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judge and jury, why cannot solicitors reach a settle-ment in these cases without instructing counsel ?It is remarkably unfortunate for a professional manwho is defendant in this class of case if it be truethat a plaintiff is not in the frame of mind to examinethe merits of the defendant’s answer until the claimhas been begun before a court of law and all the

allegations have been broadcast to the world.

BUDAPEST.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

SHOULD NERVOUS CHILDREN BE TAUGHT IX SPECIAL

INSTITUTES ?IN a recent lecture Dr. 0. J. Vértes, director of the

National Secondary School for Nervous Children,stated his conviction that in cases of severe nervous-ness in children the only solution is the removal ofthe child from home. The patient at his new abodebehaves timidly and awkwardly at first, but as soonas he realises that he is among understanding peoplehe settles down. The causes which gave rise to

symptoms are removed with the change of residence.The jealously guarded cherished child becomes awareof the fact that he is not the centre of the world, andthat others have just as much right to considerationas he has. It is important that the parents shouldnot visit their children too often. This advice soundsso simple that one might conclude that the despatchof the child to a good aunt’s or grandmama’s housewould yield beneficial effects. This is, however, notso. The education of a nervous child needs trainedexperts, or the child becomes just as tyrannical inhis new environment as he was at home. Besidesapparent (not real) neglect, important curative

agents are a systematic day’s routine and instructionin how to work. The child should not be bored fora single moment, and should not have too much timefor meditation. In the critical post-war years thenumber of nervous children increased greatly. Thesechildren have to be discovered and appropriateschools found for them. In Budapest the number ofchildren educated in special secondary schools fornervous ailments is 1200.INVENTION FOR IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF FLOUR.

D. Kuffler invented a method whereby the qualityof flour is greatly improved and rendered suitablefor patients suffering from dyspepsia and other

digestive troubles. The invention—a biochemicalprocess of heating the flour to a very high degreewithout burning or roasting it-is patented. The flouris conducted through a boiler containing superheateddry air, whereby it loses its water content and one-third of its sugar content, and-as proved by investi-gations made by the Royal Hungarian Cereals andFlour Experimental Station-the formation of car-

bonic acid diminishes to a tenth. This purified flouris particularly easy to digest, and causes no heart-burn or meteorism even in patients suffering fromserious gastric and intestinal troubles : it is saidalso to have a favourable influence on all disturbancesarising out of hyperacidity. This so-called " dieteticflour " is at present stocked in Hungary only bychemists, but it is shortly to be marketed by grocersso that the general public will be able to procure iteasily. It is said to suffer no change in the processof overheating, so that the foods prepared from itare undistinguishable in taste from those made withordinary flour ; the only difference is in the colour,which is darker than that of ordinary flour. Some

of the Budapest clinics and hospitals have used thisflour with success in the diet of patients suffering fromgastric and intestinal disturbances.

ASPIRIN POISONING IN HUNGARY.

While aspirin poisoning appears to be rare abroad,in Hungary it is of common occurrence, mostly insuicide cases. The Budapest Ambulance Corpsrendered first aid to 230 aspirin suicide cases in 1927,to 206 cases in 1928, and to 154 cases in 1929. The

symptoms of intoxication are : vomiting, syncope,photophobia, tinnitus, and general malaise of a

fairly severe degree. The pulse-rate is accelerated.The urine contains albumin and occasionally alsotraces of blood. The number of red blood-cells isdiminished, while the quantity of haemoglobin doesnot undergo any considerable change so that thecondition is that of a toxic polychromaemia, withslight leucocytosis. The sedimentation rate of theblood is normal and blood pressure is slightlydiminished. The poisoning takes a fairly rapidcourse ; if there is no improvement noticeable within12 hours from the onset of symptoms, acid intoxica-tion supervenes. The respiration becomes deep andslow, the heart’s action becomes weak, and deathfollows paralysis of the respiratory and of the cardiaccentres. The routine treatment, as applied by theBudapest clinics, consists of gastric lavage with awell-diluted peroxide of hydrogen solution, or withbicarbonate of soda. Emetics are not recommended.Intestinal irrigations with large doses of bicarbonateof soda, repeated every two to three hours or sountil the urine becomes alkaline in reaction, maybe of benefit.

