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are to be isolated, and the carriages cleaned and disinfected;secondly, the minimum standard of acuteness of eyesightadmissible for service on railways or at sea; thirdly, theinternal arrangements of ships from the sanitary point ofview ; fourthly, the cleansing and disinfection of ships andthe goods which they contain ; fifthly, the ventilation,warming, and lighting of vehicles used for transport, such ’ias railway carriages, omnibuses, &c. ; sixthly, the hygiene of ’,the traveller by motor-car ; and seventhly, the sanitation of Ihotel rooms. I

All the principal countries have formed national corn-

mittees to organise a proper representation at the Congress.Professor W. H. Corfield, 19, Savile-row, London, W., is thegeneral secretary for the British section. There is everyreason to believe that a very large number of Germanswill attend this Congress. The Austrians have three com-mittees-Austrian, Hungarian, and Czech. There are com-mittees formed in Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Holland,Belgium, Germany, Bulgaria, Roumania, Italy, the UnitedStates, Mexico, and Japan. In China a committee is beingformed. There is no news as yet from Turkey, nor do theSpaniards seem to be particularly active, though the lastInternational Congress of Hygiene met at Madrid. As there ’,are so many congresses being held this year it is probablethat there will not be so large an attendance at any one of Ithe congresses as on previous occasions. Nevertheless, thereare many and special attractions and therefore preparationsare being made for the reception of numerous guests.

Paris, May 13th.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OFENGLAND.

AN ordinary meeting of the Council was held on May 10th,Sir WILLIAM MAC CORMAC, Bart., Ii.C.’.0., the President,being in the chair.

Surgeon-General W. R. HOOPER and Mr. FREDERICK PAGEwere introduced and after signing the by-laws and makingthe required declaration were admitted Fellows of theCollege.

Dr. HARRY LAMBERT LACK, F.R.C.S., was introducedand the PRESIDENT handed him the Jacksonian Prize,together with a document declaratory of the award.Mr. JOHN HOWARD MUMMERY was introduced and the

PRESIDENT handed him the John Tomes Prize, together witha document declaratory of the award.The SECRETARY reported the death of Mr. John Neville

Colley Davies-Colley, late member of the Council and of theCourt of Examiners of the College.-A vote of condolencewith Mr. Davies-Colley’s family was passed.The proposed alterations of several by-laws relating to

the Fellowship were again advanced a stage and were signedby members present.The PRESIDENT reported that he had received a telegram

from H.R.H. the Prince of Wales expressing 11 sincere thanksfor kind congratulations " in reply to the resolution adoptedby the Council at their last meeting.The PRESIDE1TT reported that he had chosen Mr. John

Langton as the Bradshaw lecturer for the ensuing collegiateyear.The PRESIDENT stated that he accepted the nomination of

the Council to represent the College at the ThirteenthInternational Medical Congress in Paris.A letter was read from the Lord Provost of Aberdeen

stating that by invitation of the corporation the AnnualCongress of the Royal Institute of Public Health will be heldin Aberdeen in August, and inviting the College to senddelegates.-Mr. Alfred Cooper and Dr. Robert W. Reid wereappointed delegates.

VITAL STATISTICS.

HEALTH OF ENGLISH TOWNS.

IN 33 of the largest English towns 6770 births and 3968deaths were registered during the week ending May 12th.The annual rate of mortality in these towns, which haddeclined from 23’0 to 19’6 per 1000 in the five precedingweeks, further fell last week to 17-8. In London therate was 16’4 per 1000, while it averaged 18 7 in the 32

provincial towns. The lowest death-rates in these townswere 11’5 in Cardiff, 11’6 in Birkenhead, 11’8 in Norwich,and 11-9 in Croydon; the highest rates were 23’9 in

