enteric fever in the stock exchange

1
38 surgery, in which was a bottle of corrosive sublimate, from which a considerable quantity had been taken. This cir- cumstance should convey an important lesson to all general practitioners who dispense their own medicines. When Dr. Horniblow charged the prisoner with the act she was terror- stricken, and begged for forgiveness. Here a mistake was made. Dr. Horniblow, though naturally very indignant and expressing it in pardonably strong language, was at first willing to let her go if she apologised to his wife and left the town. Later on he decided to prosecute. This vacillation subjected him to much annoyance, and was probably one reason why the magistrate declined to commit the prisoner for trial. Poisoning is a crime which ought never to be con- doned, even when there is no evidence that it is given with intent to murder, as it undoubtedly was in this case. There were two distinct acts, each followed by well-marked symptoms of poisoning ; the prisoner’s remarks and conduct on each occasion were most suspicious, and it is the most remarkable feature of this case that such well- marked symptoms of poisoning should have been so com- pletely overlooked. It is this unsuspicious nature of the persons generally surrounding poisoners which gives them so much opportunity and such great immunity. The jury found the prisoner guilty with intent to murder, and Justice Wills sentenced her to fifteen years’ penal servitude. NEW YEAR’S HONOURS FOR MEDICAL MEN. HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN has been graciously pleased to approve that a baronetcy of the United Kingdom be con- ferred upon William Scovell Savory, Esq., ex-President of the Royal College of Surgeons. Her Majesty has also been pleased to appoint Sir Oscar Clayton, C.M.G., F.R.C.S., to be Companion of the Order of the Bath. Brigade-Surgeon George King, M.B., Bengal Medical Service, Superintendent of the Royal Botanical Gardens, Calcutta, has been appointed to be Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the Indian Empire; and Thomas Inglis Rowell, Principal Civil Medical Officer of the Straits Settlements, to be Companion of the Most Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George. His Majesty the Shah has, through his ambassador, Prince Malcolm Khan, conferred the Imperial Order and Decoration of Commander of the Lion and the Sun on Dr. R. S. Mair, Physician to the Persian Embassy in London. The gift of a baronetcy to Mr. Savory will meet with the general approval of the profession. There are few men more accomplished in every respect, or who more eloquently represent surgery in its completeness and its continuity. Sir William Savory has filled the highest offices in the profession. As Senior Surgeon to St. Bartholo- mew’s Hospital, as President of the Royal College of Surgeons during a time of important changes and move- ments, and as an expounder of surgical doctrine on various occasions, he has always acquitted himself as a leader with authority and independence. ENTERIC FEVER IN THE STOCK EXCHANGE. THE secretary of the trustees and managers of the Stock Exchange has issued a notice stating that the drainage of the building has been carefully examined by Dr. Sedgwick Saunders, who has reported that it is in excellent order ; that ’, there is no escape of sewer gas or of poisonous atmosphere in the building; and that all air pumped into the house i is carefully washed. The managers called the attention of the city authorities some months ago to certain openings I into the sewers of the city in the streets contiguous to the Stock Exchange; some of these openings have already been closed, and the Commissioners of Sewers promise that others shall be closed shortly. None of these openings are in proximity to the area from which air is pumped into tlie building. The notice goes on to say that the managers are convinced that the cases of fever which have unfortunately occurred are in no way due to causes specially affecting the buildings of the Stock Exchange, but are rather to be attri- buted to the general prevalence of the epidemic in London. The managers give no grounds for their assumption that there is any general prevalence of an epidemic of enteric fever in London, nor do they offer any explanation beyond the above of the circumstances that have given rise to the attacks of members of the Stock Exchange. CHOLERA ON THE MARCH TOWARDS EUROPE. THERE is unfortunately but too good reason for believing that the epidemic of cholera which has for so many months hung about the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, and the interior of Mesopotamia, has made considerable inroads into Persia. News of its having crossed the western boundary of that empire has been received from time to time, but it is now announced to the Faculty of Medicine of Paris that there has been an alarming increase of the disease in Central Persia and on the Turco-Persian frontier; and that the inhabitants are fleeing northwards. Those who can afford the journey are endeavouring to reach Russian ports on the Caspian, and remembering that this is the route into Europe which cholera has so often taken before, the announcement must be regarded as one of no little gravity. This is the more so, because the Caspian port towns and fishing villages have a bad reputation in F regard to those sanitary circumstances which are known to L favour the diffusion of cholera. JUDICIAL CENSURE OF THE PROSECUTION OF A MEDICAL MAN. THE Birmingham Gazette reports that at the recent Warwick Assizes a charge of manslaughter was brought against Mr. F. R. A. Evans on account of his treatment in the case of Elizabeth Mason, at Birmingham. He was called to it by a midwife. At the second visit, on the second day, the midwife said Mr. Evans performed an operation, and on coming downstairs said it was a dangerous case; and he after- wards brought Mr. A. C. Clarke, who on giving chloroform found rupture of the uterus, and advised an attempt at delivery. A third medical man, Mr. R. C. Gilroy, was after- wards called in, and delivered the patient, then in a state of collapse. Professor Clay gave evidence as to the post- mortem examination made by him in the presence of his son and Mr. Evans. He found the uterus ruptured, the intestines torn, their ends ragged, and extensive peritonitis, and said the rupture was caused by the introduction of the hand with a view to dilatation, and that it was the result of violence. Other medical men gave similar evidence, though Mr. F. A. Clay thought the prisoner’s account of the rupture might be true, which, we gather, attributed rupture to accident or to reckless movements during the examination by Mr. Evans and an attempt to deliver by digital dilatation. Mr. Clarke said digital examination was a matter of everyday occurrence. The Judge spoke strongly against the prosecution. He said there had been a dead set against the treatment of the accused by some of the medical men, that it was unreasonable for 15s. to expect skill of the highest order, and that a verdict of guilty could only be justified by " great, grievous, and unpardonable negligence and want of skill." The jury intimated that they were of opinion that there was not sufficient evidence, whereupon the Judge returned to the expression of his strong feeling that there had been " an element of vindictiveness " in the prosecution, which he should mark by disallowing costs.

