THE JOURNAL

During the past year the

Journal, we trust, has been

found by its readers to have in no way fallen back from its previous level of usefulness. There has been a steady increase in its circulation, and contributions by members of the profession residing in Tasmania and New Zealand, as well as in Australia, have appeared in its pages. We cannot of course say, like the conductors of another Medical Journal, that it is the accredited organ of all—literally

all—

the

principal Medical Societies in these Colonies ; but we

have no reason to be anything but proud, both of our

contributors and of their work. More than in any previous

year, too, we have been able to supply charts, photographs,

and other illustrations, as helps to the complete under-

standing of articles which have appeared. During the

greater part of the year we have had no reason to complain

of any lack of matter, and indeed, lately, we have sometimes

been compelled to try the good nature of contributors by

keeping back the publication of articles of interest. We

have been even more ungracious, and asked some of them

to shorten their contributions, or worse still, have used the

editorial pen for that purpose. However, these are things

not quite unknown in other parts of the world, and even

the

British Medical Journal, with its weekly issue, and

large amount of space, has recently had to give its

contributors a friendly notice that " prolixity is a great bar

to publication," and that " brevity of style and conciseness

of statement greatly facilitate early publication." We have not, it is true, got quite to the pass of saying, " We are compelled to decline or hold over indefinitely a great number of communications, chiefly by reason of their unnecessary length ;" but the demands on our space have been steadily increasing, and. we hope contributors will be as indulgent as possible in case of delay. We can always find room for contributions of value, and, if necessary, and circumstances otherwise be favourable, a few additional pages may be added occasionally, as happened once _during last year. Thanking all our supporters, therefore, for kindly help and forbearance, and promising to do our part in making the

Journal

increasingly useful, we wish them all

"A Happy New Year."

THE INTERCOLONIAL MEDICAL CONGRESS.

We were unable to do more in our last number than barely mention the fact that the first meeting of Members and Sub- scribers had been held, and that Dr. Verco had been chosen to act as President. Fuller information has since reached us, and we wish to put the substance of it before our readers. The Provisional Committee reported that the University Council had granted the use of such rooms as might be required for the meetings of the Congress ; that sixty members of the profession

in

South Australia had promised their support, and that £50 had already been received as subscriptions.

Dr. B. Poulton was elected Honorary Secretary, and Mr.

Hayward, Hon. Treasurer; and a committee of twenty appointed, with power to add to their number. The following are the names of the Members of Committee :—Drs. Gardner, Way, Thomas, Watson, Mitchell, Stirling, Symons, Gorger, Lendon, Paterson, Cleland, Stewart, Giles, J. A. G. Hamilton, Messrs.

Hayward, Clindenning, Corbin, Jay, Toll, and the Hon. John Cockburn, M.D., Minister of Education.

The Committee were given full power to make all arrangements with reference to the work and conduct of the Congress, and were instructed to report to the Subscribers at a General Meeting to

1Fr

held in June.

JAN. 15, 1887 Australian Medical Journal. ⁴¹ BURROUGHS, WELLCOME AND CO.'S

NEW PREPARATIONS.

This well-known firm has established an office in Melbourne, for the purpose of having their special interests fully represented.

We have had occasion before to refer to some of the chief pharmaceutical articles sent out by them—as Kepler malt extract and its combinations, pepsin in scales, extractum pancreatis (zymine), and the hypodermic tabloids. Of these latter, several new forms have been issued—as apomorphine, ergotinin, digitalin, cocaine, aconitine. To accompany these, they have also arranged to supply a cheap but useful hypodermic syringe, in a case of convenient size, but still large enough to contain a small glass mortar, and with space for six tubes of the tabloids. In that way, quite a stock of active remedies may always be kept ready for emergencies. Several of them we have tried, and can vouch for their efficacy. To the compressed tabloids for internal use, some of which are well known, a number of new ones have been added, of which special mention may be made of those containing cocaine, with borax and chlorate of potash, which are specially calculated to be of use in irritative affections of the throat.

From Mr. W. Shepperson, who acts as agent for Messrs.