Liverpool, 24 0 in Birmingham, 25’0 in Wolverhampton,25 in Blackburn, and 29-1 in Plymouth. The 3968 deathsin these towns included 441 which were referred to theprincipal zymotic diseases, against 472 and 429 in the twopreceding weeks; of these 166 resulted from measles.116 from whooping-cough, 61 from diphtheria, 40from diarrhoea, 28 from scarlet fever. 28 from"fever" (principally enteric), and two from diarrhoea. Nofatal case of any of these diseases occurred last weekeither in Croydon or Birkenhead ; in the other towns theycaused the lowest death-rates in Portsmouth, Swansea,Preston, and Gateshead ; and the highest rates in Plymouth,Wolverhampton, Manchester, Salford, and Oldham. Thegreatest proportional mortality from measles occurred inPlymouth, Bristol, Cardiff, Wolverhampton, Derby, andBlackburn ; and from whooping-cough in Wolverhampton,Liverpool, Manchester, and Oldham. The mortality fromscarlet fever and "fever" showed no marked excess inany of the large towns. The 61 deaths from diphtheriaincluded 29 in London, six in Sheffield, three in

Birminghan, three in Leicester, three in Liverpool, andthree in Blackburn. One fatal case of small-pox wasregistered last week in London and one in Liverpool,and five small-pox patients were under treatment on

Saturday last, May 12th, in the Metropolitan AsylumsHospitals. The number of scarlet fever patients in thesehospitals and in the London Fever Hospital at the end ofthe week was 1693. against 1647 and 1660 on the two pre-ceding Saturdays ; 203 new cases were admitted during theweek, against 165, 170, and 176 in the three preceding weeks.Influenza was certified as the primary cause of 26 deaths inLondon. The deaths referred to diseases of the respiratoryorgans in London, which had been 411 and 417 in the

two preceding weeks, declined again last week to 300, andwere 15 below the corrected average. The causes of 63, or1’6 per cent., of the deaths in the 33 towns were not certifiedeither by a registered medical practitioner or by a coroner.All the causes of death were duly certified in Cardiff, Salford,Oldham, Newcastle, and in eight other smaller towns; thelargest proportions of uncertified deaths were registered inBirmingham, Liverpool, Preston, and Sheffield.

HEALTH OF SCOTCH TOWNS.

The annual rate of mortality in the eight Scotch towns,which had been 21’7 and 20’5 per 1000 in the two precedingweeks, further declined to 17’7 per 1000 during the weekending May 12th, and was 0’1 per 1000 below the mean rateduring the same period in the 33 large English towns. Therates in the eight Scotch towns ranged from 9’9 in Leithand 12-2 in Aberdeen to 20-2 in Perth and 21’3 in Paisley.The 546 deaths in these towns included 22 which were

referred to whooping-cough, 16 to measles, nine to diarrhoea,seven to scarlet fever, six to diphtheria, and three to "fever."In all 63 deaths resulted from these principal zymoticdiseases, against 75 and 66 in the two precedingweeks. These 63 deaths were equal to an annual rateof 2-0 per 1000, which corresponded with the mean

rate last week from the same diseases in the 33large English towns. The fatal cases of whooping-cough,which had been 23 and 24 in the two preceding weeks,declined again last week to 22, of which 16 occurredin Glasgow and four in Aberdeen. The deaths frommeasles, which had been 24 and 15 in the two precedingweeks, rose again to 16 last week, and included nine inGlasgow, two in Edinburgh, and two in Paisley. The fatalcases of diarrhoea, which had been 13 in each of thetwo preceding weeks, declined last week to nine, of whichfive were registered in Glasgow and four in Edinburgh.The deaths from scarlet fever, which had been six and twoin the two preceding weeks, rose again to seven last week,and included four in Glasgow and two in Edinburgh.The fatal cases of diphtheria, which had been three,five, and six in the three preceding weeks, were againsix last week, of which two were recorded in’ Glasgow, twoin Edinburgh, and two in Aberdeen. The three deaths from" fever," showed a marked decline from the number in thepreceding week and were all registered in Glasgow. Thedeaths referred to diseases of the respiratory organs inthese towns, which had been 145, 141, and 120 in thethree preceding weeks, further declined to 91 last week, and

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were slightly below the number in the corresponding periodof last year. The causes of 23, or more than 4 per cent.,of the deaths in these eight towns last week were notcertified.

