362 



NA TURE 



[August 20, 189: 



DiGNlSSlME domine, domine Procancellarie, et tota 

 Academia: — 



Nescio quopotissimum exordio hospites nostros, qui de 

 salute publica nuper deliberaverunt, senatus nomine 

 salutare debeam. Ad ipsos conversus, illud unum 

 dixerim :— qui aliorum saluti tarn praeclare consuluistis, 

 vosmetipsos omnes iubemus salvere. Ea vero studia, 

 quae vobis cordi sunt, gloriamur in Britannia certe 

 Academiam nostram primam omnium adiuvisse. In 

 salutis publicae ministris nominandis valent plurimum 

 diplomata nostra, valent etiam aliarum Academiarum, 

 quae, exempio nostro incitatae, laudis cursum eundem sunt 

 ingressae. Hodie vero collegarum vestrorum nonnullos, 

 qui gentium exterarum inter lumina numerantur, diplo- 

 mate nostro honorifico decorare volumus. Nemini autem 

 mirum sit, quod viros medicinae in scientia illustres iuris 

 potissimum doctores hodie nominamus. Etenim Tullium 

 ipsum in libris quos de Legibus composuit, scripsisse 

 recordamini populi salutem supremam esse legem. 



(i) Primum omnium vobis praesento gentis vicinae, 

 gentis nobiscum libertatis bene temperatae amore con- 

 iuncttecivemegregium, Parisioriim in Academia medicinae 

 forensis professorem praeclarum, facultatis medicae de- 

 canum dignissimum, salutis denique publicae annalium 

 editorem indefessum. Olim Caesar omnes medicinam 

 Romae professos civitate donavit ; nos non omnes certe, 

 sed, habito delectu aliquo, unum e reipublicae Gallicae 

 medicis illustrissimis, qui admirabilem in modum medi- 

 cinae et iuris studia consociavit, corona nostra ob cives 

 etiam in pace servatos libenter coronamus. 



Duco ad vos Paulum Camillum Hippolytum 

 Brouardel. 



(2) Quo maiore dolore Austriaeet Germaniae legatos illus- 

 tres absentesdesideramus,eomaioregaudio Italiaelegatum 

 insignem praesentem salutamus. Salutamus Academiae 

 Bononiensis, nobiscum vetere hospitii iure coniunctae, 

 alumnum,tribusdeinceps in Academiis, primum Mutinae, 

 deinde Panormi, denique Ticini in^ripa professorem, qui 

 medicinae scientiam cum rerum antiquitus gestarum 

 studiis feliciter consociavit, quique in Italiae scriptoribus 

 eximiis, non modo in Boccaccio sed etiam in Torquato 

 Tasso, artis suae argumenta non indigna invenit. Quon- 

 dam imperator quidam Romanus Roma in ipsa augurium 

 salutis per annos complures omissum repeti ac deinde 

 coniinuari iussit. Quod autem salutis publicae concilio 

 Londinensi etiam Italia interfuit, velut augurii felicis 

 omen accipimus. Recordamur denique poetam antiquum 

 urbis aeternae de nomine his fere verbis non inepte esse 

 gloriatum :— 



Roma ante Romulum fuit ; 

 non ille nomen indidit, 

 " sed diva flava et Candida, 

 •Roma, Aesculapi filia." ^ 



Duco ad vos Aesculapi ministrum fidelissimum, 

 Al.PHONSUM CORRADI. 



(3) Quis nescit urbem florentissimam quod Hungariae 

 caput est, nomine bilingui nuncupatam, fluminis Danubii 

 in utraque ripa esse positam. Quis non inde nobis feliciter 

 advectum esse gaudet salutis publicae professorem in- 

 signem, virum titulis plurimis cumulatum, qui etiam de 

 Angliae salubritate opus egregium conscripsit. Idem, 

 velut alter Hippocrates, de acre, aquis et locis praeclare 

 disseruit. Olim Hippocrates ipse corona aurea Athenien- 

 sium in theatro donatus eSt : nos Hippocratis aemulum 

 illustrem laurea nostra qualicunque in hoc templo honoris 

 libenter ornanius. 



Duco ad vos bacteriologiae cultorem acerrimum, 



lOSEPHUM DE FODOR. 



