Public Health Section.-Dr. CHERRY (Melbourne) brought up the following resolutions, passed by the Public Health Section :

1. "That vaccination should be uniformly enforced in all the States, with a view to an early alteration of the existing quarantine arrangements. 2. That the Federal and State Parliaments be requested to institute the necessary legislation to give effect to this resolution." The resolution was adopted.

2. "That in view of the infectious and contagious character of the tuberculous disease this Congress is of opinion that sanatoria for consumptive patients should be established at distances from all towns and villages with at least an area of 200 acres. That the sanatoria should be Government institutions. That the buildings should be, as far as possible, of a temporary character. That a copy of these resolutions be sent to the various health authorities."

Dr. T. M. MASON (Wellington, N.Z.) said that the definition of sanatorium was a place where consumption was treated, and it was a very foolish thing to bring up at all. The suggested area of 200 acres was excessive.

Dr. A. H. CLARKE (Hobart) said he had been asked by the President of the Medicine Section to express his disapproval of this resolution. The members of the Medical Association did not consider it necessary that 200 acres should be set apart for an institution. It was a pity to impress people with the belief that infection would spread, as the resolution suggested. It would bring about opposition in the proposed neighbourhood of a sanatorium. The fear of infection would prevent people in the early stages of consumption going into such institutions. He supported Dr. Mason's views.

Professor ALLEN said that Government control was a large question.

Dr. CHERRY was prepared to omit the reference to area and Government control. How about buildings? Should they be of a temporary character? Some thought that the buildings of a substantial character became saturated with tubercular organisms, and that re-infection went on.

Dr. W. T. HAYWARD (Adelaide) hoped that the resolution would be withdrawn altogether. It would minimise the value of the Congress if they sent up debatable matter to the Governments.

The resolution was then put to the meeting, and negatived.

3. (a) "That in the opinion of this section, in consequence of the prevalence of waterborne diseases in campaigns, instruction in hygiene, including the sterilisation of drinking water, should form part of the field training of the soldiers; (b) as far as practicable, the drinking water supplied to the soldiers should be sterilised before issue." This was agreed to.

4." It is desirable that a school of tropical medicine should be established for the scientific and systematic investigation of tropical diseases in Australia." The resolution was adopted.

5. "That, in the opinion of this Congress, steps should be taken by the States of the Commonwealth and New Zealand to unify the Public Health Acts throughout Australasia." This was agreed to.

6. "That for the purpose of collecting and imparting information upon all matters connected with the subject of public health, a national society be formed, to be styled The Sanitary, Institute of Australasia.'" The resolution was negatived.

7. (a) "That steps should be taken by the department of public education, and other public departments, throughout Australasia, to make and keep the water supplies, the water-closets, urinals, and other sanitary conveniences, including floor space and ventilation of all public buildings, in such condition as to be object lessons to the public; (b) that the elements of hygiene, somewhat after the lines adopted in New Zealand, should be part of the State School curriculum." This was rejected.

8. "That the term 'Pestis Minor' should not be applied to non-plague cases."-Approved.

Eye, Ear, and Throat Section-Dr. T. S. KIRKLAND (Sydney) brought up the following resolution from the Eye, Ear, and Throat Section :-"That the attention of the Colonial Governments be called again to the resolutions passed by the Intercolonial Medical Congress held in Dunedin in 1896, on the subject of the standard of vision in sailors and railway men, and that the urgency of their adoption should be again emphasised, with the recommendation that a uniform standard for all the colonies be fixed, not lower than the highest standard at present demanded in any of the colonies for both form and colour." A standard for railway men was attached.

The resolution was adopted.

TIME AND PLACE OF NEXT CONGRESS.

Dr. KELSALL (West Australia), on behalf of the West Australian Branch of the British Medical Association, invited the Congress to hold its next meeting at Perth. He said that he had been deputed to extend a hearty invitation to Congress to hold its next session in Perth. If members accepted the invitation of the profession in West Australia, he could promise them a most cordial welcome. He moved"That the next session of Congress be held in Perth."

Dr. W. H. LOVEGROVE, also, on behalf of the profession in West Australia, seconded the motion, and assured Congress of a genuine hearty welcome and reception in Perth.

