DUBLIN
2
24 As the year 1865 has now passed, I think it due to the sub- scribers to lay before them a short statement of the accounts. In January, 1866, there was a debt of jE8 7s. Id., and during the year I have received from twenty-nine of the three thousand and odd Poor-law medical officers, £14 3s. Id.; but as the ex- penditure during that time has been £10 13s. Id. for printing 750 pamphlets for the members of the House of Commons and the subscribers, with postage and sundry small expenses, it follows that there is £4 17s. 3d. still due from the Associa- tion. I am unwilling to say one word by way of reneotion on my brethren ; but it must be obvious to them that without ade- ,quate funds meetings cannot be held, or the necessary steps taken to impel the Poor-law Board to improve the system of Poor-law medical relief. Roval-terraep- Weymouth. I am, Sir, yours, &c., Jan. 1st, 1866. RICHARD GRIFFIN. NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) THE committee of the Prudhoe Convalescent Home, the - contemplated memorial to the late Duke of Northumberland, has purchased a freehold site of seven acres adjoining the sea banks, and having an easy descent to the sands at Whitley. It is intended to admit the following classes of patients - - (1) free of all payment; (2) recommended by subscribers; (3) by weekly payment. We are glad to hear that building operations are to be commenced at an early period, for the committee appears to have met with more difficulty in procur- ing a site for the hospital than in raising the necessary £9000, which I understand have been already subscribed. The tem- porary home at Marsden has rendered good service during the past summer, having received 180 patients recovering from the effects of disease or operations, giving each an average stay of three weeks. Although our Fever Hospital has every bed still occupied, I believe that I am correct in stating that both here and at Gateshead there is a falling off in number of typhus cases, and, what is as satisfactory, a marked difference for the better in the number of fatal ones. I believe that the Public Health Committee has used every means within its reach to lessen the effects of overcrowding and to remove nuisances ; but " Rome was not built in a day," nor can this town be cleansed, much less kept clean, by any temporary or spasmodic effort got up in time of panic, and subsiding when the cry of "Wolf " has died away. We want here some well-devised and persistent sanitary measures before we can expect to see any real im- provement in the public health. EDINBURGH. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) THE conversaziones at the College of Surgeons were com- menced this season, on the 14th December, by a lecture on " The Recent Progress of Chemistry." The lecturer was Dr. Stevenson Macadam, and the address was interesting and lucid, and most successfully illustrated by numerous experi- ments. The case of sudden death while under the influence of chloroform formed the subject of a communication to the Medico-Chirurgical Society at its meeting on 20th December, by Dr. J. D. Gillespie. The patient was a young lady who had previously had chloroform administered in larger quantity without injurious effect. She suffered from toothache, and requested Dr. Gillespie to extract the tooth. She applied to a dentist, but he declined to give chloroform ; for not long be- fore a fatal case had occurred in his own practice, the chloro- form being given by the usual medical attendant of the lady. In the present instance, Dr. Gillespie recommended his patient not to have chloroform, but, she insisting, he gave it, placing her with loosened clothes in the recambent position. The whole quantity of chloroform used amounted to fifty minims. It wa3 sprinkled upon a napkin in two doses. Dr. Gillespie extracted, the tooth, and then noticed a peculiarity in the respiration, which almost immediately ceased; and on placing his finger on the wrist found there was no pulse. Artificial respiration, &c., were at once had recourse to, but without effect. At the post-mortem examination nothing abnormal was found; the left ventricle of the heart was firmly contracted, and the cavities on the left side were empty. On the right side the auricle and ventricle were moderately distended, and there was no clot. Dr. Gillespie was at a loss to explain the cause of death, but considered it commenced at the heart; and his impression was that the patient had been seized by a peculiar variety of syncope, characterized by spasm of the left side of the heart; and the fact of her being under the influ. ence of chloroform prevented a healthy action of the heart being re-established. The profession is indebted to Dr. Gil- lespie for bringing this case so fully before it ; for, although no additional light is thrown upon the subject of death occurring under the influence of chloroform, it may in some measure check the craving for the anaesthetic so frequently shown by those about to undergo a trifling