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ticularly to the attainments of the guest as an anatomist,physiologist, and histologist of the highest order. One ofthe speakers in his enthusiasm spoke of histology as beinga science peculiarly French, thus ignoring what has beendone in other countries in that direction.

M. PASTEUR.

Owing to the numerous applications that are made toM. Pasteur for his remedy against hydrophobia, he isreceiving liberal donations from all quarters to enable himto meet the expenses incurred by him, as most of theapplicants belong to the poorer classes, and he is obliged tokeep them during the time they are under treatment.

THE RIGHTS OF " OFFICIERS DE SANTE."Till now the officiers de sante were not allowed to practise

out of the department in which they obtained their diploma.A proposition has just been laid before the Chamber ofDeputies to abrogate this law, and to allow them to practisewithout any restriction in any part of the French territorywithout any other authorisation, or without even obtaininga fresh diploma. This is considered a crying injustice, asby this means they will be placed on the same footing asthe doctors who have to pass a superior examination, andconsequently pay higher fees for their degrees.

Paris, Jan. 27th.

BERLIN.

(From our own Correspondent.)

SECRET REMEDIES.

THE Berlin Committee for the " Suppression of theNuisance of Secret Remedies" have decided to present amemorial to Prince Bismarck, with the following proposi-tions : 1. In place of the Imperial ordinance of Jan. 4th,1875, there ought to be issued one which assigns the prepa-ration, and the keeping and offering for sale, of all kinds ofmedicaments, inclusive of secret remedies and pharmaceuticspecialties for sanitary purposes, in retail, exclusively to theapothecaries’ shops. 2. For the restriction of the sale ofsecret remedies in the apothecaries’ shops there ought to beinstituted an Imperial board, acting as a technical centraloffice, having the function to examine and test every secretremedy before permitting it to be sold ; to fix the price ofsuch remedy; and to determine whether the drug or com-pound may be issued to the public otherwise than in theform of a physician’s prescription. 3. To prevent an inun-dation of the market with foreign secret remedies and phar-maceutical specialities, it is suggested that they should besubjected to a duty ad valorem.

DISINFECTION BY THE SALT-WATER STOVE.

A year ago Professor A. Dobroslawin of St. Petersburgpublished a preliminary communication on a portable dis-infecting stove constructed by him, which acted throughover-heated air. The author obtained the high temperaturesimply by the use of solutions of common salt insteadof plain water. To produce a higher temperature somedifferent salts maybe employed. In 100 parts of water, 41.2parts of common salt gave the boiling-point at 108.4° C. ;61.5 parts of nitrate of ammonia, gave it at 1210°; 205’0 partsof carbonate of potash, 135.0°; 325.0 parts of chloride ofcalcium, 1795°; 88-9 parts of chloride of calcium, 114.2°.The stove requires from 40 to 50 litres of the solution, andboils with a solution of common salt after two or threehours. After four hours’ working it must be refilled. To

prove the effect on micro-organisms, silk threads satu-rated with the spores of bacillus subtilis were submittedto the stove, and were completely killed, after remain-ing three orfour hours in the stove, at 102° to 104° C.The price of the apparatus is 250 roubles (.625), to beprocured through the St. Petersburg Metallfabrik.

Berlin, Jan. 21st, 1886.

ST. LEONARDS CONVALESCENT HOME FOR CHILDREN.-The annual meeting of the subscribers to and governors ofthis Home was held on the 20th inst. In the report it wasstated that the institution was doing fairly well, and thatduring last year 840 children had been admitted to itsbenefit, 578 of whom came from London and its suburbs, 99from Surrey, 79 from Kent, and 28 from Middlesex.

ROYAL COLLEGE OF PHYSICIANS.

AN ordinary Comitia of the College of Physicians was heldon the 28th inst., Sir W. Jenner, Bart., President, in thechair. The President drew attention to the fact that inaddition to the case considered at the last Comitia, threecharges of unprofessional conduct on the part of membersand licentiates had been investigated by the Censors’ Board,proving, Sir William maintained, that the College wasactive in vindicating the honour of the profession.The President nominated Dr. Pavy to deliver the Harveian

Oration and Dr. Dreschfeld to give the Bradshawe Lecturethis year. The Treasurer announced that the late Dr.Gavin Milroy had bequeathed the sum of .E2000, togetherwith certain manuscripts and books, to the College, themoney to be devoted to founding a lectureship in StateMedicine and Public Hygiene.Three gentlemen were admitted to the membership, and

the licence was granted to 86 successful candidates at thelast examination.

Dr. P. W. Latham, Dr. Playfair, Dr. Ringer, and Sir J.Fayrer were elected on the Council; and Drs. Stone andDuckworth were appointed examiners for the MurchisonScholarship.The quarterly report of the Finance Committee was received

and adopted. The annual report of the examiners was read,from which it appears that during 1885 1136 candidates

presented themselves for the first examination for thelicence, of whom 633 were approved ; and 394 for the finalexamination, of whom 242 were approved. These figuresinclude those who have been examined under the newscheme, and the rejections were in one or more subjects ofthe examination. A report from the Building Committeewas received. It stated that the works connected with thenew examination hall were proceeding satisfactorily, andproposed that the laying of the first stone of the buildingsshould be marked by a public ceremony.

MEDICAL NOTES IN PARLIAMENT.

Overhead Wirec.IN the House of Commons on the 25th inst., in reply to

Sir 11. Tyler, Lord J. Manners stated that his atten-tion had been drawn to the failure of telegraph wires duringthe recent snowstorm, and that no case of accident to anyhuman being had been caused by the wires belonging to thePost Office. The policy of the Post Office for many yearspast has been to substitute underground for overhead wiresin London, and also in other large cities, wherever the extraexpense involved could be justified. The mileage of postaltelegraph wires in the metropolis on the 31st of Decemberwas 9832 miles, of which 9005 miles, or about 11-12ths, wereunderground wires. In the eastern central and westerncentral postal districts, which comprise the half of themetropolis, there were only 44 miles of overhead wires theproperty of the Department.

Medical News.ROYAL COLLEGE OF SURGEONS OF ENGLAND. —

The following gentlemen, having undergone the necessaryexaminations for the diploma, were admitted Members ofthe College at a meeting of the Board of Examiners on the21st inst. :-

Berrill, Alfred, Oltom.Bridgewood, John Francis, Stafford.Brown, Frederick Nathaniel, Chobham.Christopherson, Cecil, L.S.A., Blackheath.Clark, Francis William, East Croydon.Creagli, Arthur George Mellefont, L.S.A., Ballinrollin.Evans, Oliver Conrad Penrhys, L.R.O.P. Lond., Hadlow, Kent.Fraser, Paul Wilkes, Wolverhampton.Hassard, Edward Moresby, Hoddesdon.Hawkins, Frank Sidney. Bristol.Ireland, Charles John, Amwell-road.Pisani, Lionel John, L.S.A., Upper Norwood.Robinson, Arthur William, Longleat.Williams, Hugh Lloyd, Waenfaws, Carnarvon.Young, Charles Wheeler Forrest, L.S.A., Clapham-common

Admitted on the 22nd inst. :-Bennett, Frederick Thomas, L.S.A., Denmark-hill.Brown, Edward Vipont, Tufnell-park.