The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-05-30 00:00:00

SATUIMAY, -I.X.Y 30tb, 18.85

PROFESSIONAL FITNESS.

PROFESSIONAL life has to do with Government
and legislation On w, medicine, and divinity ;
the cultivation of literature, science, and
art ; teaching in all its branches and grades,
from private tutorships to public professor-
ships ; editorial functions : and the service
of the Queen and country in the army and
navy. Though it is customary to call law,
medicine, and divinity the learned profes-
sions, they have not monopoly of learning
which is also distributed among the govern-
ing class, men of letters and science, journal-
ists and the promoters of education. There
can be no denying that if all who are con-
nected with professional life possessed
natural or special fitness for the posts they
occupy, the whole machinery of the social
system would work more smoothly than it
actually does, and the model State, which
political philosophers, ancient and modem.
have prefigured, would come within the pos-
sibility of realisation. But the ease is, un-
fortunately, far otherwise, and this need
not occasion much suprise, as many drop
into the positions they now hold by the
choice of others, the exercise of favouritism.
haphazard, and the accident of birth. It
may saf.ly be said that taken en masse, the
officers, commissioned and non-commissioned
of the army and navy discharge their re-
spective duties more efficiently, whether in
time of peace or war, than those who are
engaged in other professional careers. This
is largely owing no doubt to the searching
charactee of the examinations which precede
•appointments, and to the necessity of strict
discipline in all ranks being constantly
maintained. Were successive Ministries to
be judged solely by the manner in which
their measures are attacked and denounced
by the occupants of the Opposition benches
in the Houses of Parliament, it might be in-
ferred that the statesmen of both parties
were, as a body, quite unfit to guide the
destinies of the nation, but public opinion,
when general electiens come round, forms
the final court of appeal, amid decides the
question of the competence or incompetence
of Administrations. The historian who can
free his mind from prejudice and partizan-
ship is better able to estimate the worth or
worthlessness of statesmen than contem-
porary onlookers, who are also active par-
ticipators in political strife. It occasionally
happens that members of Parliament, more
highly gifted with audacity than wisdom.
make their way to Government posts by the
free exercise of their denunciatory powers,
but the elevation they thus attain, though
it softens their voices, does not constitute
them into statesmen. In the department of
law there exists this strange anomaly, that
while jiviges :q.e expected to be strictly con-
ecientions in g,ivieg their decisions, a bar-
rister is exempted from the necessity of
having any conscience at all, and the class
of whom "Seijeant Buzfuz" is a perennial
type accordingly concentrate their efforts on
obtaining anyhow a verdict in favour of theie
clients. The remarkable thing is that the
barrister, who can do excellently well with-
out a conscience when acting as a pleader,
is supposed to become highly conscientious
when raised to a seat on the Judicial bench.
Down to one or two genei ations ago a toler-
ant spirit was shown to jndges who, though
notoriously known to be bon vivants, main-
tained the proverbied sobriety of the profes
siou on the bench : but a brutal, bullying
Jeffreys, who was the counterpart in the
criminals' court of the butcher Kirke in the
fields, would no more have the chance now
of wearing the ermine for a day than a King
like James II of filling the Throne, or a
Miniater like Castlereagh of being aufforeat,
take the head cf any Government. Time
-
change, and we change with the changing
times As regards the medical profession.
while quacks are not yet quite extinct, and
are 'never likely to be until the " crack of
doom," the general membership has under-
gone a vast improvement in skill and fitness
since the days when phlebotomy was con-
sidered, a cure for all the ills that fleeh is
heir to, from simple earache to raging fevers
Agreeable manners and a kindly, pleasant
voice wonderfully aid the prescriptions of
medical attendants in affecting the restor-
ation to health of -their afflicted patients.
The rude doctor of the Bob Sawyer type,
who greatly offended an elderly patient by
exclaiming. "What a beastly tongue!"
when that organ, covered with a yellowish
furry coating, was protruded at his request,
had all the roughness, without possessing
the skill of the famous Abercromby, who
once wheeled away on his heel, leaving a
victimised lady, who always importuned him
• for advice, standing alone, statue-like with
her tong,rie out, in the public street. Aside
from religiense meral, intellectual, and
scholarly qualitioatiens,', the fil-.nes, ef the
clergy for their office eeeatly depeeds upon
the eEec,iveness of their preaching, and it
just in this iniportant part of their functions
hmttlm. deficiencies of many of them becom
most apparent. If they read from mann
script they often do so in a style that fails to
arrest tte attention and impress the minds
and hearts of their hearers, and if they de-
liver their discourses from memory or ex-
temporaneously, they exhibit quite as often
a manifest want of cultivate" elocutionary
powers. Natural eloquence might go far to
cover defect in manner and mode of utter-
ance, but natural eloquence, taking into ae-
caunt the vast array of ministers Of all de-
nominations, is even rarer in the pulpit than
in ;Parliament, where the least attractive
speakers are most frequently- on the'r feet.
The "well graced actor" is one who, :besides
entering thoroughly into the spirit of the
dramatist in the characters drawn, gives due
effect to the sentiments he has to express by
appropr;ate gestures and modulation of voice
and inieistere ointlit surely, in like manner,
to tike some pains before entering upon
their prifession to a quiet proficiency in the
art or. public speakiiv_r, which they can
readily de withene aspirin!_; to win distinctien
as pnl!it orators. The school teachers best
frt."( For hi.'"ltireine• the duties at achiree to
their ardnoui office are those who, in addi-
tion to t h•-• re(lu;si 0 attainments, have pe:-
feet centr)l over their tempers ev..n when
these are tried to an aggravntil)g deree.
Though and the rnlei that
re4ulate the conduct of many sehoels pre-
vent outbreaks on of raze, th
form they
e part of
masee s, 'r nil taking th
flagellate violowi
usel to de in t!10
,Lacs of the tyrannical,
of pejegogues, there are still
race
too many instancs of teachers exhibitirg
chronic .shortness of temper. an.l therel.y
the repipoq a mid atTetioll f
pitons. ,T: filld tl!"y ea, -
not. k .up their heads cool under trying eir.
fir thil. ONN'n cue-
fort, to claoose 60-aie*professiou in which tieir
teuiper3 will be less severely put to tile test.