PHYSICIANS AND LAWYERS ON BIRTH CONTROL.

The medico-legal section of the Hungarian Social-Democratic party recently held a debate. In hi&

opening address Imre Gyurki remarked that theincrease of population to-day is an economic ques-tion, and the regulation of births is one of the mostimportant problems of the present age. It is in vainthat a great many of those who most vigorouslyfight in support of the percentage norm in the univer-sities, in respect to those living, protest even againstthe thought of planning the regulation of births.Dr. Bela Toth emphasised the fact that medicalscience is concerned also with social science. Thefate, health, and disease of the individual mustdepend on the social conditions among which heis living. The existing law lays down that onlydanger to the life of the mother justifies birth control.Danger to the mother, however, may include notonly danger of death, but also the reduction ofcapacity for work, and the dwindling of earningpower. In the decision of this important problemthe high infant mortality-rate, the housing conditions,.and other social problems, such as the prevalence ofinduced abortions, must be considered. In Hungarythe number of induced abortions is estimated at about100,000 out of a total population of seven and a halfmillions, and the large majority of cases come fromthe industrial and agricultural classes. In 1925,115 sentences were passed against those who attemptedto procure abortion, but much more serious was thepunishment of those who paid for the operationwith their lives. From the statistics he has collectedDr. Toth estimates the casualties due to inducedabortion as 700-800 yearly, and the number of women.who are affected with lasting bodily or mental troubles.due to abortion as about 10,000. Dr. Latkoczyquoted the opinion of Magnus Hirschfeld, the sexuo-logist, that out of 1000 cases only three are brought

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before the law. This means that the law, in itspresent form, is inadequate and non-executable.The law means well, but results are disappointing.

SCOTLAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

ROYAL VICTORIA HOSPITAL TUBERCULOSIS TRUST.

THE forty-fourth report of the Trust contains

legitimate expressions of satisfaction that the Trustwas directly inspired by the discovery of the tuberclebacillus some 50 years ago. It is common knowledgethat Sir Robert Philip studied tuberculosis at thatdate in Vienna, bringing back to Edinburgh an,enthusiasm for the investigation and treatment oftuberculosis that has never wavered. Step by step,- the group of institutions for which the TuberculosisTrust is responsible came into existence and had anotable effect in developing the tuberculosis policy ofthis country. In a recent appreciation contributed tothe Zeitschrift für Tuberkulose (Berlin) Sir RobertPhilip says that all that has been attempted in

Edinburgh, in relation to the problem, was inspiredby the stimulus produced by the completeness andthe beauty of Koch’s demonstration. It was therealisation of the extent of the damage wrought bythe bacillus which led to the foundation at Edinburghof the Tuberculosis Dispensary (1887) as a receivinghouse and intelligence centre where information wouldbe received and guidance given concerning the disease.Thereafter came the establishment of the Sanatorium(1894) followed immediately by the School forTuberculous Children (1895), the opening of a pavilionfor advanced consumptives by the municipality(1906), the inauguration of the Farm Colony formore continuous care (1910), the provision of a class-room and laboratory for the teaching of medicalstudents and doctors (1912), the establishment ofthe chair of tuberculosis in the University of Edinburgh(1917), the opening of the Sanatorium Colony, South-field (1922), and the establishment of a tubercle-free-herd of cattle (1923).

EDINBURGH ORTHOPAEDIC CLINIC.

