265

the heart, however, continuing to beat for some timelater. Death in severe cases occurred within a few hours.On the other hand, some patients whose first symptoms werecomparatively mild became dangerously ill at a later stage.Amaurosis was frequently observed. According to a state-ment of Professor Pick, prosector of the Friedrichshain

Hospital, the microscopical examination of the retina showedcertain alterations of its cells, so that the sight failed. Insome cases the optic nerve showed also certain alterations.

During the discussion attention was drawn to severalanomalous features observed in the attacks. Some patients,for instance, had died after taking only a small quantityof the deleterious cognac ; whereas others had drunk largequantities of it without developing any symptoms of illness.It was also ascertained that only inmates of the shelter wereattacked, although the public-houses in question had othercustomers besides them. Some meaical men consider that

pure methyl alcohol is not so poisonous as has been stated,and that a combination of methyl alcohol with other unknownsubstances must therefore have been the cause of theepidemic. The important fact, however, is that the poison-ing came to an end at once on the closing of the placeswhere the adulterated cognac was retailed.Jan.l5th.

VIENNA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Retirement of Professor Ludwig.Professor Ernst Ludwig, the lecturer on chemistry of the

Vienna Medical Faculty, has just completed his seventiethyear, which, according to our university statutes, is the age-limit for active service upon the teaching staff. In exceptionalcases an extension of a year, the so-called Ehrenjahr, or

honorary year, is granted, the result being that the teacherin question retires from the university when he is 71 years ofage. Professor Ludwig is a favourite with the students inVienna. He has for many years been teaching medicalchemistry, and former pupils of his at present occupy nearlyall the chairs of chemistry in the Austrian universities. Heis one of the principal members of the Austrian Board ofHealth, and to his initiative we owe numerous improvementsthat have been made in the existing regulations as regardspublic health administration ; forensic medicine also owes tohim a great deal of its modern development. A number offormer pupils and friends of the professor have alreadyoffered him their congratulations on the occasion of his

birthday, whilst the official celebration will take place sometime later.

Suicides and Alpine Accidents in 1911.The official statistics show that during the 17 years from

1893 to 1910 there was a constant annual increase in thenumber of persons taking their own lives, the figures risingfrom 380 in the year 1893 to 640 in 1910, but there is nowsome consolation in finding that 1911, the year just closed,was in this respect no worse than its immediate predecessor.The number of suicides in 1911 was, in fact, 640, thesame as in 1910, only with the difference that the range ofage has widened. There were 6 instances of suicides amongchildren, an increase as compared with any previous year,the youngest being a boy of 9 years, whilst at the other endof the scale the oldest person had passed 82 years of age.As regards the age distribution, the majority were between25 and 50 years, and 75 per cent. were males. As themotive for self-destruction, bad health was assigned in 28per cent., misfortune in 37 per cent., disappointment inlove in 12 per cent., fear of punishment in the case

of the 6 children already mentioned and 7 adults (2 percent.), whilst other reasons not clearly known were respon-sible for the remainder. With respect to the means em-ployed, shooting was preferred by men and drowning bywomen, whilst hanging and poison were resorted to in anequal percentage of the cases if sex is considered. Anotherinteresting fact is the prevalence of suicides in the spring andsummer months, May heading the list with 73 cases, June

following with 64, and August with 63, whilst December andOctober show the lowest figures, 43 and 50 respectively. It

might have been expected that the influence of the weatherwould cause just the opposite result. The number of fatalaccidents to tourists in the Alps also shows a constant

increase during the summer months, as is only natural.In 1911 about 130 persons lost their lives in accidents.in the Austrian, German, and Swiss Alps ; from Octobertill February only 18 such casualties happened, whilst in July,August, and September 70 were recorded.

Restriotions on the Use of Methyl Alcohol.Owing to the serious loss of life in Berlin caused by the

drinking of methyl alcohol the sale of this substance hasagain been made the object of a special ordinance by theAustrian Board of Health. The employment of even thesmallest quantity of methyl alcohol for the preparationof foods, drugs, sweets, or beverages, and in short for anypurpose except for a strictly and purely industrial one, is nowprohibited; the ordinance also specifies the purposes forwhich it may be used, such as the manufacture of varnish,polishes, and colours. Sporadic cases of poisoning by thisalcohol occurred in Austria some time ago, but the cause ofthe symptoms was at once recognised and preventivemeasures were taken.

Salvarsan.In order to arrive at a definite opinion as to the advis-

ability or otherwise of injections of Professor Ehrlich’ssalvarsan a circular has been sent out to nearly all themedical men in this country inviting them to give the resultsof their experience of subcutaneous or intravenous injectionsof the remedy in question. This collective investigation hasno official character, being conducted by a private practi-tioner interested in the subject. In this country there is astrong feeling against the indiscriminate use of salvarsan.One of our leading dermatologists. Professor Finger, hasseen several cases which have made him distrustful of it,and have led him to believe that one of its components isespecially dangerous to the auditory nerve. ProfessorFinger’s observations have been corroborated by Dr. Alexander,and the result of this investigation is therefore awaitedwith general interest.Jan 22nd.

NOTES FROM CHINA.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT. )

Retrospect of the General Health during 1911.THE health of foreigners in China during the past year has

been better than has as yet been recorded. This is due tothe progress of medical science mainly in the matter ofsanitation, which is receiving increased attention from themedical officers of the different treaty ports who look afterthe " concessions " in them. Typhoid fever is being guardedagainst more strictly by warning notices containing informa-tion as to the causes of infection, &c., and malarial feversare becoming less of a menace by improved drainage of theareas in which the foreign quarters are. One may say, speak-ing generally, that life in China nowadays has less risk, asregards the preservation of health among Europeans, than inany other country east of Suez, except Japan, if ordinarycare be taken. In the Yangtze Valley cases have occurredin several Europeans of infection with schistosomnm

japonicum. This disease, only discovered in 1904, hasbecome a widespread trouble in the Yangtze Valley, and insome of the rice-growing districts there as many as 50 percent. of the riverine and lakeside male population suffer fromit. So far it has only been observed among the fishermenand rice-farmers, and not at all among the women,who are small-footed and do not wade. In passing,one may add that the practice of foot-binding stillremains universal among Chinese women. In the Europeancases symptomatic treatment, such as aperients, anti-febrile medicines, and tonics, generally results in ultimatecure if the patients abstain from incurring further infectionby wading in infested waters. But among the natives, whobecome reinfected many times through their constant occupa-tion in the paddy fields or fishing bare-legged in the riversand lakes, it is a deadly disease, generally resulting in deathin from one to three years, often less. The chief symptomsare continued remittent fever with dysentery and progressiveabdominal distension with very marked liver and splenicenlargement. The last stages are marked by ascites andgeneral anasarca. Schistosomiasis is due to a small trematodeworm about 11 mm. in length and 5 mm. in breadth. Every