a‘, E ‘TOUS DEBILITY
Di., ArsEss
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VI F. EYES, Ud t her •,...111v
fer -• J". 7 'V!)ItIC
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t. 4 19, 131,161t1Au 611111.11...ud, a..kJIJOATS CLIPAJUr,
bpi
1/9,

_
aientioned therein.
A. short disru.4sion ensued, and it was unanimonsly
z,solved that a letter should be sent to Mr. Shep
d thankLig him for the honourable and gener.us
s% ny in which he had met the Board on that clues-

The report of the General Purposes Committee
was read. It included a report from the Medical
)fficer of Health, which stated that the number
if
oirths during the past month had been 22. The
Laths during the month had been 14. That was a
ath-rate 0r17.2, and a birth-rate of 27.03.
leath-rate for the corr,c)onding month last 3e ,r
•s 20'9.
The Gcneral Purposes Committee reported that ,
,ae tender had been received from Mr. A. Parkes
a remove the whole of the night-soil in the town-
; ip for one or two yews at a cost of X 360 pe
mourn. The committee recommended that the
, oder be accepted for one year.
The report was adopted, and Mr. Parkes's tender
:ecepted for one year,
It was resolved, on the recommen lation of the
Li:proven-tent Coattnit.e?, that Mr. Mills, the solidi•
,r to the Board, should be instruc e I to prepare the
essAq contracts :m(1 documents in reference
f.
he internal drainage of the town, and the borr.,wing
tne sum of A;5.1.2S from the Puilic Works Loan
'ommissioaers, which sum they ha I agreed to

It was resolved that the &Bowing rates should be
igned: An iinproveinPnt rate of Is 10,1 in ill,
,ound, a highway ratejof 4 tin the pounil, an i Lai
h in sanitary rate of Is 41 in the pouul,

