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mencing decomposition." 1 Like many others whichcontain an element of truth, this theory was widelyquoted, and since Hutchinson’s time workers haveconstantly laid stress on the need for a proper diet.A recent observation by Atkey 2 is that the milk-drinkers of the Sudan have very little leprosy. Again,it is known that the incidence of leprosy is much

higher in South Korea, where the diet consists chieflyof carbohydrates, than in North Korea. It is thelack of a balanced diet, with associated vitamin

deficiency, that appears to be of greatest detriment,and it is interesting to note that, other things beingequal, there is usually a high incidence of leprosyamong people who subsist on a diet containing excessof carbohydrate-e.g., the cassava-eating people ofthe southern Sudan. Recently Lee 3 has drawnattention to a reduction of gastric acidity in leprosy,pointing out that the more severe and long-standingthe skin lesions, the more definite the hypochlorhydria.It must be borne in mind, however, that leprosy,especially the cutaneous variety, is a systemic diseaseand that where the skin is involved the bacilli haveinvaded the whole reticulo-endothelial system, pro-ducing lowered resistance of the whole organism.This process must lead to more or less cachexia, andit seems probable that Lee’s findings could be explainedas due to general decline in bodily functions, andthat low acidity should not be invoked as a cause ofthe nutritional failure which encourages infection bythe leprosy bacillus. If light could be thrown onthe reasons for the dissemination of the bacilli throughthe body, it might be possible to raise the resistanceof the patient appropriately and so check the progressof the disease. Meanwhile it can hardly be doubtedthat an adequately balanced diet with suitablecontent of vitamins does much to improve the chanceof recovery.

DR. JOSEPH HUNTER, M.P.WE regret to learn of the death, on Tuesday last,

in Charing Cross Hospital, of Dr. Joseph Hunter, thewell-known Liberal M.P. for Dumfriesshire. Dr.Hunter was that admirable type of medical Memberof Parliament who had seen the working of medicine

renected on generalsociety in numerousofficial capacities.He graduated inmedicine at Edin-

burgh in 1898 andbecame resident

physician at the

Royal 1 Infirmary,Edinburgh, when hejoined the SouthAfrican Field Forceas a civil surgeon,gaining the Queen’smedal with clasps,and showing himselfa highly competentofficer. Thereafter he

took the diploma of D.P.H., and served as medicalofficer of health and police surgeon to the boroughof Dumfries, and was also physician to the Dumfriesand Galloway Royal Infirmary. After 20 years ofofficial medical work he entered Parliament as theLiberal Member for Dumfriesshire in 1929, displacingwith a great majority the sitting Conservative

1 Hutchinson, J. : Leprosy and Fish Eating. London, 1906,preface, p. v.

2 Atkey, O. F. H. : Internat. Jour. Leprosy, 1934, ii., 193.3 Lee, H. S.: Jap. Jour. Dermat. and Urol. (English abstr).,

9 35, xxxvii., 88.

Member. At the next General Election he held hisseat against a Liberal opponent, and this time witha very large majority, a clear example of the recog-nition by a large community of the value of hislocal services, and of the ability with which he fulfilledhis responsibilities. In 1929 he became the ScottishLiberal Whip, and in 1934 was appointed organiserof the Liberal National Party. Dr. Hunter will be

deeply missed from the circle of politics where heplayed so prominent a part as well as by manyfriends and colleagues.

THE NEUROLOGICAL CONGRESS

ON Monday next the second International Neuro-logical Congress opens in London under the presidencyof Dr. Gordon Holmes, F.R.S. Sir Charles Sherringtonhad been elected at last year’s preliminary conference,but was unable to undertake the arduous duties on

grounds of health. The congress sits in the largehall of University College, Gower-street, from Mondayto Friday, the morning sessions being devoted toset discussion of four main topics: (1) Monday(morning and afternoon)-The epilepsies, their aetio-logy, pathogenesis and treatment (chairmen, Prof.0. Marburg and Prof. 0. Rossi). (2) Tuesday-Thephysiology and pathology of the cerebro-spinal fluid(chairman, Prof. 0. Foerster). (3) Thursday-Thefunctions of the frontal lobes (chairman, Prof. H.Claude). (4) Friday-The hypothalamus and thecentral representation of the autonomic system(chairman, Prof. B. Brouwer).At the three afternoon sessions, which will sit in

seven groups, nearly 300 papers will be presented.On Wednesday evening at 9 Prof. Foerster will givethe triennial Hughlings Jackson memorial lecture(on the Motor Cortex in Man in the Light of HughlingsJackson’s Doctrines) under the auspices of the sectionof neurology, Royal Society of Medicine, and thissection will hold a reception later in the evening.Other receptions will be held by the Ministry of Healthand the presidents of the Royal Colleges. The official

banquet is on Thursday evening at Grosvenor House.Wednesday has been left free. The secretary-generalof the congress is Dr. Kinnier Wilson.

THE Princess Royal has appointed Dr. L. F. R.Knuthsen, C.V.O., to be her physician-in-ordinary.THE death is announced of Mr. Arthur Shillitoe,

F.R.C.S. Eng., a well-known authority on syphilis.THE peerage conferred upon Sir Hilton Young in

the Birthday Honours is gazetted under the titleof Baron Kennet, of the Dene, in the county ofWiltshire.

NEW SUSSEX HOSPITAL FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN.-The latest addition to this hospital. which was the firstin the country to be entirely officered by women doctors,is f nurses’ home which is being erected in the groundson the west side, and it is hoped that the completedbuilding will be opened in November. The foundationstone was laid on July 18th by Miss Louisa Martindale,who said that it was an unusual task for a member of thehonorary medical staff but she accepted it as a mark ofappreciation of the hospital’s medical and surgical workand of honour to her mother, the founder of the hospital.Her mother realised the demand there was in Sussex fora hospital in which women patients could be treated bymembers of their own sex, and foresaw how long theywould have to wait if they were to depend upon theexisting hospitals appointing women to their staffs. The

hospital is open to professional and other women of smallmeans who are unable to pay the expensive fees of anursing home.