the british ophthalmic hospital at jerusalem

1
314 was sufficient to vaccinate nearly 36,000 persons. It has been sent to the military stations at home and abroad, and the results are stated to have been very satisfactory. Dr. Fleming gives Professor Smith of the Aldershot veterinary school due praise for the marked care and intelligence with which this work has been done under his supervision. Dr. Fleming has now retired from the Service on the completion of the period laid down for tenure of office as principal veterinary surgeon. In addition to much good work he has done, he is entitled to great credit for having introduced the system of annual reports on the health of the army horses, and for the clear and satisfactory statements contained in those which he has prepared. THE BRITISH OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL AT JERUSALEM. THE sixth annual report of the British Ophthalmic Hospital at Jerusalem, which is maintained by the Order of St. John of Jerusalem in England, has just been issued to the members and associates of the Order, and contains a very gratifying record of good work, in the way both of philanthropy and of; surgery. When first established, the hospital had to encounter great difficulties, for, although diseases of the eye are numerous and destructive in and about Jerusalem, the inhabitants had come to associate the charitable efforts of Europeans with a desire to proselytise, and were suspicious of these efforts accordingly. Such suspicions, however, have been gradually dispelled by experience, and the hospital is now freely resorted to by Christians, Jews, and Mahometans alike. His Imperial Majesty the Sultan has been a liberal patron, having given T £900 towards the expenses of the site, besides granting firmans by which the rights and property of the Order are abundantly secured; and the Pasha of Jerusalem has also taken warm interest in the success of the institution. One bed is entirely supported by the Greek Patriarch, and another by the Anglican bishop of Jerusalem; while the chief Rabbi has also been a con- tributor, and has borne grateful testimony to the benefits conferred upon his people. Since April, 1888, the hospital has been under the medical charge of Dr. Cant, F.R.C.S., who succeeded Dr. Ogilvie, and in whose hands the repute of the institution has been steadily increasing. The report just published contains Dr. Cant’s account of his work for the year 1889, and it appears from this that he has indeed had no sinecure. Two hundred and forty new patients were admitted to the twenty beds of the hospital during the year, 2833 new cases were admitted as out-patients, 7383 attendances were given to out- patients, and 266 major and 58 minor operations were per- formed. Among the operations there were 25 cases of cataract extraction, 63 for artificial pupil, and no less than 137 for trichiasis. Dr. Cant reports that the last- named affection, left behind by some of the severe forms of conjunctivitis so common in the East, is not only very fre- quent, but also a source of great suffering and of complete disablement from work; and his large experience in operative measures for its relief has enabled him to restore the great majority of the patients to vision and comfort. As com- pared with the last six months of the previous year, the number of new applicants from July to December of 1889 showed an increase of 400; and, although the numbers were chiefly made up by Arabs, Fellaheen, and Jews, no less than nineteen other nationalities are mentioned in the report. Mr. J. M. Cook, the tourist’s friend, takes a warm in- terest in the hospital, and has aided it, both with money and influence, in various ways; and the account of his visits to it, as well as of the visits of Sir Edmund and Lady Lechmere, bear a warm tribute not only to the success of Dr. Cant’s able management, but also to the untiring and self- sacrificing manner in which Mrs. Cant has seconded her husband’s efforts. The British consul, Mr. Noel Temple Moore, writes that "to Mrs. Cant’s unremitting care and personal exertions are due the admirable order, neatness, and brightness of the hospital"; and there seems to be a general consensus of opinion on the part of those who have had opportunities of observation that this outpost of British science and philanthropy is doing a great work, not only within its proper limits, but also in the direction of showing the real tendencies of civilisation and of Christianity. The maintenance of the hospital has hitherto been a severe tax upon the resources of the Order of St. John, and has only been rendered possible by the munificence of a few of the members ; but it has now become an institution which has a distinct claim upon the national sympathies, and which ought no longer to be permitted to struggle for existence. NEW SYDENHAM SOCIETY. AT the thirty,second annual meeting of this Society, held in Birmingham, July 31st, 1890, a draft of the report was read and approved and ordered to be printed as usual. The Council had pleasure in being able to state that the year had been one of increased success. The Society’s income has exceeded that of the preceding year by more than 9800. The balance-sheet showed that the sum of £354 2s. 4d. was carried over to the present year. Not. withstanding the liberal issue of five volumes for the year a slightly better balance had been carried over. This result had been obtained partly by subscriptions for past years and the sale of back volumes, but chiefly by the accession of new members. The volumes which comprised the series for 1889 were the following:- The seventh Fasciculus of the Atlas of Pathology, comprising Diseases of the Gall-bladder. Calculi, &c., with one plate illustrating Osteitis. Deformans. The third volume of Charcot’s Clinical Lectures on Diseases. of the Nervous System ; translated by Dr. Savill. The second volume- of Cohnheim’s Lectures on General P,,ttliology ; translated by Dr. A, McKee. The sixteenth part of the Lexicon of Medical Terms : " Lin."’ to " Mas." The second and concluding volume of Henoch’s Lectures on Diseases of Children, with full Index to both vols ; translated by Dr. Thomson. For the current year, 1890, one v olume-Flugge’s Treatise on Micro-parasites, translated by Mr. Watson Cheyne, is already in the hands of members. A second, the third and concluding, volume of Cohnheim’s Lectures on General Pathology, with Index to the three volumes, is now ready for issue. The series for 1890 will probably be concluded by-A Fasciculus of the Lexicon (seventeenth); and a Fasci. culus of the Atlas of Pathology. The latter will commence the subject of " Diseases of the Brain and Spinal Cord." Amongst other works which the Council has in pro- paration, are- Selections from the Works of Professor Alfred Fournier. Selected Essays and Lectures from French and German sources. For the- forthcoming volume the following are in preparation: Dr. Pierre, Marie’s papers on Acromegaly (with abstracts of more recent papers on the same subject). Professor Billroth on the Influence of Vegetable and Animal Cells upon each other. Dr. Unna’s (of Hamburg) papers on the Treatment of Diseases of the Skin. The Lexicon of Medical Terms and the Atlas of Illustrations of Pathology will be proceeded with as regularly as may be found practicable. The library of the Toronto University having been destroyed by fire, the Council had deemed it right to present to the University as complete a set of the Society’s works as can now be made up. Sir James Paget was re-elected President, Dr. W. Sedgwick Saunders treasurer, and Mr. Jonathan Hutchinson, hon. secretary. A vote of thanks to the retiring officers and to the local secretaries for their services during the year was proposed and carried unanimously. Public Health and Poor Law. LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT. REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH. Cardiff Port District. —In reporting on the port of Cardiff for 1889, Dr. Ed. Walford gives a full account of the methods of procedure adopted by him and by his staff to secure the regular and systematic inspection of shipping under the varying circumstances that are met with. The total’ number of vessels entering the port during the year was 13,750, and 33 patients were admitted into the hospital ;hip. As the result of the inspections made, ninety-seven notices were served on the masters of vessels. Of these.. eighty-five were forthwith complied with, and it is satis- factory to note that all the others were also complied with at other ports before the vessels returned to Cardiff. Full details of all this work are included in the report. Liverpool Urban District.—Liverpool now contains a,, population of 606,562, and deducting the area of the docks, the density of the city amounts to 135 per acre. The

