1008

deaths from "other causes" (convulsions, tetanus, phthisis,liver and spleen diseases, &c.) was unprecedentedly large. Avery general prevalence of measles interfered with the pro-gress of vaccination, but it is hoped that next season thenew law and arrangements will be in efficient workingorder.

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THE ADULTERATION ACT IN GLASGOW.

The difficulty of dealing with adulteration, especially asregards such an article as milk, has again been shown in acase recently decided in the High Court of Justiciary. Mr.James Morton, once of City Bank notoriety, now a milk-dealer, near Paisley, was convicted a few months ago in theSheriff’s Court of having sold cream which consisted to theextent of 34 per cent. of skim-milk, and a fine was inflicted.Mr. Morton appealed to the higher court, however, and notin vain, his defence being that the cream sold was inten-tionally a cream of inferior quality, such as he knew hiscustomers wanted and could pay for, and that he was quitewilling to supply a better quality of cream at double ortreble the price; it was all a question of price. The judgessupported him in his contention, upset the standard of creamadopted in the lower court, and, apparently holding thatthe true end of the Sale of Food Act would be served if itprevented adulteration in the proper sense of the word-theaddition of any foreign ingredients,—quashed the sherifl"sdecision. Inferiority in the quality of food sold, therefore,does not expose the seller to the penalties set forth in the Act.

TYPHUS IN ST. PETERSBURG.

It would appear from the Medical Gazette of St. Peters-burg that that city is experiencing almost as great a diffi-culty as to hospital accommodation for cases of typhus asLondon is now experiencing in regard to cases of small-pox.Typhus has so largely increased in the northern city duringthe past three months that the hospitals prepared for its re-ception no longer suffice for the hosts of applications, andconsiderable numbers of patients have to be treated in theirown homes. The demands of the epidemic in respect to bedaccommodation in the special hospitals have been under esti-mated, and it is intimated that the failure of the munici-pality to provide a permanent hospital for typhus, whichprevails more or less in St. Petersburg every year, must beheld accountable in part for the gleat development whichthe malady has recently undergone. The mortality fromthe disease is also stated to be exceptionally great.

On Tuesday last Mr. Burt, M.P. for Morpeth, was sum-moned for non-compliance with a vaccination order made inApril last, respecting one of his children. Mrs. Burt, whoappeared for her husband, admitted the charge. The Benchinflicted a fine of 20s., and suggested to Mrs. Burt that sheshould read the evidence recently published, showing thegreat liability of unvaccinated persons to small-pox.The purification of the river Yarra-Yarra, Melbourne, is a

question that appears to be coming to the front in the colony.The water-supply of the capital of Victoria is beginning toexcite great dissatisfaction.We hear that Mr. John Vance, L.R.C.P., and his wife, are

suffering from the evil effects of diphtheria, contracted by himin the discharge of his professional duties in the West Hamdistrict.A camp hospital for the reception of cases of infectious

disease has been opened at J:<’inchley by the vestry of St.Mary’s, Islington.Diphtheria is reported to be prevailing extensively at

Stockdale, Ontario.

THE SERVICES.

Surgeon-Major William Niven, M.D., of the BombayArmy, and Surgeon Henry Ogilvie Stuart, of the BengalArmy, have retired from the service.

Surgeon-General William Munro, C.B., has arrived in

England from Gibraltar, on leave of absence.Brigade Surgeon Wm. Cattell has embarked for Malta for

duty, vice Brigade Surgeon Hiffernan, deceased.Surgeon-Major A. F. Bradshaw, late Surgeon to the

Commander-in-Chief in India, has been ordered to Devon-port for duty in the South Western District.ADMIRALTY.-Fleet Surgeons Charles Strickland, to the

Minotaur, vice Francis T. Toms ; Samuel Campbell, to theNorthumberland, vice Gordon Jackson; Gerald Molloy, tothe Plymouth Division of the Royal Marines, vice HenryLoney. Staff-Surgeon Alexander M’Donald, to the Acltilles,vice Gerald Molloy. Surgeon and Agent Daniel Magnire, toPortavad, vice Robert M’Munn.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

THE adjourned meeting of the Comitia of the RoyalCollege of Physicians to continue the consideration of thecommunications from the Secretary of the Medical ActsCommission, was held on Wednesday last, the President,Sir W. Jenner, Bart., in the chair.

Notice had been given to move the following resolu-tions :&mdash;

1. "That the College would regard with strong disapprovalany proposal to establish a new licensing board or bodywhich would practically supersede the power to grant licencesconferred on the College by charter of King Heury VIII.,which licence is the only one granted in this kingdom thatconfers on its holder a complete qualification to practisemedicine, surgery, and midwifery, in all their branches."2. "That the College could not consent to any interferencewith the mode in which it confers the distinction of Fellow-ship on its members." 3. " That the above resolutions be for-warded to the Secretary of the Medical Acts Commission,with an expression of the readiness of the College to deputeone or more of its Fellows to give information on the above,or on any other subject named in the circular letter of May23rd, which the Medical Acts Commission may considerthat the College can supply."The first of these resolutions was moved by Dr.

Sieveking, seconded by Dr. Russell Reynolds, but with.drawn in favour of the following, which was proposed byDr. Wilson Fox, seconded by Dr. Hermann Weber, andadopted after much discussion, in which Drs. Prie&bgr;tley,Barclay, Buchanan, and Greenhow took part. As to thewording of the resolution, it ran as follows :-" That thisCollege feels it right to submit to the Medical Acts Commis-sion that the appointment of a new licensing board, inde-pendent of the Royal Colleges of Physicians and Surgeons, isnot only unnecessary, but would be likely to be prejudicialto the interests of the public, and to injure the profession,by lowering the number of licentiates of this College, andcreating a body of licensed practitioners over whom neitherthe College of Physicians nor the College of Surgeons conldexert any control. The College believes that the qualifica-tions implied in the possession of its licence are adequateevidences of professional knowledge, and that its licence isesteemed alike by those holding it, by the’ whole of themedical profession, and by the public."

In the place of the above second resolution (the adoptionof which was urged by Dr. Stewart) the following wasmoved by Dr. Sieveking and carried :-" That the Collegeis of opinion that any material change in the manner inwhich the distinction of the Fellowship is conferred on itsmembers would be highly prejudicial to the honour anddignity of the College, and would lower the iiiwhich its Fellowship is now held by the profession and l’y ,the public."

It was also resolved (in licuof theabove No. 3" That the Royal Commission be informed that the Cultegehas considered the letter sent to the College by the SeG’2caryvi the Medical Acts Commission, and has authorised itsRegistrar, Dr. Pitman, to attend and give information tothe Commission on matters connected with the positon.

powers, and objects of the Royal College of Physicians:

and, on the motion of Dr. Maudsley, " That the Resolutions

EXCHANGES OF MEDICAL OFFICERS SERVING IX INDIA.

The following appears in Army Circulars, June 1st, 1881.-Clause 129 : medical officers serving in India who may wishto exchange to England, under the provisions of GeneralOrder 43 of 1881, will be required to forfeit their pay forthe interval between their departure and their successors’arrival.

Brigade Surgeon F. R. Wilson, M.B., half-pay, ArmyMedical Department, has been appointed to the medicalcharge of the Brigade Depot, Perth.