SECOND DAY.

Otago Daily Times, Issue 10597, 18 February 1896, Page 3

SECOND DAY.

[ The fourth session of the Intercolonial Medical ■ Congress was continued in the University Buildings on the 4th iost. The President (Dr Batchelor) occupied the chair at a largely-attended general meeting of the oongres* for the purpos-s of hearing the ad- j dresses of the sectional presidents. PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES. Dr O'Haea (Melbourne), president of the section of Surgery, read his presidential address, in which he dealt exhaustively with coutemporary surgery. In the course of his remarks, Dr O'Hara indicated that a most prominent feature in the treatment of disease ef late years had been the introduction of serotherapy, and the most successful results up to date had been achieved with diphtheria. It i might not be a specific in all c»*es, but it had givea the most marvellous results in the most hopeless cases, and reduced the mortality to less than one-half of that recorded before its introduction. He had taken much interest in these results, for during an epidemic of j diphtheria five years ago he perforoied the | operation of tracheotomy 52 times, and every oase succWbed. Dr .Vlqeiek. (Adelaide) proposed a vote of thanks to Dr O'Hara, who, he said, had handled his subject in a very able and interesting manner. I The vote was carried by acclamation. I Dr Haywabd (Adelaide) read the address forwarded by Dr Lendon (of Adelaide), the ! president of the section of Medicine, who had been unable to oome to the congress. The paper presented a consideration of the share t»ken by the general practitioner in the advancement of medicine, with particular reference to the introduction of vaccination in 179S J by Edward Janner, aad the demonstration iv j 1846 by Morton of the marvellous ause3thetio properties of ether. ' ! Dr J. Jackson (Melbourne) proposed a vote of thanks to Dr Lendon for the extremely interesting paper they had ju3t heard. He j thought it was a very valuable one —more par- j ticularly that portion dealing with the subject of vaccination and its connection with the immortal name of Jenner. j Tho vote was carried by acclaim. The general meeting then terminated, and the members divided into section;. SECTION OP SURGERY. Dr O'Hara, the president of the saotion, occupied the chair. Before the contributors of paper* wete called on, The Hon. Dr Grace rose, and, referring to the president's statement* concerning his experience in the treatment of diphtheria, abugrstulated Dr O'Hara on the courage of his statement that he h»d performed tracheotomy iv 52 cases of diphtheria with a fatal result in eich cane. It was an axiom iv the profession that moro was learned by the failures of great men than by glowing records of their surgical successss. Dr Grace had never seen a successful case of tracheotomy in true diphtheria, and he failed to see how the introduction of a little additional air into the chest could cure a constitutional disease. Dr Garde differed with Dr Grace in his estimate of the value of tracheotomy in diphtheria, and he was sure the experience of others would j j sanction a more sanguine view. He had per- I formed tracheotomy in 30 oases of true diph- ! theria, with success in seven or eight cases. i He was fRr from believing in the complete success of the anti-toxin treatment, and doubted > often the quality of the serum at the disposal of ! the practitioner. ■ | Another member was rising, when ! Dr O'Haha remarked that their time was pretty well arranged for, and it would be better i to tike the papers fksb, and if they choao they could discuss the address while discussing the paoers. Several member* protested that it would be quite contrary to precedent to discuss the address at all. Dr Garde explained that, having arrived late and found Dr Grace speaking, he h*d thought a discussion was properly started ; hence his remarks. He agreed that it would be irregular to discuss the addres". Dr O'Hara said he had no objection to its being discunaed. The subject was then dropped, and the reading of sectional papers was proceeded with. A paper on "A New Kind of Talipe«" was contributed by Dr W. K. Hughes, M.8., M.R.C.S., Melbourne, and Dc Purchass, of Auckland, gave particulars regarding a csso of fracture and dislocation of tae clavicle. Dr de Lautour, of Oamaru, road a paper deecvibing an efficient and simple apparatus for ths treatment of dislocation of the acromial end of the clavicle. The man who had been operated upon by Dr de Lautour in the illustrative case | described waa present, and was examined bj the medical men attending the section. SECTION OF II.KDICINB. The section of Medicine was presided over by Dr. Heyward, of Adelaide. Papers were tend as follows:—"Thermal Springs of New Zealand," by Dr T. Hope Lewis, MR.CS., Auckland; " Lcwyngietnus Stridulus," by Dr P. W. Dyrin?, M.8., Coburjr, Victoria; and " Therapeutics of Typhoid in Country Practice," by Dr H. Rabl, M.D., Murl'oa, Victoria. SECTION OF PtJB'r.IC HEALTH. The meeting of the siictiou of Public Health was held in the mathematical lecture room. Dr Spkinotborpe (Melbourne), president of the section, occupied the chair, and in opening the proceedings mentioned that he had been authorised by the Australian Health Society to bring over, in the hope of stimulating health matters in New Zealand, a opmplete set of their publications. A paper on " Rural Hygiene " by Dr Mason (Otaki) and one on "An Examination of Potable Water " by Mr A. G. Kidston Hunter led to a dincus-ion on sanitation generally. Dr Springtuobpe mentioned that the question of the CD. Act had been brought before the congress all the way from Liverpool, and that there was another communication on the same • subject from Christshurch. His own opißion wss that the section would be nnable to agree on the subject. i Dr Chapple (Wellington) read a paper on I " Alcohol from the Public Health Point of View," in which he invited the section to make a wholesale oondemn&tion of the nee of alcohol. Several members took part in a disuesion on the papsr, the general tenor of their remarks being I thae alcohol was har infill only in abuie. Dr de Lactohb (Oamaru) contributed a paper, illustrated by photographs and diagram*, on the distinction between the appearance of razors, &c, in cases of homieida and suicide, aucl on a simple method of fixing and preserving imprints of foot or finger marks. SOBSKCTION OF BlfE, EAB, AND THHOAT. Dr Jaekaon, of Melbourne, presided over this sub-seclion, and a very interesting discus-ion took place on " The Tests for Vision in Sailors and Railway Men," which was opened by the president. A committee was appointed to draw ' up a report on the subject. . SECTION OP HIDWIFEBY. Dr Worrall, of Sydney, in the absence of Dr Way, of Adelaide, presided over this section, and two admirable scientific paper* were read, one on "Puerperal Eclampsia, with special reference to Urea Excretion," by Dr W. W. R. Love, of Brisbane; and one on "A New Clamp, designed on an entirely new principle, for securing the broad ligament in Vaginal Hysterectomy," by Dr J. H. Towneend, of Cbi'istchurch. Votes of thanks were unanimously accorded to Drs Love and Townsend, Evenino Sitting. The congress resumed in general meeting at 8.30 o'clock. ANATOMY. Professor Watson (Adelaide) delivered ths presidential address in the section of "Anatomy," and was accorded a hearty vote of thanks. In a brief address he pointed out that anatomy embraced those subjects upon which the basis of all eeientiGe medicine must naturally rest.