-

HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

The death-rate in Dublin, which had been 26’9 and 29’7per 1000 in the two preceding weeks, declined again to26’3 during the week ending May 12th. During the pastfour weeks the death-rate in the city has averaged 28’3 per1000, the rate during the same period being 18’9 inLondon and 19’4 in Edinburgh. The 176 deaths registeredin Dublin during the week under notice were 23 belowthe number in the preceding week, and included five whichwere referred to the principal zymotic diseases, against12, eight, and 11 in the three preceding weeks; of these,three resulted from diarrhoea, one from whooping-cough,one from "fever," and not one either from small-pox, measles, scarlet fever, or diphtheria. Thesefive deaths were equal to an annual rate of 0’7 per1000, the zymotic death-rate during the same periodbeing 1’6 in London and 1’7 in Edinburgh. Thefatal cases of diarrhoea, which had been three, three,and one in the three preceding weeks, rose again to threelast week. The deaths from whooping-cough, which hadbeen two and four in the two preceding weeks, decreasedto one last week. The mortality from "fever" showed amarked decline from that recorded in recent weeks. The 176deaths in Dublin last week included 30 of infants under oneyear of age and 45 of persons aged upwards of 60 years ;the deaths of infants showed a decline, while those of elderlypersons slightly exceeded the number recorded in the pre-ceding week. Six inquest cases and four deaths from violencewere registered, and the causes of 10, or nearly 6 per cent.,of the deaths in the city last week were not certified.

THE SERVICES.

ROYAL NAVY MEDICAL SERVICE.THE following appointments are notified : - Surgeons :

H. R. Gardner, lent to Pembroke Dockyard, and E. T.Burton to the Sandpiper. _

COLDSTREAM GUARDS.

Major John F. Bateson, from Royal Army Medical Corps,to be Surgeon-Major, vice A. C. A. Alexander, deceased.

ROYAL ARMY MEDICAL CORPS.

Captain Lewis is among the invalids returning to Englandin the Oephalonia. The following transfers are ordered :-Major Donnet, from the Aden District to the Mhow District,and Major Cardozo, from the Mhow District to the AdenDistrict. Lieutenant-Colonel Dempsey is posted to theAden District, and Major Harwood is posted to the BombayDistrict.Surgeon-Captain Francis W. Grant, lst Banff Volunteer

Artillery, is granted the temporary rank of Captain whilstserving in South Africa.The undermentioned Surgeons on probation to be Lieu-

tenants :-Thomas Biggam, Hugh Richardson, WilliamLincoln Baker, Frederick William Cotton, Frank MardonParry, Bertram Ramsey Dinnis, James Stuart Twigg,William John Patrick Adye-Curran, John Powell, RobertLendon Argles, John George Foster, Ernest George Ford,Francis Spring Walker, Lydmar Mojine Purser, WilliamBennett, Philip Graham Stock, Harold Ben Fawcus, ThomasEvelyn Fielding, Evelyn Pierce Sewell, Charles HenryStraton, Basil Sorley Bartlett, Robert Tilbury Brown,George Carroll, Dermot Owen Hyde, Albert ErnestHamerton, George John Houghton, John Gaitskell Churton,Arthur Durham Waring, Thomas Herbert Stevenson, JamesMackie Cuthbert, Farquhar McLennan, Alfred FullamWeston, James Dorgan, Charles Hilton Furnivall, JamesHerbert Robinson, and FitzGerald Gabbett FitzGerald.Surgeon-Captain Ernest J. G. Berkley, 4th Volunteer

Battalion the Queen’s (Royal West Surrey Regiment),is granted the temporary rank of Captain whilst serving inSouth Africa.

VOLUNTEER CORPS.

7; 2nd Lancashire: Arnold James Greene to be

Surgeon-Lieutenant. 2nd Middlesex : David John Duhig tobe Surgeon-Lieutenant. Rifle 3rd Volunteer Battalion theKing’s (Liverpool Regiment) : Surgeon-Lieutenant T. H.Fisher to be Surgeon-Captain. 4th Volunteer Battalionthe Norfolk Regiment : William Gloag Galletly to be

Surgeon-Lieutenant. 4th Volunteer Battalion the SouthWales Borderers : Surgeon-Lieutenant J. Howard-Jones tobe Surgeon-Captain. 2nd Volunteer Battalion the Came-ronians (Scottish Rifles) : Surgeon-Captain R. T. C.Robertson to be Surgeon-Major. lst Volunteer Battalionthe Royal Sussex Regiment : Surgeon-Lieutenant C. B.Scott resigns his commission.

