49

extension of the curriculum in respect to time. The con-

sequence of this is overpressure in the case of very many ofthe students, and a sense of oppression in those who are notactually overworked, which it would be well if the authori-ties could see their way to mitigate in the way requested,or in other ways which might suggest themselves.

ROYAL HOSPITAL FOR SICK CHILDRFN.

The Directors of the Royal Hospital for Sick Childrenhave appointed Dr. Melville Dunlop to the post of extra-physician upon the staff of the hospital, vacant through theresignation of Dr. Hodsdon.Edinburgh, Dec. 28th, 1886.

ABERDEEN.

(From our own Correspondent.)

ROYAL INFIRMARY.

THE quarterly court of the managers of the RoyalInfirmary was held on Monday, Dec. 13th, when it wasresolved, on the motion of the president, Lord ProvostHenderson, to make an appeal to the public for the fundsnecessary to carry out the proposed improvement andextension of the infirmary buildings. It was left to thecommittee of management to select a large committeethoroughly representative of town and country, who wouldtake the matter in hand, and it was hoped that an endeavourwould be made to have the sum, .62,000, subscribed beforeJune 20th, 1887. There is little doubt as to the success ofthis scheme of the Lord Provost to celebrate the Queen’sjubilee. He himself has subscribed £ 1000, and a subscriptionof .500 has also been intimated. Two vacancies in themedical staff had to be fllled up at this meeting, and a largenumber of managers attended to bestow their patronage.For the office of ophthalmic surgeon, rendered vacant by thelamented death of Dr. Dyce Davidson, Dr. MacKenzieDavidson was the only candidate, and he was appointedunanimously. When Dr. Blaikie Smith was appointedassistant physician he resigned the office of chloroformist,which he had held for eleven years, and Drs. Booth,MacGregor, and Ruxton were candidates for the appoint-ment. The first vote gave the following result: Dr. Booth,83; Dr. MacGregor, 78; Dr. Ruxton, 16. A second vote wasthen taken as between Dr. Booth and Dr, MacGregor, whenthe former was elected by a majority of four votes.

THE UNIVERSITY COURT.

A meeting of the Aberdeen University Court was heldon Saturday, Dec. 18tb, when there was laid before themeeting a communication from the Senatus, stating that ata meeting held on the llth, the Senatus resolved to repre-sent to the Court their desire to withdraw the proposalsas to changes in the examinations in medicine. The courtgranted consent, and this, for the present at any rate, gets ridof the difficulties raised by Prof. Struthers’ dissent and Prof.Ogston’s threatened action.

THE TRAINING OF PROBATIONER NURSES.

Two or three months ago the late Dr. Dyce Davidson andDr. Garden were appointed a subcommittee of the medicalcommittee to make inquiries as to the training of pro-bationers in other hospitals, and as a result of their inquiriesthey submitted a report upon the subject, and theirsuggestions have so far been acted upon. The report saysthat probationers ought to be engaged for two years, duringwhich time they ought to receive a regular course ofinstruction both theoretical and practical. The theoreticalpart of their instruction is to consist of lectures, which areto be divided into three courses : first, a series of lecturesby the lady superintendent on nursing, the economy of thesick-room, instructions as to the preparation of food for thesick, &c.; second, lectures by one of the surgical staff onelementary anatomy, with lessons on surgical nursing,including bandaging, description and preparation of instru-ments, dressings, &c. ; third, a course of instruction by oneof the medical staff on elementary physiology and medicalnursing. The practical or ward training is to be given bythe ward sisters, supervised by the lady superintendentand the teachers who supply the theoretical teaching. Drs.Fraser and Garden have been appointed with Miss Lumsdento give the different lectures.

THE HEALTH OF THE CITY.

In October there was a decided decrease in the number ofcases of scarlet fever, but it has again begun to spread, andthe report for last month shows a large increase. In October78 cases of scarlet fever were reported, but during Novemberthere were 107. In the later month there were also 14-cases of typhoid fever, as against 4 cases in October. Thedeath-rate for October was 17’28 per 1000, but last month itmounted up to 23’22 per 1000. Whooping-cough and measle/}are also prevalent, and many cases have proved fatal.

Dec., 1886. _________________

IRELAND.

(From our own Correspondent.)

ROYAL UNIVERSITY OF IRELAND.

A MEETING of Convocation takes place on Dec. 30th, and:

1 consequently will be held too late for me to record this week

the result of the election for a Member of the Senate. One

of the candidates (Major Fitzgerald) has withdrawn, and thecontest will lie between Professor O’Sullivan, Mr. 0’ConnorqI

and Dr. McMordie. I have already given my opinion that"

the first-named gentleman will probably be elected, and’ therefore shall not refer further to this subject. At the

meeting this week, several notices of motion have beengiven, the principal being as follows :-Dr. Knight willmove that the Senate be requested to consider what pre-cautions can be taken to ensure that only the votes ofmembers of Convocation are recorded in senatorial elections..Dr. Thompson will move a resolution requiring that atelections of a Senator by Convocation each voter shallaffix his name to his voting paper in presence of a justiceof the peace or a clergyman, who also shall sign his nameas witness. The recent rules adopted by the Senate for themedical curriculum of the University have created con-siderable dissatisfaction, and it is gratifying to learn thatProfessor Pye has a notice relative to this matter, in whichhe will call attention to it, and move, that in the opinionof Convocation it should be repealed, and rules framed for theguidance of medical students in accordance with the direc-tion of the General Medical Council be adopted. The pro-ceedings are expected to prove very animated, and it isto be hoped that the Chairman will exercise the powersentrusted to him in repressing all unseemly attempts atdisturbance.

THE EPIDEMIC OF ENTERIC FEVER IN CORK.

The Publlc Health Committee will this week have undertheir consideration a very important report, prepared by aninspector of the Local Government Board (Dr. O’Farrell),which deals with the present sanitary condition of the cityof Cork. Additional interest must be attached to the com-munication in view of the epidemic of snteric fever whichhas prevailed for some time past. Cork is supplied withwater from the river Lee, taken about a mile above the city.A filtering tunnel has been erected, but sufficient precautionsare not adopted to prevent contamination from the housesand towns and villages situated on the banks of the riverfrom its source to the point of intake at the water-works.The physical features of the site on which Cork is builtrender it extremely difficult to drain the hills, causing stepsand abrupt gradients, while the flat of the city is belowhigh water of spring tides. The rubble sewers in the olderparts of Cork are defective in every respect-rat-eaten andblocked, so that they are no better than elongated cesspools,.saturating the porous alluvial soil, which surround themwith organic matter, and throwing back foul sewer air onthe higher levels, thus producing zymotic diseases in thoseparts of the city which ought to be most healthy. Thereare about 1700 tenement houses in Cork, and many of them,.especially in the centre of the city, are old and structurallybad. The public cleansing of the streets is carried out in a.

most unsatisfactory manner; this is partly due to the wantof funds, the soft character of the limestone used for repairingroads, and to the large rainfall. The want of a public abattoirand the condition of the private slaughter yards must exercisean injurious influence on the health of the citizens. Dr.Donovan, the medical officer of health, is inclined to attributethe prevalence of typhoid fever to the cleansing of old drainsand the dispersion of their contents over the surface of the,public park and other places of public resort. Dr. O’FarrelI