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work of public utility, and which would especially benefitthe working classes of the county and city of Dublin.After due consideration, it was decided that the foundationof a hospital for consumption and diseases of the chestwould be the most fitting memorial. The committee statethat they were aware that persons suffering from consump-tion and other similar forms of lung disease cannot betreated with a fair prospect of success in town hospitals,and that in many cases it is inadvisable to admit such tothe general hospitals of the city. By the establishment of ahospital of the kind proposed adjacent to Dublin, manypatients may be successfully treated who at present endtheir days in the Hospital for Incurables, and many others,not absolutely curable, may be so alleviated as to enable thesufferers to lead comparatively healthy and useful lives.From the mortality returns of Ireland, it appears that overone-tenth of the deaths are caused by consumption, andabout one-sixth by other diseases of the lungs; while inthe city of Dublin and its immediate suburbs the annualaverage deaths from consumption number a little over 1000,from other diseases of the respiratory organs over 1800, thetwo groups forming about one-third of all the deaths whichtake place in Dublin. It is gratifying to state that thesubscriptions towards the proposed hospital have alreadyreached a sum of E6640.

DUBLIN HOSPITALS COMMISSION,

In addition to the remarks made in last week’s issuerelative to this report, there are a few others to whichattention may now be directed. The commissioners, havingreviewed the circumstances of each institution, make somesuggestions which they consider will render them moreeffective institutions for the advancement of medical know-ledge. They refer to the large number of small hospitals inDublin, which add largely to the establishment charges,"and by frittering away the number of beds among so manyhospitals, thus diminish the opportunities for clinicalinstruction. They recommend a reduction in the number ofgeneral hospitals, and believe that the total income of thevarious hospitals, taken at an average of £65,000, wouldsuffice to support 1249 beds, the number maintained in1884-5, if judiciously distributed among a few large institu-tions ; but under the present circumstances the withdrawalof the Parliamentary grant would be attended withdisastrous consequences. They suggest that the annualgrants be commuted for a capital sum to be invested in thehands of trustees, and that the interest be paid periodicallyto a central board, to be distributed by them among suchhospitals as shall fulfil certain specified conditions. In myopinion, it is extremely unlikely that these recommendationsof the commissioners will be carried out; and, indeed, ifthey were in their entirety, it might prove injurious to someinstitutions which thoroughly deserve the grants they atpresent receive.

ACADEMY OF MEDICINE.

By a clerical error it was stated last week that the title ofthe Academy was intended to be "The Royal Irish Academyof Medicine"; it should have been stated that it was re-solved to apply for permission to use the prefix " Royal," sothat it shall be called " The Royal Academy of Medicine inITeland."

THE "KENNEDY DEFENCE FUND."Allusion has already been made in these columns to the

groundless accusations brought against Dr. Kennedy, theresident surgeon of Mercer’s Hospital. A committee hasbeen formed, who invite subscriptions from the professionso as to express their determination to suppoit one anotherwhen called on to meet charges arising out of the con-scientious discharge of their duties, and also to indemnifythe member of the profession so charged against law costs.Dublin, May 3rd.

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BELFAST.

(From our own Correspondent.)

THE BELFAST DISTRICT LUNATIC ASYLUM.

IN the fifty-seventh annual report of this asylum, justissued, Dr. Merrick, the able and courteous superintendent,states that there have been 196 admissions during the year,which, with those already in the asylum at the end of 1885,makes the total number under treatment 766 ; 130 have been

discharged, and 35 have died, leaving a total of 601 in residenceat the end of the year 1886. Of those discharged, seven wereunimproved or harmless, forty-two were improved, andeighty-one recovered. One death occurred from suicide.The general sanitary condition of the house has been mostsatistactory, and no case of infectious disease occurred. Thegross expenditure for the year amounts to .12,837, whichgives the cost per head at £21 14s. 4 3/4 d., and is a decreaseof £1 4s. 4.¼d. on comparison with the cost of the precedingyear. Considerable changes in the personnel of the medicalstaff have taken place. Dr. Purdon has been appointedvisiting and consulting physician, in place of Dr. HenryMacCormac deceased. Dr. W. Graham, assistant to Dr.Merrick, has been appointed medical superintendent of theArmagh Asylum, and Dr. Samuel Graham has been appointedin his place.

THE ROYAL HOSPITAL.

The summer session commenced on Tuesday, and themedical classes hwe also started at Queen’s College. At theRoyal Hospital Mr. John Campbell has gained the CoulterExhibition, while the Malcolm Prize has been awarded toMr. Quarry. Mr. Campbell has also won the Gold Medal atthe Belfast Hospital for Sick Children.

MEETING OF SOCIETIES.

At the last meeting of the Ulster Medical Society, insteadof the reading and discussing of papers, the evening wasdevoted to the exhibition of patients, instruments, andspecimens. A large number of members of the Society werepresent, and among the contributors were Dr. Whitla, Dr.Esler, Dr. Dill, Dr. Sinclair, Dr. M’Caw, Dr. Browne, andMr. Fagan. At the meeting of the North of Ireland Branchof the British Medical Association, held last week in Belfast,papers were read by Dr. Burden, Dr. Byers, Dr. O’Neill, andcases shown by the last-named gentleman and Dr. Esler.

AUSTRALIAN NOTES.

(From our own Correspondent.)

SANITATION (?) IN BRISBANE.THIS town is in a very discreditable state, as far as health

matters are concerned. There is a Central Board of Health,the members of which are Government nominees, who(with the notable exception of Dr. Taylor, who not long agofurnished the Government with a full report on the relativemerits of different sewage systems, and who does all hecan to stir the Board up) are content to do little but meetand take their guinea a sitting each. Certainly they haveno powers entrusted to carry out any improvement, andhave recently failed even in getting the Arcade cesspitsremoved, which are an acknowledged nuisance to the

neighbourhood, and have to be emptied fortnightly by mengoing down into them and baling the excreta out inbuckets. There is no permanent medical officer of healthto the corporation, and the water supplied to the town bythe Board of Waterworks was so filthy recently that one ofthe reservoirs had to be shut off on account of the generalpopular outcry against it.

HORRIBLE ABORTION CASES IN NEW ZEALAND.

Dr. Russell of Christ church (a coloured American prac-titioner), who has been in practice in that town for someyears, is now on his trial for abortion in three cases. Theevidence goes to prove that he has been making a systematicpractice of this, and he seems to have kept a sort of abortionhospital at a small boarding-house in the town, where heregularly attended. One woman who had been aborted byhim acknowledged to having been twice operated on by him,and that on the former occasion the foetns was put on thefire alive to destroy it. Another woman gave evidence thatshe had been aborted twice by him, had had criminal intimacywith him, and that the second pregnancy was by him. Tenpounds seems to have been his customary fee for the business.When arrested he endeavoured to commit suicide by takingtincture of aconite, but a dose of apomorphia administeredhypodermically defeated his intention.MEDICAL MEMBERS OF PARLIAMENT IN NEW SOUTH WALES.

There has been a dissolution of Parliament in New SouthWales recently, and several medical men have obtained seats inthe new House; I will give you their names in my next, as the