CURRENT TOPICS.

Otago Witness, Issue 2210, 9 July 1896, Page 3

CURRENT TOPICS.

A writer in the " New Review," in an article dealing with the well-known/ medical case Kitson v. Playfair, says ethics. that this painful piece of litigation has recalled general attention (1) to a well-known but well-nigh forgotten rule of Eoglisii law : that in "the ' witness box a doctor can be compelled to disclose whatever has taken place between a patient and himself in the privacy of the consulting room ; and (2) to a state of things nob hitherto suspected by the world— which is th*t, without legal or judicial pressure, a doctor may, for his own protection and for that of his wifa aud children, divulge in his discretion suoh secrets as have been confided to him, or as ho has discovered, while attending a patient. There are iv human affairs three advisers — bha lawyer, thg doctor, and the priest— to whom confidences should ba inviolable, but by a curious anomaly in English law the principle is only admitted in the case of tbe lawyer. The medical witnes&es in the case alluded to considered confidences should be a matter of discretion by medical men. The verdict of the jury against Dr Playfair sufficiently indicated their opinion of the discretion exeroised, but the public mind has been somewhat disturbed by the construction put upon their obligation by some eminent medical men. Against them is quoted the " Oath of Hippocrates," which terminates thus: — "I will keep secret whatever I sea or hear in society in connection with, or even outaido, the exercise of my profession, regarding silence as a duty in such a case. If I keep this vow may it be granted to me happiness to enjoy my life and the practice of my calling, for ever honoured among men ! If I break ib and so perjure myself, may the opposite fate be mine ! " The storm of public indignation which greeted the interpretation of Sir John Williams, Sir William Broadbent, and Be Playfair showed a general sense of disappointment, and it would nob be surprising if specific legal provision were made whereby communications to medical men are made privileged.

If it bs true that the new Shah of Persia is

going to substitute merit for an augean money in conferring dignities stable. in his empire, it is good news

for bis subjects. Bat bis firmness in such a revolution may be doubted. Nasr-ed-Din, tbe late Shah, did not cultivate such a high standard of official morality. In January of last year a number of earthquake shocks occurred. These were succeeded by intense cold, and many deaths took place from exposure. The scarcity of bread and iti high price provoked serious rioting at Tabriz in August, the whole city rising against the Governor, whom they declared to be responsible for the state of affairs. The soldiers fired on the crowds, and ccore3 were killed. The Governor, was eventually suspended by the Crown Prince, prices fell, and quiet was restored. Here we have in a single illustration the rationale of Oriental government. Bread is scarce, orops fail, earthquakes occur, and the

populace, accuitomed to hang their very existeucs upon the breath of their rulers, blame the Government immediately ; and the deputy of the Crown, whoever he may chance lo be, accepts the position, which he reckoned upon when he purchased the place. Tee who'.e revenue of the country is at the. disposal of the monarch, with the result that the Shah usually accumulates vast wealth, this beicg largely represented by precious stones. Nasr-ed-Din was supposed to be worth upwards of six millions sterling. Almost every means of raising revenue is farmed out in Persia. It has beea the happy hunting ground for years of European speculators, who have obtained " concessions " o£ all kinds from the pliable Shah. Bxron Reuter obtained a banking concestioa in 1889, and tbe bank he founded had tte exclusive right throughout the empire of working the iron, copper, lead, mercury, coal, petroleum, manganese, borax, and asbestos mines not already conceded. There are less than 200 mile 3 of carriageable roads in the empire, and these were built by concession. The customi are farmed out. Tbe right to manufacture tobacco is also farmed. la short, every privilege that is worth anything has been converted into money. The chief concern the Government has left itself with the people is the right to tax them, and if the new Shah abolishes purchase of tbe right to collect the taxes he' will make his reign memorable. A section of the German press is agitating for the appointment of a German sakoa. Governor of Apia. They ate x evidently discontented with the present state of things, which ha 3 obtained nnce 1889, when England, Germany, and the United States agreed upon what was praotioally a joint protectorate. This is another of the Pacific Islands in which New Zealand has a very deep interest. Auckland has considerable trade with the Samoan Archipelago, but not nearly bo much as it might have, nor has it as much as Sydney": But Samoa is eight days distant from Australia and only five from New Zealand, and this difference is something iv favour of Auckland. Samoa has a melancholy interest for tbe British, for it was at Vailima, near Apia, that the romantic Stevenson breathed his last, amid the sad regrets of the amiable and gentle natives Trutb.to tell, much too little is .known of Samoan affairs, but it cannot but be apparent that much internal friction obtains. The indolent Samban does not care, and he is ready to fall a victim to the flrs6 " blackbirder " that comes along, aud the action of the three Powers was necessary to save the islandera from themselves. But there will inevitably be .* squabble about his effects when the Samoan has pjtssed from the scene.

When the present Cz»r succeeded to the throne the Rothschild family caused RUSSIA and to be published an authoritative the jews, announcement in the Jewish

Chronicle that the days of Jewish persecution in Russia were numbered, and that henceforth Jews would have equal treatment with other subjeots. An incident which occurred at the coronation shows how illusory the expectation wa") that antitSe'mitic prejudice wouldbe abandoned, The official invitations embraced clergymen not only of the Orthodox Church, but of every cou-orthadox denomination within the empire, and even of Molnmmedan and other nonChristian religions aad'eecls. But with the exception of a Karoim rabbi, not a single Jewish rabbi waa invited. The course of action adopted augurs ill for the oppressed race under the new Czar. The Karaites originated about 764, and wrs founded by Anan, a descendant from an ancient and aristocratic Jewish family. Owing to the dry mechanical way into which the study of the Talmud had sunk in his days Anan became the leader of an opposition party. When, in 764, his younger brother, Cbananja, was elected Gaou instead of him, who as the elder son had a right to this dignity, and would' have been elected in the ordinary course, he broke out in open rebellion against his antagonists.

