1031MAN CHESTER.-SCOTLAND.

scheme of sewage filtration to the Local Government Board.The effluent sent out from the Manchester sewage workswas not spoken of in a manner quite pleasing to AldermanJoseph Thompson, an important member of the Manchestercity council and also of the joint committee. It is no doubtdifficult, in a case of divided affections, to maintain an

evenly-balanced attitude, and therefore not unnatural,perhaps, that at the last meeting of the council he shouldsay that Sir H. Roscoe’s report to the joint committee givingthe result of his analyses of the effluent from the Manchestersewage works was " misleading." He explained "that asthe result of experiments it would be possible to efEect alarge saving in the estimated cost of the sewage works andget sent out an effluent that would be entirely satisfactory."Manchester is making great efforts to put her house in orderso far as drainage is concerned, but a good deal has to bedone before perfection will be reached, even if Alderman

Thompson’s anticipations are realised. It is satisfactory tolearn from Sir H. Roscoe that the condition of the water inthe Ship Canal is much better than in previous years.

Steaming in Weaving Sheds.It is a coincidence very interesting to Manchester that the

three gentlemen appointed by the Home Secretary to be acommittee to inquire into the working of the Cotton ClothFactories Act, 1889-Sir Henry Roscoe, Sir Wm. Roberts, andDr. Ransome-should have been so long and closely con-nected with Manchester and the district. But having beenso, they are all the more fully qualified to understand thequestion of steaming and the introduction of artificialmoisture in cotton weaving sheds, and, if found desirable,to suggest amendments in the law.

Report of the Chief Constable.The report on the work of the Manchester police during the

past year is full of interesting if not very agreeable informa-tion, and it gives a picture of some phases of life in the

city not roseate in hue ; but the chairman of the WatchCommittee at the last meeting of the City Council con-sidered the report, on the whole, satisfactory. To someextent it is so, as there has been a decrease in several classes- of offences. For instance, 217 fewer indictable offenceswere reported to the police, while 4607 fewer persons wereproceeded against for non-indictable offences. The totalnumber arrested during the year was 13,534, and of these4550 males and 2487 females were drunk when taken intocustody. For being drunk and " disorderly " in the streets 5608persons were arrested and 256 summoned, being a decreaseon the previous year of 1124. There is a great difference in thenumbers arrested on the different days of the week, Saturdaystill standing out pre-eminently as the day specially and mostconveniently devoted by a large section of the ’’ Britishworking man " class to the business and pleasure of drinking,-for among the 5608 arrested 1766 are placed to its credit,while Sunday drops far behind with 804. The numbers thenfall to Wednesday, rising a little to Friday, which has, how-- ever, only about a third of Saturday’s number. There hasbeen a decrease of 1033 on the number arrested for the samecause last year, which is encouraging so far as it goes-whichis not very far. Of the chronic drunkards 5 had been incustody respectively 174, 131, 105, 101, and 97 times, so thattheir recurrent appearances before the court must be analmost continuous grim sort of comedy. For the accommo-dation of these people and sundry Manchester can boastof 517 public-houses and 2500 "beer and wine houses "-;L number more than called for by the reasonable require-ments of the people. Happily, they are not likely to bemultiplied without careful consideration, and at the BrewsterSessions last August fifteen licences were refused. Duringthe year 608 "juvenile offenders were arrested-509 boysand 99 girls. Of this number 52 boys and 27 girls were littleones under ten years of age, most of them no doubt followingtheir parents in the pathway of drink and crime. There are266 registered common lodging houses in Manchester, whichare constantly visited by officers appointed for the purpose tosee that the regulations of the Common Lodging Houses Actare fully carried out. In addition to their functions in relation to crime the police have others which are almost as

valuable to the community. They are of the greatest possiblehelp to the sanitary department of the corporation and ac1as very efficient sanitary inspectors. In addition to securingsome thousands of lost or ownerless dogs, most of whiclwere consigned to a painless death, the police restored 365lost children to their homes last year, and they distributed8047 bottles of medicine to poor people. This last may b

thought a questionable proceeding, but presumably it was asimple diarrhoea mixture warranted not to kill.

Opening of the Failsnorth Sewage Works.An important addition to the means for the purification of

the sewage of the district has just been made at Failsworth,an outlying suburb of Manchester, where new sewage workswere opened on Thursday last. The chairman of the sewagecommittee of the district council spoke in glowing languageand said : "Practical experiments had conclusively provedthat the system which they were adopting was the veryembodiment of sanitary science and experience broughtdown to modern times, producing as an effluent water whichcertainly appeared fit to drink." This looks as if he weretop cautious to test it so far. A dinner in the evening at theBelle Vue Gardens followed the inspection of the precipita-tion tanks and filter beds, which were seen in operation. Thecost of the scheme, including land, sewering, and everythingcomplete, was .634,800. The cost of the outfall works wasabout .68700.