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38

surgery, in which was a bottle of corrosive sublimate, fromwhich a considerable quantity had been taken. This cir-cumstance should convey an important lesson to all generalpractitioners who dispense their own medicines. When Dr.Horniblow charged the prisoner with the act she was terror-stricken, and begged for forgiveness. Here a mistake wasmade. Dr. Horniblow, though naturally very indignant andexpressing it in pardonably strong language, was at firstwilling to let her go if she apologised to his wife and left thetown. Later on he decided to prosecute. This vacillation

subjected him to much annoyance, and was probably onereason why the magistrate declined to commit the prisonerfor trial. Poisoning is a crime which ought never to be con-doned, even when there is no evidence that it is given withintent to murder, as it undoubtedly was in this case.

There were two distinct acts, each followed by well-markedsymptoms of poisoning ; the prisoner’s remarks andconduct on each occasion were most suspicious, and it isthe most remarkable feature of this case that such well-marked symptoms of poisoning should have been so com-pletely overlooked. It is this unsuspicious nature of thepersons generally surrounding poisoners which gives themso much opportunity and such great immunity. The juryfound the prisoner guilty with intent to murder, and JusticeWills sentenced her to fifteen years’ penal servitude.

NEW YEAR’S HONOURS FOR MEDICAL MEN.

HER MAJESTY THE QUEEN has been graciously pleasedto approve that a baronetcy of the United Kingdom be con-ferred upon William Scovell Savory, Esq., ex-President ofthe Royal College of Surgeons. Her Majesty has also beenpleased to appoint Sir Oscar Clayton, C.M.G., F.R.C.S., tobe Companion of the Order of the Bath. Brigade-SurgeonGeorge King, M.B., Bengal Medical Service, Superintendentof the Royal Botanical Gardens, Calcutta, has been appointedto be Companion of the Most Eminent Order of the IndianEmpire; and Thomas Inglis Rowell, Principal Civil MedicalOfficer of the Straits Settlements, to be Companion of theMost Distinguished Order of St. Michael and St. George.His Majesty the Shah has, through his ambassador, PrinceMalcolm Khan, conferred the Imperial Order and Decorationof Commander of the Lion and the Sun on Dr. R. S. Mair,Physician to the Persian Embassy in London.The gift of a baronetcy to Mr. Savory will meet with

the general approval of the profession. There are fewmen more accomplished in every respect, or who more

eloquently represent surgery in its completeness and itscontinuity. Sir William Savory has filled the highestoffices in the profession. As Senior Surgeon to St. Bartholo-mew’s Hospital, as President of the Royal College of

Surgeons during a time of important changes and move-ments, and as an expounder of surgical doctrine on variousoccasions, he has always acquitted himself as a leaderwith authority and independence.

