474

nature of the complaint may or may not be sound,but it seems that in the compulsory notificationof ophthalmia neonatorum we have a most effectivemeans of acquiring a knowledge of the incidenceof at least one of these diseases without any of theobjections to which the direct notification of the

responsible parties might possibly conduce.

Annotations."Ne quid nimis."

THE UNIVERSITY OF LONDON.

THE Departmental Committee on the Universityof London, appointed to recommend, after consulta-tion with the bodies and persons concerned, thespecific arrangements and provisions which may beimmediately adopted in order that effect may be

given to the scheme of the Report of the RoyalCommission on University Education in London,have now resumed their sittings. The committeehave invited the observations of the Senate uponthe proposals of the recent Royal Commission withregard to the admission of external students to theexaminations of the University for degrees, regardbeing had to the principles upon which the reportis based. The committee would also be glad toreceive not later than March 14th reasoned state-ments bearing upon these proposals from otherbodies and persons concerned.

MEDICINE AND POLITICS IN ITALY." To-DAY the extension of the suffrage," writes

an Italian correspondent, " has enlarged theelectorate from about 3,000,000 to 8,000,000, and ofthese latter a large proportion are analfabeti,that is, can neither read nor write. There are

questions before the country of even greaterurgency than the riveting of Italy’s foothold onthe Southern Mediterranean seaboard, and theseare education and, in closest connexion with it, thepublic health. That so large a proportion of theelectors should be ’analfabeti’ is a reproach toItaly and her legislators which cannot be too soon wiped out-a state of things appealing more sensibly to her amour propre than colonial ex-

tension or even military prestige. Not less

urgent and not less vital for her rehabilitationand self-respect is the improvement of her hygiene,a necessity now more than ever borne in upon her,and explaining not only the large proportion ofmedical men among the candidates at the late

elections, but the recent accession of distinguishedconsultants to her Upper Chamber. The ItalianSenate, indeed, stands pre-eminent throughoutChristendom for the number of physicians andsurgeons it can boast of-men who, while pro-fessional men devoted to their calling, have notforgotten that they are also citizens, citizens,moreover, of a nationality comparatively new inthe State system of Europe. Numerous as theyalready were in the Senate, the Premier has added,as your Italian correspondent has already reported,still more to their strength, and in the 29 newnominations has made three who are, each of them,eminent in medical practice and research. Dr. EttoreMarchiafava, whose name occurred so frequentlyin the consultations held during the Pope’s graveillness last spring, is one of these, and not only the

profession but the public at large are at one in

recognising the justice of his promotion to a

legislature before which the question of medicaleducation and, with it, those of scientific researchand hygiene, press forward for consideration andsolution. His record as professor of comparativeanatomy at the Sapienza as well as his interven-tion in the crusade against malaria are of them-selves a " title-deed " to the honour just conferredon him. The second on the list, Dr. Carlo Forlanini,has an equally valid claim to the distinction ofSenator. Born some 66 years ago at Milan, andprofessor of physiology and clinical medicine at theLombard University (Pavia), he has won an authori-tative position in the domain of public health, parti-cularly in the legislation against tuberculosis, whilehis clinique has been frequented by students fromother seats of learning for his special mode of

dealing with pneumothorax described some threeyears ago in THE LANCET. The third consultantnow promoted to the Upper Chamber isDr. Gerolamo Gatti, who holds with much accept-ance the chair of surgical pathology in theFlorentine Institute, and, while devoted to clinicalresearch and professional teaching, has found timeto study social questions, particularly those relatingto the condition, moral and physical, of the

agricultural labourer. A convinced Socialist,though not enrolled in any of its numerous sects-being, indeed, a trenchant critic of the Marxistdogma and practice-he is a representative of theinterests of the democrazia rurale, beginning withthe physical development of the children and

directing, ad hoc, the Hospital for Surgical Pædiatryin Florence. Younger than the majority of hisprofessional brethren in the Senate, he adds totheir experience an energy all his own and willcontribute effectively to the consummation of thatpolicy, known as socio-medical, which is destinedfor many years to form an important factor in

Italy’s legislation." ____

MODERN LEPROSY.

SANITARY authorities in various parts of Europeare now occupying themselves in trying to checkthe spread of leprosy, recently believed to be almostextinct. The incidence of the disease is in-

creasing surely though slowly and precautionscan no longer be neglected. In France especially,as appears in our Paris correspondent’s letter

(p. 491), considerable disquietude prevails, and

legislation in the matter is being invoked. A

curious study containing certain considerations,interesting at least as hypotheses, has been

recently published by Dr. Blendeau, who holdsthat the disease had existed in Europe beforethe Crusades, but had become attenuated by a sortof racial vaccination. In Palestine the Crusaderscame into contact with another variety of the samemicrobe, for which they afforded an entirely newculture medium. This was the grand leprosy ofthe Middle Ages, brought back by the Crusaders totheir own lands, where the oriental bacillus causedthe most frightful ravages. Then, in a similarmanner, its pathogenic power also diminished,and Europeans once again became refractory to thedisease. The present reintroduction of leprosy isprobably due to the more frequent and rapid com-munication in recent decades with the Far East.About 40 years ago the Chinese carried leprosy intoPolynesia, where it had been up to that time -Lin-

known. The natives, who afforded a new field forit, contracted it rapidly and contaminated the