61IRELAND.-PARIS.

extent of 249,455, or at the rate of 5’29 per cent.,between the middle of the year 1890 and the middleof the year 1900, a decrease uninterrupted from yearto year. The total number of births registered duringthe decade was 1,055,020, as compared with 1,150,463for the previous ten years, being 95,443, or 8’3 percent.,less. The deaths during this decennium were 836,035,as compared with 883,156 for the previous ten years,showing a decrease of 5.3 per cent. but an increase in theaverage annual death-rate from 17’9 9 in the earlier to 18’2

per 1000 living in the later period. During the decade433,526 emigrants, or 9’ 5 per 1000 of the mean population,left Ireland. The number of emigrants would thus appear tohave surpassed the excess of births over deaths by 214,541.The number of emigrants in the preceding ten years was770,706. There were 221,608 marriages during the ten yearsand during the past 40 years there has been a well-markeddecrease in early marriages in Ireland. Judging by those who"signed their names in writing" as compared with thosewho signed "by mark," elementary education has madegreat progress; and it is curious to note that while inUlster, Munster, and Connaught, taking the figures foreach year of the decade, the married women seem to bebetter educated than the men, in Ulster the reverse was thecase until the year 1900, when 85’5 per cent. of the menand 86’ per cent. of the women signed their namesin writing. There were 1,055.020 births registered inIreland during this decade, of which 1,027,126, or 97’4per cent., were legitimate, while 27,894, or 2’ 6 percent., were illegitimate. The proportion of the illegitimatebirths to the total births registered was greatest in Ulsterwhere it reached 3’ per cent., and least in Connaught,where it reached a percentage of only 0’6. It is alsoobserved that in the rural districts of Ulster and Leinsterthe percentage of illegitimate births is only slightly belowthat in the urban districts, while in the other two

provinces, where the rural population is more largelyin excess of the town population than in either Leinsteror Ulster, the difference between the rates in the civicand rural districts is more marked. 836,035 deaths wereregistered during the decade, and of these 86,231 were dueto "specific febrile or zymotic diseases "-that is, 10’3per cent. of all the deaths recorded. There were 235deaths from small-pox (five deaths per annum in every1,000,000 of the population), 4422 from scarlet fever

(not a quarter of the mortality in the ten years ending Iwith the year 1880), 1904 from typhus fever (a very greatrelative diminution), while typhoid fever caused 8692deaths, which shows a slight increase on the previous tenyears. Of these deaths 4142 occurred in Ulster. Therewere 12,048 deaths from whooping-cough and 3440 fromdiphtheria. Influenza caused 20,805 deaths, an enormousincrease over former decades. There were 1601 deathsfrom intemperance, an increase being shown in the numberof deaths of females due to chronic alcoholism. 24,435deaths occurred from cancer ; the increase is such that inthe ten years 1891-1900 the registered mortality from cancerof persons 25 years old and upwards was 52 per cent. inexcess of that for the ten years 1871-80 and 26 per cent.in excess of that for the ten years 1881-90. The highestcounty-rate mortality for cancer was in Armagh. Thetuberculosis death-rate has risen in Ireland since the decade1871-80, a fact which seems to show that the sanitary andother measures which have been undertaken for the im-provement of the public health have not here arrested theravages of this formidable disease.

Queen’s College, Belfast.Dr. W. St. C. Symmers of Cairo has been appointed

Musgrave Professor of Pathology at Queen’s College,Belfast.

Small-pox in Belfast.There is no sign of decrease in the small-pox epidemic and

the hospital at Purdysburn is so full that it may be necessaryto erect another building. Of the 172 cases treated in itfive have never been vaccinated, three were said to havebeen vaccinated in infancy, but the marks were very poor andindistinct, and no case whatever has been admitted where thepatient had been revaccinated. Eight deaths have occurredand in each of the fatal cases the marks of vaccination, if

present at all, were inefficient and in every case the diseasewas of a bad type and the eruption was confluent. Of these172 cases admitted to Purdysburn Hospital since thebeginning of the outbreak 130 have been discharged con-valescent, eight have died, and 34 remain in hospital. In

the reception house during the same period 552 personswere admitted. Of these, 445 have been discharged, leaving44 still therein. At present a virulent type of measles isprevailing in Belfast and scarlet fever of a mild type isepidemic, but typhoid fever is much less prevalent. BetweenNov. 20th and Dec. 17th, 1904, there were only 32 cases. _Jan. 3rd.

__ __

PARIS.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

The Treatment of Strabisrn1ls.AT the meeting of the Academy of Medicine held on

Dec. 20th, 1904, M. Landolt read a paper on the abovesubject. After having reminded his audience that altera-tions in the mobility of the eye were a very frequent causeof visual troubles he showed that the usual operation forstrabismus very often simply transforms a convergentstrabismus into a divergent one. He proposed therefore tosubstitute for the usual operation one to which he has giventhe name of "muscular elongation "-i.e., he proposed tostrengthen the weak muscle instead of weakening the strongone. Even in those very rare cases where muscular sectionor tenotomy can be carried out for extreme shortness of themuscle M. Landolt suggested a new operative procedure bywhich he preserves the point of attachment of the muscleand elongates it instead of transplanting the attachmentfurther forward. In this way the action of the muscle afteroperation conforms more strictly to the normal than by theold operative method.

