The Express.
London, England, 1866-09-13 00:00:00

THE CHOLERA.

The following is the official return of deaths from
cholera and diarrhea' registered on Tuesday, 11th Sept.:
Cholera. Diarrhoea.

West districts
North districts 8
Central districts
East districts lO
South districts

Total in London

THE MANSION•HOUSE RELIEF COMMITTEE.

-
Yesterday at a meeting of the committee, the
Lord Mayor presiding, grants were made to the amount of
350 f. in all, via., to Poplar, 100 L; St. Michael's, Deptford,
1001.,with nine gallons of part wine ; Mile-end Old-Mirn,
100/., and a similar quantity of port ; the Rev. Dr. Camel,
for the poor Germans who have suffered from the disease,
251.; and the Alderegate Dispensary, 251. The Rev. Thomas
Healy Ball, treasurer of the Mile-end Old-town Cholera
Relief Fund, stated that the local committee there, several
of whom accompanied him to the Mansion-house, bad up
to and including Monday last relieved 57 widows whose
husbands had died of cholera, leaving them with 1531
dependent children ; 20 men whose wives died of the sanie
disease, leaving them with 71 dependent children ; 81
cases where the husbands are now ill and who have wives
and 235 children dependent ; 8 cases where both husband
and wife are ill, and who have 14 dependent children ; 33
ainglewomen and 8 single men. The local committee have also
relieved 37 cases where children only are either ill or
I dead, and 4 where both parents are dead, leaving 13
children. In the hamlet of Mile-end Old-town there are
144 orphans under 12 years of age, children of
144 widows whose husbands bad died of cholera.
The local authorities sincerely thanked the Lord Mayor
I and the Mansion-house Belief Committee for the liberal
assistance they had rendered them at three different times.
The poor people especially, they said, were grateful to the
Lord Mayor and the committee for the relief afforded
I them in their time of sorrow and, distress; and they had
' pleasure in saying that the epidemic having almost disap-
peared from the hamlet, they hoped in a short time to
. bring their labours to a close. It was stated in the com-
mittee by local authorities that in Poplar and Stratford
the disease had virtually disappeared, leaving, however,
great distress. In Deptford, on the other hand, it is on
the increase. There were two deaths in one house in the
district of St. Nicholas, Deptford, yesterday morning, and
two persons were on the point of death. The drainage there
was represented to the committee to be bad. Landlords, it
was said, did little or nothing to improve it, and the
nlghtsoil was removed in the old-fashioned style, in
waggons during night. In some parts of Deptford the
poor rate is as much as 6e. in the pound. Mr. Blott,
chairman of the Bow and Bromley Health Committee of
the Poplar District Board of Works, attended before the
committee a second time, in reference to • statement
made by a cholera relief committee from Bromley-by-Bow
to the Mansion-house Committee, on Monday week, as to
the dreadful state of the drainage there, especially in
reference to • remark by one member of that local'com-
mittee, to the effect that in some parts of the district
night soil was used in making new roads, and even in
some way for building purpoies. He said, acting upon a
suggestion made by Sir Mordaunt Wells, the board had
called upon the person alleged to have made that Mate-
went either to substantiate or retract it, and be
rend • letter received in reply, in which the
writer stated in effect that the words quoted
with regard to night soil were not used by any
of the deputation before the Mansion-house Committee.
The Lord Mayor said he himself heard, and other members
of the committee must have heard, a member of the depu-
tation from Bromley-by-Bow use the very words attributed
to him in the printed report. That member now deuied
in his letter that the words in question had been used, and
sought to shift the responsibility attaching to their use to
the gentleman who reported their proceedings, which was
not fair. All he (the Lard Mayor) had to say was, that
those were words used by a member of the deputation in the
hearing of the committee, and that they were all very much
astonished at the statement. Sir Mordaunt Wells said
the letter read by Mr. Blott was very unsatisfactory. The
writer did not boldly say for himself that he did not
use the words, but that " they were not used
by any of the gentlemen then present." That
was not at all satisfactory. The statement about
the night soil was • very remarkable one, and ap-
peared so materially to concern the public health at a time
when the district was visited by cholera,thatlethoughtthe
gentleman who reported their proceedings exercised swiss
discretion in giving publicity to it. It was a very unsatis-
factory letter. Mr. Mott said he and the body whom be
represented fully believed that the statementinqueetion, or
one to the same effect, was made before the Mansion-house
Committee. Sir M. Wells observed it was now clear to
his mind that the statement of the member of the deputa-
tion to whom reference bad been made unfairly reflected
on the District Board of Works. The committee then ad-
journed.

