(tt'iiri'dnt SPopirs.

CONFERENCES OF MEDICAL OFFICERS,

Wis direct attention to the letter from Major T. H. Delany, F.R.C.S.I., i.m.S., in these columns

(p. 293) on the need for more frequent conferences among medical men in India.

Without doubt Major Delany has raised a

question which will excite considerable interest. No men serving the Government of India are more isolated than medical men in civil employ in India and no men need more the free inter-

change of opinion and experience. Many Civil

Surgeons have served together for years in the same Presidency or Province and have never met. Service dinners and medical congresses (at too distant intervals) are of great use, but more frequent conferences are certainly needed. The medical men in an isolated village in

England has his local medical society in the

county town, or the nearest capital. The Civil Surgeon of India ever doing splendid work is for month after month surrounded by non-medical men and seldom exchanges an idea on medical subjects except on the rare and not

always welcome day when he meets his succes-

sor and is transferred to the scientific loneliness of a similar station. Men in the Presidency Towns and Capitals have their societies, the man in the Mofussil has none?on their behalf we

plead. Nowadays we hear of Commissioners'

conferences, conferences of Magistrates, The Police Departments are keenly alive to the value of such meetings, why not the Civil Surgeons ? The first thing to do is to have informal

meetings of the Civil Surgeons of say, any Divisional Commissionership, let them have a

meeting from Thursday to Monday at one or

other district head-quarters in turn, it may be

quarterly, half-yearly and certainly yearly. To take a concrete example, the Civil Surgeons of

Bihar or of Tirhoot could meet at Bankipore or

Mozufferpore. The Civil Surgeons of Oudh

would meet at Lucknow, the men in the N.-W. Frontier Province at Peshawar, the men in

Upper Burma at Mandalay. Much good would result. We commend

Major Delany's letter to the attention of

Inspectors-General in every province. More such meetings are needed, just as more frequent medical congresses are needed, we hope this

matter will be taken up.

"FOR AND AGAINST EXPERIMENTS ON ANIMALS."*

Undhii this title Mr. Stephen Paget, F.R.C.S., the redoubtable protagonist of the Research

Defence Society, has published a most valuable

book, which we strongly commend to our

readers. It is a synopsis of the final report of

Royal Commissioners 011 vivisection which was

* London : H. K. Lewis, Gower Street, 1912, price 6^.

July, 1912.] THE REPORT ON" VIVISECTION. 2Si

published on 12th March 1912, four years after

the Commissioners had ceased to hear evidence.

The voluminous report itself is obtainable from Messrs. Wyman & Sons, Fetter Lane, London, E. (J., at the price of Is. 3d., but many will

prefer to lind the pith of the report in Mr.

Stephen Paget's volume. This volume is prefaced by an introduction

by Lord Cromer, and it Was written at the

request of the Committee of the Research Defence Society.

It is very desirable that the conclusions of this report should attain a widespread publi- cation, and as scientific men are not ^iven to the

energetic controversial methods of the "antis" it is very satisfactory to find the whole question so ably and so clearly .,ut as in the volume before us.

In Lord Cromer's words " broadly speaking the supporters of vivisection have proved their case." A small body of extremists consider that

" vivisection whether painful or painless is

morally unjustifiable." The conclusion of the Commission on this point of ethics is "after lull consideration we are led to the conclusion that experiments on animals adequately safe- guarded by law, faithfully administered are

morally justifiable and should not be prohibited by legislation." The next point is to consider how far recent

admitted progress in Medical Science is to the

knowledge acquired by experiments conducted upon living animals. The conclusions of the Commission are stated as follows :

1. Certain claimed results have been found

by later experience to be fallacious or useless. 2. That, notivithstanding such failures

valuable knowledge has been acquired, and useful methods for the prevention, cure and treatment of certain diseases have resulted from experimental investigations upon living animals.

3. That it is highly improbable that without experiments made on animals, mankind would

at the present time have been in possession of such knowledge.

4. That in so far as disease has been success-

fully prevented or its mortality lessened suffer-

ing has been diminished in man and in lower

animals.

5. That there is ground for believing that similar methods of investigation if pursued in

the future will be attended with similar results.