THIRD DAY. TUBEHOTLOSIS IN MAN AND ANIMAL. All the meetings of sections were suspended on the sth, the discussion for the day consisting of a general discussion on the subject of tuberculosis in man and animal. The president ocoupied the chair, and there was a luge attendance. The discussion WM opened by Frofeisor Watson (Adelaide), whs said its aim and KQce was to wake thean)»Uc(Js to>be f»ot Hut

tuberculosis is an rafeotioaf and therefore preventable and (under favourable conditions) a curable disease. Dr SpeWsthokpe (Melbourne) dealt with the subject from the medical aspeot, and .-laid..-great: stress on the di*«nostioal value of tuberculin when used with discretion and also on it« value as a remedial agent. Dr Symb (Melbourne) opened the discussion from the surgical aspect, his main contention being th»t, so far as the surgeon was concerned, tubercalosia was an eminently curable disease, and that the oj«ration should bo performed early. Mr A. Park, M.R.C.V.S. (Wellington), Dr O'Hara (Melbourne), Dr Mufray-Aynsltfy (Christchurch), Dr Garland (Oamaru), Mr- S^ S. Cameron, M.R.C.V.S. (Dunedin), Dr Chappie (Wellington), Dr Tayior Young (Grafton, New South Wales), Dr Kenny (Melbourne), Dr Wilton Lore (Brisbane), DrLiado Ferguson (Dunedin), Dr Hudson (Nelson), Dr F. W»llace fllacfauzia (Wellington), Dr Sjmes (Christcbnrch), Dr SJulholland (Melbourne), and .Dr Martin (Wellington) ail took part in the, discnesioD, at the conclusion of which the following resolution, proposed by Dr Springfchorpe, was carried unanimously:— " That a sub-sommittee bo appointed, consisting of Dr3 Ogßton and Grace (of New Zsaland), Professor Watson and Dr Hamilton (of South Australia), Dra Knaggs and Worrall (of New South Wales), Dr Love (of Queensland), Professor Allen and Dr Syme (of Victoria), with power to add to their number, to draw up and report to congress for approval: (a) Printed slips of advice, "suitable for general use by meclics.l men in dealing with casss of phthiaia. (6) 'Resolutions to be brought under tb.6 notice of the Goveinmnnts of the diffarcnt colonies, having as their object tho geutral preventive measures deemed uecstsary for the prevention of the spread of tubercular disease."