Yesterday morning the Bishop of London
visited the temporary cholera hospital in Commer-
cial-street, Spitalfields, which is under the charge and
superintendence of Miss Setlon and several of "the
Devonport Sisters." His lordship was at first engaged
with Mies Sellon, Dr. Sutton, the rev. the chaplain,
Mr. R. li. Palmer, and other gentlemen, inquiring into
the various cases brought into the hospital within the
last few days, and into the general working of this
institution. The bishop then visited the three tiers of
wards, and offered up prayers in each. Nothing can ex-
ceed the order and method exhibited in the working of
this establishment, which is roomy and thoroughly well
ventilated. There seems plenty of nurses, and it is evi-
dent that the poor sufferers receive the most constant
attention, and have all that can be done for them. The
Bishop afterwards drove to the London Hospital, and yen
through the cholera wards, accompanied by the Rev. Thomas
Scott, the chaplain of the hospital, and by his private
secretary, Mr. HANNAN. His lordship addressed a few kind
words to several of the patients, and prayed with those in
the latter ward. Before leaving the building the Bishop
bad an interview with Miss }birth, who was there
arrangements for the convalescents. The Bishop thin:ski:A
for the rectory, Whitechapel. The cholera is decidedly on
the diereses, but a few of the eases brought into the tem-
shalom isompital. Cmemasroial-stnast, within the last
re:eard7sys have been—wees to sag—of the worst type,
and many have proved fatal.

