April 2, 1896] 



NATURE 



525 



{ I ) A great reduction in the mortality of cases brought under 

 treatment on the first and second day of illness. 



(2) The lowering of the combined general mortality to a point 

 below that of any former year. 



(3) The still more remarkable reduction in the mortality of 

 the laryngeal cases. 



(4) The uniform improvement in the results of tracheotomy 

 at each separate hospital. 



(5) The beneficial effect produced on the clinical course of the 

 disease. 



A consideration of the foregoing statistical tables and clinical 

 observations, covering a period of twelve months and embracing a 

 large number of cases, sufficiently demonstrates the value of 

 antitoxin in the treatment of diphtheria. 



It must be clearly understood, however, that to obtain the 

 largest measure of success with antitoxin it is essential that the 

 patient be brought under its influence at a comparatively early 

 date— if possible not later than the second day of disease. From 

 this time onwards the chance of a successful issue will diminish 

 in proportion to the length of time which has elapsed before 

 treatment is commenced. This, though, doubtless, true of 

 other methods, is of still greater moment in the case of treatment 

 by antitoxin. 



Certain secondary effects not infrequently arise as a direct 

 result of the injection of antitoxin in the form in which it has at 

 present to be administered, and, even assuming that the 

 incidence of the normal complications of diphtheria is greater 

 than can be accounted for by the increased number of recoveries, 

 we have no hesitation in expressing the opinion that these draw- 

 backs are insignificant when taken in conjunction with the 

 lessened fatality which has been associated with the use of this 

 remedy. 



We are further of the opinion that in antitoxin serum we 

 possess a remedy of distinctly greater value in the treatment of 

 diphtheria than any other with which we are acquainted. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE. 

 Cambridge. — The next examination for the diploma in 

 agricultural science and practice will begin on July 6, 1896. 

 Names of candidates should be sent to the Registrary of the 

 University on or before Monday, June 22, 1896. The ex- 

 amination is open to persons who are not members of the 

 University as well as to members. 



We learn from Science that the Bill establishing a National 

 University of the United States has been reported favourably by 

 the Senate Committee. It grants a charter to the University, 

 provides for its government, grants it the ground in the city of 

 Washington designated by President Washington as a site for a 

 national university, and appropriates 15,000 dols. for the fiscal 

 year ending on June 30, 1897, and 25,000 dols. for the year 

 following. 



We offer our best wishes to Education, Secondary and 

 Technical, the new weekly journal of combined educational 

 interests, which has taken the place of the Technical World 

 and Science and Art. There is much for such a periodical to 

 do, and the combination of technical and secondary interests in 

 education is certainly one that makes for advancement. As the 

 journal is the official organ of the Incorporated Association of 

 Head Masters, the Association of Directors and Organising 

 Secretaries of County Councils, the National Association of 

 Manual Training Teachers, and the Recreative Evening Schools 

 Association, it should not lack support. 



At a meeting of the Technical Education Board of the Stour- 

 bridge district, held on Tuesday, March 17, the Chairman 

 announced that promises amounting to £,^\o\iaA already been 

 received towards the building fund for the proposed new tech- 

 nical schools in that town. Other promises, where the actual 

 amount has not been specified, will materially increase this 

 total. The sum at present assured enables the Committee to 

 claim a grant of £,(yoo from the Worcestershire County Council. 

 It is not intended that a site should be chosen and active steps 

 taken until the sum of ;^2000 is in hand. 



At the meeting of the Association of Chambers of Commerce, 

 held at the Hotel Metropole, London, on Wednesday, the 25th 

 ult., the following resolution, proposed by the London Chamber, 



NO. 1379, VOL. 53] 



was agreed to : — " That this association views with interest 

 the report of the Royal Commission on Secondary Education, 

 and, while it regrets the exclusion of commercial representation 

 from its membership, suggests that its recommendations be 

 carefully considered, and, so far as they commend themselves, 

 put into practice at an early a date as possible. That the 

 Executive Council be recommended to take an early opportunity 

 of urging upon Chambers of Commerce the necessity of keeping 

 in touch with their local County Councils, in order that such 

 Chambers may secure representation upon any local educational 

 authority which may be called into existence by legislation, and 

 thus obtain the due consideration and provision of industrial 

 and commercial education recognised by the Royal Commission 

 as falling under secondary education." 