By Professor Prestwich's death the world of (science suffers a great loss, professor although the event could not prestwich. have been unexpected, seeing

that he wai 84 years of age. It wan Profes»or Prestwich who first furnished geological evidence that man was contemporaneous with the extinct mammalia. He it was also who demonstrated the feasibility of constructing a submarine tunnel between England and France. Geology is eminently a practical sciecce, and the professor's life-work was spent eolely in the direction of benefiting the nation, and through it the world. Perhaps not much practical advantage was gained by the knowledge that flint implements were associated with the remains of extinct mammals, but it was distinctly to the benefit of Londoners to learn that the atrata beneath contained water. The ciuise"o£ the Challenger has yielded much to science, bat to no scientist was it more advantageous than to Prestwicb, whose elaborate paper on " Submarine Temperatures," followed by those on " Underground Temperatures " and " Volcanic Action," contained much valuable information. Of late years the professor (he was appointed Professor of G eology at Oxford in 1874) had been inquiring into the pre-glapial drifts of the south of England, with the view of deter-

mining a base for the Quaternary series, and to ascertain the period of the genesis of the Thames. He (to quote "Men and Women of the Time "J has lately shown cause ta believe that Western Europe was submerged at the close of the Quaternary poriod, and suggests that this might have given rise to the tradition of the Flood. ' The recognition of Professor Prestwich's great ability and research was world-wide, and he was elected President of the Congre? Ge*alog : que International, which eat io London in 1888.

It seems that the Delegates of the Clarendon Press are getting restive under A lexico- the burden of publishing the graphical great English Dictionary. In monument. 1857 Dean Trench pointed onfe in two papers before the Philological Sooiety the serious deficiencies in English dictionaries. The ideal dictionary, he said, Bhould be a complete inventory and a complete history of our language, tracing accurately the source, the varioui changes or modifications in form and meaning, the deoadenoe, the obsolescence not merely of every word which has at any time been in vogue, but of every word whiob. has left testimony of its existence. The society immediately appointed a committee, and a few days after 76 voluntary readers with 120 authors under survey were at work. Mr Herbert Coleridge was appointed general editor, and on his death Dr Furnivall assumed the duty. The present editor is Df T. A. H. Murray. In 1879 the Delegates of the Clarendon Press undertook to defray the expense' of publishing 'the work. Dr Murray gathered round him a large staff of paid and unpaid assistants, 1300 readers, and 30 sub-editors. Each volume contains five parts, published regularly at intervals in each year. The first volume contains A" and B ; the second is devoted to C, that letter being tha initial of the largest percentage of words in the language. Of the -third volume, dealing with D and E, four of the five parts have be«n published, and Ihe fifth is said to be ready; The fourth volume, dealing with F and G, will ba published this year. The dictionary is very thorough. Every word is treated to the minutest ramification of its meaning. First its various forms are given, then its ety mology, then the history of its development. The illustrative quotations— millions in number— give the name of the authors and the name, date, and edition of the book, broadahest, or pamphlet quoted. Tbe artioles on technical" terms and phrases are contributed by specialists.' Colloquialisms, vulgarisms, and "argot" in all their endless varieties and manifestations have equal attention devoted to them. Such a work would be monumental, and should be » mattar of national concern, and its publication a matter of iptergst to the English-speaking world. No doubt its price and bulk pluoe it beyond the reach of ordinary private individuals, and this would limit its circulation, but there can be no doubt of the national obligation to complete ib.

According to one historian at least the lettlement of Australia was fl st ixl*. suggested by an Englishman uamted Matra, who in 1783 doviied a scheme for the relief by emigration of tha loyaliit Americans ruined by tht insurgent colonists. Matra drew up a scheme which was rejected by the Pitt Administration. Tivo ■yearn after it wa» taken up by Sic Georga Young, but without much more success. But a year or so afterwards the Government uned the material supplied by Matra and Sir George Young in order to found the colony of New South Wales, although on far different lines from thoee originally suggested. In his proposal Matra lays great stre«s upon the valuo of New Zealand flax. Hs says : •• I must not omit the mention of a very important article which may be obtained in any quantity if this lettlement be made, the proper use of which would be of very considerable consequence both among the necessaries and conveniences of life. I mean the New Zealand hemp or flax plant— an object equally of curiosity and utility. By proper operating it would serve the various purpoEes of hemp, flax, and silk, and it is more easily manufactured than any one of them. In naval equipment it would be of the very greatest importance. A cable or the circumference of lOin would be equal in strength to one of 18in made of European hemp. Our manufacturers are of opinion that canvas made of it would be superior in strength and beauty to any 'canvas of our own country. The thread or fragments of this plant are formed by nature with the most exquisite delicacy, and they may be so minutely divided as to be small enough to make the finest cambric. In colour and gloss, it resembles silk." Cook observed the flax plant at Norfolk Island, where it was "rather more luxuriant" than in New Zealand. Great expectations were entertained of the future of flax. It grew laxananttj on Norfolk Island, but never succeeded on tha mainland. The trouble then, as now, was with the dressing. A cauple of Natives of New Zealand were kidnapped in 1793 to show the method. They showed the method so successfully that a few hands could manufacture 30 yards of good canvas in a week. In the face of all this the New Zealand Government has now a standing offer of a substantial reward for a maohine which will prepare flax fibre log textile purposes.