Yesterday afternoon a very crowded conference
inestiegsne held at the rooms of the Metropolitan Sanitarr
"to consider the subject of the ponent
epidemid dolma gn Ms Medical, sanitary, and social
&Knott% The Pith* Iblourecellf presided ; anlndnintot
them present were Lord Mr. Chadwick, Dr. Logan,
Army Medical Department, . Aldis, Mr. Godwin, and
metr
of I
dyyp
Tl47thationsTlifessivlumathrlit they bd:oilubsiusiness' inehoiers°2l:thug°6l"rsipnubttariesesi°:tootase heh.bautdltteotcgatbultibasidionloarti&:
dletain them with sly lingthened introductory observe-
of disenseion 'was what they should do it room,ololol. erne
illaZilnot found them altogether un
had been alive, zeal bad been e ibrad, anirTon74
authorities had been aroused. There was now lull in
the epidemic, but it would be very Leprous-
ti conclude, at the beginning of Semberie
that all the nger was over. (Hear, been) IVhet they,
should now consider was the beet means of improving
the water supply, and of procuring such o.her 1111111.r7
arrangements as abode give us the best hope of econt'ty
against future outbeaks. Perhaps the met impaileat
question aest to the water supply was the statetAis of
dwellings of the pent • Me.-limitbegiumnp tody, M
lir. Weteelow, and
others,ed
made good a 4
in the Weeliand the Menne of WestmimitedelressieZ
the erection of a block of buildings cap.ble of soccainto-
dating
_BOO families. (Hear,. hoar.) But such essences,
eredifable se they Were, were bey so many drop° In the
ocean. What they 'reeled was some general end 001111«
preitensive scheme of improvement. Having read a letter
of apology from the Bishop of Winchester, the right rev.
prelate concluded by calling on Dr. Drewitt to move the
first resolution.
Dr. Daman said that the public bad come forward
most liberally with their subscriptions for the cholas rid-
forms, hut the effect of their liberality would be but nen-
sitory unless some steps were taken to secure permanent
advantage. 'The medical officers of the metropolis, whom
he repremeted, recommended the formation of viellanos
committees in every district, to seelthat the provinons of
the Public Health Act were strictly carried out ; but the
first and most immediate necessity was an abundant
*apply of pen water, sad for the purpose of meeting it,
he proposed that out of the money that had been gab-
scribed standpipes should be erected throughout
the east end of London, so that the poor
should at all times have moms to the Peek
accessory to health and cleanliness. Next to this they
should have numerous baths and washhouses ; and thitdlY;
a greet desidereaum•would be a supply of puts milk. At
premint, any mother who wished to get rid of her infants
without offending the law had only to feed them with such
milk es was ordinarily sold in London. (Hear, bear.) Me
believed that half the infant mortality of ths metropolis
arose from the sort of milk with which the children were
nourished, or supposed to be nourished. It would, there-
fore, be a great point gained if the could only secure •
supply of pure milk for the poor. Dr. Drewitt concluded.
by moving a resolution recommending the erection of
stand-pipes, and the adoption of some means for securing a
supply of punt milk for the poor.
Dr. Lintiati.., in seconding the resolution, said that
considerable inuevements had been effected since the last
visitation of c6oirea, especially in the water supply of
southern London. The late act was a good act, but he re-
gretted that any of its clauses should be permissive. How-
ever, it would put the vestries on their trial, end if they
failed the law could be amended. What, in his opinion,
was moat wanted, was a good building act, conroelling
Douse proprieton to submit their plans to a government
surveyor previous to the erection of their houses. At pre-
sent the houses erected for vast numbers of the 'people
were wholly unfit for human habitation. (Hear, hear.) He
approved highly of the stand- of which the Jews, to
their credit, Lad erected upwards pipes,
of 30 about Whitailtwasl,
and thus enabled all the inhabitants of the nergl•beunrng
courts to obtain an abuadart supply of water. (H
In many please butts and -Marone had been entirely
done away with. There should be stringent building laws,
and also powers given to raze such old buildings as
were nothing but fever and cholera nests. (Hear, hear.)
The only effectual insane of doing this would the levy-
ing of a general rate for the purpose over the mars me
tro_polis.
Dr. ALMS (physician at St. George's Hospital) said
they had a good supply of water in Belgravia, but cho-
lera came thither from other district'. He had bean
celled in toe man who weal suddenly seized in Pimlico,
and heassertained that Sits man cams from 4102 of the
vessels that plied on the river, called " billyhop." His
(Dr. Aids) viaited the vessel, and found the forecastle,
where the man had caught his illness, a stifling hole, and
admirably adapted for a cholera nest. He believed that
much of the liking of the poor for stimulants arose from
the idepreming atmospheres in which they passed the
most of their time. Hs recommended a vigilant
supervision of the billyboys and similar craft the: came
up the Thames.
Dr. O'llaren wished to make some observations respect-
ing the theory of water contamination, but was culled to
order by the Chairman, and
Dr. Helmet!. dwelt forcibly on the state of the dwell-
ings of the poor and the impossibility of seeding either
health, cleanliness, or morality in such dens. 14 ben be
came first to London it contained 900,000 inhabitants ;
there were sow beyond three millions, and therefore the
time bad come for melee bow they were to be lodged.
The question was cite of incasing necessity, for the poor
were becoming more discontented and more apt to mike
amparktons between their condition end that of the rich
every day. This discontent would become mode is
national point of view, for the distance between the
various classes of society was widening every day. What
they wanted were 'prod, plain, workable laws and a diem.
sition in the parties concerned honestly to work them.
He had been positively ashamed of the tone in which the
Labourers' Dwellings Bill was discussed in the lest session
of parliament.
Mr. Gonwin asked Dr. Drewitt to withdraw his react
lotion. What was wanted was not such temporary expe.;
Monts as he proposed. but a royal commandos to seems*
thoroughly into the sanitary condition of the metropolis.
(Hem, hear.) It was useless to appeal to private seer-ion
when they knew bow hostile local bodies both in town
and country were to anything likely to swell the rates.
He held in his hand the letter of a candidate for municipal
honours in Idle, near Leeds, in which he pledged himself if
elected to oppose all schemes for levying rates for water
purposes ; also any system of public aewenge, or any
attempt at revisit; or lighting the town, as being calculated
to increase the burtbens of the ratepayers. (Piero, beer.)
Sir M. Wiwi advocated ctringeot measures for improv-
lag the dwellings of the poor.
De. FARES thought Dr. Drewitt's resolution a practical
one, and recommended him no; to withdraw it. Ito being
carried need in no way interfere with the appointment of
a royal commission.
Dr. DIMWIT? withdrew his resolution, and
Mr. SHAW moved ace, recommending the appointment
of a royal commission to inquire into the sanitary °au-
dition of the eastern portion of the metropolis, including
Southwark. His wish would hove been to include the
whole metropolis, but he feared had be so extended his
motion it would have been exposed to hostility elsewhere.
He believed that a mill commotion could inquire into
all the questions connected with the health el the metro-

