1801BIRMINGHAM.-SCOTLAND.

control of the Hedjaz line, the best (perhaps the only)method of attaining the desired end will be by bringingpressure to bear on the Turkish Government through theexisting diplomatic channels and inducing it to accept acarefully thought out scheme, drawn up by persons intimatelyacquainted not only with the details of the problem to besolved but also with the susceptibilities of the Governmentin question.

Constantinople. _________________

’

BIRMINGHAM.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Appointment of Public Vaceinators.THE long delay which has occurred in the appointment of

public vaccinators for the city has been a source of very con-siderable inconvenience to the students of the University whohave been waiting to obtain instruction in vaccination beforepresenting themselves for the final examination. Pre-sumably, however, the difficulty will be speedily removed,for the guardians have at last made permanent appointmentsand have selected Dr. Craig, Dr. W. H. Line, Mr. J. K.Syms, and Dr. Bruges to fill the four posts. One of thesegentlemen will no doubt be authorised to give instruction andthe students will not need to migrate to other towns.

The Health of Handsworth.The annual report of Dr. R. A. Lyster, the medical officer

of health of Handsworth, is interesting in the first placebecause it is probably the last annual report which Dr. Lysterwill make on the district, for he has been recently ap-pointed medical officer of Hampshire, and secondly becauseit contains some caustic remarks upon subjects not fre-quently touched upon in reports of this kind. It appearsfrom the report that the general health of the districtwas good. The birth-rate was 21’ 9 per 1000, as con-

trasted with 22’ 6 in the previous year, and the generaldeath-rate was 10’0, as contrasted with 11’1 in 1906.The infantile mortality rate was 100 per 1000, showing areduction of 20 per 1000 when compared with the rate in1906. Dr. Lyster admits that the mortality returns arebetter than in previous years, but he obviously thinks thatthey might be easily still further reduced, particularly theinfantile rate, which he thinks is not lower because of theignorance of the people, and he scathingly remarks that theapplication of compulsory education for a period of 30years has failed to raise the intelligence of parents toany great extent. He attributes this failure to the

neglect of essentials in the educational system and to the

crowding of the time tables with unessential subjectswhich exert no useful influence on the developmentof the intelligence of the children. Many people will

probably be inclined to agree with this indictment and thosewho know Handsworth will also agree with him that the

jerry builder is laying in that district the foundations ofslums which will be the source of considerable trouble in thefuture unless the tendency is counteracted by the localauthorities acquiring and applying additional powers. WhenDr. Lyster touches upon the relationship of the healthdepartment to the Poor-law department he is on dangerousground, but there can be little doubt that much good mightresult if the two departments could work more harmoniouslytogether than is often the case.

The late Dr. E. Riokards.

By the death of Dr. Rickards not only the medical pro-fession but also the whole of Birmingham and the surround-ing district sustains a serious loss, for he was one of themembers of a generation which is all too rapidly passingaway and taking with it an’ open, generous, loyal, andfriendly spirit which characterised it and which has workedso much good for the city and district.

The Sutton Coldfield Cottage Hospital.Through the generosity of Colonel J. H. Wilkinson Sutton

Coldfield now possesses a cottage hospital which will

supplement the work of the nursing home and give an

opportunity for the treatment of serious cases which hithertohave bad to be taken to the Birmingham hospitals. Thenursing home has existed for some years and has been main-tained by offertories from places of worship, by subscriptions,and by donations. It has done a very large amount of usefulwork but it obviously could not undertake the care of manyurgent cases of accident and serious disease which required

prompt treatment, hence the necessity for a local hos-

pital which has been provided by Colonel Wilkinson’sgift. The hospital has been built on land adjoiningthe nursing home, which is situated on the Birminghamroad at Maney. It comprises a waiting hall, a room

for the treatment of casualty cases, two wards each

containing four beds, a single ward for paying patients, anoperating theatre, and apartments for nurses. The mortuaryis in a separate building and everything has been arrangedupon thoroughly up-to-date principles. There is, of course,every probability that the accommodation will eventuallyhave to be increased as the town grows, and bearing thiseventuality in mind the building has been so arranged thatthe roof can be raised and another floor added as soon as thenecessity arises. All that is necessary now is that the inhabi-tants of Sutton Coldfield shall provide an income of at least£400 a year to meet the working expenses.June 16th.

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Chancellorship of the University of Glasgow.THE Earl of Rosebery was last week installed Chancellor

of the University of Glasgow. This is a comparatively rareevent and naturally great interest was aroused in it. Theinstallation ceremony in the Bute Hall was followed by aluncheon in the Randolph Hall and later in the afternoon areception was held in the University grounds. The occasionwas further marked by the bestowal of the honorary degreeof LL.D. on the Duke of Argyle, the Earl of Elgin, andLord Newlands.

Ear, Nose, and Throat Hospital, Glasgow.The annual report of this hospital, which has just been

issued, shows that during the last year there has been anaverage of 43 patients seen by the medical staff on every daythat the hospital was open. The number of new patientsdealt with was 2722 and the attendances made by patientstotalled 12,619. During the year 484 operations were

performed under a general ansesthetic and only two deathsoccurred in the hospital.

Outbreak of Typhus -Fever in Dundee.A rather serious epidemic of typhus fever has broken out

in Dundee. 12 cases are in hospital and 21 cases are undersupervision in the reception house.

Montrose Asylum and Infirmary Board.The monthly meeting of the Montrose Asylum and

Infirmary board was held on June 2nd when the question ofthe dismissal of the clerk of works in connexion with the newconvalescent home at Edzell again came under discussion. Aprotest was made by one of the managers against the findingof the board at the previous meeting to take from the housecommittee the power to appoint another clerk of works andto dismiss the original one. The protest was duly recordedin the minutes.

Morningfield Hospital, Aberdeen: Annual Report., The annual meeting of the supporters of this hospitalwas held on June 4th. The report was submitted and anearnest appeal was made for increased support. The ordi-nary income of last year was only half of that expended onthe upkeep of the patients. The average number ofpatients throughout the year was 79. The ordinaryexpenditure on the maintenance and management of thehospital was f’.2333 with the addition of £79 for extra-

ordinary repairs. The income was £1207. Legacies werereceived of f’.666 , bringing the income up to 1874.The average cost of each patient, including medical attend-ance and medicine, was £28 3s. 9d. This is the seventhconsecutive occasion on which a deficiency has been

reported, the seven years’ deficiency amounting to thesum of .&6286, f’.4508 of which went for necessaryadditions and alterations on buildings and the otherf’.1777 on the actual maintenance of patients. Thecommittee in January last received with much regret theresignation of Miss Armstrong of the office of matron. In

accepting her resignation the committee conveyed to MissArmstrong an expression of its appreciation of her ser-

vices. The post of matron has been filled by Miss ElizabethMassie, formerly matron of the convalescent home in con-nexion with the Inverness Infirmary.June 16th.