The Paris correspondent of the British Medical Journal 

 reports that the French Senate is about to name a Commission 

 to examine the New University Law, which has been voted 

 unanimously by the Lower Chamber. In the last bulletin of 

 the Minister of Public Instruction of grants, receipts, and 

 register of students in the French faculties during the ten years 

 1884 to 1895, it is stated that in 1884 a total of 14,000 students 

 were registered in the different faculties, and in 1895 24,000. In 

 1884 Government granted to the faculties ;^46o,ooo. In ten 

 years ;^i04,ooo has been added, making a total of ;^564,ooo. 

 The faculties received from students' fees ten years ago very 

 nearly ;^i6o,ooo, and last year a little more than ;^26o,ooo. In 

 1884 each university student cost ;^2I i8j. 4^/. In consequence 

 of the considerable afflux of pupils, the cost to the university for 

 each student is now £\\ os. lod. The French universities con- 

 sider that Government does not treat them with sufficient 

 liberahty. In support of their plea the grants to the German 

 universities are quoted ; these are ;/^400,ooo more than the 

 amount granted by the French Government. No hope is 

 entertained that by Government help the French universities will 

 rival the German universities in organisation of laboratories, 

 libraries, and general excellence. 



A STRONC Committee has been formed to organise some 

 permanent memorial to perpetuate the memory of the late Rev. 

 William Rogers, who did good pioneer work for education. 

 It is proposed that the funds obtained should be used in con- 

 nection with the St. Thomas, Charterhouse Schools, where 

 Mr. Rogers worked to improve middle-class education, and 

 assisted to develop the present system of elementary education. 

 The introduction into primary schools of the practical study 

 of science and art was commenced there. Dr. Gladstone, 

 F.R.S., in giving evidence before a Special Committee of the 

 London School Board, once said :— " Prof. Sylvanus Thompson 

 told me that the only elementary school in London from which 

 the Finsbury College could draw youths qualified for technical 

 classes, was that of St. Thomas, Charterhouse, where a good 

 deal of scientific instruction is given, and the boys are en- 

 couraged to make their own apparatus." The great aim has 

 been to make the institution self-supporting, and this to a 

 great extent has been accomplished ; but the providing of 

 special and costly science apparatus — of effecting expensive 

 structural alterations — render it necessary to occasionally apply 

 for extraneous aid, so that Mr. Rogers' work may not be allowed 

 to languish. The late founder, before his serious accident, was 

 intent upon helping the School Committtee to raise funds by 

 means of which the building could be modernised, and a play- 

 ground added, and additional science accommodation provided. 

 Subscriptions for these purposes, made payable to the account 

 of the Rogers Memorial Fund, will be gladly received by either 

 of the Hon. Secretaries, St. Thomas, Charterhouse Schools, 

 Goswell Road, London, E.C. 



Sir John Gorst introduced the Education Bill of the Govern- 

 ment into the House of Commons on Tuesday. The Bill is a 

 great measure of educational decentralisation. It provides for 

 the establishment of a paramount educational authority in every 

 county and county borough. This is to be the channel through 

 which public money is to reach the schools. It is to supple- 

 ment and not to supersede existing educational effort, and it is to 

 be a sort of separate Education Department for each county and 

 county borough. Sir John Gorst also proposes that the educa- 

 tion authority shall be the county council acting through a 

 statutory educational committee, and the number and composition 

 of this committee is to be left entirely in the discretion of the 

 county council, subject only to the condition that the majority 

 of its members must be also members of the council. The in- 