Dr. KENT-HUGHES said he did not wish to appear selfish or ungrateful to their Perth friends; but he thought that the work of Congress was of too much im. portance to allow sympathy or sentiment to over-ride judgment. They should consider the matter very seriously-if Perth was not too far away, how was it that so few members came from Perth to the Congress ?

Dr. MCKAY, whilst appreciating the West Australians' invitation, thought it would be a great mistake to hold the next Congress at Perth. Probably in the

near future West Australia would have its overland ailway, and then the session could be held at Perth. Professor ALLEN (Melbourne) suggested that the profession in West Australia be first thanked for their hearty invitation. He moved accordingly.

Dr. MASON (New Zealand) seconded the resolution, which was carried with acclamation.

Professor ALLEN said as Tasmania and West Australia were the two least populous States, it would be a mistake to hold Congress in those States in succession. It would be much better to dovetail the meeting in Perth between meetings in the larger States.

Dr. KELSALL then withdrew his motion.

Dr. C. TODD (Adelaide) then, on behalf of the profession in South Australia, extended a hearty welcome to members to hold the next Congress in Adelaide during July or August, 1905. He pointed out that Adelaide was the first place in which an Intercolonial Conference of the profession was held. They had considered the possibility of Congress meeting in Adelaide, and they were unanimously of opinion that the most suitable president on that occasion would be Professor E. C. Stirling, who helped to originate the Medical School in Adelaide, and was at present Professor of Physiology in the Adelaide University, and a director of the Museum.

It was decided that the next session be held in Adelaide, in 1905.

ELECTION OF PRESIDENT. Professor ALLEN moved :-" That Professor C. E. Stirling, C.M.G., F.R.S., M.D., Cantab.; F.R.C.S. Eng., be President of next Congress." They all knew his learning, his courage, and also his work, and they knew the indebtedness not only of the profession in South Australia, but in all the States to the labours of Professor Sterling. The motion was carried amidst prolonged applause.

Dr. J. C. VERCO (Adelaide) moved :-"That the thanks of Congress be accorded to Rev. R. Stephen and Dr. Scott, D.D., for conducting special services to members." He was sure the members appreciated the services, and especially the excellent references to medical men. Carried by acclamation.

Dr. J. THOMSON (Brisbane) moved :-"That special votes of thanks be accorded to the following ladies and gentlemen for their hospitality:-The Hon. the Premier and Mrs. Lewis, His worship the Mayor and Mrs. Kerr, Senator and Mrs. J. Macfarlane, the directors of the Union S.S. Co., president and members of the Central Board of Health, the Tasmanian, Hobart and Athenæum Clubs, Newland and Sandy Bay Golf Clubs, and Hobart Bowling Clubs." The motion was carried with prolonged applause.

Dr. J. MASON (New Zealand) moved :-" That hearty votes of thanks be accorded to His Worship the Mayor and aldermen, the president, committee, and members of the Hobart Chamber of Commerce, the trustees of the Tasmanian Museum and Art Gallery, and the Council of the Royal Society for the use of rooms, and to the trustees of the Botanical Gardens for the use of plants." Carried by acclamation.

Dr. LOVEGROVE (West Australia) moved :-"That the hearty thanks of congress be accorded to the

Government of Tasmania for printing, etc., to the Minister of Railways and General Manager of Tasmanian Railways, to the Railway Commissioners of Australia and New Zealand, and to the shipping companies, for the concessions granted to members. Carried by acclamation.

Dr. W. T. HAYWARD (Adelaide) moved :-"That a special vote of thanks be accorded to the press for the very full and accurate reports they have given to the proceedings of congress.' Carried by acclamation.

Professor ALLEN moved :-"That a special vote of thanks be accorded to the general secretary, Dr. Gregory Sprott for his untiring efforts on behalf of congress; to the treasurer, Dr. J. E. Wolfhagen; to the secretaries of sections, and to local State secretaries." The motion was carried with enthusiasm, members standing and giving three ringing cheers.

