The condition of Indian barrack-latrines is, of course, thoroughly bad at almost every station; for where abroad has this subject attracted any attention in respect of the accommodation for the private soldier? In many parts the state of these places has been quite scandalous; nor can any one doubt that their extreme offensiveness has often been mischievous to the health of the troops. The atmosphere all round is continually polluted with the foulest effluvia, so that the very approach to the latrine causes nausea and disgust; and this, too, in a climate where every such nuisance is aggravated tenfold by tropic heat. It is difficult to exaggerate the magnitude of the abomination, or the crying necessity for the prevention in future of such an evil. The recommendations of the Commissioners on this head are in the following paragraph:

"That, wherever practicable, iron or earthenware water-latrines, supplied with water, and drained to an outlet, be introduced instead of the present system; that, where this is impracticable, all cesspits be abolished, and metal or earthenware vessels, to be removed twice a day, substituted. That improved urinals, supplied with a jet for lavatory purposes, as well as with a free supply of water for the cleansing and drainage of the urinals, be provided." (p. 168.)

As to water-latrines, they are doubtless the best arrangement, if a suitable outlet can be provided, with the fair prospect that the discharged contents do not give rise to a stinking morass near the station; but herein will be the great difficulty in very many places. Νο mention is made of trenches at a suitable distance from the barrackbuildings, and where each day's ordure might be regularly covered with mould or with charcoal, until the trench be nearly filled up, to be then replaced by another trench in like manner. This plan has been occasionally used; and, at all events, it is infinitely better than that of allowing enormous accumulations in cesspits, to be imperfectly emptied twice or thrice a year. The trenches are sometimes concreted at the bottom, and then each day's or every two days' accumulation is removed by hand labour. The pictorial illustrations in Miss Nightingale's paper give a capital idea of the "Indian Drainage System." Whatever be the plan adopted, there must be systematic and very frequent removal from the neighbourhood of dwellings, so to prevent atmospheric and telluric contamination. Nor will attention to its mere removal suffice; the ordure must be conveyed to a sufficient distance, and means be used for its prompt destruction by interment or otherwise. We have heard of barrack-privies being emptied into pits, dug close at hand; and, as the work was done at night, no one was the wiser. The use of fire for the destruction of dry rubbish and refuse of all sorts has not been sufficiently tried: it affords a ready are the low-placed inlet openings condemned that, whenever they were found in barrack-rooms and hospitals at home, they have been closed! Our own experience inclines us to the views of the Crimean Commissioners-viz., that the admission of fresh air, more especially in tropical climates, at the lower part of a chamber is, as a general principle, to be preferred. The best-ventilated hospitals have adopted this plan. This point in practical hygiene evidently requires to be well inquired into at the present time, when so many new hospitals, civil and military, are being built, both abroad and in this country.

and most effectual means of thorough purification. It was much more in vogue among the ancients than with us. In India, it seems to be generally resorted to for the consumption of the refuse of stables and cowhouses, but not of latrines; but if suitable for the one, why not for the other? We know, too, that cremation takes the place of sepulture among many of the natives; and the same thing was done in ancient Judæa with all the offal and garbage of the cities. In tropical climates, the brushwood, &c., around cantonments requires to be frequently kept down, and this can be best done by burning; the ashes too, spread on the surface, do good. An unlimited supply of charcoal might always be had; and the more freely this is mixed with all decomposing matters before removal, the better in every respect.