or minor operation. The position in which dental operations are performed has been thought to have an injurious effect, but in this instance the chloroform was administered by an experienced hospital sur- geon, who had placed the patient recumbent before the ad. ministration was commenced. Position in this instance could not, therefore, have acted injuriously. At the same meeting Dr. Moir, F. R. C. P., was elected presi. dent, and Drs. J. W. Begbie, Haldane, and Gillespie vice- presidents. The treasurer, Dr. G. W. Balfour, and the secretaries, Drs. Watson and Dycer, were re-elected. Fever is still prevalent in the crowded parts of the old town, but the attacks have been mild and the mortality small. The City Parochial Board has determined not to erect any addi- tional accommodation, as it is presumed that the present is sufficient for the number of cases. January 2nd, 1866. DUBLIN. (FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.) ON the 18th of last month a most important aggregate meeting of the medical profession in this country was held at the Limerick Junction, at five o’clock in the afternoon. The hour and place were advisedly chosen, as numerous trains from all parts of Ireland meet there at that hour, and thus was an opportunity afforded to the members of our profession of congregating from all quarters at this cen- tral spot; an opportunity of which they eagerly availed themselves, if I am to judge from the numbers and respecta- bility of those who attended the tryst, many of whom had travelled long distances to discharge a duty in which per- haps, individually, they had but little personal interest. To your correspondent nothing could be more gratifying than to collect, from the general tone of the several speakers, that it was no selfish principle that induced-them thus, at great inconvenience and cost, to attend this meeting, but, on the contrary, a generous desire on their part to uphold and to advance the respectability and public usefulness of our noble profession. I never attended a meeting where fewer private grievances were brought forward. Most of the speakers expressed themselves as being perfectly contented with their own lot, and seemed, as I have already stated, to be animated with but one spirit-a desire to elevate our pro- fession, and to render it in every department capable of ministering more than at present it does to the public wel- fare ; and as a consequence, a large portion of their time was devoted to the consideration of how our examinations, both preliminary and professional, might be improved-a question of vital importance -with reference to the elevation of the medical practitioner in the social scale, and the enhancement of his utility to the public at large, but, as must be acknow- ledged, destitute even of a shadow of selfish or narrow- minded professional spirit. j In a communication such as this, it would be entirely out ! of place to attempt to reproduce here the ipsissima verba of the several speakers. Suffice it to say that on the subject of preliminary examination it was universally conceded that the but too general want of a liberal education in its mem- bers tends more than any other circumstance to keep the
Transcript of DUBLIN
24
As the year 1865 has now passed, I think it due to the sub-scribers to lay before them a short statement of the accounts.In January, 1866, there was a debt of jE8 7s. Id., and duringthe year I have received from twenty-nine of the three thousandand odd Poor-law medical officers, £14 3s. Id.; but as the ex-penditure during that time has been £10 13s. Id. for printing750 pamphlets for the members of the House of Commons andthe subscribers, with postage and sundry small expenses, itfollows that there is £4 17s. 3d. still due from the Associa-tion.
I am unwilling to say one word by way of reneotion on mybrethren ; but it must be obvious to them that without ade-,quate funds meetings cannot be held, or the necessary stepstaken to impel the Poor-law Board to improve the system ofPoor-law medical relief.
Roval-terraep- Weymouth. I am, Sir, yours, &c.,Jan. 1st, 1866.
--
RICHARD GRIFFIN.
NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
THE committee of the Prudhoe Convalescent Home, the- contemplated memorial to the late Duke of Northumberland,has purchased a freehold site of seven acres adjoining the seabanks, and having an easy descent to the sands at Whitley.It is intended to admit the following classes of patients -- (1) free of all payment; (2) recommended by subscribers;(3) by weekly payment. We are glad to hear that buildingoperations are to be commenced at an early period, for thecommittee appears to have met with more difficulty in procur-ing a site for the hospital than in raising the necessary £9000,which I understand have been already subscribed. The tem-
porary home at Marsden has rendered good service during thepast summer, having received 180 patients recovering from theeffects of disease or operations, giving each an average stay ofthree weeks.