The C7torlton Wor7tho2cse Dietary.Some time ago the Chorlton board of guardians, of which

Dr. Rhodes is the chairman, decided to make some improve-ments in the diet and clothing of the inmates of the work-house. It was foretold that this would lead to an increasedcost of 7d. per week per head, but there has been instead aslight decrease. Between Michaelmas 1894 and 1895 "theaverage weekly cost per head of the in-door poor for pro-visions, medicine, necessaries, and clothing was 4s. 1-Ld.,whereas for 1895 it was only 3s. 11 3/4 d., or an actual reductionof 1 3/4 d. per head per week as compared with 1894, when theimproved dietary was not in force." There seems to be somedoubt of the Local Government Board allowing this im-proved dietary to be continued, as it interferes with uni-

formity. In commenting on these matters the chairmansaid that as to the improved dietary and clothing the returnshowed that humanity was sometimes the best policy aswell as honesty," and that the reduction of 1 3/4 d. a headin the weekly cost of maintenance meant a saving of £800 ayear. He hoped the ratepayers would remember that, ifthe Local Government Board persisted in the refusal tosanction the dietary.

Lady Poor. law Guardians.In the Chorlton Union there are now six ladies on the

board, one having been returned the other day for theChorlton township. She has long taken an intelligentinterest in sanitary matters and will be a very usefulmember of the board. In the Broughton township of theSalford Union, where there were eight candidates, a ladyheaded the poll with a considerable majority. In onematter the presence of ladies will prove to be economical,for in general they have exercised a moderating influenceover the tendencies of male guardians to become membersof costly deputations.

I April 8th. _______________

SCOTLAND.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

University of Glasgow.THE list of those who are to receive the honorary degree of

LL.D. at the graduation ceremony on the 14th inst. includesthe names of Dr. Thomas Reid, Lecturer on Ophthalmology inthe University ; Mr. W. Thistleton Dyer, F.R.S., director ofthe Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew ; and Mr. Jno. Ure, a formerLord Provost of Glasgow and the first chairman of thePublic Health Committee, in which capacity he did important

’ work in organising the sanitary system of the city. At the

meeting of the general council on the lst inst. the ordinances. recently issued by the Universities Commission were dis-

cussed, and it was resolved to petition Parliament againstthe ordinance dealing with the power of the University

- Court to readjust the conditions upon which any chair wasi held at the occurrence of a vacancy; the council was of

the opinion that the powers of the Court in this directionG ought to be increased. Attention was also drawn to the; fact that under the present circumstances the womeni students in Queen Margaret College were placed at a dis-7 advantage as compared with the male students of the1 University, in consequence of the lecturers in Queen Margaret3 College not taking part in the degree examinations. The

1032 SCOTLAND.-IRELAND.

matter was referred to a committee to report to the next tc

meeting of the council. I]

Presentations to Medical Men. a]

Dr. Cluckie, Greenock, upon his retiring from the towncouncil, has been presented by the members of the councilwith a handsome silver tea-service in recognition of his

0public services. Dr. Cluckie has been a town councillor and

nbailie for several years. He is surgeon to the Greenock Eye oInfirmary.-The ambulance class of the Govan police have t]presented Dr. Barras with a microscope as an acknow-ledgment of the assistance he has rendered to the class astheir instructor.

Barony Parish Council, Glasgon. t’

The report of Dr. Fraser, the Commissioner in Lunacy, Cwho visited the asylum on Feb. 2nd and 3rd, shows that the badmission-rate continues to be high, being an average of S32 patients per month. The ratio of recoveries is very satis-

t

factory, having been since the last report 40’3 per cent. Iand 47 9 per cent. of the men and women respectivelyadmitted. The medical and general care of the patients andthe management and order of the institution are noticed asworthy of commendation. A somewhat heated discussion ctook place at the last meeting of the council upon a proposal

1

to give a donation to the St. Elizabeth Nursing Home, which a

is under Roman Catholic management. It has been the tcustom of the council to give a grant to the Glasgow Sick

t

Poor Nursing Association, and it was stated at the meetingthat this association refused to employ Roman Catholic t

nurses, and that therefore the St. Elizabeth Home should (

also be assisted. It is a matter for regret that a sectariandispute should arise in connexion with the humane work ofgiving nursing assistance to the sick poor, but the responsi-bility may fairly be placed on those who adopt a purelycharitable designation but in practice exclude nurses whobelong to a particular religious communion.

Galashiels Cottage Hospital.At the annual meeting on the 31st ult. it was reported

that seventy-one patients had been under treatment duringthe year. The financial statement showed a deficit of 60. ’

Natural History Society of Glasgon.At the meeting of this society on the 2nd inst. Dr. Robert

I

Brown, Pollokshields, showed a large number of interestingplants which he had collected in Switzerland. On the sameoccasion, too, a number of mosses from Simla, collected bySurgeon-Major Shearer, were exhibited.

