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the river Lagan, Belmont, Knock, and those portions of thecity over 100 feet above sea-level obtain their water exclu-sively from the Mourne source. Of course, when there is asurplus from the Silent Valley (Newcastle) it is put intoconsumption in the Woodburn area, the two being mixed inabout equal proportions. The two houses from which weretaken the samples commented on by Professor Symmers inhis report are both in the area supplied from the Woodburnand the Mourne districts.

Cerebro spinal Fever in Belfast.There can be no question that the epidemic of cerebro-

spinal fever so prevalent in Belfast presents many difficultproblems for solution. 1. Is it in any ordinary sense aninfectious fever ? (a) No cases have so far been recognisedin which direct infection from another person ill of thedisease could be scientifically established. (b) The outbreaksare at different points of the city with no history of infec-tion. (c) All the methods adopted-that is, isolation ofpatients in the fever hospital and disinfection-have failedcompletely in arresting the disease. (d) At the various

hospitals where cases have been treated, no nurse, medicalofficer, or attendant has been attacked, a state of mattersaltogether different from that which would occur had casesof typhus fever or small-pox (without vaccination) or scarletfever been introduced in the same way. (e) Dublin is onlya three hours’ journey from Belfast with a constant inter-change of people : why ig Dublin escaping and Belfast suffer-ing so terribly with this strange disease ? 2. The necropsiesso far would support the view that the disease was swallowed,just as typhoid fever generally is, rather than that thedisease germs on the German view entered the brain centresthrough the ethmoid from the nose. 3. May it not be thatthe disease germs (the meningococci) are always with usbut that the peculiar atmospheric conditions have done oneof two things : made patients, through catching cold,influenza, &c., more vulnerable (increased susceptibility) ; orhas the strange, cold, variable weather made the bacillimore infective ? 2 4. It is remarkable that all the adultsattacked (and a young man of the better classes died thisweek at one of the Belfast suburbs called the Knock) havebeen almost entirely men. Why, so far, are adult womenescaping ? We are groping in the dark so far as to thenature of this peculiar disease, but light will come.

Feb. 26th. _________________

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Prevention of Tuberculosis.A MEETING of the International Society for the Prevention

of Tuberculosis (Société Internationale contre la Tuberculose)was held on Feb. 5th when various resolutions were adopted.The first discussion arose in connexion with a communicationby M. Glaisse on the subject of the sanitation of the smallcourt-yards (oourettes) which may be in connexion with highbuildings. The atmosphere of these places was liable tobecome septic, foetid, and stagnant. It might be purified byfiltering the air through a spray of water and free ventilationsufficient for the prevention of bad smells could be providedif some slight modifications were made in the existingarrangements. M. Bernheim said that the best remedy forthe evils complained of was to take care that these placeswere not too much closed in. M. Juillerat suggested thatdispensary medical officers should cooperate with the

compilers of the sanitary register of houses (casier sanitairedes maisons) by giving information as to the houses wherethe tuberculous dispensary patients resided. Dr. GeorgesPetit and Dr. Thezard communicated a paper on the use ofasparagin in medicine. They had been making experimentswith nutrient media for the preparation of bouillon intended for the cultivation of microbes, and in the course of thisinquiry it occurred to them that asparagin associated withphosphoric acid and with various phosphates might be usefultherapeutically. Clinical observations subsequently showedthat asparagin promoted assimilation and might be of greatservice in the treatment of tuberculosis, anæmia, and variouscachexias. Patients who had for a long time suffered fromtotal loss of appetite were by this means enabled to taketheir food well and consequently increased in weight.Asparagin is given in doses of one or two grammes dailybefore the two principal meals; it is taken in alkaline or

acid solutions according to the state of the patient’s:stomach.

Lumbar Punetzcre in the Complications of Suppurative Otitis.At a meeting of the Society of Surgery held on Feb. 6th

M. Legueu read an account of a case which had been underthe care of M. Lapointe. The patient had suffered fromsuppuration in the middle ear for some years but shortlybefore his entry into the hospital had complained of head-ache, feverishness, and stiffness of the neck. M. Lapointeopened the antrum and the tympanum, enlarged an openingwhich he found in the upper wall of the tympanum, andevacuated a subdural abscess. The dura mater itself was.intact. Nevertheless M. Lapointe, struck by the extremepolynucleosis which a lumbar puncture revealed, resolved to.open the dura mater. Another abscess came into viewwhich was drained and the patient made an uneventfulrecovery.

A Drug Eruption.M. Berge read this case before the Hospitals Medical

Society at a meeting held on Feb. 22nd. The patient was.suffering from acute bronchitis and after taking a medicinecontaining opium developed a typical scarlatiniform rashwhich terminated in an intense desquamation. The appear-ance of the eruption coincided with the disappearance of thebronchial catarrh. During the night, however, the patientwas troubled again with pulmonary symptoms and took somemore of the medicine as he found that it always gave him.great relief. The rash appeared for the second time.

"Le Théâtre Antivénérien." M. G. Le Vallier and M. P. Nigel have recently organised

a quite novel series of evening entertainments with a view to-support and to carry on the movement for the prevention ofvenereal diseases. The programme will include: (1) a

dramatic performance in two ’acts-L’Immolée-founded ona case of sterility due to syphilis ; and (2) a demonstrationof the effects of syphilis exhibited by lantern pictures,according to the most recent practical observations. Th&entertainments in question (soirges populaires) commencedon Feb. 22nd at No. 133, Rue Saint Denis, and the manage-ment provide members of the medical profession with freeadmission and fauteuils on presentation of their cards.Feb. 25th.

__________________

BERLIN.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Syphilis Antitoxin in the Cerebro-spinal Fluid.Professor Wassermann and Dr. Plant, writing to the

De2ctsehe Medizinische Wochenschrift, announce that theyhave discovered an "antistoff" " of syphilis in the cerebro-

spinal fluid of patients suffering from dementia paralytica.Their experiments were based on a discovery made byProfessor Wassermann-namely, that the haemolysis of redcorpuscles is hindered when an ’’ ’antistoff " is mixed with afluid containing a toxin. In experiments with 41 samples ofcerebro-spinal fluid the haemolysis ceased in 32 when theywere mixed with an extract of syphilitic organs. Neither the

cerebro-spinal fluid alone nor the syphilitic extract alonehindered thehasmolysis, and the effect was not produced whenthe fluid was brought in contact with tissues obtained from aperson free from syphilis. It is therefore proved that anti-syphilitic substances are formed in the cerebro-spinal fluidof the majority of cases of dementia paralytica-in otherwords, it is proved that these patients have formerlysuffered from syphilis. Professor Wassermann and Dr. Plant,however, decline to say that the question whether this diseaseis really caused by syphilis is decided by these experiments.

Sick CLubs and their Medical Officers.The medical officers of a sick club at Cologne had on the

advice of the medical union resigned their appointmentswithout giving notice of their intention, so that the membersof the club were for some time left without medical attend-ance. The club accordingly brought an action for damagesagainst five of the medical men and the decision of the courtwas to the effect that their course being illegal they werebound to indemnify the club. The club now demands notless than 100,000 marks (£5000) from the defendants butanother court will have to decide whether this sum reallyrepresents the loss which the club has sustained by thesudden resignation of the medical men. This action will.