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to whom was entrusted the arduous and delicate duty ofcompressing the common carotid artery in consequence ofa wound of the internal carotid. The students took it in

turn to perform this duty, which was continued altogetherfor fifty hours. Their efforts, and the subsequent operationof ligature, however, proved unavailing. We gladly hailthe testimony of our contemporary to the fact that theideas which many people have formed of medical students-derived from a study of " Pickwick"- are unjust and un-founded, and we would add that there is never any lack ofmen in our hospitals ready to volunteer to undertake similarwork. When so much discredit is often thrown on medical

students, it is only just that their good qualities should berecognised. ____

THE METROPOLITAN WATER-SUPPLY.

A BILL bearing the names of Colonel Beresford, Sir Chas.Russell, Mr. Forsyth, and Mr. Ritchie, proposes, by an orderin Council, to hand over the undertakings of the eightcompanies now supplying London with water to a 11 Metro-politan Water Commission," for the purpose of making"more effectual provision for a constant supply of water,and for the protection of life and property against fire inthe metropolis." Powers are sought by the Bill to combine,as far as possible, the sources of supply and the works ofthe several companies, and the disposal of all works, lands,and properties which may become superfluous in consequenceof such combination; to put the works into the necessarycondition for maintaining a constant supply at high pres-sure ; and to provide and fix the necessary apparatus forcleansing and watering the streets, and for all other sanitarypurposes. It is further proposed to endow the Commissionwith borrowing powers, and the Public Works Commissionerswith power to lend money to the Commission, on the securityof their income from water-rates. Under the Bill the pre-sent shareholders of the existing companies are to receiveperpetual annuities in compensation for the transfer of theirshares. In the present condition of general opinion onmatters of public health, it appears improbable that thesupply of water to the metropolis will be much longer allowedto remain a commercial speculation, but it remains to beseen whether the promoters of this Water Bill have anyearnest intention to press on their measure.

A NEW FORM OF GLYCOSURIA.

M. JULES DAVID has recently observed, in a case o

diabetes following a large carbuncle, a substance resembling glucose in its reactions, but differing from anythinghitherto discovered. The urine reduced Fehling’s solutionalthough less readily than ordinary diabetic urine. Liquoipotassae also caused a brown discolouration. But on ex.

amining it with the polarising saccharimeter not th(

slightest trace of deviation could be discovered. Moreover.on analysis, no glucose whatever was found by the usualmethod. A solution of the substance, after isolation, reoduced Fehling’s solution readily. Its exact nature has not

yet been determined, owing to failure of the supply of theurine.

SMALL-POX IN JERSEY.

THE intelligent Registrar of Jersey, Mr. Henry Luc(Manual, has supplied some tabulated statistics of small-poato the Jersey papers of more than local interest. Though thfdisease still lingers, the mortality is much abated. In thEfive last months of 1874 the deaths from small-pox were 47;in the first two months of 1875, up to March 13th, the deathsfrom small-pox were 91; making a total of 138. This reportincludes the dead only, and takes no account of the maimed,the blind, and others, damaged and disabled by this disease.

THE NEW FACULTY OF MEDICINE OFGENEVA.

ON the 3rd ultimo the first stone of the AnatomicalSchool of this new Faculty was laid with great pomp.Heretofore the University of Geneva had no faculty of me-dicine, and this addition is hailed with great enthusiaamby the scientific men of that city. The Government andlearned societies were largely represented at the ceremony ;speeches of importance were delivered, the discourse of thePresident of the Department of Public Instruction beingpeculiarly remarkable. He stated that the new Faculty,placed between Germany, France, and Italy, would serveas a scientific link between these countries. It may pro-perly be added, that a faculty of medicine may well beerected in a land where physical and natural sciences havebeen so successfully cultivated by such men as Bonetus,Saussure, De Candolle, De la Rive, Pictetus, and others yand in a city where flourished Tronchin, Odier, Prevost,Maunoir, Coindet, Mayor, and Rilliet, all of whom haveleft a worthy name in the history of medicine and surgery.

NITROUS OXIDE AS AN ANÆSTHETIC.

AT the meeting of the Société de Chirurgie on March 3rd,a paper was communicated by M. Darin on the comparativevalue of different anaesthetics, especially of nitrous oxide.The author denied that this gas acted by producingasphyxia, as generally believed, stating that animals couldlive and grain germinate in an atmosphere of the gas; andbelieved it superior to ether or chloroform as an anesthetic.He cited its wide employment in America as proof of thisand of its safe administration, as showing that it could beadministered during a long time. He quoted a case ofovariotomy by Dr. Marion Sims, in which the patient wasleft under its influence continuously for an hour and a half.A discussion followed, in which many members took part,and the following conclusions were arrived at :-1. Thatnitrous oxide does act by inducing asphyxia. 2. That ether

has been too much neglected in Paris, and that it would bedesirable to return to its employment. Other resolutionswere adopted to the effect that, although the question wasone which merited the attention of the Society, yet it wasimpracticable, from the constitution of the Society, toappoint a committee to investigate the question.

THE HAMPSTEAD HOSPITAL.

Ms. MAURICE GRANT, in a letter to The Tinnes of Wednes-day, gives some particulars showing the relative isolationof the present site and those in Mill-lane. On an ordinaryday he found that only 21 persons passed along Mill-lanebetween 8 A.M.’and 7 p.ra., including dwellers in the laneand persons in vehicles. On Easter Monday, 88 persons perhour passed through it. He adds that the lane is 1140 yardsin length, and that there are only 39 houses or cottageswithin a radius of a quarter of a mile from the proposedsites, which are situated nearly at the centre of the lane.He states that on Easter Monday he counted 590 personspassing the east wall of the present hospital in the Fleet-road in ten minutes, and calculates the total number ofvisitors to the heath on that day as about 40,000. From ourown observations on that day we should consider that thisnumber was considerably below the mark. Mr. Grant addsthat the petition to Parliament has already been signed byabout 10,000 persons. The third alternative site in Mill-lane was to be viewed by the Asylum managers on Thursday.As the matter is to be brought before Parliament next week,we may await the issue of the application before makingany further comments upon it.