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Page 1: THE BRITISH OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL AT JERUSALEM

314

was sufficient to vaccinate nearly 36,000 persons. It hasbeen sent to the military stations at home and abroad, andthe results are stated to have been very satisfactory. Dr.Fleming gives Professor Smith of the Aldershot veterinaryschool due praise for the marked care and intelligence withwhich this work has been done under his supervision.

Dr. Fleming has now retired from the Service on thecompletion of the period laid down for tenure of office asprincipal veterinary surgeon. In addition to much goodwork he has done, he is entitled to great credit for havingintroduced the system of annual reports on the health of thearmy horses, and for the clear and satisfactory statementscontained in those which he has prepared.

THE BRITISH OPHTHALMIC HOSPITALAT JERUSALEM.

THE sixth annual report of the British OphthalmicHospital at Jerusalem, which is maintained by the Orderof St. John of Jerusalem in England, has just been issuedto the members and associates of the Order, and contains avery gratifying record of good work, in the way both of

philanthropy and of; surgery. When first established, thehospital had to encounter great difficulties, for, althoughdiseases of the eye are numerous and destructive in andabout Jerusalem, the inhabitants had come to associatethe charitable efforts of Europeans with a desire to

proselytise, and were suspicious of these efforts accordingly.Such suspicions, however, have been gradually dispelledby experience, and the hospital is now freely resortedto by Christians, Jews, and Mahometans alike. HisImperial Majesty the Sultan has been a liberal patron,having given T £900 towards the expenses of the site,besides granting firmans by which the rights and propertyof the Order are abundantly secured; and the Pasha ofJerusalem has also taken warm interest in the success ofthe institution. One bed is entirely supported by theGreek Patriarch, and another by the Anglican bishop ofJerusalem; while the chief Rabbi has also been a con-tributor, and has borne grateful testimony to the benefitsconferred upon his people. Since April, 1888, the hospitalhas been under the medical charge of Dr. Cant, F.R.C.S.,who succeeded Dr. Ogilvie, and in whose hands the reputeof the institution has been steadily increasing. Thereport just published contains Dr. Cant’s account of hiswork for the year 1889, and it appears from this that he hasindeed had no sinecure. Two hundred and forty newpatients were admitted to the twenty beds of thehospital during the year, 2833 new cases were admittedas out-patients, 7383 attendances were given to out-

