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platinum wire, one-thousandth of an inch in diameter, whichis arranged as a series of parallel folds, and insulated betweentwo small plates of mica. The ends of the platinum wire areconnected with a Wheatstone’s bridge, and any variationin the strength of the current is indicated by a mirrorgalvanometer. Dr. Rolleston took two of these thermometersand wound round each the sciatic nerve of a frog, with thegastrocnemius still attached, so that there might be nodoubt about the excitability of the nerve. Both ther-mometers were kept under exactly the same conditions, andmost refined precautions were taken to eliminate anychanges of temperature due to evaporation &c., or to

the chemical changes in the adjoining muscle. The

apparatus was then so arranged that the two ther-mometers exactly balanced each other, and that the

slightest alteration in the temperature of either wouldcause a deflection of the mirror of the galvanometer.He then stimulated the nerve with a weak induced current,and on no occasion was there a rise of even a thousandth ofa degree in the temperature of the nerve. He found thatas the nerve lost its excitability and died, there was, on thecontrary, a slow rise of temperature, without any externalstimulation of the nerve. This loss of excitability and riseof temperature also occurred if the nerve were subjected tothe action of too strong or protracted a stimulation. The

temperature slowly reached a maximum, often rising aseventh of a degree centigrade, and then slowly fell again.Frogs only were experimented on, but it is to be hoped thatDr. Rolleston will be able to extend his observations tomammals.

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THE REVERENCE OF MEDICAL STUDENTS.

AN evening contemporary recently contained a short articlereflecting on medical students and their lack of reverencefor the dead, observing very properly that the bodies of evenwaifs and strays who die in hospitals should be treated withrespect. The basis of this sermon to medical students was

very slight, consisting of the fact that the head of a womanhad been found in Paris near a railway station, and that thepolice had come to the conclusion that it was the work ofmedical students playing a hoax on them. We think thisis rather hard even on Paris students; but to base on such anincident a charge against medical students generally is notworthy of our contemporary. Medical students of this

country, both in the hospital and the dissecting room, aretaught lessons of humanity, and take kindly to suchlessons.

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LONDON SANITARY ADMINISTRATION.

AT the last meeting of the Sanitary Committee ofSt. Pancras, of which an account is given in the columns ofan evening contemporary, the medical officer of health,Dr. J. F. J. Sykes, reported ;a number of premises underthe Artisans and Labourers’ Dwellings Act, 1868, and gaveample reasons why the vestry should proceed in respect ofthese houses. He further made a request which experiencehas shown to be very necessary-viz., that the SanitaryCommittee should view the houses at once, as otherwise

they might be patched up, and a few months hencethere might be a protest against his action in reportingthem. It is a not infrequent event for the owners of

dilapidated property, when it comes to their knowledge thatthe medical officer of health has reported their houses underthis Act, to commencewithout loss of time a number of super-ficial and decorative repairs : walls are covered with cleanpaper, ceilings are whitened, and the evils which led totheir condemnation by the officer are thus covered up; theyare left with an appearance of wholesomeness and cleanlinesswhich makes a local authority very loth to insist uponsubstantial repairs such as their surveyor would specify.

The St. Pancras Committee, who appear to be largelyinfluenced by one of their number, are devoting themselveswith great energy to the work of improvement in theirdistrict. It is to be hoped that there will be no inter-

ruption to these proceedings, and that the medical officerand the committed will be properly supported by thevestry. London is now suffering from the many badly-builthouses which have been erected in comparatively recentyears ; in many suburban districts houses of this characterare falling into decay, and the earnest efforts of sanitaryauthorities are required to overcome this difficulty. Weare glad to see the St. Pancras Sanitary Committeeseriously undertaking this duty.

CÆSAREAN SECTION AT KENSINGTONINFIRMARY.

