the second congress of the international society of surgery

975

a word concerning the skilful waiting and attendance whichso largely help to make such a journey enjoyable. Person-

ally, I am also much indebted to the captain, the purser, andthe chief engineer for the time and trouble which they tookto facilitate my investigations, and I cannot leave this goodship without expressing my gratitude for their courtesy.

THE SECOND CONGRESS OF THE INTER-NATIONAL SOCIETY OF SURGERY.

(FROM A SPECIAL CORRESPONDENT.)

THE International Society of Surgery meets once in threeyears. The members are elected after nomination by anational committee for each nation and its proceedings areconducted in French, German, or English at the will of thespeaker. Every effort is made to limit the membership tosurgeons who are in the active practice of their profession,whilst care is taken to select the subjects for discussionsufficiently long beforehand to allow the communications tobe in the hands of each member at least a month previous tothe meeting. The original paper is written in French,German, or English, but a summary of its contents areissued in all these languages. It is possible, therefore, foreach member to follow the train of thought, althoughhe may be ignorant of the language in which itis expressed. The society does excellent work and is

highly appreciated by the surgeons of Europe generally,though it appears’ to have proved little attractive to the

surgeons of Great Britain and Ireland. - -

The second Congress began with a meeting of the membersof the International Committee on Sunday, Sept. 20th, when22 of the 24 members were present, and it was announcedthat the society numbered upwards of 400 members and thatnational committees had been formed in Russia, Finland, andServia. The Congress was opened formally at 9.30 onthe morning of Monday, Sept. 21st. Punctually to thetime fixed Their Royal Highnesses the Prince andPrincess Albert arrived at the Palais Cinquantiere, wherea magnificent suite of rooms had been placed at the

disposal of the Congress by the Belgium Governmentwhich had further shown its interest in the objects of themeeting by the grant of a subsidy towards the expense.Their Royal Highnesses were received by M. Darignon,Minister for Foreign Affairs, and by Professor Czerny ofHeidelberg, President of the Congress, and every member ofthe International Committee was presented and receivedwith a few words of welcome each in his own tongue.H.R.H. Prince Albert then entered the large hall, alreadyfilled with members, and in a graceful speech declared theCongress open. Dr. Depage, secretary-general, read a listof the members who had died since the meeting in 1905-Mr. Reginald Harrison, Professor von Bergmann, Pro-fessor von Esmarch, Dr. Fowler of New York, ProfessorTerrier of Paris, and Professor Reverdin of Geneva. Their

Royal Highnesses then made a minute inspection of theapparatus, maps, and specimens and the real work of the

moa the affarnnnn

The subjects proposed for discussion were Cancer in all itsforms, with especial reference to treatment; Hernia ; the

Surgery of the Liver; the Surgery of the Spinal Cord ; andAnaesthesia, whether Local, Intraspinal, or General. The

subject of cancer was illustrated by a magnificent displayof specimens which was divided into 14 sections,Germany, England, Austria, Belgium, the United Statesof America, France, Greece, Hungary, Italy, the LowCountries, Roumania, Russia, Switzerland, and Turkey.The Austrian collection far surpassed the rest, forProfessor Wertheim exhibited 250 specimens of cancer ofthe cervix uteri, whilst Professor Hochenegg, also of Vienna,showed 112 specimens of cancer of the rectum which hehad removed by the sacral route. Such a wealth ofmaterial enabled the members of the Congress to followthe course of these diseases from the earliest to thelatest stages in a manner which would otherwise havebeen impossible. Professor Wertheim drew attention tothe number of specimens in which cancer of the cervixwas still in an early stage and attributed it to the instruc-tions constantly impressed upon every Austrian practitionerof medicine to make a digital examination in every case

where there were signs of uterine disease. The exhibitsof the United Kingdom comprised a specimen of PrimarySarcoma of the Spleen, shown by Mr. D’Arcy Power;a case of Cancer of the Thoracic Duct, shown byMr. J. Lynn Thomas; some interesting preparations,by Mr. W. Sampson Handley; Drawings of Cancer ofthe Tongue, by Mr. H. T. Butlin ; and a case of Pharma-ceutical Products used by Dr. Lovell Drage in the treat-ment of cases of inoperable carcinoma. In addition to themuseum, which was inaugurated by Professor Dollinger ofBudapest and carried to a successful issue by the inde-fatigable energy of Dr. Depage and Dr. L. Meyer, thesecretaries of the Congress, there was a good exhibition ofinstruments and surgical apparatus.

Brussels, Sept. 22nd.

BIRMINGHAM.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The University.THE return of the number of candidates who have entered

for the matriculation examination this year, excluding thosewho take the examination as a "school-leaving examina-tion," shows an increase of 25 per cent. over the precedingyear, the totals being 439, as compared with 355. Thisdefinite increase may be taken as an indication that therewill uc a. practically corresponding inbcrease ill the number

students in the coming session, in which case the alreadystudents in the coming session, in which case the alreadyoverburdened accommodation will be still more strainedand the longing for the relief which will be givenwhen the physics and chemistry departments can bemoved to Bournbrook will be intensified. Fortunately, thereis every hope that by next year the relief will be obtainedand the more especially cramped departments will be able toexpand. The unfortunate death of Professor Churton Collinshas removed from the staff of the University a very interest-ing personality, and it is remarkable that a man who alwaysshowed himself so full of life, interest, and hope should havebroken down so completely after the strain of the work wasover. He will be greatly missed, for he was an excellentlecturer, a most entertaining companion, and he possessedthe power of interesting others in his work and ideas.

A Suggested Provident -Dispensary.The medical profession in Birmingham is at present con-

sidering a scheme for the establishment of a providentdispensary which has been put forward by a provisional com-mittee, with whom representatives of the council of theBirmingham and District General Medical Practitioners’Union were incorporated. The objects of the scheme are torelieve the ever-increasing pressure on the out-patientdepartments of the hospitals, to bring about cooperationbetween several institutions working on somewhat similarlines, to encourage self-help and thrift among the work-

ing classes, and to secure to members of the medical

profession some slight remuneration for work done.That hospital treatment is sought by cases that can be

quite easily and effectively dealt with by the ordinarypractitioner is demonstrated by the fact that at the GeneralHospital the number of out-patients was reduced last yearfrom 65,427 to 62,102 by the simple expedient of referringall trivial surgical cases elsewhere after first-aid had been

given and by referring all chronic cases which did not

require hospital treatment to general practitioners, clubs,dispensaries, and the Poor-law authorities. Stated broadly,the present suggestion for dealing with patients who havevery small means but who are still able to pay something fortreatment is that every applicant for admission to membershipshall pay ls. as entrance fee and a subscription of 5d. a monthor 5s. a year. The 1s. entrance fee will secure the applicant amedical examination and for the subscription he will receivetreatment by a medical practitioner, chosen by himself, andmedicine from the local branch of the general dispensary.Any registered member of the medical profession who haspractised independently in the Birmingham district for 12months may become a member of the medical staffof the dispensary provided that he does not continueto hold a private medical club. He may decline to

accept any individual patient and he will not be required to