patients, and 266 major and 58 minor operations were per-formed. Among the operations there were 25 cases ofcataract extraction, 63 for artificial pupil, and no lessthan 137 for trichiasis. Dr. Cant reports that the last-named affection, left behind by some of the severe forms ofconjunctivitis so common in the East, is not only very fre-quent, but also a source of great suffering and of completedisablement from work; and his large experience in operativemeasures for its relief has enabled him to restore the greatmajority of the patients to vision and comfort. As com-pared with the last six months of the previous year, thenumber of new applicants from July to December of 1889showed an increase of 400; and, although the numbers werechiefly made up by Arabs, Fellaheen, and Jews, no less thannineteen other nationalities are mentioned in the report.Mr. J. M. Cook, the tourist’s friend, takes a warm in-terest in the hospital, and has aided it, both with money andinfluence, in various ways; and the account of his visits toit, as well as of the visits of Sir Edmund and Lady Lechmere,bear a warm tribute not only to the success of Dr. Cant’sable management, but also to the untiring and self-sacrificing manner in which Mrs. Cant has seconded herhusband’s efforts. The British consul, Mr. Noel TempleMoore, writes that "to Mrs. Cant’s unremitting care andpersonal exertions are due the admirable order, neatness,and brightness of the hospital"; and there seems to be ageneral consensus of opinion on the part of those who havehad opportunities of observation that this outpost of Britishscience and philanthropy is doing a great work, not onlywithin its proper limits, but also in the direction of showing

the real tendencies of civilisation and of Christianity. Themaintenance of the hospital has hitherto been a severe taxupon the resources of the Order of St. John, and has onlybeen rendered possible by the munificence of a few of themembers ; but it has now become an institution which hasa distinct claim upon the national sympathies, and whichought no longer to be permitted to struggle for existence.

NEW SYDENHAM SOCIETY.

AT the thirty,second annual meeting of this Society,held in Birmingham, July 31st, 1890, a draft of the reportwas read and approved and ordered to be printed as

usual. The Council had pleasure in being able to state thatthe year had been one of increased success. The Society’sincome has exceeded that of the preceding year by morethan 9800. The balance-sheet showed that the sum of£354 2s. 4d. was carried over to the present year. Not.withstanding the liberal issue of five volumes for theyear a slightly better balance had been carried over.

This result had been obtained partly by subscriptions forpast years and the sale of back volumes, but chiefly by theaccession of new members. The volumes which comprisedthe series for 1889 were the following:-The seventh Fasciculus of the Atlas of Pathology, comprising Diseases

of the Gall-bladder. Calculi, &c., with one plate illustrating Osteitis.Deformans. The third volume of Charcot’s Clinical Lectures on Diseases.of the Nervous System ; translated by Dr. Savill. The second volume-of Cohnheim’s Lectures on General P,,ttliology ; translated by Dr. A,McKee. The sixteenth part of the Lexicon of Medical Terms : " Lin."’to " Mas." The second and concluding volume of Henoch’s Lectures onDiseases of Children, with full Index to both vols ; translated byDr. Thomson. For the current year, 1890, one v olume-Flugge’s Treatiseon Micro-parasites, translated by Mr. Watson Cheyne, is already in thehands of members. A second, the third and concluding, volume ofCohnheim’s Lectures on General Pathology, with Index to the threevolumes, is now ready for issue. The series for 1890 will probably beconcluded by-A Fasciculus of the Lexicon (seventeenth); and a Fasci.culus of the Atlas of Pathology. The latter will commence the subjectof " Diseases of the Brain and Spinal Cord."

Amongst other works which the Council has in pro-paration, are-

Selections from the Works of Professor Alfred Fournier. SelectedEssays and Lectures from French and German sources. For the-forthcoming volume the following are in preparation: Dr. Pierre,Marie’s papers on Acromegaly (with abstracts of more recent paperson the same subject). Professor Billroth on the Influence of Vegetableand Animal Cells upon each other. Dr. Unna’s (of Hamburg) paperson the Treatment of Diseases of the Skin. The Lexicon of MedicalTerms and the Atlas of Illustrations of Pathology will be proceededwith as regularly as may be found practicable.The library of the Toronto University having been

destroyed by fire, the Council had deemed it right to presentto the University as complete a set of the Society’s worksas can now be made up. Sir James Paget was re-electedPresident, Dr. W. Sedgwick Saunders treasurer, andMr. Jonathan Hutchinson, hon. secretary. A vote ofthanks to the retiring officers and to the local secretariesfor their services during the year was proposed and carriedunanimously.

Public Health and Poor Law.LOCAL GOVERNMENT DEPARTMENT.

REPORTS OF MEDICAL OFFICERS OF HEALTH.

Cardiff Port District. —In reporting on the port of Cardifffor 1889, Dr. Ed. Walford gives a full account of the methodsof procedure adopted by him and by his staff to securethe regular and systematic inspection of shipping underthe varying circumstances that are met with. The total’number of vessels entering the port during the year was13,750, and 33 patients were admitted into the hospital;hip. As the result of the inspections made, ninety-sevennotices were served on the masters of vessels. Of these..eighty-five were forthwith complied with, and it is satis-factory to note that all the others were also complied withat other ports before the vessels returned to Cardiff. Fulldetails of all this work are included in the report.Liverpool Urban District.—Liverpool now contains a,,

population of 606,562, and deducting the area of the docks,the density of the city amounts to 135 per acre. The