The final general meeting of the Congress was held on 

 Monday, under the presidency of Sir Douglas Galton. 



' Mariani Lupercalia, p. 3P4 of Baehrens, Frag. poet. Rom. 

 NO. I 1 38, VOL. 44] 



There was a large attendance, and among those present 

 were nearly all the foreign delegates. 



The Chairman, in opening the proceedings, after some pre- 

 liminary remarks, said : — The success of the Congress, as an inter- 

 national gathering, is due to the fact that we as a nation 

 have many matters of interest to show to foreigners. I think I 

 may say that the chief difference between our hygienic progress 

 and that of our Continental neighbours is that, whilst they are 

 especially fortunate in being able to pursue the theories upon 

 which much of modern hygienic progress is based, with us public 

 opinion has hindered the study of many physiological questions.the 

 solution of which depends upon the examination of living tissue. 

 Hence, we at present are in this respect somewhat behind the 

 Continental schools, and we largely turn our attention to apply 

 their theories to alleviate the wants of life. Hence we can show 

 much of interest in practical hygiene in matters both of construc- 

 tion and administration. Our methods of water supply and 

 drainage, our various plans for refuse disposal or utilization, our 

 isolation hospitals and ambulance systems present many inter 

 esting features. The arrangements which are being made 

 to introduce sanitary knowledge and efficiency of workman- 

 ship in t ades (such as the plumber), upon whom the prac- 

 tical sanitation of parts of our houses largely depends, 

 are deserving of consideration ; and the health adminis- 

 trations of the large cities of Glasgow and Manchester 

 is especially worthy of the study of our visitors. The organiza- 

 tion of this Congress has differed from that of former Con- 

 gresses in the increased number of Sections into which it was 

 divided. In proportion as the study of hygiene and demography 

 becomes more elaborate, the classification must necessarily be 

 more detailed, and the number of Sections must either gradually 

 increase or the Sections must subdivide. Independently of the 

 increased number of Sections, it was found necessary to give two 

 afternoons to the discussion of questions connected with the 

 sanitation of our Indian Empire, which, for the first time in the 

 history of these Congresse«, was repre«enied by a large number 

 of delegates. The native Princes of India evinced deep 

 sympathy with the Congress, and I trust that the interest which 

 has been evoked in its object may lead to beneficial results in 

 that great country. . . . A principal object of th° Congress 

 is, without doubt, to afford to scientific men indifferent countries 

 the opportunity of conferring together. But it has another and 

 most important object— viz. to excite the interest of the com- 

 munity at large in the knowledge of the laws of health. Your 

 President the other day asked the pertinent question— Why, if 

 diseases are preventable, are they not prevented? The 

 answer to that question is that, whilst an instructed 

 minority may understand the importance of observing hygienic 

 laws, a very large section of the community is careless of 

 and indifferent to their observance, and consequently the 

 portions of those laws which are individual and personal in 

 their application are left a dead letter. Acts of Parliament are 

 of little avail so long as the people they are framed to guide do 

 not realize their value or importance, and it is quite certain that 

 the only way to stamp out preventable disease is to educate 

 every member of the community to feel the importance of the 

 laws of health. A great international Congress like this brings 

 the subject prominently before the public and has a valuable 

 influence on the country in which it is held. I have already 

 detained you too long. But I must add, as chairman of the 

 organizing committee, that we have endeavoured to make the 

 Congress useful and agreeable to those who have honoured us 

 with their presence. The success which we have had is mainly 

 due to our secretary-general (Dr. Poore), our foreign secretary 

 (Dr. Corfield), and, as far as India is concerned, to the energy 

 of Mr. Digby. The excellence of the social arrangements is 

 entirely due to the organizing power and tact of the secretary of 

 the reception committee, Mr. Malcolm Morris. But you will 

 have an opportunity of thanking the executive before the end of 

 this meeting. If there have been shortcomings, the organizing 

 committee much regret them. The only apology we can offer 

 is that a voluntary organization suddenly created to fulfil the 

 requirements of the moment may have been somewhat strained 

 at first by the number who appeared on Monday morning— a 

 number far in excess of that which former experience led us to 

 anticipate, and I would say in conclusion, in the words of our 

 poet Prior — 



" Be to our virtues very kind. 

 Be to our faults a little blind." 