Although our Fever Hospital has every bed still occupied, Ibelieve that I am correct in stating that both here and atGateshead there is a falling off in number of typhus cases, and,what is as satisfactory, a marked difference for the better inthe number of fatal ones. I believe that the Public HealthCommittee has used every means within its reach to lessen theeffects of overcrowding and to remove nuisances ; but " Romewas not built in a day," nor can this town be cleansed, muchless kept clean, by any temporary or spasmodic effort got upin time of panic, and subsiding when the cry of "Wolf " hasdied away. We want here some well-devised and persistentsanitary measures before we can expect to see any real im-provement in the public health.
EDINBURGH.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
THE conversaziones at the College of Surgeons were com-menced this season, on the 14th December, by a lecture on" The Recent Progress of Chemistry." The lecturer was Dr.Stevenson Macadam, and the address was interesting andlucid, and most successfully illustrated by numerous experi-ments. The case of sudden death while under the influence ofchloroform formed the subject of a communication to the
Medico-Chirurgical Society at its meeting on 20th December,by Dr. J. D. Gillespie. The patient was a young lady who hadpreviously had chloroform administered in larger quantitywithout injurious effect. She suffered from toothache, andrequested Dr. Gillespie to extract the tooth. She applied to adentist, but he declined to give chloroform ; for not long be-fore a fatal case had occurred in his own practice, the chloro-form being given by the usual medical attendant of the lady.In the present instance, Dr. Gillespie recommended his patientnot to have chloroform, but, she insisting, he gave it, placingher with loosened clothes in the recambent position. The
whole quantity of chloroform used amounted to fifty minims.It wa3 sprinkled upon a napkin in two doses. Dr. Gillespie
extracted, the tooth, and then noticed a peculiarity in therespiration, which almost immediately ceased; and on placinghis finger on the wrist found there was no pulse. Artificialrespiration, &c., were at once had recourse to, but withouteffect. At the post-mortem examination nothing abnormalwas found; the left ventricle of the heart was firmly contracted,and the cavities on the left side were empty. On the rightside the auricle and ventricle were moderately distended, andthere was no clot. Dr. Gillespie was at a loss to explain thecause of death, but considered it commenced at the heart;and his impression was that the patient had been seized by apeculiar variety of syncope, characterized by spasm of the leftside of the heart; and the fact of her being under the influ.ence of chloroform prevented a healthy action of the heartbeing re-established. The profession is indebted to Dr. Gil-lespie for bringing this case so fully before it ; for, although noadditional light is thrown upon the subject of death occurringunder the influence of chloroform, it may in some measurecheck the craving for the anaesthetic so frequently shown bythose about to undergo a trifling or minor operation. Theposition in which dental operations are performed has beenthought to have an injurious effect, but in this instance thechloroform was administered by an experienced hospital sur-geon, who had placed the patient recumbent before the ad.ministration was commenced. Position in this instance couldnot, therefore, have acted injuriously.At the same meeting Dr. Moir, F. R. C. P., was elected presi.
dent, and Drs. J. W. Begbie, Haldane, and Gillespie vice-presidents. The treasurer, Dr. G. W. Balfour, and thesecretaries, Drs. Watson and Dycer, were re-elected.Fever is still prevalent in the crowded parts of the old town,
but the attacks have been mild and the mortality small. TheCity Parochial Board has determined not to erect any addi-tional accommodation, as it is presumed that the present issufficient for the number of cases.January 2nd, 1866.
DUBLIN.
