The Sun.
London, England, 1868-07-24 00:00:00

WESTMINSTER OPHTHALMIC HOSPITAL.

At the annual meeting of the governors and
friends of this hospital, which was held yesterday at
the institution, King William-street, Charing-cross,
the Marquis of Westminster, K.G., presiding, the
reports of the medical staff, of the managing com-
mittee, and of the treasurer were presented. From
these documents it appears that since the founda-
tion of the ;institution in the year 1816, to. the Ist
of January, 1868, 197,766 persons have availed
themselves of its benefits. Of these, 3,676 have
been operated upon for cataract and for the for-
mation of an artificial pupil ; the sight as well as
the personal appearance of 11,485 persons has been
improved by the operation for squinting. During
the whole time the practice of the hospital has been
open to medical officers of the public service, and to
students desirous of acquiring information in the
study of so important a branch of medical science
as ophthalmic diseases. The hospital contains eight
wards with complete accommodations for 33 in-
patients. During the past year 8,297 persons (new
cases) were received as patients under the care of the
medical officers. The number of operations performed
on the in-patients were 206 ; on the out-patients,
524 ; making a total of 730 principal operations.
The expense of supporting the hospital for the
year 1867 has been £2,011 16s. 0/d. ; the receipts,
£1,797 15s. 11d. ; leaving a deficit of £244 Os. lid.
to be provided for. The expenses incurred during the
past year were peculiarly heavy from causes over
which the committee could exercise no control.
One of these was the continued high prices of pro-
visions, which were greater in 1867 than in 1866.
But the heaviest items of extra expenditure were
connected with the repairs of the building, which
could no longer be neglected without serious dan-
ger ensuing, ,which would cause still greater ex-
penses hereafter. The large sum of £BOO was laid out
for this purpose alone. The grounds upon which the
committee of management ask for help arestrong,
urgent, and numerous; for the usefulness of the
institution is not confined to the metropolis, as
patients are received from al! parts of the United
Kingdom ; and it was this institution which first
setithe:example of admitting the poor on their own
application. The committee acknowledge most
thankfully the following legacies :--£lOO from
the late Mr. Lewis Powell, M.D., and £5O Con-
sols from the late Mr. Alexander Brodie. The
several reports were read and adopted. Special
thanks were passed to the Ladies' Committee for
their co-operation in carrying out and directing
the domestic affairs of the hospital. The usual
resolutions for the re-appointment of the different
committees for the ensuing year having been agreed
to, the noble marquis, as president of the hospital,
expressed his satisfaction at the-benefits which had
been conferred on numbers of the poor and afflicted
by the timely aid afforded by the hospital. and but
for which they would have been thrown upon their
respective parishes blind and unable to earn a sub•
sistence.

TOWER HAMLETS.--A public meeting was held
last night at the Barlett Tavern, Burdett-road, Mile-end,
for the purpose of promoting the election of Mr. Edmond
Beales, President of tho Reform League. Mr. W. Davis,
a vestryman, took the chair, and a resolution was passed
to the effect that Mr. Beales should be carried through the
election free of all cost.

RAILWAY ACCIDENT.—On Wednesday Mr. Hurt,
of Alderweslee, near Derby, sent a man with two horses
and a cart to Whitstandwell-bridge station. He incau-
tiously left the horses for a few minutes, and they strayed
on the railway. At this time the 10.40 express train from
Manchester was due, and the engine driver was unable to
see the horses owing to a sharp turn in the line. As soon,
however, as he caught sight of them, observing that it was
no use trying to stop the train, he put on extra steam, and
smashed right through both horses and cart, killing the
former and shattering the latter into a thousand pieces.
Singular to state, the express did not receive the slightest
injury.

HARVEST PROSPECTS IN TURKEY. —Ad vices from
Macedonia report very favourably of the coming crops. It
is estimated that the corn crop will be a third more abun-
dant than last year, yielding altogether about a million
kilcs. The silk crop als) promises excellently, and will
give, it is reckoned, about 1,300,000 okes. The olive oil
produce is calculated to yield. nearly 3,000,000 okos. Al-
together, the prospects of the season, both for the Trea-
sury and the farmers are nusually good.—Levant/Jerald.
The Royal Commi,sioners on International Coin-
age held a meeting yesterday at 6, Old Palace-yard. Pre-
sent—Viscount Halifax, Right Hon. S. Cave, M.l'., Right
Hou. C. P. Villiers, 11. P., the Governor of the Bank, the
Astronomer-Royal, the Master of the Mint, Baron L. de
Rotshschild, M.P., Mr. Hubbard, M.P., Mr. Thomson
tiaukey, M.P., Mr. J. B. Smith, M.P., and Mr. Rivers
Wilson, eceietary.