Professor WATSON said he had sincere pleasure in moving hearty thanks to their President, Dr. Butler, for the able manner in which he had presided over their meetings; to the whole of the profession in Tasmania, and to the President and Mrs. Butler for their hospitality and general all-round goodness. Members had come, they had seen, and they had been conquered-by kindness and hospitality. The motion was carried amidst hearty cheers.

Dr. BUTLER, who was received with loud applause, said after what had fallen from Professor Watson he felt gratified, not alone for himself, but for all Tasmania. He was flattered by the response they had given to the motion, and the appreciation of the work done by the people of Hobart, and the profession of Tasmania. It would be absurd for him to say that their work had been little, because when divided amongst so few, comparatively speaking (for Tasmania was not one of the largest States), the work had been hard, but they were quite repaid by knowing that the visitors had been pleased and satisfied.

Dr. SPROTT, who was received with cheers, said he hoped they would take his speech as read. The profession and people were equally delighted to have the congress in Hobart, and more so to know that they had enjoyed themselves. For the congress, success did not depend on any individual, but on the whole of the profession in Tasmania. Their president and treasurer worked hard, and they had the result. The proceedings then terminated,

PROCEEDINGS OF SECTIONS.

SECTION 1. MEDICINE.

DR. A. H. GAULT (Adelaide) read a paper on "A Plea for the Sanatorium Treatment of Consumption." This was discussed by the President, and Drs. Verco, Harvey, Wilkinson, Jarvie Hood.

Dr. SYDNEY JAMIESON (Sydney) read a paper on "The Serum Diagnosis of Disease, with special reference to the Re-action in Typhoid Fever," and Drs. Mason, Wilkinson, and Howard discussed it.

Dr. A. JARVIE HOOD (Sydney) read a paper on "Epidemic Cerebrospinal Meningitis," which was discussed by the President, Drs. Officer, S. Jamieson Verco, Wilkinson, Woodward, Nhill, and others.

Dr. W. T. HAYWARD (Adelaide) read a paper on "Empyæma." A discussion followed, in which the following members took part:-Drs. Sydney Jamieson, Jarvie Hood, and Wilkinson, of Sydney; Howard and Officer, of Melbourne; Verco and Todd, Adelaide ; Johnson, of Mount Gambier; and Eadie, of Bendigo, Victoria.

Dr. M. M. OFFICER (Melbourne) read a paper on "Enlarged Bronchial Glands in Children." He said that chief among the causes was tubercle. Other causes were influenza, measles, whooping cough, catarrh. Any enlargement after a month was tubercular. Diseases of the bronchial glands were very common among children. His chief object was to direct attention to the large number of cases of incipient tubercle going about.

Dr. HARDY (Hobart) read a short paper descriptive of a case of skin disease in his practice, which had been The variously diagnosed, and resisted treatment. patient was exhibited. The case was discussed by Drs. Bennett and Herman Lawrence, and the President said that Dr. Hardy would be glad to hear from any member of the Section upon the case.

Dr. W. McMURRAY (Sydney) read a paper on "Röntgen Rays in the Treatment of some Skin Diseases," which he had found to be beneficial. A few observations on the paper were made by Dr. Herman Lawrence.

Dr. HERMAN LAWRENCE (Melbourne) read a paper on "Skin Markings as an aid in the Diagnosis, Prognosis, and Treatment of Certain Skin Diseases." Dr. Verco made a few remarks upon the paper.

Dr. W. CAMAC WILKINSON (Sydney) read a paper on Tuberculin as a Remedy in Pulmonary Tuberculosis."

Dr. GAULT (Adelaide) said that his use of tuberculin had not been satisfactory.

Dr. VERCO (Adelaide) remarked that his perusal of the literature upon the subject did not impress him favourably with tuberculin,

The PRESIDENT said that in Melbourne its use had been practically abandoned.

Dr. SYDNEY JONES (Sydney) asked was it wise to adopt a plan of treatment which was attended with possible risks, and use it in place of a treatment which produced no ill results at all? Men of the highest standing had reported against the use of tuberculin. In England, and Europe generally, all that was ascertained was that, in some cases, tuberculin had been used with success.