(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)
ON the 18th of last month a most important aggregatemeeting of the medical profession in this country was heldat the Limerick Junction, at five o’clock in the afternoon.The hour and place were advisedly chosen, as numerous
trains from all parts of Ireland meet there at that hour,and thus was an opportunity afforded to the members ofour profession of congregating from all quarters at this cen-tral spot; an opportunity of which they eagerly availed
themselves, if I am to judge from the numbers and respecta- bility of those who attended the tryst, many of whom hadtravelled long distances to discharge a duty in which per-haps, individually, they had but little personal interest. To
your correspondent nothing could be more gratifying thanto collect, from the general tone of the several speakers,that it was no selfish principle that induced-them thus, at
great inconvenience and cost, to attend this meeting, but, onthe contrary, a generous desire on their part to uphold andto advance the respectability and public usefulness of our
noble profession. I never attended a meeting where fewerprivate grievances were brought forward. Most of thespeakers expressed themselves as being perfectly contentedwith their own lot, and seemed, as I have already stated, tobe animated with but one spirit-a desire to elevate our pro-fession, and to render it in every department capable ofministering more than at present it does to the public wel-fare ; and as a consequence, a large portion of their time wasdevoted to the consideration of how our examinations, both
preliminary and professional, might be improved-a questionof vital importance -with reference to the elevation of the
medical practitioner in the social scale, and the enhancementof his utility to the public at large, but, as must be acknow-ledged, destitute even of a shadow of selfish or narrow-
minded professional spirit.j In a communication such as this, it would be entirely out! of place to attempt to reproduce here the ipsissima verba ofthe several speakers. Suffice it to say that on the subjectof preliminary examination it was universally conceded thatthe but too general want of a liberal education in its mem-bers tends more than any other circumstance to keep the
25
medical in a position inferior to the other learned professions. IWhilst admitting how desirable the possession of a universitydegree in arts would be in the case of every person enteringour profession, yet the members present saw how difficult itwould be to enforce such a regulation, keeping in view thenecessity that exists for an adequate supply of practitioners tosatisfy our public requirements. Nevertheless, all felt satis-fied that a radical change was required in our present mode oftesting the proficiency in preliminary education of our risinggeneration, and a very general opinion seemed to be enter-tained that, as matters at present stand, this would be mosteffectually done by removing this duty altogether from ourseveral medical and surgical corporations, and entrusting it tosome general body, similar in character to the middle-classexaminers of Oxford and the Queen’s Universities.With respect to professional education, also, it was felt
that there was great room for improvement; and, so far asprofessional examinations went, great disapprobation was ex-pressed at the facility afforded pupils of passing at one Collegeimmediately after being rejected at another. Such a coursehas a most pernicious influence, tempting our corporations tohold out inducements to students to seek their portals in pre-ference to those of competing institutions. Uniformity inprofessional examinations was earnestly advocated, and it wassuggested that the General Medical Council should take stepsto enforce a regulation prohibiting a student rejected at onelicensing body from presenting himself elsewhere for examina-tion at an earlier period than six months after such rejection.Apropos of the General Medical Council, I may inform youthat but one opinion was entertained of it by the meeting,that of universal dissatisfaction at its shortcomings in everyparticular in which good had been anticipated of it at itsinstitution. In addition to the failure of the Medical Council,so far as education was concerned, a strong opinion was ex-pressed that it should have taken more energetic measures inits treatment of the baneful tribe of advertising quacks; and,in fact, the expression of the sentiments of the meeting wasanything but complimentary to that august body.
I may mention as some evidence of the interest taken inmatters medical by the general public in this country, that alarge staff of reporters attended from the leading metropolitanand provincial papers, and that, in addition to their reports ofthe proceedings, in most of them there also appeared leadingarticles upon some one or other of the topics discussed at this ’,meeting. In my next letter I shall complete my sketch of theproceedings. ’
In your admirable summary of the annus medicus in your lastweek’s number appear some appropriate remarks, bringingback to memory the recollection of the great ones of our pro-fession who have disappeared from the scene during the pastyear. This day, however, a new edition of a work has ap-peared that will recall to our thoughts one who, at the periodof his death, was in the zenith of his reputation, and who wasjust commencing to reap the fruits of a harvest, the seeds ofwhich were sown in a laborious youth ; I allude to the lateJohn Moore Neligan. A new edition of his treatise on"Diseases of the Skin" has just issued from the press, editedin an able manner by his former pupil, Dr. Belcher. To us onthis side of the Channel, who know its present editor to be aripe scholar and accomplished dermatologist, its acceptance bythe profession is already looked upon as un fait accompli.Dublin, January 2nd, 1866.
Medical News.ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS OF LONDON.-At a
general meeting of the Fellows held on Friday, Dec. 22nd, 1865,the following member of the College was duly admitted aFellow of the same :-Kennion, George, M.D. Edin., Harrogate.
At the same meeting the following gentlemen, having under-gone the necessary examination, were duly admitted Membersof the College :-Archer, Edmond, Queenstown, Cape of Good Hope.Bastian, Henry Chartton, M.B.Lond., Broadmoor, Wokingham.Duckworth, Dyce, M.D. Edin., Wimpole-street.Hicks, John Wale, M.D. Lond., St. Thomas’s Hospital.Lash, John Alfred, M.D.St. Andrews, Fisherton House, Salisbury.Pye-Smith, Philip Henry, M.D. Lond., Auchor-terrace, Southwark.Smith, Heywood, M.B. Oxun., Park-street, Grosvenor-square.Williams, Charles Theodore, M.B. Oxon., Upper Brook-street.
