407

Newcastle-upon-Tyne. The number of small-pox patient’)in the metropolitan asylum hospitals, which had been 97and 118 on the two preceding Saturdays, further rose to130 at the end of last week, exceeding the number undertreatment in these hospitals at any time since August, 1882 ;28 new cases were admitted to those hospitals during lastweek, against 7 and 28 in the two previous weeks. Thedeaths referred to diseases of the respiratory organs inLondon, which had declined in the live preceding weeksfrom 395 to 334, were 345 last week, and were 164 below thecorrected weekly average. The causes of 78, or 2 ’2 per cent.,of the deaths in the twenty-eight towns last week were notcertified either by a registered medical practitioner or by acoroner. All the causes of death were duly certified inPortsmouth, Leicester, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, Norwich, andPlymouth. The proportions of uncertified deaths were

largest in Sunderland, Oldham, and Birkenhead.

HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

The annual rate of mortality in the eight Scotch towns,which had been equal to 24’7 and 20’9 per 1000 in the twoprevious weeks, rose again to 22 ’6 in the week ending the23rd ult. ; this rate exceeded by 1 ’5 the mean rate duringthe same week in the twenty-eight large English towns.The rates in the Scotch towns ranged from 11.8 and 14’8 inPerth and Leith, to 24’0 in Paisley and 24’9 in Glasgow.The deaths in the eight towns included 77 which werereferred to the principal zymotic diseases, showing an

increase of but five upon the low number in the previousweek; 26 resulted from whooping-cough, 13 from diph-theria, 10 from "fever," 10 from scarlet fever, 10 from diarrhoealdiseases, 8 from measles, and not one from small-pox.The rates from these diseases in the Scotch towns rangedlast week from 0’0 in Perth, to 2’9 in Greenock, 3’2 in Edin-burgh, and 4’2 in Glasgow. The 26 fatal cases of whooping-cough exceeded the number returned in any previous weekof this year, and included 18 in Glasgow, 4 in Edinburgh,and 3 in Dundee. The deaths referred to diphtheria, whichhad been 23 and 14 in the two previous weeks, furtherdeclined to 13 last week, of which 6 occurred in Glasgow,3 in Edinburgh, and 2 in Aberdeen. Eight of the 10 deathsfrom scarlet fever, and 6 of the 10 from "fever," were re-turned in Glasgow. The 8 fatal cases of measles showed adecline from the numbers in the two previous weeks, and in.cluded 4 in Edinburgh and 2 in Glasgow. The deathsreferred to acute diseases of the respiratory organs in theeight towns numbered 108, and were 30 below the numberin the corresponding week of last year. The causes of 100,or more than 18 per cent., of the deaths in the eight townslast (week Iwere (not certified.

HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

The rate of mortality in Dublin, which had steadilyincreased from 24’5 to 31’4 per 1000 in the four precedingweeks, was equal to 30. 0 in the week ending 23rd ult. Duringthe first eight weeks of the current quarter the death-rate inthe city averaged no less than 28 v per 1000, whereas it didnot exceed 20-2 in London and 20-7 in Edinburgh. The 202deaths in Dublin last week showed a decline of 9 fromthe high number in the previous week ; they included4 which were referred to "fever" (including typhus, enteric,and simple continued), 4 to scarlet fever, 4 to diarrhoea, 3 to

whooping-cough, and not one either to small-pox, measles,or diphtheria. Thus 15 deaths resulted from these principalzymotic diseases, against 17 and 11 in the two precedingweeks. Five deaths from violence and 2 inquest cases wereregistered. The deaths both of infants and of elderly personsshowed a decline, while those registered in public institutionsexceeded the number in any recent week. The causes of 46,or 23 per cent., of the deaths registered during the week werenot certified.

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MORTALITY STATISTICS IN MONTREAL.

