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Medical Diary of the Week.Monday, March 15.

ST. MARK’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPIT.4,L, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, 10’-, A.M.METROPOLITAN FREE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.—4 P,M. Prof. Huxley, "Onthe

Construction of Vertebrated Animals."MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—8 P.3,-t. Address by the President.-Dr. J.

Thompson Dickson, "On Matter and Force in relation to Mental andCerebral Phenomena.".

Tuesday, March 16.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HospiTAL, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, 101/3 A.M.GUY’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.M.WESTMINSTER HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.NATIONAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION.—3 P.M. Rev. F. W. Farrar, "On Comparative Philology."ANTHROPOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.—8 P.M. Mr. L. 0. Pike, "On the

alleged Influence of Race on Religion." - Dr. Davy, " On the Characterof the Negro."

PATHOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON.-8 P.M.

Wednesday, March 17.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, 10½ A.M.MIDDLESEX HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.3i.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½, p.M.ST. MARY’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1¼ P.M.GREAT NoRTHERN HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 p.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.LONDON’ HOSPITAL.—Operations, 3 P.M.OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, SOUTHWARK.—Operations, 2 p.m.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND,-4, P.M. Prof. Huxley, "On the

Construction of Vertebrated Animals."ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.—5 P.M. Lumleian Lectures : Dr. Barker,On Diseases of the Serous Membranes and some of their Results."

Thursday, March 18.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, 10½ A.M.ST. GEORGE’s HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.M.UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.WEST LONDON HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL ORTHOPÆDIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 p.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION.-3 P.M. Mr. H. Power, " On the Eye."HAETEiAN SOCIETY OF LONDON. - 8 P.M. Mr. de Méric, " On Sulphite of

Soda in the Treatment of Syphilis."

Friday, March 19.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORPIELDS.—Operations, 1012 A.M.WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1 P.M.CENTRAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND.---4 P.M. Prof. Huxley, "On the

Construction of Vertebrated Animals."ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.—5 P.M. Lumleian Lectures: Dr. Barker,

"On Diseases of the Serous Membranes and some of their Results."ROYAL INSTITUTION.-8 P.M. Dr. Crum Brown, "On Chemical Constitution,

and its relation to Physical and Physiological Properties."

Saturday, March 20.ST. THOMAS’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 9 A.M.ROYAL LONDON OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL, MOORFIELDS.—Operations, lU2 A.M.ROYAL FREE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.ST. BARTHOLOMEW’S HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.KING’S COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—Operations, 1½ P.M.CHARING-CROSS HOSPITAL.—Operations, 2 P.M.ROYAL INSTITUTION .-3 P.M. Prof. Odling, "On Hydrogen and its Analogues."

Notes Short Comments, and Answers to

Correspondents.LIFE IN’SPEAN’O]! OFFICES : A FRIENDLY IDEA.

A VERY brilliant idea seems to have been almost simultaneously conceivedby two Life Insurance Offices. The idea is not only brilliant, but friendly.It takes the medical profession into friendly consultation about the accep-tability of lives. It addresses a series of questions to the medical attend-ant of the applicant, not in his capacity as a medical man, but as " afriend," and avoids the vulgar element of fees. Can anything be morebeautiful or worthy of the cultivated calculation of an Insurance Office ?Can there be any truer friend of a man than his medical adviser ? Lastweek we published a series of questions addressed by Mr. Charles Jellicoe,of the Eagle Insurance Company, to Dr. Jackson, of Southsea, in his capa-city as friend of one of his patients. This week we have a similar seriesaddressed to a surgeon by the Secretary of another Office. We think ittime to advise medical men of the "friendly" views of certain InsuranceOffices; otherwise, being scarcely prepared for such kindness, they maydecline this new relation to very prudential offices, as we fear Dr. Jacksonand our other correspondent have done.

Ovid, M.D.—We would recommend our correspondent to put his son underthe care of a medical friend of repute.

R. S. S.-We have no recollection of the letter having been published. ’

A GOOD EXAMPLE.