The arrangements for the water supply in Indian stations are universally defective, and the quality of the water must very often be bad, being derived from either open tanks, shallow wells, or from rivers—all liable to pollution. The descriptions given of the tanks by many of the witnesses must satisfy every one that the water, unless it be most carefully filtered and purified after it has been drawn, cannot but be loaded with organic matter. The universal method of distribution is by hand labour; nowhere in India does it seem that water has been laid on to buildings, either in military stations or in cities. It is drawn from the tank or well by dipping skins or other vessels, and is carried by "bheesties," or water-carriers, to the barracks, and there emptied into such receptacles as may have been provided. Although several of the statements in the part of the Report on this head will be considered by many to be chargeable with over-colouring, and to be somewhat dressed up to establish particular views, all will assent to the proposition of the Commissioners, that "an abundant supply of pure cool water for drinking purposes is an essential requisite for all barracks,” and “that every hospital should be provided with a constant supply of pure filtered water. Whatever be the source, the water should be laid on to every barrack and hospital directly by gravitation; or, if local circumstances prevent this being done, the water should be raised by mechanical power, and stored in tanks (covered), at a sufficient elevation to enable it to be distributed by gravitation." They add a most useful suggestion, in which we heartily coincide-that drinking-fountains be provided at all necessary points, both in the barracks and near the stations generally. If the water be kept thoroughly cooled at the same time, no greater boon could be conferred on the soldier; for what traveller does not know the luxury of this simple beverage under a tropical sun? Ice might be easily supplied all over India.

This remark naturally enough leads us on to briefly notice the subject of intemperance-a frightful source, alas! of sickness, death, and crime among our soldiers everywhere, and especially of course when the heat of the climate occasions continual thirst. Every one of the stational reports draws attention to this terrible evil; and who can wonder at its wide prevalence, when the allowance to each man is, as Sir Charles Napier tells us, "two drams a day, and eight of these drams make a quart bottle? So the sober soldier swallows one-fourth

can

of a bottle of raw spirits every day! You and I know them too well to doubt that the other three-fourths go down after the first." It has long been, and still is, a deep reproach to our country that this most mischievous practice is not only sanctioned but is actually instigated and encouraged by the Government for the maintenance of the " teen fund," which pays the expenses of the theatre, fives-court, and other amusements for the men, and even for the covers of the caps which they wear. In the West Indies this state of things was (is?) still more disgraceful; for there the Ordnance authorities derived, a few years ago—and perhaps still derive—a considerable revenue each year from letting, at exorbitant rents, canteens; the proprietors of which, nevertheless, made large profits by the sale chiefly of the worst spirits at the highest price to the soldiers. The subject is pointedly mentioned in the description of the barracks in Jamaica, in the official report on that island in 1853. The Commissioners most justly reprobate the existing system, and urge its immediate discontinuance. As to the best drink for the soldier, no one will doubt that the use of sound malt liquor is greatly to be preferred to ardent spirits; but the constant or unrestricted use of malt liquors is not without its disadvantages in tropical climates. We agree with Dr. Bird that light wines, or the stronger ones diluted with water, effervescing and such-like beverages, with tea, coffee, and cocoa, are the safest and best drinks. No allusion is made in the Report to the use of tobacco. Smoking in moderation is, we think, rather useful than otherwise in these climates, provided always it be not associated with tippling. Few things are more refreshing after fatigue in sultry weather than a pipe or cigar with a glass of iced water: it invigorates without excitement.

The subject of diet of the soldier is discussed at considerable length by the Commissioners; but our limits prevent us following them on this matter or on that of dress, offering but the single remark in reference to the latter, that experience is strongly in favour of woollen clothing next to the skin, and of the outer dress being loose and easy. Then, too, the recreations and amusements of the men; the great and seemingly increasing amount of venereal disease in most of the stations; the restrictions upon marriage among the soldiers; the bad accommodation hitherto provided for the married men and their families; the too-frequent neglect of the poor women and children, with the frightful consequences contingent upon this neglect, as at Dum-Dum in 1858, the sanitary condition of the native lines, bazaars, and cities where so much of the disease among the European troops is bred-all merit attention if we had space. The evidence of Sir John Lawrence on the marriage of soldiers should be read by every one interested in the welfare of the army. Besides these questions, the great subject of hill stations and of sanitaria, whether on high elevations or on the sea-coast, or away from India, as at the Cape, Australia, or Tasmania (which, although not mentioned in the Report, is worthy of notice), would require an article to itself to do it justice. The general scope of the evidence, both in India and in other tropic lands, seems to be that