Dr. WILKINSON said that Dr. Heron, of London, recently spoke of tuberculin as "a boon to humanity." Dr. MILLS (Sydney) said that Dr. Wilkinson's figures were not calculated to impress one with the value of tuberculin.

Dr. WILKINSON replied, and cited statistics in support of the effective use of tuberculin. The matter was one that required a great amount of investigation, and the time at his disposal in the Section did not afford him an opportunity to deal with it exhaustively.

Dr. G. H. HOGG (Launceston) read a paper on "The medicines of the aboriginals of Tasmania,'

Dr. F. GOLDSMITH (Palmerston) read a paper on "The necessity for education in tropical medicine in Australia." He said that though they in Australia could, he thought, pride themselves on being up-todate in most matters connected with the various branches of their profession, there was one branch of science in which they were likely to be behindhand, unless some steps were taken, and that was in the investigation of and instruction in those diseases peculiar to tropical life and climate. During recent years one of the most striking features in medical matters had been the attention bestowed in England upon the branch of science known as tropical medicine. Following upon the investigations of Dr. Manson, Surgeon-Major Ross, and others, in the germ origin of malaria, with proofs of its infection by means of certain kinds of mosquitoes, the attention of scientists was

Com

directed towards diseases peculiar to tropical life. It was pointed out that a very large percentage of medical men, after qualifying, found themselves engaged in the military, naval, colonial, and Indian service, or as private practitioners in the tropics, combating diseases in which they had received little or no instruction during their student days. Knowledge, of course, came with experience but probably in the interim many lives had been lost which might have been saved had such knowledge been gained in the lecture rooms and hospitals instead of in the field. As a result of these representations Schools of Tropical Medicine were formed and opened in London and Liverpool, and it was probable that in the not far distant future the examinations for the Army, Navy, Indian, and Colonial Services would include papers on Tropical M-dicine. The valuable work consequent upon the establishment of these institutions was only just beginning. missions had been sent out from time to time to investigate the causes of such diseases as malaria, plague, and yellow fever, and there was no doubt that with a fuller knowledge of the cause better means for the prevention and cure of these diseases would be evolved, with a marked diminution of mortality. There were within the tropical zones such large centres of popula tion as Rockhampton, Townsville, Cooktown, Cairns, Chillagoe, and Charters Towers, not to mention many smaller towns and settlements in the vast districts of North Queensland, Northern Territory, New Guinea, and Western Australia, while Brisbane, and in fact the whole of Southern Queensland, was only just over the border line. They had already seen such diseases as malaria, dysentery, chronic enteritis, ankylostomiasis, beri-beri, filariasis, leprosy, dengue, plague, cerebrospinal fever, and others present in an endemic or Thousands of our men had gone to epidemic form. South Africa, and were returning, and already they found in one of them the presence of the bilharzial parasite. Were we not in daily communication with India, China, and the Pacific Isles, and other countries in the tropics, from which disease might be introduced? The outbreak of plague in 1899 was still fresh in the minds of most of us. He advocated the founding of a Tropical School or Board of Medicine in Australia.

Dr. GOLDSMITH then submitted the following report of the committee, consisting of Drs. Ham (Brisbane), Blackburn (Sydney), and Goldsmith, appointed at a former meeting of the Section, on a School of Tropical Medicine:

:

"The committee consider it desirable that a School of Tropical Medicine and research should be established for the scientific and systematic investigation of tropical diseases in Australia, and to this end they recommend the following :

"1. That Brisbane would be the most suitable place to carry out such investigations.

"2. That the proposed school should be established on lines similar to those of the School for Tropical Medicine in London.

"3. That the Rt. Hon. the Premier of the Commonwealth, and the Premiers of the various States, should be officially approached by the Executive of this Congress for grants to enable such an institution to proceed with its work, and that the Rt. Hon, the Secretary of State for the Colonies, and Dr. Patrick Manson, the head of the School of Tropical Medicine in London, be communicated with on the subject.

"4. The section recommends the Congress to appoint Dr. Goldsmith as its representative in England."

The report was adopted, and ordered to be sent on to Congress.

