INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE.
352
[Nov.
1891.
fdimt Sews. Qj)1
(\J^H,tHV4VV
Madras Drainage and Water-supply Schemes.?Mr. the sanitary expert, is expected shortly to arrive in Madras for the purpose of advising the Madras Govern-
Cousins,
ment in connection with the drainage and water schemes for the city. Mr. Cousins has great experience in watersupply and sewage engineering.
Gowns.?Since the new order of Government was passed calling upon all professors, lecturers, and masters to don their gowns when lecturing and teaching, the professors of the Madras Medical College last week for the first time wore their gowns during their lectures. Opening of a Hospital in Bokhara.?On the Czar's in Bokhara the first public hospital, a gift from the Amir in commemoration of the escape of the Czarewitch in Japan, was opened with great ceremony in the presence of the Russian diplomatic agent, the Russian colony, and the representatives of the vassal Ruler of the Khanate.
name-day
Cholera in Pondicherry.?Cholera lately broke out in Pondicherry in an epidemic form and of an unusually virulent type. So far it has been confined chiefly to a few streets in the Native town, no cases having occurred in the European quarter, and but very few in the surrounding villages, which usually suffer most. The people in a small fishing village situated near to the beach, about three miles south of Pondicherry, took fright a few days ago and left the place in large numbers for the village of Kirpallium, thus settling down within close proximity of the southern boulevard of the European town. THE DEATH OF MR. PARNELL. The Leprosy Commission.?Dr. Kanthack left Simla on the 10th instant to sail from Bombay on the 17th. The whole reportof theLeprosy Commission is complete and in type with the exception of the chapter treating on the geographical distribution and increase of leprosy in British India. This chapter depends entirely on the Census figures, and cannot be completed before the end of the year. Besides contagion and heredity, the question of an increase or decrease of leprosy is the most important one to the Imperial Government. For should the Census figures of 1891 show a relative de crease of leprosy since the previous Census, the alarm raised by certain people at home as to a i-apid iucrease of the pest The value of Census figures is and in India is unfounded. always must be more or less questionable, and cannot, of Nevertheless for comparison they are course, be absolute. valuable. However, those who raised the recent outcry against leprosy as an Imperial danger have attributed an absolute value to Census figures, and because the figures of the first two enumerations showed an absolute increase of about 25,000 (after all only '5 per 10,000) argue that leprosy is spreading fast. These same people must stand or fall by the recent Census returns, and it seems likely that they will fall by them. The results of Mr. Baines's report will be looked forward to with eagerness, and will be an important guide for the Government.?The Englishman, Hospital for the Treatment of
Infectious
Dis-
AESES.?In reference to the pending question of the obliga-
tion to keep open an infectious hospital for the treatment of cases of dangerous diseases, the Bombay Government have decided to appoint a Committee of experts to consider and report on the nature and extent of the The accommodation required for dealing with such cases. local Corporation, it is stated, will be asked to accord permission to the Acting Commissioner to join the Committee, which will not have to take cognisance of the question of liability for maintaining the infectious hospital. When the Committee reports, the Government will arrive at a decision as to the course to be taken in regard to the matter.
As various rumours have been
put
in circulation in re-
ference to the sudden termination of the illness of Mr.
Parnell, it may be well to indicate the salient points concerned in the fatal issue of the malady to which Mr. Parnell has so speedily succumbed. The subject of rheumatic fever accompanied with hyperpyrexia (above 106? F.) received
by are
striking elucidation in the classical work thereon the late Dr. Wilson Fox. Cases of this kind, which not uncommon, rapidly terminate fatally (unless the
can be reduced) in consequence of failure of the heart's action, delirium, and coma. It would seem from the experience of some observers that should the rheumatic fever follow circumstances involving great nervous strain, this complication is more likely to ensue. Death in these cases is not necessarily the result of pericarditis or endo-
fever
carditis, but
seems
to be rather due to some
of the nerve centres The Lancet.
regulating
the
special action production of heat.?
