790 A MIDWIFE POSING AS A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER.

its reputation to bear the burden of its operator’s infirmi-ties." He then goes on to say that the employés should besystematically trained, and the public educated to habits ofcleanliness and their minds freed from the trouble-makingnotions and imaginings which prevail with reference to

ventilation even among those boasting of culture. We quiteagree, for herein lies the key to the whole matter. If the

public possessed an intelligent knowledge of the laws ofhealth they would immediately unite in demanding, withevery chance of obtaining, a redress of the grievances fromwhich they suffer.

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A MIDWIFE POSING AS A MEDICAL PRACTITIONER

THERE is one point on which all are agreed-that the linebetween the midwife and the medical practitioner must bekept distinct. A case was investigated by Mr. Troutbeckat the Horseferry-road court, in which it appeared that oneWilliam Hinton applied to Dr. G. de G. Griffiths of the

Medical College, St. George’s-road, to attend his child, andthat Dr. Griffiths, instead of going himself, sent the matronof the college, who described herself as a midwife. The

child was dead when they arrived. Asked by the coroner ifshe attended medical cases the midwife answered, "Notas a rule," which seemed to imply exceptions. The jurycensured Dr. Griffiths, for, as the coroner observed, when

people applied for medical advice they were entitled to thatof a skilled practitioner.

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THE THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONGRESS OFDERMATOLOGY.

THE Third International Congress of Dermatology will beheld in London this year from Aug. 4th to 8th inclusive.The meetings will take place in the Examination Hall of theRoyal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, on the VictoriaEmbankment. Separate sections will be established for

dermatology and syphilis, the meetings of these being heldsimultaneously. The scientific portion of the programme ispractically complete, and the large number of British as wellas foreign physicians who have testified their intention ofbeing present will doubtless ensure the success of the

Congress, of which Mr. Hutchinson is President. Thefee for membership, which entitles to the volume of Trans-actions to be issued, is £1, payable to the hon. treasurer,Mr. Malcolm Morris, 8, Harley-street, London, W. The

secretary-general, to whom all communications should be

addressed, is Dr. J. J. Pringle, 23, Lower Seymour-street,London, W.

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THE REMUNERATION OF CORONERS.

AT the last meeting of the Brighton town council a some-what significant correspondence was read with regard to thefees paid to the borough coroner (Mr. J. E. Bush). Mr.

Bush wrote to the town clerk suggesting a revision of thescale, and the following facts were laid before a committeeof general purposes. At present Mr. Bush receives the

statutory fee of .61 6s. 8d. for each inquisition, with mileageand other disbursements, which make the average cost ofeach inquest about .64. Mr. Bush asked that some allowanceshould be made in cases where, after inquiry, he does notthink an inquest necessary and simply reports the case to theregistrar, receiving no fee whatever. The coroner said thatin Worcester a fee of 13s. 4d. was paid in such cases, and inCroydon, ’-B’eweastle-upon-Tyne, and Swansea a fee of 6s. 8d."Other coroners inform me that it is almost their universal

practice to hold an inquest in every case reported to them.If I were to adopt a similar practice my emoluments wouldbe nearly doubled, but the expense to the borough would besimilarly increased, which I wish to avoid if an equitablearrangement can be made." The town clerk, in his letterto the committee, said he had no doubt that the coroner

would in many of the cases in question "be technicallyjustified in holding an inquest." During the last five years,it may be stated, the number of inquests held and of casesinvestigated, but simply registered, was: 1891, 89 inquestsand 100 cases of investigation; 1892, 87 and 85; 1893, 95and 87 ; 1894, 106 and 58 ; and 1895, 100 and 77. In view of

these facts and the candid statement of the coroner it seems

scarcely satisfactory that the committee and the councilalike were of the opinion that it is unadvisable to make

any alteration. The town clerk, it may be added, recom-mended a fee of 6s. 8d.

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THE MEDICO-ETHICAL SOCIETY OF BRADFORD.

THIS society, which has for some years been in a somewhatmoribund condition, has become once more, from force ofcircumstances, an active agency in the professional life ofthe town. There has been a very large accession of newmembers, including a great proportion of the yoanger

generation. At the general meeting held on March 12ththere was a sweeping change made in the personnel of theold group of office-bearers. Dr. Hime was elected Pre-

sident, and will, we are sure, be an active agent in maintain-ing the highest standard of ethical and professional conduct.Among the questions which have been agitating the mind ofthe profession in Bradford and which have led to this revivedinterest in medical ethics are the great abuse of medicalcharities in Bradford, the club question, and, we regret tohear also, the alleged unprofessional behaviour of some ofthe senior members of the profession. Although names arefreely mentioned in this connexion, it is to be hoped that thesuppression of any irregularities will be effected without thenecessity for any serious action by the Medico-Ethical

Society ; but it is evident that the younger members of theprofession are determined that matters to which they objectshall be settled on a basis of high professional conduct.

DISTURBING CEMETERIES.

A CORRESPONDENT puts to us the question whether or nothere would be a, danger in cutting’ through a cemetery (forthe purpose of widening a road) in which no interments

have taken place for the past forty years ? If interments hadbeen conducted on scientific lines and the bodies (not toodeeply buried) had been left to be dealt with by the " livingearth," and if, in addition, the earth had been encouragedto bring forth "herb yielding seed and tree bearingfruit after its kind," we should have had no hesitationin saying that no evil would result from the proposeddisturbance. But when we consider that the bodies

interred have perhaps been enclosed in leaden coffinsand carefully preserved in brick vaults we have some

hesitation in giving an answer. As to the evils which havearisen or may arise from disturbing cemeteries there is

practically no evidence which is of any value. These fortyyear old bodies may, owing to the mode of interment, still beundergoing a most unpleasant form of slow putrefaction, andtheir disinterment, while it would hasten their disintegration,might be a most unpleasant process and lead to the dis-

engagement of foul-smelling gases if to no more serious

consequences. On the whole we are inclined to think thatthe sentiment which has led to our regarding burial

grounds as sacred places which ought not to be lightlydisturbed or put to any other use is serviceableon sanitacry grounds; ; and when an alteration is pro-posed in the interests of traffic and business we shouldrecommend that a cemetery should not be utilised if sucha course can possibly be avoided, but that the groundnecessary for the improvement should be gained in someother way, even though the road should have to be turneda little out of its direct course. The evidence of bacterio-