On Thursday evening, the 4th instant, we were invited to witness a noveland most interesting feature in the treatment of epilepsy and para-lysis at the Hospital in Queen-square. Early in the evening a musicaland literary entertainment was given in the out-patients’ waiting-room tothe patients and a few select friends of this well-managed institution.The proceedings were opened by a performance on the organ. A veryamusing account of "Our Village" was given by the superintendentmedical officer. Several songs were excellently sung by some ladies pre-sent, and the risible faculties of the company were greatly excited byone of the honorary physicians, who described how it was that a certainPrince was compelled to live for a year on strawberries, and take apowder. Without disparagement, however, to the other performers, wemust give precedence in interest to the performance of the patients, whotook part in several choruses with great effect, and who appeared to enjoythemselves most thoroughly. When we think of the monotony of hospitallife, and the .depression it occasionally produces, we cannot but congra-tulate the managers on their successful attempt to introduce a healthycounteracting influence. Chronic disorders like epilepsy and paralysisweigh sufficiently heavy upon the mind, even when the patients are sur-rounded by friends and relatives; but far more in an hospital, where theconsequences of disease are not only felt, but seen. The ancient physicianswere wise in their generation, for amusement was appreciated as a meansof cure. We are happy to notice the practical interest taken by all themedical officers of the institution in this interesting experiment. As we

have previously remarked, there is in Queen-square a day-room in connexionwith every ward. As work and intellectual occupations must be very light,the women are made to sew, and the boys to net; whilst in the latter partof the day a singing class is formed, in which the females particularly takegreat interest. The entertainments were commenced some months ago, andit is worthy of observation that no one has been seized with epilepsywhilst they were going one. Of course permission to be present must previously be obtained from the physician, and it is a great trouble if thestate of any compels his absence. We commend the practice to the con-sideration of other hospitals, in the belief that occupation and amusementwill be found most valuable accessories to other modes of treatment.

H. B. should consult a legally qualified practitioner, and pay him his fee.Many works have been written on the subject; but they should be avoidedby patients of the class to which our correspondent belongs.

Dr. D. A. Moxey’s important paper shall be published in our next impres-sion.

Mr. J. Greenwell, (Manchester.)-We know nothing of the individual men.tioned, or of his capabilities for performing " a successful operation."

HOSPITAL ADMINISTRATION.Mr. Walter Rivington writes as follows := In your report of the discussionon hospital administration which took place on the 25th ultimo at themeeting of the Metropolitan Counties Branch of the British Medical Asso-ciation, the following words are attributed to me :—’ There were threechief evils. There were too many applicants. Secondly, there were toomany patients to be seen,’ &c, What I said was-first, that a number ofpatients received gratuitous relief who were able to pay; and secondly,that there were more patients under the care of individual medical officersthan they could attend to with justice to their cases. The error is import-ant, because it might be supposed that I am in favour of arbitrary exclu-sions, which would starve’ educational hospitals; whereas I am stronglyof your opinion, that in devising remedies for acknowledged evils wemust avoid the danger of cutting off material for ’educating the practi-tioner of the future: "

Dr. Barlow.—The duty of the vaccinator is to give a certificate of successfulvaccination; and we apprehend that the Government, in furnishing formsat all, is giving assistance to which the vaccinator has no legal claim.

Enquirer.—Yes.An Unhappy 3fan need be under no distress of mind. His case is by nomeans exceptional, and there can be no imputation of the kind he sug-gests.

TnE SALE OF BENZOL’S AND ITS ALLIES.GREAT apprehension has been felt by chemists and others lest the recentPetroleum Act should unnecessarily interfere with the sale of certainallies of petroleum for medicinal and economic purposes. The PetroleumAct of 1868, as originally introduced, was intended to regulate the storageand sale of certain volatile oils, obtained by distillation from naturalpetroleum or coal or other bituminous substances, which are used forburning in lamps. As the Bill passed through Parliament, the wordswhich referred to the use of these compounds for purposes of illuminationwere omitted, so that the stringent regulations which were made appliedto the sale and use of all substances that could be brought within the mean-ing of the term petroleum-for instance, to benzole and suchlike. Theselatter are sold by chemists and others as medicines and for other pur-poses-cleaning gloves, &c. ; their employment has never been attendedwith danger, and it was felt that the regulations made for the keeping ofpetroleum were altogether unsuitable and unnecessary, so far as benzole,&c., were concerned. The Home Office have decided to introduce a shortamended Bill to legalise the keeping and sale of benzole and the like, asheretofore, in small quantities, such as a pint in the dispensary, and agallon or two in the storage place of chemists or by others who sell suchpreparations for the purposes of scouring and cleansing articles of dress.

Veritas could not do better than consult the work of the distinguishedAmerican physician, Dr. Austin Flint.