IN regard to this case, reported in our issue of March 22nd,we indicated last week that we had received several com-

munications, all more or less condemnatory of the coursepursued by Dr. Haward Van Buren. In admitting reportsof cases into our Mirror of Hospital Practice we do notnecessarily always agree with the treatment advocated.We have often pointed out, in obstetrical cases, the neces-sity of carefully appreciating the indications for the

respective operative measures, according to the degreeof pelvic deformity and concomitant conditions, and of

proceeding accordingly, before " the mother is exhaustedby unavailing labour pains." We welcome reports of casesin which the reporters, honestly recognising their mis-

takes, have published their experience as a guide to otherswho may be placed in similar circumstances. Judgingfrom the report of this case, there was, in our opinion,a decided want of precision in the physical examination ofthe pelvis. The interspinous measurement was nine inchesand a half, which was sufficient evidence to cause a mostcareful investigation to be made of the exact reduction of theconjugate diameter of the pelvic brim, in order to determinethe operative measures to employ. There are several details,especially in regard to the purely surgical aspect of the case,open to criticism. The marked improvements made in thevarious modifications of hysterotomy have caused a revolu-tion in opinion as to the dangers of the operation in corn-petent hands, and now craniotomy, as an alternative opera-tion, is upon the defensive. We must remember that thesuccess of Csesarean section depends upon the early recogni-tion of the imperative indications for the operation, theprior condition of the woman, the avoidance of all futileexperimental attempts with forceps &c. to deliver pervaginam, and the employment of modern antiseptic mea-sures.

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LEPROSY IN NEW ZEALAND.

WE find by the latest news from New Zealand that twocases of leprosy were discovered in the same week. Onewas a Chinaman living in Auckland and the other was aPortuguese in the South Island. A correspondent informs usthat these are by no means the first cases of leprosy thathave been discovered in New Zealand. One person(a white man) suffering from tubercular leprosy diedin Canterbury, New Zealand, two or three years ago,and occasional cases have been noticed amongst theChinese. Dr. Thomson, in his well-known book, "TheBritain of the South," described leprosy as existingamongst the Maories. No such cases are known at present,as the Maori leprosy seems to have been stamped out by asystem of rigorous seclusion. The New Zealand Govern-ment should take prompt measures to get rid of thisdireful disease while it can be done easily and at little

expense. The example of the Sandwich Islands shows howrapidly leprosy spreads when once introduced, and how

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difficult it is to eradicate it when it has attacked any con-siderable number of the population. It appears that theAuckland leper was examined by Dr. R. H. Bakewell,formerly physician to the Leper Asylum, Trinidad.Dr. Bakewell’s experience in the West Indies and SouthAmerica entitles his opinion as to the nature of the diseasetwo great weight. -

DOG-OWNERS AND THE MUZZLING ORDER.

THE report of the conference on Jan. 22nd between Mr. IChaplin and a deputation of Kentish dog-owners, with ireference to the recent muzzling order, has recently beenpublished. It is of interest as affording a comprehensive’statement of the chief arguments employed for and againstthis important sanitary measure. On the part of the depu-tation there was a general agreement as to the benefitconferred by the order in removing stray curs from ourthoroughfares. As regards the general application of themuzzle, however, a totally different feeling prevailed. Itwas freely condemned as engendering by its irritation a

snappish tendency, and even as predisposing to rabies. Inome districts of Kent especially, where, it was alleged,hydrophobia was unknown, the disuse of this form ofrestraint was strongly advocated. The exemption grantedto certain classes of animals-hounds, for example-was"condemned as an injurious instance of class legislation.Mr. Chaplin’s reply contained a full and well-reasonedanswer to these various objections. He had no difficulty inshowing that Kent is distinctly one of the infected counties,thirty-nine cases having occurred within it during last year.’The application of simple registration as a remedy, thoughuseful in a degree, was, he maintained, inadequate to meetthe present serious development of the disease. Exemptionswere justified by the extremely careful supervision observedin the cases above-mentioned, and the chances of comfort or4iscomfort in wearing the muzzle with any resulting nervousirritation were dependent entirely on the selective judgment- exercised by dog-owners. A muzzle rightly constructed didnot irritate, and it constituted the best-known preventiveof canine hydrophobia. The fact that during its generalapplication in London between 1885 and 1887 the number ofcases fell from twenty-six to nine, rose again in 1888 duringits disuse to 176, and was now increasing, affords a

’sufficient justification of the right hon. gentleman’s view,which is that which we have ourselves always maintainedrespecting the muzzling regulations.

THE HYGIENE OF FLORENCE.