Mr. Paget's volume first of all gives the text of the Act of 187(3 (Vict. 3D & 40, c. 77) which is entitled " An Act to amend the law relating to

Cruelty to Animals." It was founded on the

representations of a Royul Commission appoint- ed in June 1875. Then follows the evidence

of the most important witnesses examined by the Commissioners, the first being Mr. VV. P.

Byrne, a Principal Clerk in the Home Office,

who gave evidence as to the actual working of

the Act and as to the granting of licenses. We need not here enumerate the names of all

the witnesses whose evidence is summarised by Mr. Paget, we can only quote a few of the bent known names, e.g., Mr. G. 1). Thane, the

Anatomist ; Sir James Russell, an Inspector under the Act in Scotland ; Sir Win. T. Stoker,

Inspector in Ireland since 1879; Professor

Starling; Professor Shaefer ; Professor Langley ;

Sir W. H. Power, of the Local Government Board : Sir Douglas Powell ; Sir T. Lauder Brunton ; Major Leonard Rogers, I.M.S. (whose evidence runs to 12 pages of the volume) ;

Dr. C. J. Martin ; Professor Sims Woodhead ; Professor llose Bradford ; Professor Loi rain

Smith; Sir H. Morris; Sir Victor Horsley ;

Professor Cushny ; Sir David Bruce; Sir W. Osier; Dr. Dudley Buxton ; and Dr. Waller. On

the antivivisection side full accounts are given of the evidence of Mrs. K. Cook (Mabel Collins) ;

Dr. H. Snow ; Miss Arabella Kenealy ; Miss Lind-

af-Hageby ; Mr. S. Coleridge and Lt.-Col. Lawrie. The Commissioners discussed Lt.-Col.

Lawrie's views and somewhat contemptuously dismiss them as

" either misapprehended or in-

accurately described."

Royal Commissions are notoiiousl}7 slow in

action, and hence the report omits reforence to

such discoveries as Flexner's serum treatment of cerebro-spinal meningitis, Ehrlich's work on syphilis, the banishment of Malta fever from

troops in Malta and in Gibraltar. The report is unanimous, and wo hope the

result will be for the advancement of science and the good of mankind.

THE BIOLOGICAL TESTS FOR BLOOD-STAINS.

In our issue tor March 1911, we advocated the introduction into India of the biological tests for blood-stains, and our readers are aware that Lieutenant-Colonel Sutherland has published a Scientific Memoir as the result of his work on the subject in Calcutta. We are, therefore, very glad to see the following strong pronouncement by the Chief Justice of Bengal on the need for the institution of a laboratory for those methods for the use of all India. Such a depart- ment we were informed is to be part of the new school for Tropical Medicine in Calcutta, and the sooner it is brought into working order, the better. The following is the report of the re- marks of Chief Justice as given in The Statesman of May 28th, 1912 :?

"In summing up the evidence to the Jury at the High Court Sessions on Monday in a case in which a coachman named Azim Khan was charged with murder, his lordship the Chief Justice made some remarks about the removal from Calcutta of the department for the analysis of blood-stains.

Sir Lawrence Jenkins said there was evidence in the case that there were stains of blood on the accused's

coat, waistcoat and cap. When the papers in the case

were first placed before him, he found that there was

evidence of these blood-stains on the accused's cloths,

?282 THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. [July, 1912.

and that the Chemical Examiner had pronounced them to be mammalian. Nothing more. He (the Chief Justice) at once communicated to those having the con- duct of the case his desire that such tests should be

applied that an opinion could be formed as to whether the stains were of human blood or not. He found, how- ever, that this could not be done, and that the proper appliances for the carrying out of such tests were no longer in existence in Calcutta, A short time back there were these appliances here and they were under the charge of a member of the medical service who had an established reputation in connection with this sub- ject of blood-stains. He very much regretted, and he was'inclined *0 think the jury would share that regret that this very valuable aid in the detection of serious crimes of this description had been allowed to fall into disuse. This method of examining blood-stains had passed beyond the experimental stage, it was exten-

sively used outside India, and such a high authority on jurisprudence as Taylor said that in the hands of a capable man the results were absolutely trustworthy. The Jury were deprived of the benefit of this system and all that could be said of the stains in question was that it was mammalian blood. The Jury, in giving their verdict, added a rider to the

effect that the test mentioned by his lordship would ere long be introduced so as to enable them to arrive at a correct decision in all cases of murder."

