases pass through hishands during the past month. On Saturday last a seriouscase of injury from burns occurred by the careless habitof throwing down lighted matches in the grounds. Alady’s dress was thus set on fire, and she was muchburnt before the flames were extinguished.Aug. 23rd.
NORTHERN COUNTIES NOTES.
(From our own Correspondent.)
SOUTH SHIELDS.
DR. A. CAMPBELL MONRO, medical officer of health forSouth Shields, has issued his annual report, which is of asatisfactory nature, and shows that during the past year thedeath-rate was 20’5 per 1000, which is the lowest death-ratein the borough, with two exceptions, since 1872. After
pointing out the difficulty of dealing with zymotic cases onaccount of the small proportion of cases notified to him,Dr. Monro shows that, of 137 persons admitted to theInfectious Hospital, 129 recovered. He points out how thecorporation, in converting a large area of waste ground, hadmade it into a Marine Park second to none in the king-dom. This, with the provision of salt water baths on themost modern principles, had made South Shields pro-verbially a healthy town and a desirable seaside resort;but he, at the same time, urges on the authorities the viewthat while the sea side of the town is well provided withbreathing and recreation space, the west and crowdedend requires their attention before it is built up; for to.aged persons and younger children the Marine Park ispractically inaccessible. There can be no doubt that " th&folk of Shields possess sufficient public spirit to carry outDr. Monro’s valuable suggestion. At the late annual meet-ing of the Ingham Infirmary, South Shields, the deepestregret was expressed at the somewhat sudden death ofAlderman Williamson, who had laid the foundation stone ofthe present buildings in May, 1871, and who from that timeuntil his death was president of the hospital, having con-tributed the munificent sum of over £3000 towards thebuilding, and furnishing funds. It was resolved to call No.1ward the John Williamson Ward in future. The HospitalSunday and Saturday fund showed a small increase overthe previous year. It has been decided to erect a monumentin South Shields to the lifeboat inventors, Wouldhave andGreathead.
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE DISPENSARY.
The vacancy for the honorary physicianship of the New-castle Dispensary has been filled up, Dr. G. ArmstrongAtkinson, after a spirited contest, having been elected. Dr.Atkinson is a brother-in-law of the late Dr. Holland, whose,death caused the vacancy. Dr. Atkinson was late assistantto the Professor of Materia Medica and Demonstrator at Edin-burgh,’and is a distinguished graduate of that University.
A CAUTION.
A successful female swindler has been operating in New-castle, and the following is her modus operandi. Havingsomehow become aware that a medical man and his familywere travelling, she represented to the servant that she wasa great friend of her master, and a surgeon’s daughterherself; being from her own home in Barnsley, owing tothe illness of her mother, she was hastily summoned home,but, being confused and in great anxiety, she had, in changingtrains, lost her bag and purse, and was without the means ofgoing home. The servant believed her story, and recom-mended her to a kind lady patient of her master, who alsobelieved her story, entertained her, and gave her a £5 noteand a warm shawl to proceed home. As she will no doubttry to repeat the trick elsewhere, it is as well to say she is
I about twenty years of age, with good manners and address.Newcastle-on-Tyne, August 30th.
DUBLIN.
(From our own Correspondent.)
LUNACY IN IRELAND.
FROM the thirty-sixth Annual Report of Lunatic Asylumsin Ireland, it appears that insanity throughout Ireland isnot only not on the decline, but relatively to a decreasingpopulation quite the reverse, there being a registered excessof 283 at the close of 1886 as compared with the precedingyear. With regard to the condition of the 10,077 patients indistrict asylums on Jan. lst of the present year, the
probably curable, or rather those who admit of hope of
443
recovery, were estimated at 2223, and the incurable at 7779,each class needing an equal professional care and domesticsupervision. Owing to a better and more generous treat-ment of the insane, their longevity is notably increased, sothat additional provision has to be made, as shown by theprogressive enlargement of public asylums. Twelve yearsago the accommodation in them was limited to 7000 beds,which has been increased by over 2600, and even now thereis a marked deficiency. During the past year 1831 admissionsof patients were effected through magisterial warrants, amethod which the inspectors consider as unsatisfactory, andto obviate it they suggest that the Act should be so amendedas to impose on the relieving officers in Poor-law divisionsan obligation to report on all cases of insanity, so as to havethe patients visited professionally and taken charge of inpoor-houses until remitted in due form to the asylum of thedistrict. In a total aggregate of 12,618 patients undertreatment during the year, 894 deaths took place. Thegeneral mortality was owing to pulmonary diseases in nearlya third, or 294 cases; to cerebral affections in 244; debilityand old age, 160; diseases of the heart and circulatorysystem, 37; abdominal derangements, 83; and the remainderto febrile, scrofulous, and cutaneous maladies of no markeddescription. The cost per head of district asylum patientslast year was ae20 198. 3d., as contrasted with ae2119s. 5d.the previous year.
THE PREVALENCE OF OPHTHALMIA IN THECORK WORKHOUSE.