The Rev. Mr. MCGILL approved of the royal commission,
but believed that tbe main secority of the poor was an im-
provement in their food, (Hear, hear.) Had food and
intemperate habits caused far more than half the cholera
cunalties. Matters would never be efficiently arranged
until they lad a ;lateral rate for the whole of the metro.

After mime further conversation, the resolution was
carried with a rider, moved by Mr. Boott, appoint-
ing • deputation to wait on the Home Becrete7,
to request the immediate nomination of the 1101111111/1.
■ion. The deputation, including the Bishop of Lonilm.,
Mr. Godwin, and the leading sanitary reformers, both lay
and clerical, wan them nominated, with power to add to
their number.
The proceedings terminated with a vote of thanks
(moved by Mr. Chadwick) to the Bishop of London.

THE CATTLE PLAGUE IN NOILPOLIE . —Although
the rinderpest bas foi some time past been nearly id an
end in Norfolk, it but this week broken out in a district
hitherto free from the disease. At a special meeting el
the local committee for the Guilicrow and Shropham divi-
sion on Monday, Viscount Bury in the chair, an area com-
prising a radius of half • mile from a bullock idled of Mr.
Isaac Meek, at Bridglaam, was declared an infected place.
A bullock, one of • bawl of six, died on Saturday ; it had
been unwell for mune days previously, but Mr.;W, vete-
rinary surgeon, et Thetford, and local inspector, was
not mint for until it died. Upon examining the
Mr. West came to the conclusion that the animal had
from rinderpeat. He examined the other five bunimbe •
and found that one of them was infected with the dismal'.
The committee directed them to be slaughtered.
THE FATAL COLLISION ON THE THANES. —Yes-
terday Mr. Richards, deputy eoroner for Middlesex, •
resumed the inquiry at the Town of Ramage& Tavern,
Wapping, into the circumstances attending the deaths
of George Roe and John Robert Carr, who were
drowned in the Thames. off London Wharf, between
London-bridge and the Tunnel Pier, on the 3rd bietint,
in consequence of the boat they were rowing limb/
been ova down by the Woolwich Steam-pa- bet
yeammger steam mord Doris. The jury retiused°6:6ll:2•l
of " Accidental death."
CZYSTAL PALSOS. Otrz SKILL' is DILT.
WEDNESDAY, Barr. 11.—Admistioas on r, Toast, 4291
ditto l mesa tioltots„ 1,205. Total Tilton. 4,496.

Jand G. SAMPSON, Tailors and Outfitters,
. 1 sad 5, Pliness-strsot, Liktilitir4qUale. W.. kap as
401101010118 Stook of BOY'S CLOTHING reedy made.
Boy's Natekerbockar SuKa
Nton and Dress Sults lda to 400.
Minima Overcoats llia to Ms.
Suitable for all Grass

G 0 AND SEE THE SHOW
et Is& Ed TBOUSAIit in the shop window, and Wed
therefrom, at J. and 0. BAllMON'lli_Tallore and Outfitter;
1 and 2, MIMS Street, bittaalr.QUlres

ONE of the institutions of London is EVANS'S.
Suppers and a charming MUSICAL ENTERTAINMINT
ZVZJillt ZVLNINO. After the theatres and Mellon.' concerts
he we to sup there

eke erpreoo.