ENTERIC FEVER IN THE STOCK EXCHANGE.

THE secretary of the trustees and managers of the StockExchange has issued a notice stating that the drainage ofthe building has been carefully examined by Dr. SedgwickSaunders, who has reported that it is in excellent order ; that ’,there is no escape of sewer gas or of poisonous atmospherein the building; and that all air pumped into the house iis carefully washed. The managers called the attention ofthe city authorities some months ago to certain openings Iinto the sewers of the city in the streets contiguous to theStock Exchange; some of these openings have already beenclosed, and the Commissioners of Sewers promise that othersshall be closed shortly. None of these openings are in

proximity to the area from which air is pumped into tlie

building. The notice goes on to say that the managers areconvinced that the cases of fever which have unfortunatelyoccurred are in no way due to causes specially affecting thebuildings of the Stock Exchange, but are rather to be attri-buted to the general prevalence of the epidemic in London.The managers give no grounds for their assumption thatthere is any general prevalence of an epidemic of entericfever in London, nor do they offer any explanation beyondthe above of the circumstances that have given rise to theattacks of members of the Stock Exchange.

CHOLERA ON THE MARCH TOWARDSEUROPE.

THERE is unfortunately but too good reason for believingthat the epidemic of cholera which has for so many monthshung about the Tigris and Euphrates valleys, and theinterior of Mesopotamia, has made considerable inroadsinto Persia. News of its having crossed the western

boundary of that empire has been received from time totime, but it is now announced to the Faculty of Medicineof Paris that there has been an alarming increase of thedisease in Central Persia and on the Turco-Persian frontier;and that the inhabitants are fleeing northwards. Thosewho can afford the journey are endeavouring to reachRussian ports on the Caspian, and remembering that thisis the route into Europe which cholera has so often takenbefore, the announcement must be regarded as one of nolittle gravity. This is the more so, because the Caspianport towns and fishing villages have a bad reputation in

F regard to those sanitary circumstances which are known toL favour the diffusion of cholera.

JUDICIAL CENSURE OF THE PROSECUTIONOF A MEDICAL MAN.

THE Birmingham Gazette reports that at the recentWarwick Assizes a charge of manslaughter was broughtagainst Mr. F. R. A. Evans on account of his treatment inthe case of Elizabeth Mason, at Birmingham. He was calledto it by a midwife. At the second visit, on the second day,the midwife said Mr. Evans performed an operation, and oncoming downstairs said it was a dangerous case; and he after-wards brought Mr. A. C. Clarke, who on giving chloroformfound rupture of the uterus, and advised an attempt atdelivery. A third medical man, Mr. R. C. Gilroy, was after-wards called in, and delivered the patient, then in a stateof collapse. Professor Clay gave evidence as to the post-mortem examination made by him in the presence of hisson and Mr. Evans. He found the uterus ruptured, theintestines torn, their ends ragged, and extensive peritonitis,and said the rupture was caused by the introduction of thehand with a view to dilatation, and that it was the resultof violence. Other medical men gave similar evidence,though Mr. F. A. Clay thought the prisoner’s accountof the rupture might be true, which, we gather, attributedrupture to accident or to reckless movements during theexamination by Mr. Evans and an attempt to deliver bydigital dilatation. Mr. Clarke said digital examinationwas a matter of everyday occurrence. The Judge spokestrongly against the prosecution. He said there had beena dead set against the treatment of the accused bysome of the medical men, that it was unreasonablefor 15s. to expect skill of the highest order, and thata verdict of guilty could only be justified by " great,grievous, and unpardonable negligence and want of skill."The jury intimated that they were of opinion thatthere was not sufficient evidence, whereupon the Judgereturned to the expression of his strong feeling thatthere had been " an element of vindictiveness " in theprosecution, which he should mark by disallowing costs.