THE LESSONS OF THE PLAGUE IN MANCHURIA. " And now the saints deliver us from Heas."

G. S. Culver ley.

We litivo already quoted the conclusions arrived at by the International Commission on

the tierce outbreak of plague in Manchuria and this subject was discussed at a recent meeting of the Asiatic Society of Bengal, the matter being introduced by a paper by Dr. \V. C. Hossack, which we reproduce in this issue. Up till very recently the rat-flea theory of

transmission held the Held and the majority of men who know plague well are still convinced of the truth of this theory ,m.s demonstrated and

seemingly conclusively proved by many Com- missions and Committees which have exhaus-

tively studied the question. While however we believe that the rat-flea

theory holds the field it would be unscientific as well as unwise to belittle or ignore opinions on the other side.

Dr. Hossack who is well acquainted with

plague as seen in Calcutta during the past dozen years or so has ever been a severe critic of the

current views, and he is supported by a not in- considerable volume of continental opinion.

In the CentraIblatt fur Baclceriologic, etc.

(49 Band., 1911), appeared a critical review by Professor Galli-Valerio on the subject who rather exaggerates what he considers to be a

partisan feeling against all who question the truth of the rat-flea theoiy. He writes "If in

place of boycotting them as the blindly zealous partisans of the iole of fleas have done, the}' had only read the works of Hossack they would not have been surprised at the sudden appear- ance of the grand epidemic in Manchuria, and instead of vociferously demanding the convoca- tion of a useless Conference at Kharbin, they

would have said that this epidemic is 110 way a departure from the ordinary run of events in the epidemiology of plague." That the plague outbreak was exclusively

pneumonic and intensely fatal does not admit of a doubt. In the discussion in London it was even hinted that the disease differed so much from ordinary plague outbreaks that it may con- ceivably have been due to a somewhat different microbe. We may admit that the connection between the tarbagan (marmot) and the spread of cases was not proved, even its origin from tarbagan infection is not beyond doubt. Many ot" the speakers at the Mukden Conference were convinced that this disease was the same

disease as bubonic plague, and that it would be

dangerous and rash to separate the two. Prof. Zabaltony said

" I believe we must ai rive at the conclusion that bubonic plague has existed in Manchuria in aii epidemic form as well as

pneumonic plague, and we cannot say what will

happen some months later. We may (he said) see a bubonic epidemic in May next. We can-

not draw up regulations for pneumonic plagues leave out of consideration bubonic plague." We hold no brief for either party, the matter

is one for observation. The rat-fiea theory ap- parently cannot explain the virulent pneumonic outbreak in Manchuria, and it is absolutely clear that it behoves the adherents of the rat-flea

theory of plague to reconsider their attitude in view of this terrible outbreak. We have been convinced supporters of the rat-flea theory of the pandemic plague of the last 1G years in India, but we must admit that the Manchuria outbreak has thrown a Hood of light on the opinions of those who have not been content to accept the rat-fiea as the sole medium of communication of this fell disease between man and man. The subject is of such great importance that

we invite correspondence on the subject.

Plague in Tarbagans.

In view of the interest excited by the great outbreak of pneumonic plague in Manchuria and the uncertainty as to the connection of the disease with the marmot or tarbagan, the

following extracts from recent Russian reports are of special interest.