----- -
We are requested to it ee that the Medical Bat.
sery Company, Liinited, of weich Mr. C. B. Harness
Managinz Dire-tor, has opened the extensive
'remises, 52, Oxford Street, Loudon, W. (corner o
tathbone Place), and that the business hitherto
r•ied on under Mr. Harness' directi, n, and known
• The Pail Mall Electric Association, 21, Holborn
;iaduct, and the Medical Battery Company, 203,
:egent Street, &re amalgamated, and will in future
e conducted by the new Company at 52, Oxtord
street, London, W. Mi, Harness has been o long
and prominently before the public in connection
.vith electrical and other scientific enterprises, that
see have no doubt the Medical Comp .ny, Limited,
▪ under his direction, maintain that foremo,t
pssition in thcse matters that has distinguished its
p •ed. cessors.
INDEPENDENT ORDER. OF GOD TEMPLMIS.—
VORCE-TERSIIIRE DISTRICT LODGE.—Th? 48th
essi ,n of this Lodge was held in the Congrega-
onal School room, Acock's Green, Birmingham,
Moeday, May 18th, 1885. The Lodge was opened
ii a in. in the Degree of Charity by Bro. P
.C.ll, The other otfic-rs present were the NV. D.
• .'oun. Bro. Bingham, D.S J.T. Bro. Broster, W.D.
• Sis Russell, W.D.Tr. Bro. Totnlin•on, W.D.
h. Bro. Spurgeon, W.D.M Bro. Smith, W. I).A.
• Bro. Saunders, P.D.C.T. Bro. Derringtou.
tie W.D. Sec. Bro. Chamberlain was present at the
Viernoon Session.—The usual ohfice7s reports were
read, commented upon, and adopted —The report
the G.L Reps. was read and adoptel---1 he three
• tirin:-.! Execulive officers, Sts Dudley, P.D Cunu,
,d nice, P,D.V T. and Bro. Melvin P.8.J.r., wet e
esented with an illum.nated address each, w'.ieh
sore suitably responded to. The following re:olu-
:ons were passed unanimously:—"o.t this D.L.
Worcestershire 1.0 G.T., representing more than
,000 members, believing there has beet a grevious
dscartiage of justice in the conviction of He•iry
Villiaros at the Winchester Assizes, In November,
84;i and having regard to the eyident ani.nus and
•.nfairness on the part 01 the judge who presided at
'Le trial, urges that an impartial enquiry should be
eide Leto the whole circumstances of the case, with
view to the securing of he liberation of Williams,
• id the restoration of his psnsion "—Also : -ThAt.
is D.L. regards with great satisfaction the prc-
.)osal of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to raise
he increased revenue required by the Government
.y an additional tax upon spirits and beer; articles
vhieh are now regarded as inimical to the best
ii-
sta of the nation; and trusts that fl) oppositi.in
-if red by the publicans will move the Government
o change its course."—A. resolution: "[hat
t ii-
assist Warwick D L. in making the forthcom•
g G.L. special session, lobe hell in Birmingham,
success," was carried. 5.30 p.m. brought to a
lose a most enjoyable session,
FATAL INJURIES TO A kVOItIS.MiST.—David Whit •
•righam (27), a workman at Messrs. Isaac Nash
•rid Son's factory, Met with a serious acc dent on
Thursday week night, and it as since resulted in his
ath. He was at work at a steam hammer about
845 on the above night, when he in some way re-
zeived a vi,dent blow in tha stomach from what is
3 lied the staff. Dr. Eager saw him afterwards,
but it was not surmised that the injury was of
I.la deadly nature which it preyed to be, and Whit-
igham was able to walk to his house in Wheeler
reet with the assistance of two companions,
Hs
id not tell his wife at first that he was hurt, btv
