1196

Hill’s system of rent collecting, which has been so success-ful in other places, should be started without further

delay in Birmingham. 7. The installation of an up-to-dateand complete system of trams in the city itself and cheapthrough means of communication between the city and itssuburbs, so that working men who have to earn their livingin the city may be able to live in the country where land ischeap and the air fresh, is strongly to be insisted upon. Ifthis policy is vigorously and prudently followed for the nextfew years it will, in the opinion of the committee, enable andencourage the poorer section of the community to live inmore comfortable and sanitary surroundings. A copy of theevidence given by the numerous witnesses is appended to thereport in question.

Medical Practitioners’ Union.The annual meeting of the Birmingham and District

General Medical Practitioners’ Union recently held, togetherwith the report of the council presented at that meeting,shows that the affairs of the society are in a flourishing con-dition. The membership is now 281, that being an increaseof 31 on the numbers for the previous year, and the treasurer’sbalance-sheet shows a substantial sum on the right side.The report calls attention to the fact that a code of ethicshas been drawn up during the year and circulated. Of thiscode I have already given an account in your columns aswell as of the action of the union in connexion with the notifi-cation of cases of chicken-pox.l A series of regulations deal-ing with club practice have been drawn up by the executivecommittee and are to be circulated amongst the branchesfor criticism. The union has now secured for itself a positionof strength which has never previously been attained by anysimilar organisation in the city and is perhaps the moreneeded because the branch of the profession whose interestsit has at heart is so singularly in the minority on the rulingbodies of the Birmingham branch and the Birminghamdivision of the British Medical Association. The six repre-sentatives on the branch council from the central (Birming-ham) division consist of five consultants and but one generalpractitioner, whilst of the 15 members of the executivecommittee of this division 11 are consultants. Consideringthat general practitioners are to consultants at least as five isto one this division seems a curious one and has been muchcommented on.

Oct. 20th. _______________

MANCHESTER.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Dangers from Sewer Gases.THE city coroner, Mr. E. A. Gibson, held an inquest

Oct. 14th as to the death of a labourer named Foleyemployed at some chemical works at Clayton, ManchesterHe was working at the foot of a well about 14 feet deelwhen he was overcome by a rush of gas, was drawn up fronthe well in an unconscious state, and died before a medicaman arrived. A witness said that Foley collapsed as hEwas descending the ladder and that he himself was over.come when going down to bring him up. Another martried to reach Foley but the fumes drove him back. ThEmedical evidence was that death was caused by asphyxia.tion. After Foley was drawn up one witness noticed a

smell of sulphuretted hydrogen. One of the corporationriver inspectors said that he had investigated the matte!and after he had taken a rod from one of the six-inch drainsthere was a rush of greenish liquid containing sulphurettedhydrogen and carbon dioxide. He said that the liquidwhich went into the drain was not the result of any processof manufacture, "it was drainage from a sump heap."Such a mixture as went into the sewer would give off noxiousgases. ’’ The lesson he drew from the occurrence was thatthe danger could be stopped." He did not think that therewas negligence but with their present knowledge the firmshould be expected to make the conditions different. "The

presence of the gas in the well could not have beenforeseen." Dr. Fowler, chemist to the rivers department ofthe corporation, agreed with this evidence and said thatin the course of the investigations more than 600 sampleshad been taken from the well and drains. The coroner saidthat I it was clear that there was carbonite ’ in this drainand that, coming in contact with the acid, it had createdcarbon dioxide gas." Whatever the chemical changes may

1 THE LANCET, May 2nd, 1903, pp. 1270-71.

have been a deadly gas was produced. "The jury could not.come to the conclusion that there was anyone to blame sofar as the use of the sewer was concerned." The verdict was’’ Death by misadventure." These deaths from sewer gases,occurring as they do in Manchester too frequently, are

greatly to be deplored, for they ought to be guarded against.This was evidently felt by the jury, "who added a

recommendation that the corporation should make use

of their powers to keep noxious vapours out of the drainsand sewers." They also very properly strongly urged thatwhere wells of this description were used proper appliancesshould be at hand and that ropes should always be used."These are self-evident precautions which ought not to requireenforcing by a coroner’s jury and something might surely bedone to drive off noxious gases before the descent ofworkmen.

Ri.ver Pollution: a Good Word for Salford.The action of the Mersey and Irwell joint committee

against the Salford corporation again came before JudgeParry on Oct. 14th. Mr. Strachan, an expert as to sewagepurification, presented some time since a report of what wasneeded which was adopted by the Salford council, which hadpractically undertaken to carry out Mr. Strachan’s plans.It seems that two pumps are at work and a third is to beerected within the next six months when there will bethree at work each capable of pumping 14,000,000 gallonsa day. At present the pumping power is inadequate. JudgeParry said his view was that the corporation had doneextremely well in this matter now. "As they had putforward this scheme in what he thought a most statesmanlikespirit he supposed the joint committee would try to assistthem," which was promised on behalf of the committee. Anextension of time was given to the corporation till Oct. 14th,1904.

Music Licences and Sanitation.

’, On Oct. 12th some of the applications for music licenceswere heard before the Manchester justices which had beenadjourned either on sanitary grounds or because the pre-mises were unsuitable or for other reasons. The applica-tions were chiefly by beer-sellers and some people may besurprised to hear of the size of the rooms in which it wasintended that the charms of music should intensify that ofbeer-drinking. Licences were wanted for rooms 12 or 13feet by 10 or 11 feet. One beer-seller said that a musiclicence had been attached to his house for 40 years andentertainments had been given all that time in a place12 feet 9 inches by 10 feet 9 inches. Paid talent " wasemployed, for he had a pianist and a chairman " and agramophone. In another case the applicant employed "ablind young lady " as pianist in a room 18 feet by 11 feet.One man wanted his licence renewed for a room like a longpassage 29 feet 6 inches by 7 feet 10 inches but the

magistrates would not have concerts in passages. This casewas adjourned for the production of plans. In several casesthe concert rooms could not be reached except through barsor private living rooms and sometimes they were so placedas to be inaccessible to police supervision or there was noretiring accommodation apart from that of the family. Onecan imagine the pestilential state of the air of many ofthese rooms crowded with the unwashed in their unwashedclothing, well filled with the smell of beer, and obscuredwith the fog of tobacco smoke. A considerable number ofthe applications were refused.

Dr. C. J. Cullingworth on Charles White.An interesting meeting of the Manchester Medical Society

was held in Owens College on Oct. 7th, Dr. A. M. Edge, thePresident, being in the chair. Dr. Cullingworth deliveredan address upon Charles White. The address, the majorportion of which appeared in THE LANCET of Oct. 17th,p. 1071, was followed with the greatest attention andinterest.

Oct. 20th. __________________

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Winter Medical Session in Edinburgh.THE middle of October brings with it the end of the holi-

day season in Edinburgh and the medical classes have beenopened by the various lecturers in the usual undemonstrativefashion. The most important change in the University isthe transference of the teaching of anatomy from the veteran