On Thursday, there was a stormy debate in the French
Chamber in regard to the dismissal of the Sisters of Mercy from the Paris hospitals. Dr. Armand Despres alleged that the act was neither legal nor demanded by public opinion ; that women who showed real devotion to the patients had been generally replaced by "servants who could not get places ; " and that the nurses now cost 700 fr. instead of 200 fr., a change involving a total extra expenditure of £200,000. M. Constans, in reply, declared that the Municipal Council were within their rights in secularising the hospitals ; that every patient was entitled to see a priest ; that "an educated and devoted body of attendants had been formed, who perfectly performed their duties ; and that the lay infirmary nurses had not refused to go into places where epidemics prevailed." He disclaimed, however, being an enemy of the Sisters, and stated that " he had found them five thousand "-leagues from France as devoted to their duty as they were in Paris." After this speech, a scene of great confusion pre- vailed, in which M. Paul de Cassagnac played a prominent part ; but the order of the day pure and simple was ultimately carried by 353 to 176. If it is true, as we suspect it is, that the patients in general greatly prefer the Slaters, nothing can be more monstrous than their expulsion ; but in that case, why do not the Parisians return a Municipal Council that will not outrage public sentiment on so important a matter P