At the conclusion of the business of the Section Dr. VERCO moved a vote of thanks to the President and the Secretary (Dr. A. H. Clarke, of Hobart), which was passed by acclamation.

SECTION 2.

SURGERY.

Dr. WM. MOORE (Melbourne) read a paper on "The Treatment of Appendix in Cases of Abscess," which was followed by discussion, in which Professor Watson, Drs. Russell, Syme, Hinder, and Barnett took part. Dr. J. B. NASH (Sydney) read a paper on "Some Observations in Relation to Nephrectomy," which was discussed by Drs. Hinder and Moore.

Mr. G. A. SYME (Melbourne) read a paper on "Pro. statectomy," which was followed by discussion.

Drs. C. E. TODD (Adelaide) and J. B. GUNSON (Adelaide) read a paper on "A Case of Oophorectomy in Mammary Cancer, Thyroid Feeding, and X Rays for the Ulceration."

Dr. HAMILTON RUSSELL (Melbourne) read a paper on "The Congenital Factor in Hernia."

Dr. W. A. WOOD (Melbourne) read a paper on "Five Cases of Congenital Dislocation of the Hip, Treated by the Lorenz Method."

Drs. CLENDINNEN, SYME, HINDER, MOORE, RUSSELL, and the PRESIDENT (Dr. Barnett) discussed these papers.

SECTION 3.

EYE, EAR, AND THROAT.

The PRESIDENT of the section, Dr. T. K. Hamilton, M.D., F.R.C.S.I., Adelaide, delivered an address There wasa large number of members present including representatives from most of the States.

The PRESIDENT, after making some preliminary remarks, proceeded to deal with the subject of specialism in relation to general medicine. He first drew attention to the indebtedness of general medicine to specialism, as represented in this section, and, secondly, the indebtedness of specialism to general medicine, and adduced several instances under each heading, by way of illustrating this connection. He next referred to tubercular and malignant diseases, and the advances of the modern pathology and treatment of these conditions, as they present themselves to the specialist of to-day. Under the heading of tubercular disease, he drew attention to the campaign which has of late been entered upon all over the world to try and exterminate tuberculosis. He expressed the hope that the day had already commenced to dawn when the prophecy made by Professor Koch in his recent speech at the Tuberculosis Congress in London, would be fulfilled, viz., that ere long under the now recognised hygienic principles of treatment, so essential in combating these diseases, 50 per cent. of the lives now sacrificed would be saved. Special mention was made of some comparatively recent methods of cure, such as that by the XRays, the Finsen light method, and high potential currents.

On the motion of Dr. JACKSON (Melb.), a hearty vote of thanks was passed to the President for his able address.

Dr. E. GAULT (Melbourne) read a paper on "Cases of Small Absolute Scotoma, caused by Hæmorrhage in the Optic Nerve."

Drs. WEBSTER, JACKSON, POCKLEY, HENRY, and the PRESIDENT made remarks on the paper, to which Dr. GAULT replied.

The SECRETARY (Dr. G. H. Hogg, M.D., Launceston), read a paper on "Cataract Extraction," by Dr. W. M. Stenhouse, M.D. (Dunedin), which was followed by general discussion.

Dr. R. POPE read a paper on "Prognosis and Treatment of Syphilitic Diseases of the Eye," which was discussed at length. Drs. JACKSON, KIRKLAND, HOGG, POCKLEY, HENRY, Symons, HUGHES, Gault, and the PRESIDENT taking part therein.

Dr. F. J. CLENDINNEN showed two cases of foreign

body in the eye, diagnosed by the X Rays.

Discussion took place "On the Treatment of Middle Operation." The subject was introduced by Dr. ARTHUR Ear Suppuration, other than the Radical or Mastoid (Sydney), and was debated by Drs. KIRKLAND WEBSTER, KENT HUGHES, HANKINS, BARRETT. HOG, and the PRESIDENT.

Dr. T. S. KIRKLAND (Sydney), read a paper on “Sinus Suppuration." General discussion followed, Drs. KENNY NIHILL, BARRETT, and the PRESIDENT taking part. Dr. HOGG, of Launceston, read a paper on "Rare Cases of Eye Disease."

