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medical adviser. Evidence was led at considerable lengthand amongst other witnesses two medical men, one of themSir Henry D. Littlejohn, were called by the pursuer to giveevidence as regards his sanity. The case dragged over manydays and heavy expenses were incurred on both sides. LordPearson, before whom the case was tried, gave his decision tothe effect that the certificate was not granted wrongfully orwithout due inquiry and examination, and that on the variousdates on which the pursuer was separately examined by thedefenders the pursuer was insane and suffering froman attack of subacute mania with homicidal tendencyand was a proper patient for admission to, and detentionin, Gartnavel Asylum. Although after the evidenceon both sides had been heard there was no doubt inanyone’s mind as to what the decision would be, yetthere is reason for satisfaction that Lord Pearson in theterms of his judgment took up a position so precise anddefinite. Such a judgment is of the first importance to thepublic and to the medical profession. With the public, inits desire to safeguard its own interests and liberty, onehas every sympathy, but with the medical practitioner inthe discharge of duties of this kind one has still more

sympathy. Had the decision in this case gone otherwisethe medical practitioner dealing with a case of lunacy wouldhave been on the horns of a dilemma. To grant a certificatemight mean being sued for £10,000, while to withhold it, aswould be his natural inclination, might mean a worsecatastrophe in the shape of homicide, in which case hewould not be held blameless. Dr. Gilchrist and Mr. Carswellare to be congratulated on the verdict in what must havebeen to them a very annoying and expensive lawsuit.

Population of Glasgorv.Dr. A. K. Chalmers, the city medical officer of health, has

just’issued his annual report with reference to the populationof Glasgow. It is of an exceptionally interesting nature anddeals at considerable length with the remarkable displace-ment that is going on throughout the city and suburbs. A

significant fact mentioned is that the population of the citywithin the municipal area as at June last was 785,474,compared with 785,465 for the corresponding date in 1904,representing a difference of nine persons only in favour oftLe present year. In other words, the population has onlybeen saved from a numerical reduction by reason of anincrease in the number of persons resident in institutionsand in consequence removed from opportunities of dis-

charging many of the responsibilities of citizenship. Thisis the first natural interruption to a period of growth whichhas been continuous since 1887. It is noteworthy that inmany of the suburban wards, on the other hand, there is adistinct increase. The depletion of the central districts isno doubt in large part due to increased facilities in travellingwhich enable the working man to live at a greater distancefrom his work and from the point of view of the generalhealth and well-being of the community it is not to be

deplored.The Post Office and Bacteriological Specimens.

Recently an order was issued by the Postmaster-General inwhich conditions were laid down for the transmission by postof articles sent for medical examination or analysis. It is

thought that one of these conditions will render useless allthe arrangements of the sanitary department for expe-ditiously dealing with the material sent for bacterialexamination. A subcommittee has been appointed by theGlasgow corporation to take such steps in the interests ofpublic health as may be thought advisable.Jan. 1st.

IRELAND.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Presentation to Dr. J. C. Martin.ON Christmas Day Dr. J. C. Martin, on his home-coming

after a protracted illness, was presented by his numerousfriends in Portrush with a silver casket suitably inscribedand containing 250 sovereigns.

Health aT Belfast.At a meeting of the city corporation of Belfast, held on

Jan. lst, reports were read which indicated, as the chairmanof the public health committee stated, "that the presentstate of affairs in the catchment area (at Stoneyford water I

reservoir) was a menace, but the corporation were not thesanitary authority for the district and they had no power toput the law in force." It appears that liquid matter from amanure heap at a farmhouse in the Stoneyford catchmentarea " flows over the surface of the ground into a water-course ; at the other side of the dwelling house the cowshedis situated within a few feet of the stream. This streamis part of the Belfast water-supply " (report of inspector).In reference to a national school in the same district : " Theprivies are situated over an old watercourse which connectswith a small stream that forms part of the Stoneyford water-supply. The liquid matter from the privies gets into thewatercourse." Then as to another house : " There is a

large quantity of manure lying on the brink of a stream;the liquid filth is flowing into the stream. This is a badcase of pollution. The cowshed, dwelling-house, and pre-mises are in a filthy state." The inspector adds: "I I

may say I have made reports on above houses at intervalsduring the past seven years and the sanitary stateof the premises is as bad as ever it was." One ofthe water commissioners present said that not a single dropof the impure matter got into the water-supply of Belfast.The water commissioners were not, in his opinion, to doLisburn work (the catchment area is in the Lisburn district).It was not, he said, really their business whether these farmswere in a sanitary condition or not. That was the duty ofthe local authority having charge of the district. In other

words, a vile nuisance may exist in one of the catch-ment areas supplying the citizens of Belfast with waterand typhoid fever may arise, as it did before, and owingto some small detail as to who has authority over

the district hundreds of lives may be lost. It is

hoped, as it was suggested at the council meeting,that the Local Government Board will interfere andorder an inquiry and place the blame upon the properauthority. It is believed by many that the great epidemicof typhoid fever in Belfast several years ago took its originfrom cases that were proved to have existed in this samecatchment area, though the excuse then was, as now,that nothing got into the water reservoir. During the fourweeks (Nov. 19th to Dec. 16th) reported upon to the city cor-poration of Belfast on Jan. lst it was stated that the numberof cases of infectious diseases notified was more numerousthan in the last report, and while cases of typhoid feverand simple continued fever (whatever nondescript is meantby continued fever) have considerably increased, those fromscarlet fever and erysipelas have decreased. Owing to themildness of the season deaths from chest diseases still keeplower than usual. The death-rate was 20.1 per 1000 andconsidering the time of the year the health of Belfast may bedescribed as fairly satisfactory.

Royal University of Ireland.Judge Shaw, who has been a representative of Convocation

on the Senate of the Royal University for the last 20 years,has written to the clerk of Convocation resigning his posi-tion, on the ground that " he cannot remain a member of agoverning body which is liable to be defied and insulted bythose whom it is supposed to govern and which either has,or believes it has, no power to repel or punish such defianceand insult."

Jan. 2nd.

PARIS.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Hygienic Measures at Cherbourg.THE admiral who is the maritime prefect of Cherbourg

has recently issued an order containing the following regula-tions for the observance of hygienic measures. Firstly, itis of the greatest importance to prevent men by everypossible means from drinking at the standpipes (bornes-fontaines) in the arsenal; the dockyard, or the town. In thearsenal the various shops will be supplied with distilledwater from the ships in the port which will be told off forsuch duty by the naval officer in charge (major-général).Depôt No. 1 will supply boiled water to men working bythemselves in the same way as it now does wine. The

dietary of every mess is not to contain either salads orvegetables which are eaten raw, such as radishes or arti-chokes. All inhabited places are to be kept in a proper stateof cleanliness and special care is to be exercised in the