TO 00112.115PONDYNTS.
Awrerthiements inded for " The Exca=uvendoc
must be it the Otllce, by Two
lePfZe on the day et publication.

PRINCIOWL

UM ISMS*. THI HetairSOT CAPTAIN. Mama Thing,
sod G. Mossy: lases Neils" Augusta Theasscsa. sad Mrs.
Illtilkss.--Asud QUI LODGINGS.

BRITANNIA.

Tins wawnta. j OR, Tax GIPSY
NM HER AND- ERR SAILOR SON. —RT. W. G. Ross: The
Marvellous Martinettos Master R. Sanders. And TIM
DRUNLARITS CRIIDRRN.

PION WATER AT LONDON INLIDGi.
TO DAT —Morning, 4b. 2444 Aftersoob. 4h tea.
TO-NotioN—Koming. 4L &Ha AtterbooL lib. 7.lra.

LONDON, THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER IS.

Reczirr letters from Italy have indicated an
extreme susceptibility and irritation of the public
mind and temper, and a sort of sullen dissatislao-
ton at the manner in which the great achieve-
ments of the German war are turning to the ad-

vantage of the allies of Prussia beyond the Alps.
This is partly owing, perhaps, to the shortness of
the campaign, which has left so much warlike
energy unexpended, and so much romantic enthu-
siasm to burn itself out. When, after years of
_ .

sickening hope and bitter expectation, a whole
nation is hastily summoned to the battle-
field, the Government becomes responsible for a
commotion which it is equally dangerous to baulk
and difficult to appease. Italy has won the Vene-
tian Quadrilateral, after a single unsuccessful
battle, and within a few short weeks is entering
into tranquil possession of forts and arsenals on
which an inveterate enemy had lavished all the
resources of the military art and millions of bor-
rowed capital. Not only is Venice set free
without firing a shot, and with Venice the con-
stellation of slater cities that have shared
her subjection, but the mountain frontier,
it is reported, is to be marked off so as to leave
to Italy the keys of her house, and to shut out the
last excuse for animosity between neighbours
whose friendship should be an equal benefit to
both. And yet, though Austria is said to be con-
ducting her part in the negotiations for peace in a
spirit of courteous goodwill and cordiality, and
Prussia is expressing the hope that an all;ance
already so fortunate may endure, and the Emperor
NAPOLEON is solicitous of the privilege of undoing
his uncle's transaction of Campo Formic), and
of effacing that stain upon French honour, Italy
is dissatisfied, irritated, wounded, and accepts the
largessee of fortune with a frowning and averted
face.

Some dispassionate critics will say that this
fretful impatience is scarcely worthy of an rdult
people, and that it betrays a want of self-respect
and of self-reliance. Others will sympathise with
the susceptibilities of a nation perpetually recalled
io a sense of its obligations by an overpowering
patron who, like the majority of his fel'ow-
creatures of lower degree, is in the habit of con-
sulting his own interests a little, while he is
gratifying the spontaneous feelings of his heart.
Unless that learned spirit in human dealings,
that shrewd and subtle sense of exigencies and
opportunities, which once made Italians the
masters of diplomacy, has deserted the race, we
have little doubt that they will soon again
learn to take favours as they come, without
putting too fine a point upon the perfect disin-
terestedness of a benefactor. Already, indeed,
we perceive a disposition to swallow formulas
and to look straight at facts. The Emperor of
the FLarteat may be a patronizing, and even an
exacting friend, and his representatives may occa-
sionally be more imperious than their master
in their unguarded talk ; but still, on the whole,
NAPOLEON is recognised by calmly judging mer,
as among all the possible rulers of France, the
best, perhaps the only, friend to Italy ; and if
in serving Italy he cannot quite afford to forget his
own house and people, this is after all more a
question of form than of substance, and it cannot
be to the advantage of Italy in her present situa-
tion t alienate the policy of the EMPEROR, or to
increase its difficulties. The true interzst of
Italian statesmen is rather to meet the EMPEROR