The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessary ex-amination and satisfied the College of their proficiency in theScience and Practice of Medicine, Surgery, and Midwifery,were duly admitted to practise Physic as Licentiates of theCollege :-
Barber, William Henry, Crickhowell.Barraelouah, Robert Wooding Sutton, Streatham-hill.Buckle, William Turberville, New Ormond-street.Freeman, Henry William, United Hospital, Bath.German, Joseph, Friar Gate, Derby.Hall, Henry John, Maud-road, Carter-street, Walworth.Haydon, Nathaniel Thomas John, St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.Kempthorne, John, Callington, Cornwall.Mullan, William James, Rye, Sussex.Smith, James William, Whitby.Stedman, James Rotherfield-street, Islington.Thorne, Richard Tliorne, Sussex House Asylum, Hammersmith.
APOTHECARIES’ HALL. - The following gentlemenpassed their examination in the Science and Practice of Medi-cine, and received certificates to practise, on Dec. 28th, 1865:—
Patten, Charles Arthur, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.Watts, Alfred Bullock, University College.
The following gentleman also on the same day passed his.first examination:-Smith, Robert Harman, Guy’s Hospital.THE number of deaths in London last week was’.
1603; the births were 1674.THE INEBRIATE ASYLUM OF BINGHAMTOWN (United
States) has opened another ward, which will accommodatetwenty-two additional patients.THUNDER IN DECEMBER.—On Friday last the town
of Neury, in Scotland, was visited by a severe storm of thunderand lightning.A HORSE-MEAT SHOP has been opened in Paris;
the event will be celebrated by a festival, the principal dishesat which will be horse meat.
SUPPLY OF MILK TO THE METROPOLIS.—4,732,200gallons of milk are annually consumed by the population ofLondon.
ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY.—From a report givenat the meeting held on Tuesday last, it appears that 210 mem-bers have been elected to this Society during the past year.The total number of members is 660.
YELLOW FEVER IN THE WEST INDIES.—Twenty-seven cases of yellow fever had been admitted into the Sea-men’s Hospital in the beginning of November last, and threedeaths occurred in the space of a fortnight.
ASIATIC CHOLERA IN VIRGINIA.-It is a noteworthyand astonishing fact that, during the forty years in which thisscourge has afflicted the earth, no case of Asiatic cholera has.ever occurred in the basin of country embracing the mineralsprings of Virginia.
WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.—On Wednesday eveningthe Very Rev. Dean Stanley presented the employs andinmates of that institution with a gift in commemoratienof the 800th anniversary of the foundation of WestminsterAbbey.A TESTIMONIAL.—The following paragraph has been
forwarded to us by the Secretary of the Victoria Provident-Fund, with a request for its insertion :-On New Year’s daythe Committee of the Victoria Benefit Sick and ProvidentAssurance Society presented Dr. Edmunds with a very hand-some silver salver, accompanied by a tea and coffee set andother articles of silver plate. They were all of beautiful manu-facture by Messrs. Holland and Sons. The salver bore the
following inscription :-" The salver and other articles ofsilver plate, amounting in value to one hundred guineas, waspresented by the Victoria Benefit Society to James Edmunds,Esq., M.D., in recognition of his distinguished services andprofessional skill as physician to the Society."
METROPOLITAN HOSPITALS.—The late John Sykes,Esq., a captain in the Royal Navy, of Bolsover-street, Port-land-place, recently deceased, has bequeathed to each of theundermentioned medical charities in this metropolis £100 freeof legacy duty, viz. :-The Royal Free Hospital, Gray’s-inn-road, University College Hospital, the Dreadnought HospitalShip, off Deptford ; St. Mary’s Hospital, Paddington ; andthe Brompton Consumption Hospital. To the ConvalescentHospital at Walton-on-Thames the deceased has bequeathed£50 free of legacy duy, and liberal sums to other charities notstrictly medical.