Towards the close of last year was issued a report on thesanitary condition of the city of Montreal for the year 1882by the health officer, Dr. La Rocque. The population ofthis city in 1882 is estimated at 144,000 persons, and thedeath-rate was equal to 27 1 per 1000, against an average of31’8 in the ten preceding years, in which the rate rangedfrom 37’4 in 1872 to 26’9 in 1880. It is noted that amongthe French Canadians, who constituted more than half thepopulation of the city, the death-rate in 1882 was 32’5,

while it was 23’1) among other Catholics, and only 182 amongthe 1’rotestants. With regard to the remarkably highdeath-rate among the French Canadians, it is noted that61 ’7 per cent. of the total deaths were of children under fiveyears of age. Of the 390G deaths from all causes in Montreal,163 resulted from diphtheria, 106 from typhoid fever, 459from diarrhoeal diseases, 440 from phthisis, and 311 frombronchitis and pneumonia. No fewer than 929, or nearly24 per cent., of the deaths resulted from the principalzymotic diseases, being equal to a rate of 6’5 per 1000persons living. This high zymotic rate, combined with theexcessive death-rate among children, supplies the explanationof the constant high death-rate in Montreal in recent years.It is satisfactoiy to learn that the municipality of Montrealis showing much zeal and energy in promoting the agitationin favour of passing a Provincial Health Bill, the object ofwhich is to place the sanitary organisation of the Provinceof Quebec on a more satisfactory basis. The prosperityand material progress of the colony are more intimatelybound up with its sanitary condition than is yet fully andgenerally recognised.

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THE SERVICES.

ARMY MEDICAL DEPARTMENT.-Brigade Surgeon EugeneFrancis O’Leary, M.D., retired pay, has been granted thehonorary rank of Deputy Surgeon-General.

ADMIRALTY.—The following appointments have beenmade:—Staff Surgeon W. H. Putsey to the Boscamera, viceClarke, the appointment of Staff Surgeon Trevan havingbeen cancelled ; Surgeon C. E. Geoghegan to the Flirt ;Surgeon D. T. Hoskyn to the Shannon, vice C. E. Geoghegan ;Surgeon J. A. M’Adam to the Duncan, vice Armstrong ;Surgeon John Acheson, M.D., to the Duke of Wellington.ARTILLERY VOLUNTEERS.—3rd Kent (Royal Arsenal),

Acting Surgeon William Ashton Ellis resigns his appoiut.ment.RIFLE VOLUNTEERS.—1st Dumfries : Acting Surgeon

John Maxwell Davidson resigns his appointment.-7th West tRiding of Yorkshire (Leeds): Surgeon Francis EdwardAtkinson resigns his commission.—1st Suffolk: GeorgeJones, Gent., to be Acting Surgeon.

Correspondence.A SOCIETY OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF

SCHOOLS.

"Audi alteram partem; ’

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-It has been suggested by some of the medical officers

of the large educational establishments that benefit wouldarise from a comparison of their varied experiences in ques-tions of hygiene relating to the youth of both sexes. To-day,owing to the isolation of the various great schools of thecountry, and the absence of any organisation such as wesuggest, there is no centre where the lessons learned in oneestablishment may be recorded for the benefit of similarinstitutions. The whole subject of school hours, periods ofstudy, recesses, the feeding and lodgment of pupils, theisolation of infectious disease, quarantine, the question ofthe structure of class-rooms and school equipment, gymnastictraining and field sports, over-pressure and cramming-allneed discussion ; and it is believed that advantage wouldresult from the foundation of a Society to consider thesematters and collect information. Such a Society would con-sist of the medical officers, past and present, of our greatmale and female schools of every class (public, private,charitable, reformatory, or industrial), and probably of othersinterested in these subjects, and of medical men engaged inthe study of the ailments of young persons and children. Itwould meet periodically to read papers on these questions,and to discuss combined action on various points. A con-siderable number of school medical officers approve the idea,and it is desired to bring the subject to the notice of allmedical men interested in school hygiene and the healthconditions of young people.Those who would like to help in forming the Association,