Burroughs, Wellcome & Co., we have received The Medical Man's Handy Book. This useful little work contains a very full list of incompatibles, a list of poisons and their antidotes, and tables of doses of the more powerful medicines contained in the chief pharmacopceial compounds, besides other information calculated to be of use to the prescriber.

IMMISCH'S METALLIC THERMOMETERS.

These thermometers have been very favourably noticed in the leading scientific and Medical Journals in Great Britain. They are in appearance like a small watch, and are very convenient for use, being less liable to breakage than the ordinary glass thermometers. For clinical purposes they have distinct advan- tages, being both sensitive and accurate ; and though they are not yet made self-registering, the highest point marked is retained long enough to allow of exact note being taken. Messrs. Allison Bros., of Collins Street West, who act as agents, inform us that Mr. Immisch has succeeded in adapting the self-registering system to the instrument, but has not yet put it on the market.

gebith3.

PRITCHARD ON DISEASES OF THE EAR.*

This is the latest addition to Lewis's Practical Series. The author disclaims any idea of offering to his readers an exhaustive treatise or even a digest of works already published, but, to use his own words, " a practical manual which shall help them to recognise the various pathOlogical lesions of the ear, to diagnose the different diseases, and to discriminate in the matters of treatment and prognosis."

So many books on aural surgery have made their appearance during the last few years, that it must be very difficult to find any new subject matter, or indeed, anything that could make a distinctive feature, except perhaps the arrangement of the text, and here, certainly, Dr. Urban Pritchard has made a somewhat new departure. The large black type, used as headings, makes reference easy and agreeable, nor are the subjects wrapped up in any superfluous wording, so that as a student's handbook, we fancy it will find favour.

The first chapter, on the anatomy and physiology of the ear, is especially excellent, and is much more likely to be read and understood by the average student than anything we have seen in kindred works. This might have been expected from Dr. Pritchard, who has perhaps paid more attention to this branch of the subject than any specialist since Toynbee's time.

This clearness of description is not, however, uniform through- out the book ; for example, his account of Valsalva's method of inflating the tympanum, if followed in the case of a patient suffering from catarrh, would lead to disappointment, as it fails to explain that considerable force is required to urge the air into an obstructed Eustachian ; mere swallowing with cheeks inflated will not do this. Dr. Urban Pritchard makes such particular mention in his preface, that he wishes to avoid controversial points, and to give simply the results of his own observation and practice, that we feel somewhat disarmed in criticising his treatment. Yet there can be no doubt that exception would be taken by most specialists to " syringing under chloroform," p. 66 ; poulticing in furuncle of meatus, p. 71; syringing exostoses, p. 81;

* Handbook of Diseases of the Ear, for the use of Students and Practitioners, by Urban Pritchard, M.D., F.R.C.S. London : H. K. Lewis, 1886.

Jew. 15, 1887 Australian Medical Journal. 43 and filling the meatus with spirit of wine, p. 79. Still as he has allowed these things to go out under his name it will be for the reader to accept or reject his advice.

The little book, however, is so nicely got up and arranged, that it will certainly find a place in many medical libraries, and for those who do not care to study more exhaustive works, it will be found useful for ready reference. C. L. M. I.

Xnttitigtitte.

MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY.

At the meeting of the Council on the 20th ult., a letter was received from the Faculty of Medicine, recommending the appointment of a Committee of the Council to deal with the erection of buildings in the Medical School Reserve, comprising additions to the chemical theatre, a practical chemistry class room, and a biological laboratory. The letter was referred to the Chairman of the Building Committee, Dr. Robertson and Dr. Fetherston.

A letter was received from the Dean of the Faculty of Medicine, intimating that the Faculty had adopted the following resolution :—" That the Faculty of Medicine direct the attention of the Council to the necessity for appointing the Lecturers on Therapeutics, Dietetics and Hygiene, and on Materia Medica, Medical Botany and Elementary Therapeutics, as soon as possible, so that they may prepare lectures for the ensuing year. The Faculty has to again recommend that Dr. Williams be transferred to the Lectureship on Therapeutics, Dietetics and Hygiene, in accordance with his request, and that applications be invited from candidates for the Lectureship on Materia Medica, Medical Botany and Elementary Therapeutics."