NOWHERE in Italy is the new Public Health Act carriedout with more stringency than in Florence, where theUfficio d’lgiene has just detected and brought to justice anumber of adulterators of sweetmeats in which salts of

copper had been largely used as colouring matter. Sundry Iwine-vendors have also had their stores sequestrated onaccount of the I I falsificazioii e of the liquors; and, mostimportant of all, the Ufficio has made a series of searchinginvestigations into the so-called " pozzi neri and "pozzid’acqua potabile " (cesspools and wells of drinking water),which have been found in dangerous proximity to eachother. In Florence it is a punishable offence to allow thesedc pozzi neri to debouch into the public drains, their con-tents being (normally) from time to time pumped out, andcarried off to the fields. No fewer than seventy-four ofthese "pozzi," however, were found discharging into thedrains, and causing pernicious effluvia. Again, out of ten"pozzi d’acqua potabile," seven were found contaminatedwith leakage from 11 pozzi neri" close by. it is fair to

observe, however, that the "acqua potabile supplied tothe hotels and pensions, and the better quarters in general,

comes from reservoirs outside the gates, and is as pureand salutary as drinking water need be. Meanwhile theFlorentine Ufficio d’Igiene is to be congratulated on itsenergy and efficiency, and on the example it is setting toother Italian centres resorted to by the English-speakingpublic. -

ABDOMINAL SURGERY IN CUBA.

ACCORDING to Dr. Barrena, the results of abdominal

surgery, as practised by himself and some of the otherleading surgeons in Cuba, have hardly been as satisfactoryas could be desired. Of 39 cases of ovariotomy, 12 werefatal. Of 11 cases of hysterectomy no less than 9 werefatal; 3 cases of miomotomy, 3 of salpingotomy, and 1 ofligature of the tubes, were all successful, but 4 cases ofexploratory incision proved fatal to 3 of the patients, andthe only case of vaginal hysterectomy was also fatal.

Altogether, out of 62 patients operated on, no less than 25died. It is to be hoped that this courageous statement ofactual facts may tend to deter surgeons, who might other-wise be induced by the brilliant results of abdominal opera-tions frequently published, from entering with too light aheart upon operations of this nature. The unfavourableresults referred to may, perhaps, be partially explained bythe insanitary condition of Habana, and probably of otherCuban cities. This subject was also treated during theCongress by Dr. Wilson, who pointed out that the badwater and the want of a proper system of sewerage, together,doubtless, with the heat and moisture of the climate, raisedthe death-rate of Habana to a figure about double thatwhich denotes the death-rate of London.

THE SALE OF POISONS.

A QUESTION of great importance came before the LordMayor at the Mansion House recently for magisterialdecision. A chemist, who had sold a bottle of coughlinctus containing acetate of morphine, was summonedunder the provisions of the Pharmacy Act for not

having labeled the mixture with the word "poison."For the defence it was contended that the statute in-

tended only an uncompounded poison, and that a mixturecontaining a poisonous ingredient was not within itsterms. It was, moreover, alleged that the practice of

selling poisonous compounds without the warning label

required by the Act is a very common one, and it appearedthat the particular chemist who was defendant in theseproceedings had acted in perfect good faith and with nosuspicion that he was guilty of any illegality. In thesecircumstances it was only just that the penalty inflictedshould be a light one, and to that extent we find ourselvesin full accord with the Lord Mayor’s decision. But we donot feel equally content with the criticism which he passedupon the language of the Act. He is reported to have saidthat the Act does not specify that a mixture containing poisonwas to be protected by the label, and, while not adopting theconstruction put forward by the defence, he appears, never-theless, to have indicated so much sympathy with that viewas to suggest that it would be desirable to amend the word-ing of the statute by the addition of words such as " anycompound or mixture containing poison." This appears to

us to be a singularly ill-advised comment. Many com-pounds contain poisonous ingredients which are, neverthe-less, wholly innocuous. Common salt, for instance, con-tains chlorine, but in combination the chlorine is innocuous.What the statute says and what it means is that it shallbe unlawful, except with certain safeguards, to sella poison. A poisonous compound is just as much a

poison as a poisonous element, and to include in the

prohibition mixtures containing poisons, as distinct frompoisonous substances per se, would be to extend the