582

Dr. W. A. Potts, and other medical speakers wasduly noted. The conference was convened by theBirmingham Cinema Inquiry Committee, whichcame into being about April, 1930, owing to dis-satisfaction (to use a mild expression) with the

prevalent type of film, and particularly with thebaneful effect of that type on children and adolescents.The promoters of the Birmingham movement maintainthat this great instrument which modern science hasgiven to the world can be, indeed is bound to be, atremendous and inexhaustible source of recreationand education, and for that reason they are deter-mined to persist in their endeavour until its abusesand dangers have been extirpated. Members of thecommittee have made it part of their work to

investigate the influence of the cinema upon childrenthemselves. The picture-houses which the children

chiefly frequent were attended regularly for a periodof nine months by investigators who sat with thechildren, talked with them, and watched closely theeffects of films upon them. Their results were

embodied in a report of great interest issued earlylast summer.’ We understand that the general feelingat the conference was that similar inquiries shouldbe undertaken in other centres outside Birmingham.Dame Ethel Shakespear suggested that the conferenceshould appoint seven of its members to act as a

standing committee with powers to coopt others,but a subsequent proposal made by the NationalCouncil for Mental Hygiene appeared to be more

acceptable to the delegates present. This proposalwas that each centre should create its own localcommittee, and that a national committee should beformed representative of the several local committees.If the proposal matures we should like these bodiesto be known as Cinema Welfare Committees, with aconstructive rather than a merely destructive outlook.

THE ROYAL SOCIETY

Tms year, for the first time, the Council of theRoyal Society has been charged to recommend 17instead of 15 candidates for election ; the greatincrease in the range of scientific effort throughoutthe Empire more than justifies the innovation.

Among those recommended our readers would be

especially gratified to observe the following names :Dr. J. B. Orr, the director of the Rowett Institute,Aberdeen, who has carried out important researcheson protein metabolism, on respiration, and on theinfluence of vitamins and mineral constituents uponnormal metabolism and disease ; Dr. WarringtonYorke, professor of tropical medicine at the Universityof Liverpool, is distinguished for his researches ontrypanosomiasis and its transmission, and on hapmo-globinuria ; Dr. Davidson Black, professor ofanatomy at the Union Medical College, Peking, is

distinguished for his researches in comparativeneurology ; Dr. F. R. Miller, professor of physiologyat the University of Western Ontario, has alsodevoted himself particularly to the study of thenervous system ; Prof. F. C. Bartlett holds the chairof experimental psychology at Cambridge, and hispublications embody much original research in thiscomparatively new field ; and Mr. J. B. S. Haldane,Sir William Dunn reader in biochemistry at Cam-bridge, has contributed to our knowledge of acid-baseequilibrium in man, and his work has had importantbearings on therapeutics. Among others less directlyconcerned with medicine we have to welcome the names

1 See THE LANCET, 1931, i., 1409.

of Mr. F. E. Fritsch, D.Sc., professor of botany at the,University of London, who is the principal Britishauthority on the fresh-water algae ; Prof. J. A. Gray,who is the Chown research professor of physics atQueen’s University, Kingston, Ontario, who has

made important advances in the study of radio-

activity ; Mr. R. D. Hartree, Ph.D., who holds the

chair of applied mathematics in the University of

Manchester ; Mr. Karl Jordan. Ph.D., director of theZoological Museum at Tring, whose work is mainlyon the taxonomy and anatomy of insects ; Mr. J. L.Simonsen, D.Sc., who holds the chair of chemistryin the University College of North Wales ; Mr. ThomasSmith, head of the optics section of the National

Physical Laboratory ; Prof. H. W. Turnbull (St.Andrews), who is distinguished in mathematicalresearch ; Mr. F. W. Carter, Sc.D., who has materiallyadvanced the foundations of electrical engineering ;Mr. W. G. Fearnsides, Sorby professor of geology atthe University of Sheffield ; Sir Basil Mott, Presi-dent of the Institution of Civil Engineers; and Mr.H. S. Taylor, D.Sc., professor of physical chemistry,Princeton University, U.S.A.

INFECTIOUS DISEASEIN ENGLAND AND WALES DURING THE WEEK ENDED

FEB. 27TH, 1932.

Notifications.-The following cases of infectiousdisease were notified during the week :-Small-pox,73 (last week 72) ; scarlet fever. 1429 ; diphtheria,908 ; enteric fever, 35 ; pneumonia, 2158 ; puerperalfever, 39 ; puerperal pyrexia, 121 ; cerebro-spinalfever, 62 ; acute poliomyelitis, 7 ; acute polio-encephalitis, 1 ; encephalitis lethargica, 17 ; continuedfever, 1 ; dysentery, 44 ; ophthalmia neonatorum, 97.No case of cholera, plague, or typhus fever wasnotified during the week.The number of cases in the Infectious Hospitals of the

London County Council on March lst-2nd was as follows :Small-pox, 116 under treatment, 2 under observation (lastweek 129 and 10 respectively) ; scarlet fever, 1270 :diphtheria, 1544 ; enteric fever, 13 ; measles, 1540whooping-cough, 355 ; puerperal fever, 21 (plus 10 babies) ;encephalitis lethargica, 226 ; poliomyelitis, 3 ; " otherdiseases," 210. At St. Margaret’s Hospital there were 11babies (plus 10 mothers) with ophthalmia neonatorum.Deaths.-In 117 great towns, including London,

there was no death from small-pox or enteric fever,64 (20) from measles, 9 (2) from scarlet fever, 48 (8)from wbooping-cough, 44 (8) from diphtheria, 53 (13)from diarrhoea and enteritis under two years, and324 (47) from influenza. The figures in parenthesesare those for London itself.The reported deaths from influenza have not risen further.

Of the great towns Sheffield stands highest with 18 deaths.followed by Leicester with 15, Bristol with 12, Birminghamand Great Yarmouth each with 11, Bradford and North-ampton each with 10. The total deaths for the year frominfluenza so far amount to 2656, compared with 2625 forthe corresponding period of 1931. Manchester ’ againreported 6 deaths from measles, Dagenham 4. Whooping-cough claimed 8 victims in Liverpool, 7 in Birmingham.Liverpool reported 8 deaths from diphtheria, Salford 3.

The number of stillbirths notified during the weekwas 307 (corresponding to a rate of 45 per 1000births), including 54 in London.

CHRISTIE HOSPITAL. MANCHESTER.-The funds ofthe Christie Hospital (cancer pavilion an home), Manchester.have been depleted by iô45,OOO, the cost of the siteand the erection of the new hospital at Withington.By the time the buildings are completed not more than£ 40,000 of endowment will remain ; the investment incomewill thus be reduced from over iô6000 to barely B2000.Since the new hospital will have 104 beds, more than treblethe present accommodation, a much larger income willbe needed, and an appeal is being made for at least.6150,000.