A paper on "A certain condition of the cilia associated with interstitial keratitis" was read by Dr. SYMONS, of Melbourne.

A discussion of the latter paper followed, in which Dr. Kent Hughes and Dr. Nihill took part.

The PRESIDENT read a paper on Nasal stenosis, due to deflections on the septum." The paper was afterwards discussed by Drs. HANKINS, BARRETT, ARTHUR, and KIRKLAND.

SECTION 4.

MIDWIFERY AND GYNECOLOGY.

Professor A. WATSON (Adelaide University) read a paper on "Some points in connection with the Gynæcological Surgery of the Round and Broad Ligaments," which was followed by a general discussion.

The following papers were also read:

"A Case of Foetal Tumour of Sacrum causing Dystocia at Term." Dr. WISHAW. late of Croydon, England. "A Plea for the More Frequent Use of Chloroform in Confinement." C. J. PIKE, M.B., M. R.C.S. "On the Treatment of Chronic Pelvic Suppuration." G. ROTHWELL ADAMS, M. D.

"Some Interesting Gynecological Cases." HAMILTON, M.B.

"Ectopic Gestation." G. HORNE, M.B.

JAS.

"On a Case of Symphysiotomy." Dr. E. A. MACKAY. "An Analysis of 700 Consecutive Confinements in Private Practice." Dr. H. OSBURN COWEN, Eaglehawk (Vic.).

"Notes on Puerperal Sapræmia and Septicemia." Dr. F. A. NYULASY, Melb.

The PRESIDENT (Dr. Ralph Worrall, of Sydney) delivered his presidential address "On the Progress of Gynecology since the first Inter-State Medical Congress. and the relation to Gynecology to General Surgery." See page 112.

The President of Congress, in moving a hearty vote of thanks to the lecturer, said he desired to take that opportunity of expressing the deep obligations they were all under to the various members who had prepared such splendid papers for the Congress. The vote was carried by acclamation.

SECTION 5.

PUBLIC HEALTH.

THE following papers were read :— "The Rational Method of Sewage Disposal," by T. M. Kendall, L.R.C. P. & S. Edin., Sydney (to appear in a future issue).

Dr. W. L'ESTRANGE EAMES, of Newcastle (N.8.W.), read a paper on the "Diminution of Waterborne Diseases in Campaigns." He said that ever since advancing

civilisation had endeavoured to humanise warfare, and thoughtful care and nursing had been provided to alleviate the suffering of the sick and wounded, the mortality from cases had been considerably reduced; but the number of sick casualties occurring to-day, with all our advance of knowledge in the causes and avenues of disease, compared with the number of sick casualties in former campaigns, when our knowledge was not so great, shows little, if any, reduction, and sickness is as great a factor to-day in determining the effective strength of a force, other things being equal, as it was 100 years ago. It would be allowed on all

hands that this should not be, but the fact remains

that it is so. Take the present South African war. The War Office returns to the end of September, 1901, show the following reduction in the force, due to casualities:-Officers, 3,270; men, 72,292. Losses to the army from disease :-Deaths from disease, 10,293; sent home or invalids after sickness, 49,000. This is approximately 60,000 out of 75,562. In this number no account is taken of all the non-efficients in hospital. Of the deaths from disease enteric accounts for 6,086 out of 27,649 non-commissioned officers and men. He could get no return as to dysentery and diarrhoea, but any medical officer who had been to the front would endorse the statement that fully 50 per cent. of the non-efficients are caused by the three diseases of enteric, dysentery, and diarrhoea. These, with cholera, are the four diseases that have played most havoc with many of our fighting forces in India. Thus disease was many times more dangerous to the soldier than the enemy, and if some means could be adopted for minimising this evil, which would at the same time answer service conditions, then an immense advance in the humanising of warfare would have been made. Cholera, enteric, dysentery, and diarrhoea were spread by means of drinking water which, by some means or other, had become polluted and infected, and occasionally, also, through the agency of dust and flies. Water so polluted might be sterilised by heating, filtration through special filters, and by using certain chemical re-agents. All these methods had been used to a certain extent, and in some instances with success, but on the whole, failure. The writer advocated educating the soldiers in sanitary precautions, and how to sterilise water before drinking it. The service should supply such water. Filters prove too slow and troublesome to answer service conditions. The sterilisation of water by chemical means would not answer on a large scale for many reasons, but for emergency purposes he could not conceive anything that could possibly answer service conditions better, provided re-agents can be found that will effectually sterilise infected water without rendering it harmful and unpalatable. Such a re-agent has been recommended by Drs. Rideal and Parkes in acid bisulphate of soda, 15 grains of which will sterilise one pint of water infected with the germs of cholera, enteric, etc., in half-an-hour. These are put up in compressed tabloids of five grains each, and every soldier should be provided with small bottles containing 100 tabloids to carry on his person. For sterilising water on a large scale he recommended heating. He explained an apparatus he introduced for the purpose in Pretoria, being inexpensive and did not require trained men to use it. He also recommended hygienic drill, instruction of officers in field sanitation, hygiene and preventive medicine, and the rules as to pay of soldiers to be so much for service, so much for every day of efficiency, a man incapacitated from wounds to be entitled to a bonus, but not from sickness Care should be taken not to pollute any water, food to be protected from contamination by flies, dust,