The Advantages and Disadvantages of " Deehloridcction "in Epileptics.

At the meeting of the Hospitals Medical Society held onDec. 18th M. Jules Voisin, M. Roger Voisin, and M. Krantzcommunicated the results of some researches carried out bythem in 50 cases of epileptic adults and 28 cases of epilepticchildren. The results showed that a chloride-free diet didnot by itself produce any modifications as to the epilepticattacks but that to bring about a favourable result theadministration of bromide must be combined with theelimination of chloride from the diet. This method of treat-ment reduced the fits by 69 per cent. A chloride-free dietis difficult to carry out in these patients especially in adultsand in these latter a peculiar kind of delirium is wont tooccur signalised by melancholia with mental confusion andhallucinations. It arises from insufficient nourishment andpossibly directly from the absence of salt. No signs ofbromide poisoning were noted. The observers recommendedalternations of a chloride-free diet lasting for 15 dayswith a two months’ period of ordinary diet. They con-sidered that the physical and chemical phenomena whichthis method determines facilitate both the urinary excretionand the fixation of the bromide. Moreover, this method ofa varied diet gives rise to full excretion and the complica-tions of a chloride-free diet, which are often serious, arethus avoided.

Peroxide of Hydrogen in the Treatment of InfiuntileDyspepsia.

Milk treated with peroxide of hydrogen in the proportionof one or two grammes of a 12 volume solution to 100 or 200parts of milk seems to acquire properties comparable to thoseof kephir. It checks vomiting and diarrhoea and is readilytaken by children. Peroxide of hydrogen acts in the stomachas a eupeptic and since it is a very powerful antiseptic itdoubtless acts as such both in the stomach and in the in-testines. These interesting results were communicated to theTherapeutical Society at a recent meeting by M. Gallois,M. Flourens, and M. Walter. In a general way gastro-intestinal antiseptics exercise an inhibitory influence notonly on microbial ferments but also on the normal fermentsof the organism. Peroxide of hydrogen is, however, bothantiseptic and eupeptic. It is thus particularly indicatedin cases of atonic dyspepsia accompanied by abnormalfermentation.

The Treatment of Sea Sickness by Hypnotio Suggestion.At the meeting of the Society of Hypnology and Psycho-

logy held on Nov. 29th there was a most interesting dis-cussion on the above subject. The first speaker was Mr.Hamilton Osgood of Boston. He cited his own case and toldthe meeting that on four voyages from England to Americahe had by suggestion prevented sea sickness. Not only had

62 PARIS.-NEW YORK.

’he not vomited but he had a good appetite and this immunitylasted, throughout the voyage. M. Berillon suggested,that persons liable to suffer from sea sickness, who werenever sure of finding a medical man on board who couldpractise hypnotism, should undergo suggestion beforeembarking. For his own part lie had many times success-fully suggested to a person during sleep a view of thecrossing and the idea that he would not be ill. M. Farez’had treated by hypnotic suggestion not only sea sicknessbut also carriage sickness and train sickness. M. Le Menantdes Chesnais went even further. He cited the case of aiady whom he had hypnotised against train sickness.During his last holiday he was with her in a small boat, anda simple statement on his part that she would not be ill hadsufficed to prevent sea sickness.

l’lle Workmen’s Compensation Act.One point in this law which greatly concerns medical men

has just been the subject of a circular issued by the Ministerof Justice. The circular first points out that there is a pro-vision of the law laying down that in every case in whichexpert medical evidence is necessary the expert shall notbe a medical man who has treated the patient or a

medical man in the service of the contractor or thea,saurance society to which the contractor is affiliated. TheMinister then adds that he has been informed that despitethis provision certain of the magistrates are in the habit of- stlmmoning as an expert witness the medical man attachedto the factory where the accident has taken place or to theasurance company which guarantees the owner of suchfactory. The Minister therefore begs to call the attentionof magistrates to the above-mentioned provision and at the- same time to remind them that the provision has referencethose cases in which the magistrates sit as judges todecide on the amount of daily compensation payable, as wellas to those in which they sit with a view to decide upon,,cases of permanent incapacity when they simply have to"examine the injured man under paragraph 3 of Article V. ofthe same law. This circular of the Minister of Justiceremedies an abuse against which every medical syndicate,has protested without ceasing.

The Academy of Medicine.At the meeting held on Dec. 27th. 1904, M. Chamberland

was elected as "assoeie libre" of the Academy of Medicine’’on the third ballot by 53 votes in room of the late lamentedM. Duclaux.Jan. 2nd.

NEW YORK.