Glasgow Police Force Medical Officer.The sub-committee appointed to consider the applications

for this appointment having made a short leet sent the

following names-viz., Dr. Jno. A. Boyd, Dr. CummingGrant, and Dr. C. W. Stewart-to the committee. After avote had been taken-the majority being in favour of Dr.Boyd-it was decided to recommend his name to the council,and he has accordingly been elected. The appointment isworth Z350 a year, with an allowance of C50 for travellingexpenses.

Aberdeen Unirorsity Court.At the last meeting the court appointed Mr. James

Hendrick, Lecturer in Agricultural Chemistry in the Glasgowand West of Scotland Technical College, to the new Lecture-ship on Agricultural Chemistry. Regulations for the Students’Union were approved, and the sale of alcoholic liquors withinthe University buildings will, under the new rules, be pro-hibited on all occasions, including dinners or suppers. A

legacy of .E1000 from the estate of the late Mr. JamesJamieson, of Prospect-hill, merchant in Aberdeen, has nowbecome payable, the bequest having been made for the

purpose of establishing a lectureship, or towards the endow-ment of a chair, in the Faculty of Law in the University,as may be determined by the court. It may be mentionedthat prominent members of the Students’ Union are clis-satisfied as to the regulation regarding liquors and as toanother rule fixing the opening hour of the billiard-room at1 P.M. and the closing hour at 10 P.M.

Gradocatiort Ceremony, Aberdeen University.The graduation ceremony in all the Faculties took place on

Saturday for the first time in the Mitchell Hall, Marischal ICollege, in presence of a crowded audience.

-Beqitest,3 to Aberdeen Hospitals.Through the death of a life-rentrix the following among

other Aberdeen institutions benefit from the estate alluded

to above: the Royal Infirmary, .6500; the Hospital forIncurables, £250 ; the Deaf and Dumb Institution, £250;and the Hospital for Sick Children, .f:250.

Ontbreala of Snzall-pox at Alford, Aberdeenshire.Towards the end of last week it was found that four cases

of small-pox had occurred at Alford, a village about thirtymiles from the city of Aberdeen. The county medicalofficer, Dr. Watt, at once took every precaution to preventthe spread of the disease.

Aboyne Ambulance Class.On the 2nd inst. in Aboyne (Aberdeenshire) Public Hall

the Marchioness of Huntly presented the medals and certifi.cates to the members of the ambulance class which hadbeen conducted by Dr. D. D. Mackintosh. Lord Huntly andSir W. C. Brooks of Glen Tana both spoke on the impor-tance of ambulance work, and the lecturer was thereafterpresented with a handsome dining-room clock.

Outbreak of Small-pox at Alford, Aberdeenshire.. The epidemic has spread from Alford into the Cluny’

district, where up to Sunday night five cases were reported.’

Under the directions of the county medical officer energeticaction is being taken in the direction of revaccination. The

origin of the outbreak has been traced to a child brought by: the parents to Alford from South Shields on Feb. 12th.

; Dr. W. Findlay of Aberdeen has been appointed by the: town council of that city as medical attendant of theL employés of the cleansing and lighting departments.t

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

The" " Moy-Mell " Entertainment for the Children’s Hospital.THE entertainment in aid of the Children’s Hospital,

Temple-street, Dublin, will take place on the 7th inst., beingEaster Tuesdav. The whole of the Rotunda has been

engaged and no less a sum than £500 spent on the decora-tions for the occasion. The fête will doubtless be a verygreat success, for it is under very distinguished and popularpatronage, while the city happens to be at present crowdedwith visitors brought by the excursion trains from all partsof Ireland.

The Athlone Union Hospital.The guardians of this union were, it will be remembered,

dismissed last year by a sealed order of the Local Govern-ment Board on account of their refusal to appoint a trainednight nurse in the infirmary. The last meeting of the vice-guardians took place on Saturday, the 4th inst., when theirturn as managers of the union came to an end. Manyimprovements have been made and the rates collected in sucha satisfactory manner that there is at present a balance of£5251 in favour of the board.

Health of Belfast.At the meeting of the city council, held on April lst, the

medical superintendent officer of health reported that thehealth of the city seems gradually improving and contrastsvery favourably with that of the corresponding period oflast year, more especially in the deaths from diseases of therespiratory organs, which, owing to influenza, were thennumerous. Some cases of that disease have occurredlatterly, but not sufficient in number or severity to materiallyaffect the death-rate. The epidemic of scarlet fever whichseemed to have passed away has returned, and the cases areagain numerous though the mortality is light. Measles, whichhas been prevalent for some months past in the Ballymacarrettdistrict, has now spread to the open parts of the city. Thedeaths from measles and typhoid fever are few as yet; thedeath-rate was 25’7 from all causes. At an inquest onApril 4th the coroner, in referring to the death-rate ofBelfast, said it was the highest in Great Britain with theexception of Galway. In regard to infants he said it was anextraordinary fact that of every 100 persons dying in Belfastevery week or month, as the case might be, 25 of them werechildren under one year of age. One of the main reasons forthis w:t,s the fact that the parents would not take the troubleof bringing in a medical man, although they could get the

services of a medical man in all quarters free of charge.