352
[Nov.
1891.
fdimt Sews. Qj)1
(\J^H,tHV4VV
Madras Drainage and Water-supply Schemes.?Mr. the sanitary expert, is expected shortly to arrive in Madras for the purpose of advising the Madras Govern-
Cousins,
ment in connection with the drainage and water schemes for the city. Mr. Cousins has great experience in watersupply and sewage engineering.
Gowns.?Since the new order of Government was passed calling upon all professors, lecturers, and masters to don their gowns when lecturing and teaching, the professors of the Madras Medical College last week for the first time wore their gowns during their lectures. Opening of a Hospital in Bokhara.?On the Czar's in Bokhara the first public hospital, a gift from the Amir in commemoration of the escape of the Czarewitch in Japan, was opened with great ceremony in the presence of the Russian diplomatic agent, the Russian colony, and the representatives of the vassal Ruler of the Khanate.
name-day
Cholera in Pondicherry.?Cholera lately broke out in Pondicherry in an epidemic form and of an unusually virulent type. So far it has been confined chiefly to a few streets in the Native town, no cases having occurred in the European quarter, and but very few in the surrounding villages, which usually suffer most. The people in a small fishing village situated near to the beach, about three miles south of Pondicherry, took fright a few days ago and left the place in large numbers for the village of Kirpallium, thus settling down within close proximity of the southern boulevard of the European town. THE DEATH OF MR. PARNELL. The Leprosy Commission.?Dr. Kanthack left Simla on the 10th instant to sail from Bombay on the 17th. The whole reportof theLeprosy Commission is complete and in type with the exception of the chapter treating on the geographical distribution and increase of leprosy in British India. This chapter depends entirely on the Census figures, and cannot be completed before the end of the year. Besides contagion and heredity, the question of an increase or decrease of leprosy is the most important one to the Imperial Government. For should the Census figures of 1891 show a relative de crease of leprosy since the previous Census, the alarm raised by certain people at home as to a i-apid iucrease of the pest The value of Census figures is and in India is unfounded. always must be more or less questionable, and cannot, of Nevertheless for comparison they are course, be absolute. valuable. However, those who raised the recent outcry against leprosy as an Imperial danger have attributed an absolute value to Census figures, and because the figures of the first two enumerations showed an absolute increase of about 25,000 (after all only '5 per 10,000) argue that leprosy is spreading fast. These same people must stand or fall by the recent Census returns, and it seems likely that they will fall by them. The results of Mr. Baines's report will be looked forward to with eagerness, and will be an important guide for the Government.?The Englishman, Hospital for the Treatment of
Infectious
Dis-
AESES.?In reference to the pending question of the obliga-
tion to keep open an infectious hospital for the treatment of cases of dangerous diseases, the Bombay Government have decided to appoint a Committee of experts to consider and report on the nature and extent of the The accommodation required for dealing with such cases. local Corporation, it is stated, will be asked to accord permission to the Acting Commissioner to join the Committee, which will not have to take cognisance of the question of liability for maintaining the infectious hospital. When the Committee reports, the Government will arrive at a decision as to the course to be taken in regard to the matter.
As various rumours have been
put
in circulation in re-
ference to the sudden termination of the illness of Mr.
Parnell, it may be well to indicate the salient points concerned in the fatal issue of the malady to which Mr. Parnell has so speedily succumbed. The subject of rheumatic fever accompanied with hyperpyrexia (above 106? F.) received
by are
striking elucidation in the classical work thereon the late Dr. Wilson Fox. Cases of this kind, which not uncommon, rapidly terminate fatally (unless the
can be reduced) in consequence of failure of the heart's action, delirium, and coma. It would seem from the experience of some observers that should the rheumatic fever follow circumstances involving great nervous strain, this complication is more likely to ensue. Death in these cases is not necessarily the result of pericarditis or endo-
fever
carditis, but
seems
to be rather due to some
of the nerve centres The Lancet.
regulating
the
special action production of heat.?
