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5. That the classification should be more carefully ob-served, and none but infectious diseases treated in thefever wards.

6. That the school buildings should be rebuilt at a

greater distance from the piggeries.7. That the dietary of the children should be greatly

improved and varied, the currant pudding and sloppy brothbeing done away with; new milk ought also to be used.We have left the obviously defective medical arrange-

ments to the last. Some excuse must be made for themedical officer. He lives more than two miles away, andattends, on the average, about four times a week. Hissalary is =850 a year, or at the rate of 5s. for each visit; andhe finds all medicines except quinine and cod-liver oil. Theguardians should pay him adequately, and the Poor-lawBoard should insist upon the work being done in a lessslovenly way. The guardians ought to be compelled to findthe drugs.The case before us afords the strongest evidence as to

the necessity of employing medical instead of lay inspectors.It is not too much to say that the Poor-law Board do notpossess a more intelligent or more competent inspector thanMr. Basil Cane. But it can be no reflection upon a barristerto state that he was utterly unable to appreciate the causesthat have led to the unhappy condition in which thesechildren have been found, or to direct the measures whichare necessary to relieve them.In conclusion, we have one other remedy to propose. To

prevent the introduction of the workhouse system the rate-payers of Hochdale formerly elected a female Board ofGuardians; ],,-’u them now-at least partially-pursue a

similar course to improve the administration of the law.A few lady guardians would be better security againstharshness and neglect, particularly of infants and children,than the whole body of inspectors of the Poor-law Board.

ASSOCIATION OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OFHEALTH.

LONDON AIR.

ON Saturday evening last (April 16th) a most importantpaper was read before the members of this Association byDr. Angus Smith, On the Composition of London Air."The author commenced by observing that, although thesenses were generally reliable for an estimate of the purityof air, they were not to be trusted in individual cases,either as regards the causes of impurity or the effectsproduced. More precise and scientific evidence was neces-sary ; and that, as a chemist, he had endeavoured to supply.He showed that the constitution of the atmosphere is not

by any means so uniform as has been generally supposed.The quantity of oxygen, for example, varies considerably.In some cases it reaches 21’0 per cent. ; and even on thehills of Scotland it varied slightly. Instead of being 20’99per cent., it was reduced in towns to 2089, and at the backof houses to 20’70 per cent.; and the air was found difficultto breathe when it was reduced to 17’20 per cent.The amount of carbonic acid varies from 336 to 2500 in

1,000,000; but, in breathing air, carbonic acid is far lessinjurious than organic matter. It is scarcely possible toperceive 2 per cent. of pure carbonic acid in air, althoughas little as 7 parts in 1000 generated by respiration wouldbe oppressive and injurious, because it indicates a largeaccumulation of organic matter. The first object of ven-tilation is to remove organic matter, and not carbonic acid.When a room is cold, an enormous quantity of carbonicacid may accumulate without danger, because the organicmatter condenses with the aqueous vapour on the walls,and is, practically, removed. The carbonic acid ought notto exceed 0-7 per cent. In London the proportion of oxygenand carbonic acid is as follows

All rain water contains common salt, derived from sea-water, but the quantity diminishes as we get further from.the sea. As we near towns sulphuric acid increases, beingderived from oxidation of sulphur resulting from the com-bustion of coal and coal gas. In the country this acid iscombined with soda and ammonia ; but in London there isa considerable amount of free acid, which tends to corrodeironwork, &c. Free sulphuric acid is the prime impurityin the air of manufacturing towns. The total quantityvaries from 1 to 15 per thousand.Ammonia is present in all air. In London the quantity

is 3’450 per thousand, as against 1’044 per thousand in thecountry, and 0-536 per thousand in Scotland. Dr. AngusSmith has adopted the process of Mr. Wanklyn for thedetermination of organic nitrogen or albuminoid ammonia.The presence of this substance has a direct relation to thedeath-rate in sixty-eight places in England. The quantityin Scotland is low, 0’063; in England, 0’071 j in Manchester,0’211 ; in London, 0’205. The relative quantity of albuminoidammonia found in air washed with distilled water was asfollows :-

Dr. Angus Smith stated that he had tried to believe thegerm theory of disease, but confessed himself unable to doso. The germs observed might, for anything that heknew, be germs of health ; and there were so many otherconditions that it was difficult to prove conclusively thatthey were causes of disease. In conclusion, Dr. Smiththought that, after all, the quantity of albuminoid am-monia would probably be the best test of unwholesome andimpure air; and its determination would, perhaps, make itpossible to determine a standard of badness and unwhole-ness, which would justify the diminution of overcrowding,and the forcible demolition of unhealthy dwellings.A vote of thanks was moved by Mr. LIDDLE, of White-

chapel, and seconded by Dr. STALLARD.Observations were made by Mr. ’Epwmr CHADWICK, Mr.

WANICLYN, and several other speakers, and it transpiredthat the whole of the paper would be published in Dr.Angus Smith’s Annual Report on the Operation of theAlkalies Act.

ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.

A SCEPTICAL ARMY SURGEON.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,-The military journals announce that Staff-surgeonFitzgerald is about to become the head of the Medical

Department, in succession to Dr. Crawford. Is there anytruth in the statement? f And, if so, will the appointmentbe approved by the army surgeons ? As one who wouldfain believe that the davs of official favouritism were over,I should be sorry to hear the first question, and surprisedtohear the second, answered in the affirmative; and in themeantime I beg to subscribe myself,

Yoiirq fnitlifijllv.

THE PROPOSED GOVERNMENT MEDICALBILL.

W. MILSTED HARMER, M.R.C.P. Edin.North Grove House Asylum, Hawkhurst, April 18th, 1870.

To the Edit01’ of THE LANCET.

SiE,—I would suggest that the following addition shouldbe made to Section 22 of the proposed Medical Bill-viz.,That every person, registered or non-registered, givingwritten advice or a prescription, whether for gain or not,shall sign his or her name in full, with the addition ofregistered or non-registered, as the case may be, togetherwith date and residence, adding the patient’s name andaddress. Penalty, =E20 for each offence." And I wouldfurther add, " That any chemist, &c., making up a pre-scription not thus duly signed, and as above directed, shallbe liable to a fine of .610 for each offence."

I am, Sir, your obedient servant,