It has been admitted fur years that a fatal

epizootic does attack the marmot or Manchurian tarbagan. Dr. Clemow in 1900 (B. M. J., 10th May 1900), in a paper on plague in the lower animals summarised papers by Bieliavski and Rirscheinikoff and we may quote from recent

articles:? " Tehaoushov in a recent article, reaches the following

conclusions regarding the presence of plague in the

tarbagan: "(1) The tarbagan is the marmot of Asia, which is distinguishable in no way from that of Europe. (2) Plague in tarbagans is proven only in Asia and

especially near certain plague centers Plague in

tarbagans has never been proven in Kamchatka and Altai. (3) Tarbagans, in case of necessity, eat meat and are able without doubt to devour human plague

July, 1912.] VACCINE TREATMENT OF GOITRE. 283

cadavei's left on the ground, and, as a consequence, to become infected with plague. (4) Plague does not appear spontaneously among tarbagans. They become infected with plague by the intermediation of human cadavers, and are able then to o-ive plague to man when he hunts them. (5) The mortality among tarbagans is due to various causes. Besides plague, it sutlers from

other contagious diseases, without speaking of the

mortality due to famine. (6) In devouring plague cadavers tarbagans become infected by way of the external mucous membranes and cutaneous lesions.

(7) The natives and Transbaikal Cossacks become infect- ed with plague in removing the skins from tarbagans when a friction with infectious material takes place, and also by the intermediation of fleas from tarbagans. With the mucous membranes of the digestive tract intact it is difficult to admit the possibility of infection by meat. (8) It is necessary to admit that in the Transbaikal Province there exists or has existed an endemic plague center similar to that which exists in the government of Astrakhan." The Manchuria outbreak of 1910-11 has been

stated to have originated among tarbngan hunters.

Jt was of a virulent pneumonic type and spread from man to man by direct contact. Many rats were examined and were found to bo not infected. In the autumn of 1910 no less than 96,000 Chinese coolies went into Manchuria t<>

trap tarbagans for their fur. Evidence points to the fact that plague originated among coolies who handled tarbagans, ami the tarbagans were reported to be suffering from a fatal epizootic.

It is also admitted that natives of Siberia and Mongolia suffer from a contagious and highly fatal disease contracted directly from the Mar- mot and Tchaoushov (Bull de V Orient. Inst.d' Hyg. Pub., Sept. 1911) ],ns proved that tar-

bagans are susceptible to being infected with the b. pestis, but it is admitted by Kitasato

(Lancet, May 13, 1911) that it is not yet bacteriologically proven that the epizootic of

tarbagans is real plague. As bearing on the flea question the following summary is of interest

" On account of the role played by fleis on rats and

ground squirrels in the spread of plague, it will be in-

teresting to definitely determine if tarbagans harbour these parasites and if fleas are responsible for the spread of the disease among these rodents and its transmission to man. The existence of some such agent might be pre- dicted, as plague is reported to exist in certain places in

Siberia and Mongolia in endemic form both among animals and man.

Petrie (23), of the Lister Institute, a British delegate to the International Conference at Mukden in April, 1911, reports having examined 12 tarbagans sent direct

from Manchuria to Mukden. Thirty-five fleas were found, with an average of 3 per animal 12 being found on one.

April was considered the season of least prevalence of fleas, and his findings suggest that tarbagans, during the flea-breeding season, are infested with fleas. The fleas found were unusually large, and appeared to resemble the flea belonging to the genus hystrichopsylla. Tuck (24) suggests the flea as an intermediate host

and states that there seems to be no great mortality among tarbagan hunters while in the field, but that the disease spreads rapidly when these hunters return to the market p aces in winter and crowd into insanitary dwellings."

CAPTAIN McCARRISON'S WORK ON GOITRE.

Captain R. McCaurison, m.d., recently read a paper at the Royal Society of Medicine qu the

vaccine treatment of simple goitre. He writes

as follows : ?

" The vaccines that I have employed were prepared from organisms similar to these normal and harmful inhabitants of the intestines. There is at present no evidence that any one of these possesses a specific influ- ence in the production of goitre. The conclusion, there-

fore, is suggested that the thyroid gland is called upon to combat several poisons normally present in the human intestine. When to these is superadded the specific virus of goitre an abnormal element is introduced, and an extra strain is thrown upon the gland. Unassisted, it undergoes hypertrophy in many cases, but if assisted in any one direction it is capable of performing the ad- ditional ta^k which has been imposed upon it, and of combating the abnormal virus. On the assumption that no one of the different vaccines which I have employed contains the specific organism of goitre, my explanation of their action in this disease would be that the}' cause