cou'd nothe disguised, and Mr. Hammond Smith
sprat for. The internal mischief which
eufbesn done proved ;rremediable, and the poor
',slow (tied on Sa.urday. He leaves a wife and one
DRUNK- NNt S —At the Police Ceurt 'yester lay,
's fore Mcs.•rs 11. 0. Firmstone, T. D. Thomas, and:
I. Turney, Frank Farley was fined 28 6.1 :seri
oats for 'being drunk on the 23rd inst in Cov,utry
t feet—Henry Evans was charged with being drunk
a the 24th inst. Previous convictione %Jere id
,y Superintendent Wheeler, and defendant was now
ineCt lOs and costs.—Benjamin Parkes, for being
It-mac on the 26th just. was fined Ss and 43.,5t5.
.fo'in Parkes was tined 2s 6d and costs for being
trunk on the 25th inst,—Benjanain Davent ort was
ieed 5s and c ,sts for being d'unkon the 23r.1 inst.
Bellbreughton.—Arthur Evans was charged with
bsing drunk on the 24th inst, at Bellbroughton,
t 1 defendant was fined 2i 6d end costs.— conic
evens for being drunk in Angel Street, on the 21th
nv, was fizted 10s and costs.—Williazn Ken trick
•r beins dunk on Vie 25th inst. aa.l David D .vefr y
a similar offence on the 237 d just, were each
:i zed 10 t and eosts.—William DJvey was tined 5s
lid costs for being drunk on th 25th inst, at the
Eve —Henry Smith was also fined 5.3 and co ts for
...sing drunk on tee 25 h inst at the Lye.— loseeh
:lights was charged wi, h being drunk oe 1 censed
,remises at the Lye, on tile 26th inst.—R/I,A se
COSIR, or 14 days.
Perot AvD nlbo.s.Williafl P .rkes an 1 Joseph
Weed, two lad., were cleiterel wt t layil it pith
eld toss at the Lys, on the 25 h in .r. Parkes was
ni tel 2s 6 i and costs, an I the ot tier defendant. 2s
6li clod ng cots.
B ry Whit ton, Thomas Cox, Joseph
Pars,ins, Josep z Parsons (C'adley) Witiliuin Wait,
d John Ellis were elittued with pitying at " bank.
" at Cralley, ni the 25 h inst. P C. Agg proved
t e ca-e Parsons from Cradley was fined 5s
and costs and the others 2s 6 1 and colts.
Causerie George Perks, butcher, was c'-;arstal
with ils 'citing a cal, be eansing it to be drawn
deng t e troatei, at 01.1swinf rd, on the 18th iii-t.
:1 z;te et!i Mt • linehip snit F•ho saw the defendant
•Ph a c w and calf. Tow al was tied to the cow N
Idle call was orie it • r gg;zl along the ground.
ioine men psreiatle tisfetiean to pour some water-
, into t e ill's ears and mn uth, b. can, e they said it
was in a lit. I).4w:dant tri d his u:anest to prevent
the cow eraggieg the calf, b t the cow was en.
strong —Fred. rick Powell, butcher. said he saw the
cal lying :a tt.e road en the 18th itist Lie carriee
iwo a sl:m_hter house. Ile thought the calf died
• f.• in disl ,cation ot the neck. It was customary a*
f ,u tiou•-es to 1i ...tat•,es to COWs tails, hut it kal
n.•v• r oe.n doe on the pit lie road. D..lendant
--ai I le i . tb e-tif !tt t e c.•w's tail to ke,p tnein
• o the.Mr Firinsione said they did not ztoink
defordatit lid it wantonly and they should tine hint
5s and costs,
6Tsserso CoaN Thomas flown Is an 1 John
Bro n were brought up on remand ct arged with
s'ealing a quantity of corn the prperty of theit
e neloyer, Mr. E son coal mere an , Stourbridge.
Me. ‘Vaelree appeared to prosecute. Mr. E.
Stringer, jun , manager for prosecutor, was celled
god the clepositi ,nA taken were r •ad ov. r. doh
Jo 8 ire se, • • •int in the police for e. Fray I a
er oils • i;ownJA —Tn • Beach
co s ed vizty ser,otts e•tse. Bo suds was sent
to kilsvta cur Ulicu tillhAtLe, anti Bruen GO VA
ratnitlAN,