It was decided that applications should be invited for the Lectureship on Therapeutics, Dietetics and Hygiene, to be sent in by the end of the year, and considered by the Council at a meeting to be held on the 10th of January.

The Faculty of Medicine recommended that Mr. Kirkland should be appointed Demonstrator of Chemistry, at a salary of

£300 per annum, and Mr. J. W. Barrett, M.B., Demonstrator of Physiology and Histology, at a salary of £200 per annum. It

1 11111111M■-___

was decided that applications should be invited for both offices, to be considered at a meeting of the Council on the 10th January, the salaries being fixed at £200 and £100 respectively.

At the meeting on the 10th inst., Mr. W. Baldwin Spencer, M.A., Fellow of Lincoln College, Oxford, was elected Professor of Biology, his name having been placed first on the list of Candidates by the Committee acting in England. Dr. J. W.

Springthorpe was elected Lecturer on Therapeutics, Dietetics and Hygiene. Mr. J. B. Kirkland, Demonstrator of Chemistry, and J. W. Barrett, M.B., Demonstrator of Physiology and Histology.

At meetings of the Senate on the 17th and 18th ult., the regulations referring to the proposed Degrees in Science were considered, and with some amendments adopted and returned to the Council.

At another meeting on the 10th inst., Mr. Justice A'Beckett was elected a member of the Council.

The following are the class lists at the recent Honour Examinations :—

FIRST YEAR MEDICINE.

First Class.—Horace Percy Godfrey.

Second Class.—John Richards Harris, William Wilkinson Boothroyd Pinniger, John Henry Joseph Crowley.

Third Class.—John Gilbert M'Kay, Egbert John Connell, Paul Ward Farmer, Thomas Cook, equal ; John James Kitchen, Victor Joseph Emanuel Zichy-Woinarski, equal ; James Livingstone Thompson, Leslie Davies, Garnet Soilleux.

SECOND YEAR MEDICINE.

First Class.—None.

Second Class.—Thomas Cherry, William Jens Gregerson.

Third Class.—John Raymond Fox, Horatio Percy Martell, Patrick Francis Gleeson, John Michie.

THIRD YEAR MEDICINE.

First Class.—William Perrin Norris.

Second Class.—William Howard James, Francis Edward Webb, Edward Allan Mackay, Thomas Murphy.

Third Class.—Edward Henry Embley, John Chalmers Baird.

FOURTH YEAR MEDICINE.

First Class.—Lionel Francis Praagst, Percy Herbert Liddle.

Second Class.—Conway Montgomery Macknight, Frank Hobill Cole.

JAN. 15, 1887 Australian Medical Journal. ⁴⁵

Third Class.--Walter Joseph Craig, Frank Smith Crowther, equal ; Godfrey Howitt.

The Exhibitions in Medicine were awarded as follows :- First Year.—Horace Percy Godfrey.

Second Year.—Thomas Cherry.

Third Year.—William Perrin Norris.

Fourth Year.—Lionel Francis Praagst.

Naspital Aintelligence.

MELBOURNE HOSPITAL.

At a meeting of the Committee on the 28th ult., a report was received from the Sub-Committee appointed to meet members of the Medical Staff, on the question of providing extra accommodation for

typhoid

cases. It was proposed to erect tents in the grounds capable of accommodating about 200 patients. After some discussion, the report was withdrawn, in order that the Sub- Committee might bring up detailed recommendations.

A suggestion was made, and seemed to meet with approval, to purchase the Women's Model Lodging House.

At the meeting on the 11th inst., a letter was received from Dr. James Robertson, urging the necessity of reducing the number of beds in wards 11, 12, 16, and 17, so as to afford an area of 2,000 instead of 1,500 cubic feet for each patient. This was more Imperative on account of the admission of a number of patients

s

uffering from typhoid fever, and the oppressively warm and stagnant atmosphere in the wards, by which the death-rate was

greatly

influenced. The Secretary was instructed to reduce the number of beds so as to afford an area of 2,000 cubic feet for each patient.