the disappearance of the goitre by relieving the thyroid of part of its normU work, thus enabling it, without continuing in a state of hypertrophy, to destroy the

specific toxin of goitre. The vaccine treatment of goitre which I have described

leads us to two important conclusions. Tn the first place, it confirms the view of the Aetiology of the disease which I enunciated several years ago?namely, that goitre is due to the presence of a living organism of disease in

the intestinal tract ; and secondly, it demonstrates

that the thyroid gland is markedly influenced by the nature of the bacterial flora of the intestine, and that one of its chief functions is to protect the body from the

many toxic substances which find their way into the

blood-stream from the alimentary tract. This latter

conclusion is substantiated by some experimental work which I have lately published. The experiments show that the thyroid glands of goats undergo marked changes as a result of the continued contamination of

their food with cultures of micro-organisms grown from the fieces of goitrous individuals."

It is known that Captain McOarrison has been chosen to deliver the Milroy Lectures for 1913. And his subject will ba the ^Etiology of Goitre. This is the second time in the past few years that an I. M.S. man has been chosen for this

important lectureship ; our readers will remember

Major L Rogers' lecture on Kahi Azcir, etc.

Captain McCarrison has been nt work on

goitre in a small endemic centre of goitre in Co. Antrim and has recently visited Switzerland

along with Mr. James Berry at the invitation of Prof. Kocher of Borne, the well-known European authority on goitre.

It is to be hoped that on his return to India

Captain McCarrison will be able to continue his researches into this important subject; an ap- pointment to such a pi ace as Nipal would give him the needed opportunity, and we hope that some such arrangement will be made.

SOME INQUIRIES REGARDING SPRUE.

Major P. M. Asburn, the Chairman of the U. S. Army Board f'<>r study of Tropical diseases at Manila, has published the following Note on our knowledge or rather on our ignorance of Sprue. (.Manibt Bulletin.) Sprue, if not so bad in India as in the Far East and Ceylon, is still far from

unknown and its connection with hill diarrhoea.

281 THE INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. [July, 1912.

ami other forms of chronic diarrhoea is still un-

determined."

There is much to learn about Sprue, and as we of the Tropical Board liave set ourselves to attempt to learn at least a part of it we have taken this opportunity to bring the subject to the attention of this Society and to ask your interest in the subject and your co-operation in the work as it is only so that we may hope either to see many cases or to make much progress The questions that may be said to be unsettled in

regard to this disease are many and embrace? 1. Its existence as a distinct and separate disease. 2. Its distribution throughout the world or tropics. 3. Its racial incidence. 4. Its cause. 5. Its symptoms and manifestations, their method of

production. 6. Its relation to dysentery and other diseases and to

mode of life. 7. Its involvement of the pancreas and liver. 8. Its pathology. 9. The prognosis.

10. The treatment.

Considering these points briefly we turn to find? First.?That its existence as a distinct and separate or

specific disease is undetermined, some writers considering it such, while others regard it merely as a symptom complex indicative of a much lowered state secondary to dysentery, malaria and other tropical diseases. Second.?Its distribution throughout the world is not

determined, some writers (as Manson), considering that it is found throughout the tropics, others (as Brown, whose monograph on the subject is the most extensive that we have yet read), thinking that it is limited to the eastern hemisphere and particularly to Eastern Asia.

Third.?Tts racial incidence is likewise not a subject of agreement, Brown for instance, saying, that it is a

disease of the white race, while Dr. Musgrave informs us that some of the most marked cases that have been treated in the Philippine General Hospital were

Filipinos. Fourth.?Tts cause is quite unknown, some considering

it merely a cachectic state secondary to and dependent on other diseases, some as Dantec, who ascribes it to a yeast, regarding it as a specific infection. Fifth.?There is general agreement as to the symptom

complex that makes up the picture of a well marked Sprue, but how few of the symptoms may be enough to justify the diagnosis is not certain, nor is it known how the symptoms are produced ; why for instance, the tongue is sore, the stools pale and frothy. Sixth.?The uncertainty as to its relation to dysentery

