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ending in recovery.-Three members of the United StatesArmy Board for the study of tropical diseases as they existin the Philippines-viz., Majer P. M. Ashburn, CaptainE. B. Vedder, and Lieutenant E. R. Gentry-contributea report concerning Varioloid in Manila, some 500 cases ofwhich were recently certified. These officers, however,arrived at the conclusion that the prevalent malady waschicken-pox and not small-pox, even of a modified kind.

SUNSHINE AND RAINFALL DURING 1913.

IT will be seen by the figures tabulated below, which havebeen obtained from an annual summary of the weather

published by the Meteorological Office, that practically allparts of the British Islands had less sunshine than usual

during last year, but that the rainfall was deficient ratherthan in excess of the normal. In many localities the sun- ’shine was about half an hour per day short of the average, in

* A 11 - " is inserted where no average is available.

a few nearly three-quarters of an hour, and at the ScillyIslands almost an hour. The only exceptions to the rulewere at Westminster and Llandudno, which were so favouredas to get two or three minutes per day more than the normalallowance. Certain spots stand out as being relativelybright in the various parts of the kingdom. Following thegeneral order of the distribution of sunshine the ChannelIslands head the figures, with a mean per day of about4 hours 35 minutes, but one spot on the east coast-Felixstowe-was practically as bright, and the south coastof England suffered little in comparison. In the north-westit was Douglas, Isle of Man, and Rhyl, which outshone theirneighbours, while in Scotland the east coast was more sunnythan the west coast, and in Ireland Valencia, the very spotwith the most frequent rain, was also the brightest. Themost sunless places were, as always, the large cities, and ofthese Hull, with a mean of only about 24 hours perday, was the dullest. This was followed by Manchesterand Glasgow, with about 2-1 2 hours per day, and byYork and the City of London, with about 2! hours.Some districts in Ireland, Wales, the south-west ofEngland, and the coast of Sussex had more rain than theaverage, but generally the total fall was less. The east andsouth-east of England maintained its reputation of beingthe driest region, and the very driest spot was Cromer, wherethe aggregate rainfall was only 16’2 in. In the metropolitanarea there was a substantial deficit, amounting to morethan 5 in. at Westminster, and one of the Londonstations - Tottenham- was again the driest place inthe kingdom, when the number of days with rainare considered. On no more than 127 days was there ameasurable quantity, while in the metropolis generally thenumber was about 165. At Valencia, on the south-westcoast of Ireland, rain fell on 260 days, and at several placesin the south-west and west of Great Britain there were morethan 200 days with rain. Another place, Cromer, had 203days, which is very difficult to understand, seeing that itsaggregate fall was the lowest.

ROYAL COMMISSION ON VENEREAL

DISEASES.

AT the nineteenth meeting of the Royal Commission onVenereal Diseases evidence was given by Dr. Carl H.

Browning, director of clinical pathology and lecturer inthe Glasgow University.

Dr. Browning’s evidence was based on the account whichrecently appeared in the medical press of the work doneat his laboratory. He advocated the widest possible routineapplication of methods of diagnosis for syphilis. It wouldbe a wise thing, he thought, to examine the blood of everypatient at every hospital, and to include the blood test asone of the items in the medical examination of schoolchildren. If this could be systematically carried out for afew years it would have an enormous effect on the reductionof disease by leading to good treatment. Good work was

being done by a number of corporations, including Glasgow,who were prepared at the public expense to examine

specimens of blood sent to them. Early detection of thedisease should be followed by free treatment. He thoughtthat in treatment lay one of the roads to success in stampingout the disease. _

Dr. Browning was convinced of the great efficacy ofsalvarsan ; it was possible with a dose of salvarsan to dowhat might take a course of mercury to accomplish or whata course of mercury might fail to accomplish. He was

opposed to notification of syphilis at the present timebecause he feared that it might deter people from comingfor treatment, but he was inclined to agree with the

suggestion of Dr. J. Kerr Love that some of the manifesta-tions of congenital syphilis might with advantage be madenotifiable-

STRATHCONA MEMORIAL.—A proposal is on footfor the provision of a suitable memorial in London to thelate Lord Strathcona and Mount-Royal. For this purpose arepresentative committee, according to the Times, is in courseof formation, and particulars will shortly be announced.