900

Anmtallleport of the Crichton Royal Tnstititti(in, Dumfries,for the Year 1911.

At this institution the average daily number on the

registers was 865 - 8. During the year there were 202admissions, of which 159 were certificated and 38 voluntarypatients. Of the cases admitted 25 had had one or more

previous attacks of insanity, while 100 were suffering fromtheir first attack of mental disorder. The mean age onadmission was 45’ 2, the youngest being a girl of 15 and theoldest a man of 82. The exciting causes of the attacks,apart from distinctly nervous constitutions, inherited or

acquired, were most commonly of the nature of worry,affliction, shock, and similar psychical factors and variousantecedent bodily illnesses. It is reported that 35 personsadmitted were in fair bodily health, 70 were in poor bodilyhealth, and 20 in a weak physical condition. There were129 discharges representing 124 persons, 87 of whom had beencertificated and 37 voluntary patients. The recovery rate of thecertificated patients, based on the receptions, was 47’2 percent. The forms of mental affection recovered from werechiefly in order of frequency, melancholia, delusionalinsanity, mania, and confusional insanity. In 74 per cent.of the recoveries the mental illness had lasted in all less than a year. The deaths numbered 43 certificated patients and2 voluntary boarders ; the death-rate of the former, based onthe average resident population, was 5-2 per cent. Theprincipal causes of death were affections of the heart in 12cases, exhaustion from melancholia and mania in 7 cases,senile decay in 5 cases, and general paralysis in 4 cases.Only 2 patients died from tuberculosis. Necropsies were heldin 79 per cent. of the deaths. Dr. 0. C. Easterbrook, thephysician superintendent, writes that it is difficult to say towhat extent the far-reaching and unwieldy NationalInsurance Act, 1911, will apply to the institution. Shouldthe Act apply it will be an egregious burden and hardship,for it will ensure only a modicum of the benefits at presentenjoyed by those employed on the permanent staff, theinstitution officials being pensionable and receiving duringillness full wages in addition to medical treatment andattendance, and the wives and children of married men

living on the estate being also, during their much morefrequent illnesses, attended by the resident medical staff.March 25th.

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IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Hiqh Death-rates in Ireland.THE death-rates in several Irish towns have reached

abnormally high figures in the past few weeks. In theDublin registration area, for the week ending March 16th,the death-rate was 31-8 per 1000 per annum. Curiously itwas less in the city, 31’1, than in some of the suburban

townships-Rathmines and Rathgar 36-2, and Kingstown42’4. In some provincial towns the rates were also veryhigh. Thus, in Ballymena the death- rate reached 36’7, andin Kilkenny 44 - 6.

Dublin Hospital Sunday -Pund.After some years’ falling off the Dublin Hospital Sunday

Fund last year realised £3454 6s. 9d., an increase of £113 98.over 1910. The hospital football match contributed £100.

Disgraceful Befiavio2cr at Ballinrobe.At a recent meeting of the Ballinrobe, co. Mayo, Poor-law

guardians one of the guardians proposed a motion to rescindan increase of medical salaries passed at a previous meeting.The meeting was packed with visitors armed with sticks,who violently shouted down the medical officer, the LocalGovernment Board inspector, and others who essayed to

speak against the motion, which was carried by 14 to 10. If,however, the Local Government Board had sanctioned theincrease, it could not legally be altered or reversed.

The Dental Hospital of Ireland.The annual report of the Dental Hospital of Ireland, issued

a few days ago, states that the number of cases treated

during the year amounted to 48,370. There were 2183

operations under anaesthetics. The J umber of students onthe roll of the school during the year was 48.

The Insurance Act Leotzcrca.

Some of the lecturers appointed under the Insurance Actto enlighten the public are giving very pleasing, though itmay be feared not altogether accurate, information. Forinstance, at a meeting held in Belfast on Feb. 19th, a

paid lecturer stated, according to the local papers, thatthe Act would provide from the very first sanatoriumbenefit which would remove at one stroke the whole con-sumptive population and send them back free from con-

tagious disease in a year, thus relieving the rest of the

population from danger of contamination. During 1910 thepublic health department of the city of Belfast dealt with1173 cases that were either voluntarily or compulsorilynotified as tuberculosis of the lungs It would be a tallorder to provide sanatorium treatment for them all ; and tosay that after a year’s residence in a sanatorium they wouldreturn "free from contagious disease " is absurd. It showsthe nonsense of appointing lecturers to deal with a subjectabout which their knowledge is nil.

A Libel Case.

In a libel action brought at Belfast Spring Assizes onMarch 19th and 20th, by a dairyman against the BelfastNorthern Whig, on account of an article stating that theBelfast Health Committee claimed to have found the causeof the outbreak of diphtheria in the milk coming from acertain farm, and recounting the evidence on which the com-mittee’s assertion was made, the jury, after only five minutes’absence, rendered a verdict for the Northern Whig with costs.

Down County Infirmary.From the annual report it appears that the total income

for the year ended Dec. 31st, 1911, was Z2403 15s. 8d., andthe expenditure £2444 18s. ld., leaving a balance due ofE41 2s. 5d. During the year 2027 were treated, 716 in

hospital, and 1311 in the extern department.Kitohen used as a Cow-house.

On March 21st, at Newtownstewart petty sessions, a farmersummoned a servant for leaving his work before his period ofhired service was completed. The evidence showed thatabout Feb. 18th one of complainant’s cows became sickand was brought into the kitchen, where it calved. Itremained there for nine days, when it died. The milk whichwas sent to the creamery passed through this kitchen,and the servant actually had to sleep in this kitchen. Theservant said he had not been in good health, but put up withit as long as he could. The case was dismissed, the defendantbeing allowed 10s. costs. What is the use of veterinaryinspectors when such a state of affairs is tolerated ? March 26th.

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Struggle against Alcoholism.ONE of the greatest scourges that afflict the human race in

all countries is undoubtedly alcoholism. Every day the

struggle against this plague is making greater efforts.France, unfortunately, is especially afflicted, at least in

certain regions. For many years this matter has engaged theattention of all those who are interested in public health andin the preservation of the vigour of the race. All means ofcombating it have been sought for, and undoubtedly the bestthat has yet presented itself is the limitation of the numberof liquor shops. Unfortunately, whenever this questioncomes up in the Chamber of Deputies, while every-one heartily approves of this limitation, no one daretake the responsibility of putting it to the vote, for theliquor-sellers are particularly influential in politics, so

that up to now it has been practically impossible to attack orlimit these places. The Chamber of Deputies, having thismatter once more before them, has again adjourned the voteupon it. The National League against Alcoholism held agreat protest meeting on March 17th, which drew together alarge attendance, at which all shades of political opinion