etc.

All vegetables eaten uncooked washed in sterilised water, and a course of training of officers in matters of health, which the writer detailed, and prizes awarded to the best at the end of a campaign. Two trials had been made with his proposed apparatus at Sydney Barracks, and were very successful.

Dr. MORGAN MARTIN (Sydney), who had been in the campaign, warmly commended Dr, Eame's paper and the apparatus of his invention,

Dr. HAM said that if anything had been proved during the campaign in South Africa, it was that the bacillus was more deadly than the bullet, and the microbe than the Mauser. As he found when in the "Guards" in London, it was very difficult to make Tommy Atkins a sanitary unit. They, however, knew what good work Dr. Eames had done during the campaign, and had confidence in his invention.

Drs. MCDOWELL and the PRESIDENT warmly complimented Dr. Eames, and he was accorded a hearty vote of thanks.

Dr. A. S. JOSKE, Prahran, Melbourne, read a paper entitled "Notes of the needs of the metropolitan asylums of Melbourne." He had had experience of some eight years as official visitor of the metropolitan asylums of Victoria, and an extended visit to the asylums of New South Wales. As to the Kew and Yarra Bend asylums, the latter is not a modern hospital in any sense of the term. The main building in the male enclosure consists of two large barrack buildings, with most defective accommodation. In connection with these buildings are some small wards, but at night time, owing to practically no ventilation, they become veritable black holes of Calcutta. The detached cottages for the quieter class of patients were commended. What is needed to make Victorian asylums equal to any is an efficient body of Commissioners, instead of the Public Service Board; appointment of official visitors, whose powers might become somewhat extended. The superintendent of each asylum should be held personally responsible for what goes on in his asylum. The medical staff should be increased, and properly paid. One medical officer to 200 patients is quite little enough if records of cases are to be kept and scientific notes to be published. All male and female nurses should be efficiently trained and distinctly clad. All patients properly housed, separately treated, and properly sub-divided. Each and every asylum should have a proper and separate hospital and dispensary. The beautifying and adorning of the buildings should be encouraged, A receiving ward should be promptly pushed on with. asylums and treating insane in private hospitals should be rigorously abolished. Name "lunatic asylum" should be done away with and " hospital for the insane;" and "male and female attendants" for word "warders." Gradually the old barrack buildings should be altered, so that the corridors be kept as corridors, dining rooms used as dining rooms, and obstructions to ventilations should be removed. To do this properly a special architect should be attached to the department, who should do the work of repairing and rebuilding what might be considered necessary by the Commissioners, instead of letting the money that is allotted for repairs filter through the Public Service Board. If these reforms were carried out it would be safe to say that in 10 years' time the Victorian system of asylums would be equal to any in the world,

Private

Dr. LOVEGROVE (Perth) approved of the paper, dwelling on the importance of pleasant surroundings at asylums.

Dr. STEELL (Ballarat) preferred an attendant to every eight patients, not ten.