A letter was received from thirty-two of the nurses, asking that the large rooms allotted to them might be sub-divided into small ones. The letter was referred to the Building Committee, with power to act.

Mr. James, Honorary Surgeon, wrote complaining of the frequent changes in the Resident Staff. The letter was referred

t

o Mr. Gregory, with the view of having a rule drawn up, to Compel Resident Medical Officers to continue in office for twelve Mouths.

A report was presented showing that forty-five typhoid cases had been admitted between Nov. 12, 1886, and Jan. 6, 1887.

ALFRED HOSPITAL.

At the meeting of the Committee on the 7th inst., a letter was received from Dr. Backhouse, resigning the position of Resident Surgeon, which he has held for five years. The resignation was accepted with regret.

The Hospital Sunday Fund, amounting to £8,727 has been distributed as follows :—Melbourne Hospital, £2,806 17s. 7d. ; Alfred Hospital, £1,449 17s. 11d. ; Benevolent Asylum, £897 ls. ld. ; Women's Hospital, £780 15s. 2d. ; Hospital for Sick Children, £853 16s. 3d. ; Eye and Ear Hospital, £521 17s. 6d. ; Homoeopathic Hospital, £400 6s. 4d. ; Austin Hospital, £525 5s. 9d. ; Immigrants' Aid Society, £340 2s. 5d. Special votes, irrespective of the subscription lists, were made as follow :—

Collingwood Dispensary, £50 ; Richmond Dispensary, £50 ; Convalescent Home for Women, £30 ; Convalescent Home for Men, £25.

Vital citatistits.

The report of the Government Statist on the vital statistics of Melbourne and suburbs, for November 1886, shows that the births of 1,135 children, viz., 597 boys and 538 girls, were registered during the month.

The deaths registered numbered 665, viz., 363 of males and 302 of females.

To every 1,000 of the population of the district the proportion of births was 3.29, and of deaths, 1.93.

Ninety-five deaths occurred in public institutions.

The number of children under one year who died was 294, the total under five years of age being 357.

Deaths from specific, febrile, or zymotic diseases rose from 50 in October to 137. This was owing to the marked increase in the mortality from diarrhceal diseases. These caused 111 deaths, as against only 13 in October ; deaths from diphtheria also

JAL 15, 1887 Australian Medical Journal. ⁴⁷ increased from 4 to 7. On the other hand, deaths from whooping- cough fell from 10 to 5, deaths from typhoid fever from 6 to 1, and deaths from measles from 4 to 3. Also, as a result of the increased heat, deaths from atrophy, debility, and inanition (almost entirely of infants or young children) increased from 21 to 61. Five deaths of child-bearing women took place in November, or 1 death of a mother to every 227 births registered, a proportion much below the average.

Korai cSubierts,

MEDICAL BOARD OF VICTORIA.—The following gentlemen have registered their qualifications :—William Robert Boyd, Sandhurst, M.B. Melb 1886 ; Alfred Victor Millard Anderson, Parkville, M.B. Melb. 1886; John Henry Carney, Echuca, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; William Kilpatrick, South Melbourne, Melb. 1886 ; William Lowell Mullen, South Melbourne, M.B. Melb.

1886 ; John Frederick William Manson, East Brunswick, M.B. et ChB.

Melb. 1886 ; Alfred Alexander Parry, Royal Park, Melbourne, M.B. Melb.

1886 ; Thomas Francis Ryan, Ararat, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; Edward Emerson Rosenblum, Ballarat, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; Carl Peter Wilhelm Dyring, Melbourne, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; James Service Thompson, Oakleigh, M.B.

Melb. 1886 ; George Campbell Rennie, Kyneton, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; Arthur Mackenzie Wilkinson, Queenscliff, M.B. Melb. 1886 ; Robert James Loosli, St. Kilda, M.B. et Ch. B. Melb. 1886.