In January, 1931, a clinic which had been formedin 1926 was formally constituted as an independentbody, to be called tha Edinburgh Orthopaedic Clinic.The object of the clinic is to provide massage, medicalgymnastics, medical electricity, and ultra-violet

ray treatment for people of limited means at moderatefees. At the first annual meeting of contributorsto the clinic, Miss Gertrude Herzfeld, F.R.C.S.E.,presiding, it was stated that during 1931 258 patients-had been admitted and 36 patients readmitted; 5899 treatments had been given, compared with 5909 treatments during the previous year. On theactual working of the clinic for the past year therewas a deficit of t98 ; but as the revenue accruing- amounted to .S140, the capital fund had been increasedby £41. The clinic had been approved by theDepartment of Health for Scotland as a charitableinstitution and patients insured under the NationalHealth Insurance Scheme might now obtain benefitthrough their approved societies. Mr. William A.Cochrane stated that it was an up-to-date clinic andcontained everything required for remedying physicaldefects by these special means. It was so popularnow that it had a waiting-list and the work donewas of the first order. An interesting feature wasthe home service provided by the clinic. Cripplesare well served in Edinburgh. The Rev. RatcliffeJ3arnett, who has taken a keen interest in promoting

the new Cripple Children’s Hospital at Fairmilehead,on returning from the war, started a club here formen and lads who were permanently crippled, and itis still flourishing.

CHIROPODY IN EDINBURGH.

At the annual meeting of the Incorporated Societyof Chiropodists, Dr. Craig, who succeeded Dr. Dreveras Scottish Medical Secretary of the British MedicalAssociation, referred to the excellent work done bythe Edinburgh Foot Clinic. During last year theyhad treated over 8000 people, and there was a waiting-list of 1600. The clinic made a small charge toall patients who were in a position to pay, whiletreating free those not able to pay. Dr. Craig thoughtthe general public had little idea of the mass of

suffering that resulted from the kinds of foot troubleswhich the clinic was able to treat, and praised thegood work being done there.

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

THE NEW GOVERNMENT.

THE post in the Government of the Irish FreeState which is of most importance to the medicalprofession is that of Minister for Local Governmentand Public Health. It is satisfactory that this officehas been given to one who has considerable experienceof the problems of local government, Mr. Sean T.O’Kelly, who was for many years a member of theDublin Corporation. It is rumoured that he mayhave the assistance of one of the medical deputies asParliamentary Secretary. A medical man, Dr. JamesRyan, has been appointed Minister for Agriculture.

SWEEPSTAKE MONEY FOR MEDICAL RESEARCH.

In a letter to the Irish Times of March 12th,Dr. Henry Moore, professor of medicine in UniversityCollege, Dublin, repeats a suggestion made by himmore than a year ago at a meeting of the DublinUniversity Biological Association. He is concernedwith the lack of provision for medical research in

Ireland, and he suggests that a small percentage ofthe fruits of the Hospital Sweepstakes might beearmarked for this purpose. He states that a capitalsum of, say, ;L200,OOO, would provide a fund adequatefor the financing of medical research, and that sucha sum would quickly be accumulated from even asmall percentage of the moneys at present beingdevoted to the. hospitals. He enumerates a few ofthe advances in medicine due in recent years tomedical research, notably in the treatment of diabetesand of pernicious anaemia, and suggests that expendi-ture on research might give results of more permanentbenefit than even the improvement of the hospitals.Following on Prof. Moore’s letters Dr. T. P. C.

Kirkpatrick, general secretary of the Royal Academyof Medicine in Ireland, writes to the same journal(March 14th) to state that the General Council ofthat body had prepared a scheme on the lines

suggested by Dr. Moore, and were only awaiting asuitable opportunity to place it before the Ministerfor Justice, under whose control the HospitalSweepstakes are conducted.The sum received for tickets in the Grand National

Hospital Sweepstake which were drawn this weekwas stated to be £3,365,312, of which £2,239,477 willbe distributed in prizes, and £841,328 be available forthe hospitals. This is an advance in the sum for the hos-pitals of almost £100,000 beyond that from the Sweep-stake on the Manchester November Handicap, 1931.