and other diseases lias been mentioned. Does the mode of life influence it ? Brown says that temperance or even abstinence from alcohol oilers no protection, that total abstainers seem to furnish more than their share of subjects. Seventh.?The fatty, fermenting, frothy, white stools

and the decrease in size of the liver and the Oammidge reaction have been taken to indicate involvement of the liver and of the pancreas, though other evidence of their involvement is not marked, and there is some evidence that both organs are functioning normally. Eighth.?The statements as to the pathology of the

disease are mostly rather general and show little more than that the tissues of the alimentary tract are inflamed and later atrophied. A intli.?The prognosis of the disea?e is generally

regarded as poor, as regards recovery, but just how poor

is not sufficiently well known. Do cases recover

permanently, and if so, wliat proportion of them. Tenth.?The treatment most commonly recommended

is a milk diet, but fiow far this is true, because it is the advice of Manson and a few others, and how far because it has been found the best? If the best treatment, why is it so > Good results are reported from the administra- tion of santonin, from diets of strawberries, oranges, mangoes, bananas and other fruits, and from meat diet and from farinaceous diet. What, if anything, have these methods of treatment in common ?

oriental SORE.

THRfiftiet.il number of tlmt, admirable series of Scientific Memoirs by 7. M. S. Officers is from the pen of Cnpt.. W. S. Patton, urs, the acting Director of the King Institute at Guinriy and is specially devoted to a survey of the' aetiology of oriental sore in Cambay, where the disease prevails endemically and is said to have existed for the past 250 years.

Capt, Patton points out that many other sores and boils are confused with the true

oriental sore or dermal leishniauiasif>, as it is

clumsily but correctly called in a recent issue of the Kala Azar Bulletin (Vol. J No. 2

1912, page 103). Capt. Patton is opposed to the view put for-

ward by Dr. Row of Bombay, that the house-fly is the carrier of the parasite of this sore. His

observations also show that lice are not the natural invertebrate hosts of the parasite, Capt. Patton also acquits mosquitoes and other bitino-

flies, and in view of the fact that the flea

cevoeephalus canis is the probable transmitter of canine and infantile Kala Azar lie examined many fleas but found them not to be infected with this parasite. He then gives an account

of his observations in support of his theory that the bed-bug eimex rotundatus is the insect transmitter of the disease at least in Cambay. The second number of the Kala Azar

Bulletin* is an extremely complete and able review of the recent literature of Kala Azar, and a map of the middle

Knst, shows the widespread prevalence of infantile Kala Azar. The ac-

count of this infantile disease is very complete. There is also an excellent review of modern views on "dermal leishmaniasis" or oriental sore which deals with its prevalence not only in the Orient but in Brazil and other parts of

South America. The section on the blood in oriental sore is good, as is also the full chapter on treatment, and Capt. Broome's paper

(T. M. G., 1011, April, p. 15G), is quoted. Dr. Darling, of the Canal Zo ne, has also a

valuable paper on oriental sore in the Journal

of Cutaneous Diseases (December 1011). The

disease has been well known for over a century and a half, since the publication of Alexander Russell's book on Aleppo (London, 175G). As

its geographical distribution in the new world is at present limited apparently to localities where

[? Since writing t,he above we have received Dr. C. Beggs' book on " Sprue, its Diagnosis and Treatment. " (Bristol : J. Wright. & Sons. Price 6.9.) He gives a full account, of iiis very successful treatment by old yellow Santonin. We will review the book fully in next issue ami we recommend all our readers to get the book,?En,, /. M. (?.] '

London Sleepinc; Sickness Bureau, Uoyal Society, 1912.

July, 1912.] NOTES ON CtlMlEKT TOPICS. ?85

medical laboratories exist, we may expect in the future to hear more of it in America. The

difficulty of diagnosis between oriental sore or

dermal leishmaniasis and other chronic ulcers

is noted by Darling who quotes with apprecia- tion the remarks of Major S. P. James, I.M.S., 011 this poiut. (Sci. Memoir, 13, 1905).

FISH AND MOSQUITOES. We desire to direct attention to a very useful

little pamphlet issued by the Indian Museum

entitled Indian Fisli of Proved Utility on Mos- quito Destroyers* and written by Capt. R. B. Seymour Sewell, b a., i.m.S. ; and Mr. B. L.