HEALTH OFFICERS.—The following appointments have been confirmed :- Borough of Clunes.—Montague William Cairns Perceval, L.K.Q.C.P., vice

Robert Colquhoun, L.R.C.P., deceased, Shires.—Rosedale—George Albert Walpole, L.K.Q.C.P., vice Thomas Dealtry Atkins, L.R.C.P., resigned ;

oraeo—David Taylor, M.B., vice Henry A. Samson, M.B., resigned ; Phillip

Island—Charles William Rohner, M.D.

Dr. Perceval, of Chines, has been appointed a Certifying Medical Prac- titioner under the Shops and Factories Act, in place of Dr. M'Lennan, resigned.

One of the most important events of the month has been the introduction of small pox once more into these Colonies, the infection being from a Passenger in the German Mail Steamer Preussen. The man was known to be affected when the steamer reached Albany, but he was allowed to go on with it to Adelaide, where he died. At that port, and at Melbourne and Sydney, the Passengers for each place were at once put in quarantine. There must have been little or no attempt at isolation of the patient, for a large Lumber of cases have occurred at each port, nearly 30 at Melbourne, and about 80 at Sydney. When the number of cases is so great, it will be difficult to prevent the disease being carried in some way outside of the quarantine ground to the general population. Dr. Sutherland and Dr. Porter are in charge of the passengers quarantined, the latter having been sent after it was found that the outbreak was actually a serious one.

It is most absurd that, since a system of quarantine has been adopted in these Colonies, it should be carried out in such ridiculous fashion.

After the conference which sat in Sydney to discuss all kinds of sanitary questions of intercolonial interest, it is astonishing that nothing has been done to carry out some kind of federal quarantine, in virtue of which, cases like the present would have been dealt with at the first port of call. It seems probable that if the patient who first suffered from the disease had been removed at Albany, the other passengers might have escaped. The expense attendant on stamping out the present outbreak _is likely to be great, and would have gone far toward the institution of fully equipped federal quarantine stations at the places where ships from abroad first touch.

The case of the Secretary of the Pharmaceutical Society against the Equitable Co-operative Company has been finally decided. The full court ruled that the bench had decided wrongly in favour of the defendant, on the ground that the company had a qualified chemist in charge of the druggist's branch. The bench accepted the verdict, but refused to order more than the nominal fine of 20s., with 12s. cost. The actual expenses must have been heavy, and time will show whether the Pharmaceutical Society will try to have the verdict thus obtained applied to other companies or stores trading in medicines along with other articles.

BIRTHS.

HONESAN. —On the 15th ult., at Glichut, Williamstown, the wife of Dr. Honman of a daughter.

MEYERS. —On the 16th ult., at Rushworth, the wife of Dr. Meyers, of a eon.

MARRIAGES.

ECCLES—M'CUTCHEON. —On Nov. 15th, at St. Matthias' Church, Paddington, by the Rev.

Canon Rich, J. V. Eccles, M.D., of Melbourne, to Edith, second daughter of J. W.

M`Cutcheon, of Woollahra, Sydney.

MACLEAN—M‘DouGALL.—On the 16th ult., at Dunolly, Redan-street, East St. Kilda, by the Rev. J. G. Mackie, Hector Rath Maclean, M. B. C.M. Edin., Williamstown, to Katie Fraser, youngest daughter of Duncan E. M`Dougall, Esq., of East St. Kilda.

SPARLING—LE CREN. —On the 14th ult., at St. Colomb's Church, Hawthorn, by the Rev- T. C. Armstrong, Dr. William Augustus Sparling, Durwood-road, Hawthorn, to Emma, only daughter of Charles Le Cress, Esq., St. James's Park, Hawthorn.

DEATHS.

Hoon.—On the 31st ult., at Ondit, Nancy, wife of John Hood, Surgeon, aged 76.

BROWN.—At Palmerston, N.Z., William Brown, L.R.C.P. et L.R.C.S., Ed., aged, 38 years.

Contributors of Papers to the Australian Medical Journal can have a few copies re-printed in Pamphlet form by communicating with the Publishers before the issue of the Journal.