A Ministry of Health, and other Addresses. By B. W.
Richardson, M.D., F.R.S. (Ciliate and Windus.)—Dr. Richardson republishes in this volume nine essays, which well deserved preservation. The scope of that which gives its name to the volume is sufficiently declared by the title. It advocates the creation of a Government Depart- ment which should have the charge of the public health. Closely connected with this subject is a paper dealing with the registration of disease. Any one who is responsible for the health of a largo eata- blishment knows that his anxiety is not limited by what he may learn from the death-register. There may be sickness quite ready to de. velope, under different conditions, into fatal disease, of which he knows nothing, close to his doors. One difficulty is,—who does know any- thing of it ? In many households, medical aid is not called for, even in scarlatina, when the ease happens to he slight. And there ia another more general consideration. Will "life be worth living," if we are to be thus burdened with precautions against possible danger that may shorten it ? We may also notice a very able review of the question of "Burial, Embalming, and Cremation." Dr. Richardson advances two very powerful objections to cremation,—the familiar argument, to which there really seems no answer, of the incentive to crime which the proof-destroying agency of fire would furnish ; and another, which would not so readily occur to the non-professional reader, of the wasteful consumption of ammonia, one of the most necessary constituents of nature. There is a very curious account of "Ether-Drinking and Extra-Alcoholic Intoxication." Dr. Richardson declares a somewhat ironical preference for other over alcohol, and makes out a very good case. His visit to Draperstowe, where the other-drinking seems to prevail in a singular degree, is a very curious narrative. It seems that an habitzuf will drink a wine-glassful of ether at a draught. It is a cheap luxury, for a pint does not coat more than fifteen-pence (the ether is what is called "methylated spirit "). Dr. Richardson's account of this stimulant is curious. It is said to have no apt*, but it seems to make spontaneous combustion (if that over did happen) posseil:lieo.dicals for
Previous page
