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from the Government why a change of a prejudical charac-ter had been made in the relative rank of the medicalofficers in the service.-Dr. Tanner also pressed upon theattention of the Government the necessity of a reform inthe Army Medical Department.

Staines Sewa,r;e.On the 15th inst., in reply to Mr. Dixon-Hartland,

Mr. Ritchie stated that the sums to be paid to the ThamesConservators by the metropolitan water companies weremed by statute, and it was impossible for the LocalGovernment Board to oblige the companies to devote somepart of their profits to help to defray the cost of diverting thesewage from the river. The Staines Local Board had longevaded their statutory duties, with the result that theRiver Thames had been polluted with the sewage of thedistrict. It devolved upon the Staines Local Board, asupon every other sanitary authority, to defray the cost ofany sewage works required.

Vaccination in India.In reply to Mr. Hunter, Sir J. Gorst stated that in British

India vaccination is compulsory in certain selected areasonly. No penalty is imposed for simple refusal or neglectto vaccinate a child. For mere disobedience to a magis-trate’s order to vaccinate the maximum penalty is 50 rupees.Contumacious and persistent disobedience may in certaincases entail a fine of 1000 rupees and six months’ imprison-ment.

local Government Board Loans.In reply to Mr. Leighton, Mr. Ritchie stated that the total

amount of the loans sanctioned by the Local GovernmentBoard to be raised by local authorities during the year endedDecember 31st, 1886, was .62,837,867, being a decrease of.E459,054 as compared with the total amount so. sanctionedduring the preceding year. The Board had no informationas to the amount of the local loans which were contractedduring the year without the sanction of any central depart-ment, but it might be stated that the total amount of thespecific sums which by local Acts passed during the yearwere authorised to be raised by sanitary authorities and Imunicipal corporations without the sanction of any central I,,- department was .61,496,287.

The Bortl’ding-out of Pauper Children.In reply to Mr. Norris, Mr. Ritchie stated that the initia-

tive as regards the adoption of the boarding-out systemrests with the boards of guardians, and not with the LocalGovernment Board. The Board are always ready to enter-tain applications from guardians for the adoption of thesystem where the circumstances of the union appear tobe such as to render that system appropriate, and provisionhas been made for complying with the requirements pre-scribed by the order of the Board.-Mr. Mundella askedwhether the Local Government Board would undertake toextend the system of boarding out.-Mr. Ritchie said thatthe Local Government Board was always ready to considerany application for the extension of the system from boardsof guardians.-Mr. Mundella asked whether the right hon.gentleman would promise to send circulars on the subject tothe boards of guardians.-Mr. Ritchie replied that the LocalGovernment Board had already caused the system to bethoroughly well known, but if necessary they would takefurther steps.

House-boats on the Thames.On Thursday evening Colonel Dawnay asked the President

of the Local Government Board whether his attention hadbeen called to the proposed new bye-laws of the ThamesConservators, by which " no direct action will be taken toput a stop to the insanitary nuisances caused by house-boats and steam launches," and whether, in the interests ofthe millions of people who depend upon the Upper Thamesfor their water-supply, he will compel the Thames Con-servators to take immediate and efficient steps to free theriver from its present and ever-increasing state of pollution.- Mr. Ritchie said his attention had been called to the pro-posed bye-laws, and he had been in communication withthe conservators of the River Thames on the subject. Hishon. friend was incorrect in his assumption on the matter.The bye-law had intentionally been drawn as widely aspossible in order to cover any possible pollution, and theconservators believed that when the bye-law came intooperation it would have the effect of preventing thenuisance now arising from vessels moored in or navigating

the river. He would, however, be happy to consider anysuggestions relative to the bye-law.—Uol. Dawnay gavenotice that he would move a resolution on the subject.-Mr. H. H. Fowler asked if the legal advisers of the LocalGovernment Board were satisfied that the bye-laws madeby the Thames Conservators would in their present shapeprohibit boats from discharging watercloset refuse into theriver ?-Mr. Ritchie : I have not considered it necessary toconsult the legal advisers of the Local Government Boardon the subject, but so far as I have been able to ascertainthe opinion of the officials of the Local Government Boardlthey believe that the bye-laws will have that effect.

MEDICAL TRIALS.

CITY OF LONDON COURT.A MIDWIFERY CASE : DAWSON versus LANE.

THE plaintiff in this case stated that he was called at8.30 Á,lBI. on Oct. 3rd to defendant’s wife, who was stated tobe in labour. Believing it to be premature, and that no onewas engaged to attend, he went at once. On arriving at thepatient’s house he found that another practitioner (who hadbeen engaged, and sent for two hours before) had the con-duct of the case. He therefore charged half-a-guinea for a"night visit." Defendant: It was not a night visit, but athalf past eight in the morning. Plaintiff: Technically a"night visit," your worship. His Honour (to defendant) :What have you to say? Defendant: He never did any-thing ; why should I pay him? Judge: It does not matter;you called the doctor from his bed, and took him to yourhouse, and you must pay the debt.Judgment was given for plaintiff, with costs.

Obituary.PROFESSOR BORODIN.

ON Feb. 28th, Dr. Alexander Porphyryevich Borodin,Professor of Organic Chemistry in the Military MedicalAcademy of St. Petersburg, died quite suddenly from cardiacparalysis, probably from embolism of highly diseasedcoronary arteries. He was born in 1834, and had held hisprofessorship since 1864, having been twice reappointedfor periods of five years. In his days of studentship thedeceased Professor had distinguished himself in chemistryunder the instruction and guidance of his teacher, ProfessorZinin. His published works are tolerably numerous, andinclude papers on the analogy between phosphorous andarsenious acids from a toxicological point of view, on theestimation of salts in mineral waters, on brick tea, and anumber of important articles on the estimation of nitrogen.By means of Professor Borodin’s process combined with thatof Kjeldahl, the clinical physician has now a means wherebythis estimation may be made with a very moderate amountof difficulty and trouble. In spite of his arduous pro-fessorial and laboratory work, Professor Borodin found timefor the cultivation of the art and science of music, in whichhe was quite an adept. He is, indeed, said to have renderedvaluable service to the cause of music in Russia.

Medical News.SOCIETY OF APOTHECARIES.-The following gentle-

men passed the examination in the Science and Practice ofMedicine, Surgery, and Midwifery, and received certificatesto practise on March 10th:-

Charlesworth, George. Elstead, Godalming, Surrey.Down, Arthur Reed, Newton-square, Bampton, Devon.Paterson, George Snider, Toronto, Canada.Vinter, Sydney Garratt, Monmouth-road, Bayswater.

HOSPITAL SUNDAY collections were made at Middles-borough on the 6th inst.A FAMILY, consisting of father, mother, and

several children, at Grimsby, have been poisoned by eatingtinned meat.