heights of about 2000 feet above the surrounding plains offer, on the whole, the most suitable positions for barracks in the hills. We have been surprised to find that the camping out of troops once or twice a year has been so rarely resorted to as a hygienic and sanitary precaution in stations on the plains; it has long seemed to us that it would be highly useful for the health of the troops and the wholesomeness of the barracks. The limitation of the period of service in India to ten years, and the location of at least a third of the whole force on hill stations in rotation, are excellent suggestions. It requires but the efficient carrying out of these and the other recommendations of the Report to bring about, and that speedily, an immense diminution in the sickness in our Indian army, and a reduction in the mortality by at least one-half-say from 50 to 25 or even to 20 per 1000 of the strength in the year. And while so much is being done for the one service, let not the other, equally entitled to the nation's solicitude, be overlooked., The losses by disease in the Navy on the East India station of late years have been excessive, considerably greater than they used to be, and even beyond the losses in the army. The subject clearly demands inquiry, so that the cause or causes of this unsatisfactory condition of our ships of war may be discovered, and the proper remedy applied. Moreover, our military and other establishments in the West Indies and other distant possessions stand much in need of a like searching inquiry as that directed to our empire in the East. It is only a few years ago that an entire fourth (between three and four hundred men) of a garrison there were swept off by malignant fever within two or three months. Wherever we turn, abounding evidence will be found that an enormous proportion of the sickness, wretchedness, and death in communities and peoples is due to causes patent as noonday, and easily capable of mitigation or removal. The field is a glorious one to the medical philosopher and the philanthropist; and the appearance of the great Indian Report will, we trust, serve to stimulate inquiry and exertion everywhere; for wherever the field is intelligently and earnestly cultivated, a rich reward of the truest beneficence will infallibly be reaped.

Little did we think, while writing these pages, that the distinguished man whose opinions we have several times quoted should now be on his way out to undertake the Government of India. May his life be long spared to carry out, among other social reforms, the measures necessary for improving the health, and promoting the moral and religious welfare of the soldier!

PART SECOND.

Bibliographical Record.

ART. I.-1. The Causes and Nature of the Vascular kind of Bronchocele, and of the Pulsations and Palpitations termed Anamic. By THOMAS LAYCOCK, M.D., &c. (Reprinted from the Edinburgh Medical Journal' for July, 1863.)

2. Vascular Bronchocele and Exophthalmos. By J. WARBURTON BEGBIE, M.D., &c., Edin. (Reprinted from the Edinburgh Medical Journal' for September, 1863.

THE two papers before us refer specially to the causation of the interesting disease which forms their subject. The first, to attempt to establish a relation betwixt, and to ascribe to a common cause, its three characteristic symptoms-viz., vascular and cardiac excitement, enlargement of the thyroïd gland, and protrusion of the eyeballs-was Dr. Begbie, senior. In 1849 that physician read to the Medico-Chirurgical Society of Edinburgh a paper, in which he attempted to prove that this remarkable triad of symptoms originated in an impoverished state of blood. This paper forms one of those elegantly-written and practicallyvaluable essays in the author's 'Contributions to Practical Medicine."

Since Dr. Begbie, senior, made known his theory of the anæmic origin of exophthalmic bronchocele, another view has been advanced, ascribing the disease not to a humoral origin, but to a special affection of the nervous system, termed a neurosis. (Stokes, Trousseau, Aran.)

In the first of the papers placed at the head of this notice, Dr. Laycock seeks to apply the results of modern physiological research in explanation of the various symptoms of this form of bronchocele. He believes that all the phenomena are due to a "neurosis" of the cerebro-spinal tract, or rather of several vasomotor centres in the spinal cord. For example, the exophthalmos is explained by supposing an affection of the " oculo-spinal" centre, which Budge and Waller showed to extend from the first cervical to the sixth dorsal nerve, and which, as Bernard has recently shown, sends its nerves to the eye through the first and second dorsal nerves. The bronchocele again, which is essentially a dilatation of the vessels of the thyroïd gland, Dr. Laycock believes due to a lesion, of a paralysing kind, of the trunk of the sympathetic. The cardiac palpitations are attributed to a lesion (of an irritative description ?) of the newly-discovered centre for cardiac excitation-of a tract of the spinal cord extending from the seventh cervical to the fifth dorsal nerve (Von Bezold). As a further