TRANSVAAL WAR NOTES.Contributions or donations, however small, are earnestly

requested towards the success of the Royal Army MedicalCorps Stall at the National Bazaar to be held at the RoyalPalace Hotel, Kensington, W., on May 24th, 25th, and 26th,1900. The contributions or donations may be sent to thehonorary secretary, Mrs. Frank Howard, 28, Cathcart-road,South Kensington. The National Bazaar is to be held inaid of the sufferers by the war, and there will be about 70stalls representing the various regiments and corps at thefront. The names of the president and vice-presidents ofthe Royal Army Medical Corps Stall are as follows :-President : The Lady Wantage. Vice-Presidents: Mrs.Jameson, Mrs. W. Taylor, Mrs. Preston,; Mrs. O’Dwyer,Mrs. Cuffe, Mrs. Skey Muir, Mrs. W. D. Wilson, Mrs. Evatt,the Lady Alice Ashley, the Lady Jane Cole, LadyMac Cormac, Mrs. Church, Lady Hanbury, Mrs. Cole Reade,Mrs. Butler Hamilton, and Mrs. E. M. Sinclair.The Middlesex Hospital Gazette publishes the following

list of Middlesex Hospital men serving at the front :-Ascivil surgeons: Mr. S. B. Hulke, Mr. F. P. Cayley, Dr.C. Roberts, Mr. H. F. Hine. Dr. A. P. Parker, Dr. T. H.Wells, Mr. J. J. Day, Mr. H. C. Adams, and Mr. C. H.Reissman (since returned). In the Imperial Yeomanry:Mr. Claridge.Much praise is due to Lady Georgiana Curzon and

Lady Chesham, to whom the organisation of the ImperialYeomanry Hospitals are mainly due. The first reportof the Imperial Yeomanry Hospital Fund has just beenissued and is interesting reading. We quote the followingpassage from the report: "The duties of the bearer

company’s staff of surgeons and stretcher-bearers are

very onerous and replete with danger. In fulfilling theirduties they run equal risk with the soldier, and yet thiswould seem to have been the incentive that encouraged thenumerous applications we received for employment in thisbranch of our institutions. The staff of our bearer companycould have been filled twice over; and )ne cannot butadmire the courage of these men who are ever forgetful ofthemselves in their desire to minister to the wounded. Theirwork often continues day and night, and the utmost physicalendurance is required."Major Franklin and Captain Phillips are reported as being

discharged to duty from hospital.TRANSVAAL WAR CASUALTIES.

. Dr. T. W. Illingworth of the Imperial Yeomanry has

died at Boshof from accidentally taking an overdose ofmorphia while suffering from fever. He was in his thirty-seventh year.

Civil-surgeon W. M. Parham, attached to 11 T " Batteryof the Royal Horse Artillery, is reported to have been severelywounded at Kroonstad on May llth.

Captain R. Fawsett, R.A.M.C., attached to the 2ndLife Guards, died from dysentery at Bloemfontein on

May 7th.Major Perry Marsh, R.A.M.C., is dangerously ill with

enteric fever at Deelfontein.

THE HEALTH OF THE ROYAL NAVY.In its forty-fourth annual report the Missions to Seamen

Society traces the progress of the health of the Royal Navy,as revealed by medical statistics, since the Russian war.The report says : " The great improvement in the moral con-ditions of life in the Royal Navy since 1856, the year inwhich this society was formed, is evidenced in many ways.The health of the Royal Navy is largely ihnuecced by themoral habits of the officers and men....... The remark-able result is that whereas 295 men-of-war’s-mendied of diseases in 1898, upwards of 700 other menlived at the end of that year who would have diedhad the death ratio from diseases alone (35’6 per