69

his wife was attended for 8s. 6d. twice. In the country 15sis thought sufficient for cases occurring two and three milesfrom town. No extra fee is expected to be paid in cases ojdifficult labour. As to vaccination, no one ever thinks ojpaying for it. I am, Sir, yours truly,January 9th, 1871. CACOUNA.

BIRMINGHAM.(FROM OUR OWN CORRESPONDENT.)

TiiE inquest on eight victims of the fatal explosion at

Witton, adjourned at intervals from November last, wasconcluded last night. The verdict given was that the de-ceased met their deaths from the effects of burns caused byan explosion of gunpowder at the machine of a lad namedDynelly; but how the said explosion was caused there isnot sufficient evidence to show. The jury recommendedthat the process of manufacture should be separated asmuch as possible, and that the factory should be subject toGovernment supervision. They also recommended that anincombustible uniform should be adopted by the work-people. I may call your readers’ attention to the fact thatthis verdict is not concerning the great Witton explosionwhich resulted in fifty-three deaths, but to a previous andquite minor affair ; and in spite of the three inquests pro-gressing side by side, and their awful facts being mademore notorious every day, the maw of the Moloch of war isfar from satisfied, the new works are more vigorously atwork every day, and new ones are starting into existencealmost weekly. It is fair, however, to the manufacturersto say that they are taking a little more care than formerly;the sheds, instead of being large enough to hold fifty orsixty workpeople, are now more numerous, and hold only onewoman and one girl; and the hopper or powder barrel isplaced outside the shed, and at a height above it, so thatan explosion cannot be very disastrous. It is rumouredthat very large and very pressing orders have been receivedhere from our own Government for ammunition; and theknowing ones, when an English war is spoken of, seem tothink there is something in it.January 7th. 1871.

THE COLLEGE OF SURGEONS.

AT the quarterly meeting of the Council, on Thursdaylast, the usual business was transacted. Some conver-sation took place on the large proportion of rejections (lit iout of 221 candidates) at the Preliminary Examination,and the question was raised whether the examination waEunnecessarily severe. In the report of the Court ofExaminers reference was made to the regulation of theCollege that students should attend a course of lectures onPractical Anatomy and Physiology. Inquiries had beenmade as to the precise requirements of that regulation, andit was intimated that it meant to include practical instruc-tion in Histology, Physiological Chemistry, and Physiolo-gical Physics ; that it was not intended to revive 01

encourage the practice of vivisection, but that the modeof instruction must be left very much to the discretion ofthe teachers.The forthcoming Hunterian Festival was referred to by

the President, and the money voted to defray the necessaryexpenses.

Medical News.APOTHECARIES’ HALL. — The following gentlemen

passed their examination in the Science and Practice of Medi-cine, and received certificates to practise, on Jan. 5th :-

Langley, Noah Beldom, Crieklade, North Wilts.Rastrick, Edward Elliott, Southsea, Hants.Turner, Frederick Harry, High Wycombe.

The following gentlemen also on the same day passed theirfirst professional examination :—

Hill, Thomas Wood, St. George’s Hospital.Wade, lteginald, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital.

Sm RODERICK MURCHISON continues to recoverhis strength, although his progress is somewhat slow.THE MEDICAL CLUB.—The next house dinner of

this Club will take place on Thursday, the 19th instant,when W. Adams, Esq., will preside.THE GENEVA CONVENTION.-The help societies,

which have done such noble duty during the present war,have found many difficulties in their way, and reqnire avigorous organisation. It is announced that a conferencewill be held at Vienna as soon as circumstances will allow.

LAST week was laid, with all befitting pomp andcircumstance, the foundation-stone of the new Infirmaryfor the town and district of Wigan. The site selected ison an elevation about half a mile from the town, and theaccommodation to be provided is of a most commodious andwell arranged order.HARVEIAN SOCIETY.—The following gentlemen have

been elected officers of the Society for the year 1871 :-President : Mr. de Meric. Vice-Presidents : Mr. Hickman,Mr. Berkeley Hill, Mr. James R. Lane, and Dr. C. Royston.Treasurer : Dr. H. W. Fuller. Hon. Secretaries : Mr. J.Brendon Cnrgenven and Mr. H. Cripps Lawrence.THE LATE SURGEON MAURICE H. COLLIS.-A

committee has been formed to receive subscriptions for thepurpose of erecting a bust, to the memory of this distin-guished surgeon, in the Meath Hospital, Dublin, to whichhe was for many years attached, and in which institutionhe met with the injury which caused his premature death.

CATTLE PLAGUE.—We regret to state that cattleplague has again broken out in Belgian Luxembourg, atCorbion, and is also reported to be raging at Lafosse andMaigny, towns in France, but close to the Belgian frontier.In other respects the state of disease continues much thesame, both abroad and at home, as when we issued our lastreport.TREATMENT OF THE SICK PUOR.—A meeting of

noblemen and gentlemen interested in the welfare of the, sick poor in our workhouses was held the other day at the, Ship Hotel, Charing-cross. Dr. Rogers, the president of

the Poor-law Medical Officers’ Association, occupied the chair.Resolutions were passed that it was desirable to revive theAssociation for the Improvement of Workhouse Infirmaries,and for securing a radical reform in the administration ofthe Poor Laws; and that a committee should be formed(with power to add to their number) for the purpose offraming such regulations as may be needed, and generally

, carrying out the objects of the association., DR. MORRIS, late of Burnham, Somerset, who has

just removed to Nottingham, was, before leaving, presented’ at the Town Hall building with a handsome secretaire

bookcase. On a silver plate was the following inscription :-Presented to B. R. Morris, Esq., A.B., M.D. T.C.D., at

Burnham, Somerset, as a proof of the high esteem in whichhis patients and friends regard his eminent professionalskill and sterling worth in public and private life."

UNIVERSITY OF CAMBRIDGE.—The following courses’ of lectures on Anatomy and Physiology are announced for’ this term :-Zoology and Comparative Anatomy, by Pro-

fessor Newton, three days in the week. Anatomy andPhysiology, by Professor Humphry, three days in the week.Practical Anatomy, by Professor Humphry and Mr. Carver,three days in the week. Practical Histology, by Mr. Martin,under the superintendence of Professor Humphry, once aweek; with a Microscopical Demonstration, once a fort-night. Physiology, by Dr. Michael Foster, three days in theweek, with practical instruction in the physiological labo-ratory daily.THE POOR LAWS.—At a meeting of the Social

Science Association on Tuesday, in the course of a discus-sion respecting inquests, Dr. Stallard described the out-door system of Poor-law relief as a system of slow starva-

’

tion. People were left to exist on 2s. Gd., 2s., and evenIs. a week and a loaf. He urged that the coroner should,in every such case that came before him, call the relieving-officer, and the guardians, and the inspectors of the poor

. before him, and make them tell when they looked into the.

wants of the poor. It was only in this way that the publiccould be made acquainted with the working of the PoorLaws.