half way, to make it easy for him to accommodate
his own advantage as the ruler of France to the
advantage of Italy, by aiding him to fulfil his pro-
mise of liberation " from the Alps to the Adriatic,"
and to place the Roman question beyond the
reach of controversy or conspiracy.
But we believe it would be an error to attri-
bute the present vexation of public spirit in Italy
solely or principally to external causes. The
truth is, the course and conduct of the last
campaign has betrayed the most serious vices
and infirmities throughout every department of
the national administration. In that supreme
emergency which, in common with the w:iole
country, it had longed for, and for which it
had strained the national credit, and mortgaged
the property, and taxed the industry and the
income, and even the common food of the people
year after year, the Government was found wanting.
In all the departments of the State was discovered
an utter want of preparation for the great ordeal
which had been so anxiously anticipated ; neither
order, nor organization, nor method, nor consis-
tency, nor 'unity of direction ; aniontward show of '
resources actually unavailable, and no intelligent
adaptation of means to ends. Add to these
deficiencies and disorders, favouritism and intrigue
in high places, ignorance and incapacity in the
public offices, discord and division, jealousy and
distrust among the chiefs entrusted with com-
mands, and the splendid folly of Customs and the
heroic sacrifice of Lissa are too easily accounted
for.

In the army and navy, especially in the navy,
the moral disorganization which the war has left
behind is even more serious than the material de-
fects. A sweeping disarmament will perhaps
enable some powerful administrator who has
yet to appear to recast and reorganize both
services from top to bottom, to lop off luxuriant
abuses, to stop waste, to enoourage merit and
ability, to purge away privileged inefficiency and
favoured incompetence. Every consideration of
expediency justifies and commands a severe re-
trenchment, and nothing more is required than a
vigilant and discerning economy, a rigorous probity,
and preyed aptitude in the heads of the administra-
tion, teinake the most severe retrenchment perfectly
coritpaiiiiiii with all the advantages of an improved
morale,. a sounder discipline, a higher instruction,

a stricter subordination—all the qualitiss, in fact,
which are independent of expenditure, and indis-

pensable to success when the hour of trial comes.
These qualities have nothing to do with the
amount of total effective force ; the smallest army
or navy in Europe may be a model to the largest.
The Italian army may be satisfied to equal in
character and efficiency the Sardinian contingent
of the Crimean war, and the Power that occu-
pies both Venice and Genoa may be content to
take a lesson from an Empire as insignificant as
regards Europe as Brazil, which at this moment
possesses at a tithe of the cost of any European
navy, a force of light and handy ships unsurpassed
in fighting qualities by any navy in the world.
Heaven knows we do not preach to our Italian
friends in any Pharisaic spirit on the defects of their
naval administration I We should rather congratu-
late them on having found out so early in their
new career what is rotten in the State, and on
having the courage and the freedom to avow and
expose it without respect of persons and without
any false tenderness for the national prestige.
Manifold as are their difficulties at the present
time, we have unabated confidence in the destiny
of a people who are not disposed to shrink from
that greatest and noblest of difficulties in the art of
government and administration—public liberty,
and whose political instinct seems to furnish the
State in the roughest times with a certain self-
righting power of buoyancy and stability. Cavora's
loss to the executive and the diplomacy of his

country was indeed irreparable, but in laying
down liberty as the law of the national life he
confessed his faith in the future of Italy ; and that
faith is ours.

AMONG the signs of the times is the asso-
ciation formed by the parochial medical officers
of London, and the report of their council, an
abstract of which was recently published in these
columns. Shortly after Mr. Villiers had publicly
thanked the Workhouse Infirmary Association for
their services, a series of searching questions was
sent round to the medical officer of each metropoli-

tan union, with a request that they should be an-
swered in writing, and upon the recipients' per-
. .

