1501

the dispensary where it is made up and handed to him. The

responsibility of remembering its appearance so as to beable to identify it thus remains with him. Bottles contain-

ing poison are always prominently labeled as such and theprinted directions for dosage, &c., ought to be sufficientwhen the medicine is handed directly to each individualpatient. It is evident that no other sort of directions can be

given to hospital and dispensary patients, for time wouldnot allow of their being written. At a certain hospitalrecently marking-ink was administered instead of meat-juiceto two scarlet fever patients. On investigation the committeefound that a bottle similar in shape to that used for meat-juicehad been in use for nine months as a receptacle for marking-ink.Obviously this was a gross indiscretion and it was recognisedby the committee in the proper condemnation and punish-ment of the offenders. But if hospital nurses can make suchmistakes how much more liable to do so must out-patients athospitals and dispensaries be.

Midland Counties Asylum.Formerly known as the Midland Counties Idiots Asylum

this institution continues its usefulness and activity. Lord

Leigh presided at the thirty-fifth annual meeting of the sub-scribers on April 25th. The report showed that during thepast year the admissions were 12 in number, the averageage not being over nine years. In dealing with the feeble-minded one difficulty of the committee had always been theinability to get the patients sufficiently young. The provisionsin the United Kingdom generally for the education of suchchildren were stated by the report to be totally inadequate.The committee consider that owing to the want of properfacilities thousands of poor children are unable to receivetreatment in special institutions. A shoemaker’s, a tailor’s,and a carpenter’s shop have been fitted up at the institutionand an appeal is being made for more funds, the advantagesof technical training being pointed out. It is, of course,now generally recognised that the feeble-minded when takenin hand while young are capable of improvement and thatmany, if taken in time, may be saved from drifting intolunatic asylums or prisons.

Sanitation and Cookery.The Birmingham Ladies’ Association for Useful Work

have set themselves a laudable programme. For 30 yearsthey have been endeavouring to inculcate the principles ofsanitation in the poorer parts of the city. They are nowproviding for the teaching of cookery in the slums. Whetherthis teaching will be received in the same spirit with which itis being offered remains to be seen when the experiment hasbeen sufficiently tried. The provision of lady sanitary inspec-tors in different districts of the city has made the work of thesociety less urgent from this point of view. Yet there isstill abundant room for the exercise of thrift and knowledgein the ordinary transactions of domestic life among thelowest stratum of our society.May 20th.

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MANCHESTER.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Mersey and Irwell Joint Committee.DURING the last 10 years much has been done to prevent

the streams in the watershed of the Mersey and the Irwellfrom becoming fouler. In many cases great improvementhas been made but much more must take place before sea-trout and salmon frequent these rivers as of yore. In hisannual report of the work done by the joint committeeMr. A. Tutton, the chief inspector, gives some facts showingthe great extent of its jurisdiction, consisting as itdoes of seven county boroughs, 14 non-county boroughs,61 urban district councils, and 12 rural districtcouncils, with a total population of 2,456,723 and a

rateable value of £11,986,609. On the rivers Irwell andRoach there are 285 manufactories ; on the Irk, once knownfor its excellent trout-fishing, 46 ; on the Medlock, 15 ; andon the Mersey, 99-a total of 445. Into all these streams themanufacturers used to throw, or allowed to be washed in,their waste ashes as a matter of course, but there have beenno serious cases of pollution by solid matter during thepast two years, though action has been taken in severalsmall cases. In 1892 26 urban authorities had no schemefor preventing pollution, but now all except one urbanauthority and two rural authorities have such a scheme. Thebiological filter method of treatment is being adopted more

and more and is of great value where suitable land cannot beobtained, though Mr. Tutton thinks that it can never take theplace of first-rate land treatment as far as efficiency is con-cerned. Manufacturers now generally recognise the necessityfor, and the justice of, treating their trade waste, and legalproceedings have not been required for four years. Theresult of all this is that considerable improvement in thecondition of the streams has been brought about, thoughmuch remains to be done, "more especially by the sanitaryauthorities. " One suburb, Moss Side, practically a part ofManchester, remains outside and independent of the cityand its dealing with its sewage is not satisfactory. There isa sewage farm that is often complained of, which is notremarkable seeing that its area is equal only to about oneacre per 1000 of the population, but even Moss Side promisesto do better.

Diphtheria at Darwen.The recent report of Dr. S. W. Wheaton of the Local

Government Board on a serious epidemic of diphtheriaatDarwen is a severe indictment of the sanitary condition ofthe town and by implication of the town council. The

general unwholesome conditions prevailing in the townare considered responsible for the extensive prevalence [ofsore-throat, which after its introduction facilitates the spreadof diphtheria. Dr. Wheaton recommends increased isolationaccommodation, thorough overhauling, and where there isinsufficient fall relaying of the sewers. The town councilare also recommended to endeavour to replace the pail-closets by water-closets or slop-water-closets.

Siticide in Salford.Is suicide becoming more common ? One would say yes if

the state of things which was disclosed the other day at theSalford Borough Sessions were typical of the whole country.Mr. J. M. Yates, K.C., congratulated the grand jury on thelight calendar. Although there were only 11 cases for trial nofewer than six were charges of attempted suicide. In two

only was any cause assigned but in these it seems to havebeen poverty. In one case a girl, aged 15 years, had for sometime assisted her mother who is a dressmaker, but workwas scarce and she was told to try to get work elsewhere.Having failed to find any she tried to drown herself.She pleaded guilty and was sentenced to one day’simprisonment. The next case was that of a woman,54 years of age, who was deserted by her husbandsome months ago, and had found great difficulty in providingherself with food and lodgings, so she tried to drown herself." Her own and her sister’s recognisances in 40s. were taken."A joiner, 52 years of age, had a day’s imprisonment forattempting to drown himself. The cause was not stated. Awoman, whose age was not given, for a similar offence wasbound over to come up for judgment "if called upon." A

girl, aged 18 years, was sentenced to one day’s imprison-ment, but in this case neither the manner nor the reasonfor the attempted suicide is given. The severest punish-ment was inflicted on a man, aged 63 years, who had tried tocut his throat. He gave himself several severe gashes witha razor which but for prompt medical aid would have

proved fatal. He was sentenced to 14 days’ imprisonment" in the second division." It seems difficult to discoverthe principle regulating the punishment for attempts at self-murder. One can understand the feeling of depression pro-duced by unsuccessful efforts to get work, the vision of thefuture rendered all the more hopeless from the physicalexhaustion brought on by want of food. In many cases,however, especially in young girls, mere petulance andmomentary ill-temper seem to be the only assignable causesfor suicide ; in others, of course, disappointed love, or whatpasses for it, is held to be a sufficient excuse for the throwingaway of life. Has our system of education any influence, andif any what influence has it on the ideas prevalent as tothe sacredness of human life? It almost seems as if ill-

disciplined, ill-regulated minds were in the ascendant.May 20th.

WALES AND WESTERN COUNTIES NOTES.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENTS.)

Small-pox at Swansea.THERE have been 55 cases of small-pox in Swansea since

the beginning of the epidemic in December last and untilquite recently there has been experienced no difficulty in,isolating the patients in the small-pox hospital. On May l2th.,