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1694 Parliamentary Intelligence. NOTES ON CURRENT TOPICS. Midwives Registration Bill. THIS Bill has not been withdrawn as seems to be supposed in some quarters. It still appears among the orders of the House of Commons, although, having regard to the period of the session and the pressure of Government business, there is practically no chance of its being discussed. The Clothing of the Metropolitan Police. In the course of the debates in Committee of Supply last week the old question was raised of providing lighter clothing for the Metro- politan Police to wear in very hot weather and the same official answer was given-namely, that the authorities, with every desire to con- tribute to the health and comfort of the force, have given the matter their attention and see no sufficient reason for altering the present arrangements. - HOUSE OF COMMONS. THURSDAY, JUNE 4TH. New Commission on Tuberculosis. Mr. Chaplin, in answer to Dr. Farquharson, said that the proposed terms of reference to this Commission were to inquire and report as to what administrative procedures are available and would be desirable for controlling the danger to man through the use as food of the meat and milk (with its products) of tuberculous animals, and what are the considerations which should govern the action of the responsible authorities in condemning and not condemning, for the purposes of food supplies, animal carcasses or meat exhibiting any stage or stages of tuberculosis. He was not in a position at present to announce to the House the names of the members of the Commission. Calf Lymph. Sir William Priestley asked the President of the Local Government Board whether, in view of the increasing demand for vaccination with calf lymph, he would consider the expediency of at once taking such steps as might be necessary to facilitate the performance by public vaccinators of calf to arm vaccination, with the double object of meet- ing the objections of an increasing number of parents to the use of humanised lymph, and the protection of infants from the danger of attack and death by small-pox.-Mr. Chaplin replied that he was fully aware of the importance which was attached to the performance of vaccination direct from calf to arm when calf lymph was used. But his hon. friend must be aware that a system of calf to arm vaccination if practised generally would involve an entirely new organisation at a very large expenditure of public money; and since the desirability of introducing changes " for the purpose of removing objections to vacci- nation or making it more effective " was included in the reference to the Royal Commission on Vaccination, who were now engaged in com- piling their report, he doubted the expediency of his making any pro- posal as to the alterations in the law and its administration which would be involved before he had had the advantage of considering their report.-Mr. Gibson Bowles asked the right hon. gentleman whether he could tell the House when they would have the report of the Commission.—Mr. Chaplin: No, sir, I wish I could. FRIDAY, JUNE 5TH. River Pollution. Mr. Cohen, on behalf of Mr. Herbert Robertson, asked the President of the Local Government Board whether he was aware that the waters of the river Lea were polluted by the introduction of insufficiently dis- infected sewage matter from the districts of Tottenham, Walthamstow, and Leyton, greatly to the detriment of the health of the inhabitants of South Hackney and other districts; and whether he could take any, and what, steps to prevent this infringement of the Rivers Pollution Acts.-Mr. Chaplin replied : As regards the pollution of the waters of the river Lea, I have been in communication with the district councils of the three districts referred to in the question. In the case of Totten- ham, I am informed that the whole of the sewage of the district is pumped direct from the outfall works into the sewers of the London County Council. I do not find that the Local Government Board, during the last two years, have received any complaint in this matter as regards the Leyton district. With respect to Walthamstow, proceed- ings were instituted by the Leyton District Council for the purpose of obtaining an injunction to prohibit the pollution of the river by sewage from that district. An injunction was granted and the district council have submitted proposals for additional works with a view to prevent- ing a continuance of the pollution. The Local Government Board have no authority to institute proceedings under the Rivers Pollution Acts; proceedings under those Acts may be instituted by the county council or the council of any district affected by the pollution. Moreover, any powers which the Lea Conservancy Board have as regards the pollution of the river have been reserved to them by the Rivers Pollution Prevention Act of 1876.-Mr. Bartley asked the President of the Local Government Board whether his attention had been called to the filthy condition of the river Brent after it received the sewage water from the sewage farm at Ealing, Middlesex; whether he was aware that this stream runs close to the large district schools with some thousand children and through the densely populated district of Brentford ; and, whether he would cause a local inquiry to be made with a view of putting a stop to the serious danger to the health of the neighbourhood from this polluted stream.