sonal experience only. The circular containing
these questions was issued from the " Poor-law
Board" indue official form, but without, it waa said,
having been submitted either to the President or
the metropolitan inspector. The seventeen queries,
too, were framed in such a way that any theoretical
differences of opinion on the vexed subjects of
ventilation and nursing might have easily been
exaggerated into practical diversity, and the
varying answers of parochial medical offi-
cers been quoted to show the impossibility
of effecting any such thorough rem m
as had been pronounced necessary. " Judging by
your own experience andobaervation only" seemed
farcical when problems in ventilation were put
which had been repeatedly solved and published
by the leading authorities of the day ; and some
persons went so far as to condemn the questions as
a trap set by the people who resented Mr. Villiers'
admissions, and laughed at all suggestions for im-
provement as impracticable.
Whether this assumption was correct or not, the
medical officers whose opinions were asked are to be
congratulated upon their discretion; for they met
together and discussed the queries point by point
before sending in statements by which they were
content to stand or fall. On the 23rd of May last
they assembled for the first time collectively, and
carried this resolution with one dissentient :—"That
1,000 cubic feet of air and 80 feet of floor apace
should be the minimum recommended to the Poor-
law Board for each sick inmate of an infirmary
ward." Their second resolution ran thus : " That
the system of pauper nursing is to be wholly con-
demned, and that paid nurses ought to be ap-
pointed, in the proportion of one day nurse, one
night nurse, and one helper to each fifty patients."
The official circular was accordingly filled up by a
large majority of metropolitan medical officers in
the spirit of these resolutions', and sent in to the
Poor-law Board. The confusion thus avoided, and
the unanimity secured, were highly satisfactory
to those working for reform, and it was
determined to found an Association which
should enable parochial medical officers to confer
on matters connected with parish discipline, and
to act together for the common good. Hence, the
Association of Metropolitan Parochial Medical
Officers, the council of which has just taken Dr.
Edward Smith smartly to task for his inspection
of and report on the London workhouses. It is
a curious fact that Dr. Smith was appointed a
poor-law inspector about a couple of years ago, and
was subsequently made " medical adviser to the
Poor-law Board," presumably as a concession to
the just complaints against hospital inspection
being thrust upon gentlemen who had no hospital
knowledge ; and that the tenor of his brief official
career has called forth more animadversions from
the profession than have been visited
upon any lay inspector. It is not long
since a member of the York board of guardians
complained in the newspapers that Dr. Smith re-

fused his sanction to the moderate increase of
salary the local board wished to give their medical
officer ; and other occasions have not been wanting
when his conduct has been severely criticised by his
brother doctors. It is the bane of the Poor-law
Board that its permanent officials are divided into
two parties ; and it was freely stated within a few
days of Dr. Smith's first inspection in London,
that he had allied himself with the obstructive..
Many of the parochial medical officers prognosti-
cated what would be the character of his report
long before it saw light ; and when, in addition to
disputing established facta, he was found to censure
conduct he had not had an opportunity of testing,
they promptly deputed the council of their Asso-
ciation to criticise their critic. The result is not
merely the conclusive report already quoted, but a
proof that our London parish doctors are fully cog-
nisant of existing evils, and eager to adopt a
remedy ; and that they condemn guardians and
workhouse infirmaries as thoroughly as any of the
independent censors whose revelations have so
shocked the community.

A deputation from the National Reform League
waited on Mr. Gladstone yesterday, at his residence in
Carlton•house•terrace, for the purpose of ascertaining
whether he would not lend the aid of his presence to the
great meeting on the 24th instant, in furtherance of the
popular movement. The deputation included Mr. Bagley,
Mr. Cheetham, M.P., Mr. Whitworth, M.P., Sir
Elkanah Armitage, and other gentlemen. The interview
lasted for some time, and the question was discussed with
the moat friendly frankness, and at the same time in a
thoroughly practical spirit. Ultimately, it is stated, the
deputation came away fully satisfied with the ground. on
vrhioh Mr. Gladstone felt it incumbent on him to decline
the invitation to take a direct part in the movement.

The committee charged with the management of
the intended banquet to Mr. Bright in Dublin mean to in-
vite, as representatives of the " English Liberals," Messrs.
Fawoett, Potter, Osborne, and Tomns, whose "sym.
path's, with Ireland," according to the Dublin Freeman's
Journal, "am deep and sincere," and who will have in
their hands "the forming and the moulding of opinion in
the present and in the reformed House of Commons."

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(TS® DAY.)