The Sun.
London, England, 1858-12-17 00:00:00

DE471.1-I OF DR. BRIGHT.

We regret to announce the death of Dr. Richard
Bright, the eminent physician, by which the medical
profession has lost one of its most illustrious Mem-
bers. Dr. Bright died yesterday, at half-past 12
o'clock, after a short illness. Thelamented gentle-
man received patients and was out in his carriage
on Saturday last, after which he complained of in-
disposition, and retired to his chamber, which he
was destined never to leave again alive. Richard
Bright, M.D., was the third son of Mr. Richard
Bright, of Ham-green, Somerset, and was born in
Bristol in September, 1789, so that he was in his
70th year. After the usual course of elementary
education at a private school in his native city, and
afterwards under a private tutor at Exeter, he
matriculated in the autumn of 1808 at the Univer-
sity of Edinburgh. During his first year he de-
voted his attention almost exclusively to the general
lectures delivered at the University, among which
were those of moral philosophy and political
economy, by Dugald Stewart; of natural philo-
sophy, by Playlair ; and the mathematical lectures
of Leslie, in the higher class of which he that year
successfully competed for the prize. In the fol-
lowing session he pursued studies more immediately
connected with his profession, and besides attend-
ing the course of chemistry by Dr. Hope, and the
lectures on anatomy by Dr. Monro, and on the
Institutes of Medicine, by Dr. Duncan, he availed
himself of the excellent anatomical course delivered
out of the college by Dr. John Gordon. In 1810 he
went, together with Dr. Holland, with Sir George
S. Mackenzie to Iceland. On soming to London that
year he took up his residence within the- walls of
Guy's Hospital. He remained in Guy's during two
years, and during that period, stimulated by the
inspiring energy of Sir A. Cooper, he acquired a
taste for pathological investigation. In 1812 he re-
turned to Edinburgh to further pursue his medical
studies ; and in Sept. the following year he gram-
aced, having written his thesis De Erysipelate Con-
tagio. He next proceeded to Cambridge, and entered
Peterhouse, but only remained there for two terms,
and subsequently became a pupil of Dr. Bateman
at the Dispensary, and applied himself closely to the
practical part of his profession, particularly direct-
ing himself to pathological inquiries. In 1814 he
visited Holland and the chief cities of Germany, and
arrived at Brussels about a fortnight after the battle
of Waterloo,. and found much of professional in-
terest. Dr. Bright, in Dec., 1816, was admitted a
licentiate of the Royal College of Physicians,and
was shortly after elected assistant physician to the
London Fever Hospital. In 1820 he confined his
public duties entirely to Guy's Hospitral, of which
he had been elected assistant physician, and con-
tinued to di3charge the duties of that office till
1824, when, on the retirement of Dr. Laird, he suc-
ceeded him as physician to that institution. For
some sessions he lectured alone, and afterwards
associated with him Dr. Addison. In 1832 he was
made a Fellow of the Royal College of Physicians,
and the following year was appointed Gulstonian
lecturer, and in 1836 chosen one of the four censors
—the late Drs. Paris and Chambers and Sir H.
Holland being his colleagues. The late Dr. Bright
had contributed largely to the advancement of me-
dical science by his numerous works, far too nu-
merous to be enumerated in this brief notice. His
works on dropsical affections have a universal re-
putation, and have been translated into all the
languages of Europe. He was greatly esteemed by
the members of his profession. Dr. Bright was
Physician Extraordinary to the Queen, was a
Fellow of the Royal Society and several other
scientific institutions. He was twice married—
first, to Martha, youngest daughter of the late Dr.
Babington ; and secondly, to Miss Follett, youngest
daughter of Mr. Bryan Follett, of Topsham, near
Exeter, and sister to the late Sir W. Follett.

THE POLICE AND THE MILITARY AT
WOOLWICH.

On Wednesday a deputation from the Woolwich
Local Board of Health, consisting of Mr. Morgan
(chairman), the Rev. T. Tuffield, and Messrs. Ruegg
and Jackson, waited upon the Commissioners of
Metropolitan Police, by appointment, for the pur-
pose of representing the necessity of increasing the
number of police-constables for the district, in
consequence of the numerous military riots which
have recently occurred, and also an alteration of
the existing system of non-interference with sol-
diers by the police force. The deputation were
received at Scotland-yard by Sir Richard Mayne,
Chief Commissioner, who paid great attention to
the statements made.

Mr. MORGAN observed the deputation was ap-
pointed at the meeting of the Woolwich Local
Board, as numerous outrages had recently been
committed in the town of Woolwich upon civilians
by the military, and especialiy by the militia. The
deputation did not complain of the conduct of the
R division of Metropolitan Police on duty at Wool-
wich, but the force was manifestly too small to
cope with the evil which prevailed.
Mr. RUEGG observed that some two years since
an order was issued to the police of the district not
to interfere with soldiers unless under extraordinary
circumstances. He could not say that an official
order was given, but certain it was that the police
of the district avoided interfering with the
military as much as possible. The result was that
unless a military picket was in sight when a row
took place the disorderly soldiers committed out-
rages almost with impunity. It was quite true
that the mere handful of police on duty at Wool-
wich was entirely inadequate to preserve the pub-
lic peace and to protect the civilian population. It
had been stated in the public press that the metro-
politan police force was to be considerably aug-
mented, and if this was correct he trusted that the
commissioners would consider the necessity of pro-
viding more constables for Woolwich.
After some remarks from the Rev. T. TUFFIELD,
Sir R. MAYNE observed it was a mistake that an
augmentation was about to be made in the metro-
politan police force. Certain alterations were to be
carried out, but the force was not to be augmented.
He was surprised to hear about an order for non-
interference with the military by the police, and
would make inquiries on the subject. He was not
aware that any such order had been given, and if
so it certainly ought to be abrogated. With regard
to increasing the force at Woolwich, he should be
happy to meet the views of the deputation as far as
it might be practicable consistent with the require-
ments of other metropolitan districts. He would
institute inquiries on the subject.
The deputation, after thanking Sir R. Mayne for
his attention, withdrew.