(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

Use of Adrenal’in by Immigrants to conceal TrachomaTHE Surgeon-General of the Public Health Service pub-

dlishes reports of certain officers of that -ervice to the effectthat they have noticed for some time past on everting the’eyelids of some immigrants that they presented a peculiar’blanched appearance. At first it was thought that this was- due to the treatment which they might have received priorto embarkation. Recently, however, several hours after thefirst inspection was completed and all suspicious cases had’been set aside, it was decided to make a re-examination ofthe entire number. While this work was going on a numberof additional cases of trachoma was found. Upon following-some immigrants behind a convenient inclosure they werefound to be busily engaged in instilling a substance intotheir eyes which subsequent investigation showed to be

- adrenalin. Experiments with this drug proved that if’instilled into the. eyes of mild cases of trachoma practicallyall evidence of the disease could be obliterated for abouthalf an hour..It was learned that on arrival at port and

tjust before the medical inspection was made immigrants hadbeen in the practice of instilling adrenalin into their eyes for,the purpose of deceiving the inspector.

A Testintonial to Professor Usler. ’

The retirement of. Professor Osler from the Johns HopkinsHospital and School will be marked by the creation of atestimonial, as a recognition of distinguished services, by theprofession and citizens of Baltimore. The proposition is sopopular as to attract the attention of the country and themovement bids fair now to become national in its scope.

The governor of Maryland is to be the national treasurer.Upwards of$10,000 have’already been subscribed. The formwhich this memorial shall take has been the subject of muchdiscussion, but, on consultation with Professor Osler, it hasbeen decided to erect a building for the accommodation ofthe valuable medical library of the medical and chirurgicalfaculty of Maryland, so largely the result of his own interestand effort.

Medical Service in the Panama ComissionThe United States Civil Service Commission has formu,

lated its rules governing the appointments to the serviceof the Panama Commission. Some, including sanitaryofficers, are exempted from the necessity of examina-tion. These sanitary officers are the chiefs of the divisionsbut the surgeons under them must pass the civil serviceexaminations. Special attention will be given to thequality of the applicants’ experience and applicants whohave had experience in hospitals, particularly in the treat-ment of tropical diseases, will receive special credit. Only,those who have had extensive hospital experience and arefamiliar with the treatment of tropical diseases will beselected for appointment to the highest salaried positions.Promotions may be made, in the discretion of the IsthmianCanal Commission from the lower to the higher positions inthis grade. These examinations are open to all citizens ofthe United States who comply with the requirements. Theterm of service will be during the construction of the canal,which will extend throughout a period of eight or more

years. Pharmacists, hospital interns, and trained nurseswill also be appointed under similar rules after properexaminations.

Health of the Navy.The Surgeon-General of the Navy reports that the health

of the men was not as good as during the preceding year.The average strength of the active list during the year1903 was 37,248. The total number of admissions forall causes was 28,569, the ratio per 1000 strength being782-24, as compared with a ratio of 767-63 for the

previous year, and 797’ 10 for the eight preceding years.There were 24,545 admissions for disease and 4024 for

injury, giving ratios of 671-82 and 110-04 respectively.The daily average of patients was 1289’ 03 and the ratio per1000 strength 35’ 23. The average of sick days for everyman in the navy and marine corps was 12’ 88 and the averageduration of treatment for each case was 16-49 days. Theratio of persons invalided from the service during the yearfor disease and injury was 41-37, being 36-19 for diseaseand 5’18 for injury. These ratios are much higher thanthoe of the previous year, owing to the large number ofrecruits. The ratio of deaths during the year was 6-01 per1000, being a ratio of 4-40 for disease and 1-60 for injuries.It is stated that venereal diseases continue greatly to impairthe fighting strength of the navy. Excepting general in-fectious diseases venereal diseases gave a greater number ofsick days than any other class. It appears that while theadmissions to the sick list per 1000 of strength were greaterthan in the previous year the mortality was not only less butit was lower than the average of the past eight years. The

Surgeon-General urges the importance of having trainedwomen nurses as a part of the medical department of thenavy. They would supply better and more efficient nursingto the sick and in the event of war the men could bereleased from hospital duty and assigned to vessels of war.The recommendation of legislation authorising the employ-ment of dentists for service in the navy is renewed. Theresult of the experiment of treating consumptives in tentsat Pensacola, Florida, in spite of many drawbacks, was sofavourable that Congress is urged to make special provisionfor an appropriate site for a camp for tuberculous sailors.

Hospitals for Panaiiia.By a recent agreement between the United States and

the Republic of Panama it is provided that the UnitedStates will construct, maintain, and conduct a hospital orhospitals either in the canal zone or in the territory of theRepublic, at its option, for the treatment of persons insane-or afflicted with the disease of leprosy and any indigentsick, and the- United States will accept for treatment’therein such persons of these classes as the Republic mayrequest but the order shall not be operative unless, first,the Republic of Panama shall furnish without cost the.requisite lands for these purposes if the United States shalllocate such hospital or hospitals in the territory of theRepublic, and, secondly, that the Republic shall contribute