Chaudhuri, B.A., B.sc.; Dr. Annandale, the

Superintendent of the Indian Museum, states that constant inquiries has been made as to

mosquito destroying fish even since the vogue of the Barbadoes fish called "Millions."

It is obviously absurd to go to the expense of introducing these "millions" into India, where these already exist many fish which feed on

mosquito larvae, as indeed any angler in India should know who has read Thomas' Bod in India. Eight different genera of fish are of considerable utility in mosquito destroying. The following fish are fully described in this

pamphlet:? ^enU3, Species. Local Name.

Haplochilus. H. Panchox. PanchoJce, Lai J/iingra. Do. ^ Uneolatua. Pikiu

Lebias. L. DiSpar> Ambassia. A. Natna."

Do. A. Eanga. Trichogaster. T. Fascials. Khalse, Khctlas. Badis. B. Badis. Chin, Bhedo. Anabas A. Scandens. Koi, Kavoi. Barbus, B. Phutonio. Nuria. N. Daurica.

Chela agentea. Chihoa.

Capt. Sewell points out the danger of in- troducing aggressive species which will destroy the better indigenous species, as happened when the Carp (Gyprinus corpio) was introduced into California, where they became "a nuisance, without redeeming qualities."

Capt. Sewell gives several experiments show-

ing the use of fish in ridding water-places from mosquito lame. The little book is a useful one and is sure to

have a wide circulation.

THE LAHORE HEALTH OFFICER'S REPORT.

Ttiis is an interesting and complete report by Dr. A. G. Newell, on the city of Lahore, in the year 1911. The population of the city is over

208,000, and the annual death-rate is 82 per 1,000, but the ten years rate, 1901-10, has been

110 less than 48 per mille, we find that "fevers" caused 44; per cent, of the total deaths: tubercle

8'6, pneumonia 3 3, bowel-complaints 3 2, small-

pox 2'8, whereas plague and cholera were only ?02 and "008 respectively. The birth-rate was 37. The need of measured

to prevent or check infant mortality is empha- sised by the Health Officer, and he strongly urges the need of a Lady Health Visitor.

There were only 3D cases of plague and 6 cases of cholera. It appears that small-pox visits

Lahore every three years, and unfortunately a

neglect of re-vaccination found the people in 1911 susceptible to the infection, and he has a good deal to say about the need of vaccination and the apathy and indifference of the people to this sure and certain means of protection. We are

glad to see that Dr. Newell is writing strongly on the need of preventive measures against tuberculosis.

Tuberculosis is rare among cows and buffaloes, but Dr. Newell believes that the tubercle bacil*

lus can pass through the cow without its being affected, and he thinks that tuberculosis is

spread "in India through cowdung and cow- dung cakes more than through the medium of

meat or milk.

The imperfect irrigation system which lead to flooding rather than irrigation is responsible for the prevalence of mosquitoes.

THE UNKNOWN DISEASE IN BURMA.

We publish in this issue an account of the somewhat extraordinary infective disease which has been discovered in Rangoon.

These cases were brought to the notice of the profession in Rangoon by Capt. A. Wliitmore, i.M.S.; Capt. Knapp. i.m.s. ; and Assistant-Sur-

geon C. S. Krisnaswami, and a paper on them was read at the February meeting of the Burma Branch of the British Medical Association. The disease has many points of resemblance

to glanders, and it is remarkable in how many cases the patient had been morphine injectors. The principal lesion found post mortem is the

peculiar cheesy consolidation of the lungs. We commend the paper, which we publish in this issue t;o our readers, and we hope that the investigations so well begun may be continued*

The fourth number of Paludism (March 1912), is somewhat disappointing, in that it is devoted to a report of the second meeting of the General Malaria Committee held at Bombay in November last, which we have already pretty fully recorded in our issue for last January.

Nevertheless the report is full of interest and

value and gives very fully the discussions by the various delegates and the reference to the

quinine campaign are particularly useful, * Calcutta, 1912. Superintendent, Indian Museum, or

Messrs, Tliacker, Spink & Co. Price, Re, 1.