Dr. O’Farrell, Local Government Board inspector, at ameeting of the Cork guardians last week, reported as to theprevalence of ophthalmia among the workhouse children.He remarks that owing to a great extent to the excellentmeasures recommended by Dr. Sandford, the outbreak issubsiding; but at no time was the epidemic so severe inits intensity, or in the number of those attacked, as statedin the daily press. lIe points out that owing to the un-hygienic surroundings of the poorer classes, to their over-crowded and smoky cabins, and their impoverished dietaryin the past, ophthalmia has at all times been extensivelycommon in this country; and no doubt this tendency tothe chronic and milder torms of eye disease has been trans-mitted from generation to generation. As regards themeasures to be adopted to get rid of the present outbreakof ophthalmia, Dr. O’Farrell suggests the appointment of asmall committee to consider, in conjuction with the medicalofficers, how Dr. Sandford’s suggestions can be carried intoeffect, as well as any recommendations which he mightmake in his report to the Local Government Board. One ofthe guardians had kindly offered to place a house at PassageWest at the disposal of the board for the purposes of isola-tion, and if the house and situation were suitable, the mattermight be referred to the committee for their consideration.
THE DUBLIN HOSPITALS BILL.
It cannot be a matter of regret to all unprejudiced partiesto learn that this Bill has been blocked by Mr. Macartney,i.P. The provisions of the proposed Bill, and the constitu-tion of the Board of Management, &c., were so one-sidedand unjust, that if carried out, they would have proved soinjurious to several well-conducted charitable institutionsin this city, that the result above mentioned must be regardedas a subject of congratulation.Several cases of small-pox have occurred in the town of
Drogheda and neighbouring district, and up to the presenttime one death has taken place.
I
THE SALE oF DRINK IN FRANCE—The annualreturn upon this subject, published in the Bulletin ofthe Ministry of Finance, states that there is a tavern toevery 46 inhabitants in the department of the Nord, one toevery 55 inhabitants in the Pas de Calais, one to 58 in theArdennes, one to 60 in the Somme, one to 67 in the Aisne,and one to 75 in the Eure. These are all in the north ofFrance, wh2reas the five departments in which the tavernsand wine-shops are the least numerous, proportionately tothe population, are all in the south-viz., the Gers with onein 187, the Vausluse with one in 159, the Savoie with one in144, the Hautes-Alpes with one in 143, and the Charente-Merieure with one in 143. Altogether, there is a tavern toevery 95 of the inhabitants throughout France, this repre-senting an increase of more than 11 per cent. within thelast six years.
Obituary.PROFESSOR ADOLF PANSCH.
A DEPLORABLY sudden death by drowning in Kiel Bayon the 14th inst. has deprived German science of one ofits ablest representatives. On the morning of that dayDr. Pansch started with his son (a boy of eleven years ofage) by steamer to Laboe, to bring back to Keil his sailingboat, with which a few days before he had taken partin the Laboe regatta. Shortly before embarking on thereturn voyage he complained of feeling unwell, but, never7-theless, set sail with his son about 11.30 A.M. The courseof the little craft was sufficiently smooth till betweenMoltenort and Heikendorf she was struck by a heavy squalland capsized. Dr. Pansch had time to fling the rudder >
his son and utter the words Rette dick!" (" Save yourself !")and then sank. Known to be an expert swimmer, and quiteequal to finding his way to the shore, he is thought to havedied at once from the shock, having for years been a suffererfrom organic lesion of the heart. His body was afterwardsrecovered by one of the eight boats that set out in quest ofhim. His son had shortly before been saved, though in anextremely exhausted state, by a passing steamer.Adolf Pansch was born on March 2nd, 1841. From 1860
to 1864 he was a student of natural history and medicine atthe Universities of Berlin, Heidelberg, and Halle, at whichlast-named school he graduated as Ph.D. Having gone toKiel in 1865, he was there appointed prosector in room ofDr. Hensen, who had just been elected Professor Extra-ordinary of Physiology. In the fcllowing year he passedsuccessfully the examination for Doctor in Medicine, andthereafter qualified as p1’ivat-docent. In 1876 be was electedProfessor Extraordinary of Anatomy, but still kept hisfavourite post of prosector, and laid the University of Keilunder signal obligations by the skill and zeal with which hecontinued to attract alumni to the school. For twenty-oneyears his popularity never flagged, while the number of hispupils steadily rose.Among his contributions to the literature of his special
department may be mentioned his "Grundriss der Anatomiedes Menschen" (Berlin 1879-81); and his "AnatomischeVorlesungen fiir Aerzte und iiltere Studierende, Theil I.’(Berlin, 1884). Besides these works, he was a steady andesteemed contributor to the professional journals; while toa still more extended circle he was favourably known forthe part he took in the Second German Expedition to theNorth Pole (1869-70), to the scientific report of which (1873)he contributed many valuable observations.
Medical News.NAVAL MEDICAL SERVICE.-The following gentlemen
who competed at the examination recently held at BurlingtonHouse for appointments as Surgeons in the Royal Navy havebeen granted commissions :-INDIAN MEDICAL SERVICE.-The following is a
list of candidates for appointments in this Service who weresuccessful at the competitive examination held at BurlingtonHouse on the 8th inst. and following days. Of the 59candidates who competed for twenty-three appointments,55 were reported qualified :-