-Mr. Chaplin said in reply : The attention of the Local Govern- ment Board was directed last year to the condition of this river, and the Board, after obtaining a report from one of their inspectors on the subject, communicated with the Thames Conservancy Board and the County Council urging that action should be taken with the view of preventing the continuance of pollution of the river. In consequence of the reference in the question of the Ealing district, I have made inquiry of the council of that district, and am informed that there is no source of pollution within their district, and that, with the view of preventing pollution of the river by others, they have determined tc take steps to obtain an injunction. With respect to the WillesdeD District Council, the effluent from whose works was regarded by the* Thames Conservancy as unsatisfactory, the Local Government Board have now before them an application from the council for sanction to a loan for the improvement of their works of sewerage and sewage dis. posal. Powers of instituting proceedings for preventing pollutions are- vested in the Thames Conservancy and the County Council, and I wilt again communicate with these authorities. MONDAY, JUNE 8TH. The Vaccination Question. In reply to a question by Colonel Russell as to when the report of the- Royal Commission on Vaccination might be expected, Mr. Chaplin said that the reply which he had received to his inquiries on this subject was that it was impossible to say beforehand how much time would be occupied by the discussion of a report and the modifications consequent on such discussion. The Commission were approaching the completion of their labours and there would be no unnecessary delay.- Mr. Seton-Karr asked the right hon. gentleman whether he was aware that the Lynn guardians, by a vote of 15 to 5, had recently rejected a resolution to enforce the compulsory clauses of the Vaccination Acts; whether it was a fact that there were 605 births in Lynn last year and only eleven vaccinations; and, whether, under these circumstances, and in view of the recent prevalence of small-pox at Gloucester, the Government proposed to take any steps to secure the proper and general enforcement of the Vaccination Acts.-Mr. Chaplin replied: I understand that the facts with regard to the resolution passed by the guardians of the King’s Lynn Union and the number of vaccinations are as stated in the question. I have addressed a communication to the guardians pointing out that by their acceptance of the office of guardians they have undertaken to discharge the duties which devolve- on them, including those with regard to vaccination, and impressing on them that by failing to enforce the provisions of the Vaccination Acts they are incurring a very grave responsibility. They have at the same time been reminded of the experience of Gloucester, where nearly 190Q cases of small-pox have recently occurred as evidence of the serious. consequences which may at any time befall a community in which vaccination has been persistently neglected. I hope that on further consideration the guardians will not fail to take the action which is necessary for the enforcement of vaccination in their union. TUESDAY, JUNE. 9TH. Army Medical Department. In reply to Dr. Tanner Mr. Brodrick, Under Secretary of State for War, said there was no intention to lower the standard of examination for admission to the medical staff. The only change made was that more marks would be allocated to the practical subjects of medicine and surgery, with the view of obtaining the best practical medical men. In February, 1895, there were seventeen candidates for twelve vacancies, in August following twenty-three candidates for thirteen vacancies,. and in February last eighteen candidates for seventeen vacancies. As he stated recently the decrease in candidates was engaging Lord Lansdowne’s serious attention. Workhouse Administration in Ireland. Mr. Gerald Balfour announced, in reply to a question, that the Bill with regard to workhouse administration in Ireland was nearly ready, but in the condition of public business he was afraid that unless he was allowed to introduce it after twelve o’clock it could not be introduced this session. WEDNESDAY, JUNE 10TH. Experiments on Living Animals. On the motion of Mr. Jesse Ceilings, Under-Secretary of State for Home Affairs, a return was ordered showing the number of experiments performed on living animals during 1895 under licence of the Home Oflice, distinguishing painless from painful experiments. Appointments. Successgul applicants for Vacancies, Secretaries of Public Institutions, and others possessing inforrnation suitable for this column, are invited to forward it to THE LANCET Office, directed to the Sub- Editor, not later than 9 o’clock on the Thursday morning of each week for publication in the next number. ADKINS, A. J., M.B.Lond., L.R.C.P., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Assistant Medical Officer and Dispenser for the Lambeth Work- house. ALLPORT, A., L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Surgeon- Lieutenant to the 1st London (City of London) Artillery. BAIN, J. G., M.B., C.M. Glasg., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Second Sanitary District of the Wellington (Som.) Union. BAKER, J. C., M.B. Lond., has been appointed Medical Officer to the Workhouse of the Hambledon Union, and Surgeon to the Foresters, Court " Pinewood." BARTLETT, H. C., L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Sixth Sanitary District of the Saffron Walden Union. BETTS, LEONARD BOWRING, M.R.C.S.. L.R.C.P.Lond., has been appointed Assistant House Surgeon to the Westminster Hospital. BELSON, G. DM V., L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer of Health by the Bampton Urban District Council. BLIGH, WM., M.D. Lond., L.R.C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Caterham Sanitary District of the Godstoile Union. BOWMAN, R. C., M.D.Lond., L.R.C.P.Lond., M.R.C. S., has been appointed Medical Officer of Health for the Ulverston Sanitary District of the Ulverston Union. CARTER, ROBERT J., M.D.Lond., D.P.H., has been appointed Assistant Physician to the Western Skin Hospital, W. OoLLLKR, H. STANSFIELD, F.R.C.S., has been appointed Surgeon to Out-patients at the Paddington-green Children’s Hospital. COLLINS, A. W., L.R C.P. Lond., M.R.C.S., has been appointed Medical Officer for the Workhouse of the Ulverston Union.
