Dec. ii, 1884] 



NA TURE 



H3 



hibition, is the establishment of these laboratories, so vastly 

 important to the prevention of disease and the mainten- 

 ance of our population in health, and of the library on a 

 permanent footing and under suitable direction. The whole 

 : one on which I can only venture to express, thus far, 

 my individual opinion, although I have the satisfaction of 

 knowing that the views which I have thus put forward have met 

 with considerable approval among many of my colleagues, to 

 whom I have submitted them in limine for future consideration 

 by the Executive Council, who may possibly approve of them, 

 and in that case may feel it their duty to submit them to his 

 i I ighness the President, with whom will rest the ultimate 

 as to the disposal of any parts of the surplus. The 

 rumour that such a project was about to be submitted to the 

 Council, lias awakened the liveliest interest and satisfaction 

 amongst the authorities of the leading sanitary associations in 

 this country, and I am glad to know that the authorities of the 

 iuseum, of the Sanitary Institute, of the Social Science 

 Association, of the Society of Medical Officers of Health, and 

 of the National Health Society, have each, on their own indi- 

 vidual motion, taken the opportunity of expressing, by reso- 

 lutions and memorials, their strong sense of the great national 

 value which they consider would attach to the accomplishment 

 of this design. Should this proposition prove acceptable to the 

 authorities, there is no doubt that the opinion of the great body 

 as interested in the sanitary progress of this country, 

 v expressed by the official representatives of ever)' form 

 of sanitary progress, would declare itself strongly in favour of 

 an institution from which considerable results might be antici- 

 pated in the furtherance of health education, and of our know- 

 ledge of all that relates to the prevention of disease. It is 

 further hoped that an Institute of Public Health, founded on 

 this basis, might prove a home and centre with which these 

 numerous voluntary organisations now working for the public 

 health might connect themselves, by some well co-ordinated 

 and accepted plan ; that it might be a centre where their mem- 

 bers would be able to meet ; where libraries, class-rooms, and 

 meeting-rooms might be made to serve a valuable purpose in 

 bringing these various societies into closer relation. There is 

 reason to hope that many of the great scientific associations 

 which now foster the progress of science by grants to individual 

 workers, would heartily welcome the establishment in this country 

 if what it so greatly stands in need — a place of higher education 

 and research in sanitary science, such, as I have already pointed 

 out, as have been recently created in France and Germany. 

 England has been first in sanitation ; it is here that have been 

 solved — so far as they have as yet been solved — many of the 

 problems of sanitary science; but we must acknowledge 

 that, during the last decade, each of these countries has made 

 progress in the higher departments of sanitary education and 

 sanitary research, in which we can hardly be said to have held 

 1 1 al place. This reproach we may now find the means of 

 wiping away, and I earnestly trust that this may prove to be a 

 sequel of the International Health Exhibition, than which no 

 highei memorial could have been hoped for or expected. 



The Lesson of the Exhibition as to Open-air Recreation and the 

 Electric Lighting 0/ Public Parks. — Let me conclude by reference 

 to another aspect of the teaching of the Exhibition, less scientific, 

 but yet of peculiar public importance. It was often said by the 

 scorner — a person from whose judgments and criticisms 

 v. have commonly much to learn — when walking through the 

 I course of the Exhibition devoted to food and all that 

 concerns the construction and decoration of the dwelling : " This 

 Health Exhibition — where is the health?" and the popular 

 answer was, "Outside in the gardens." That answer also I 

 accept. I think you will agree with me that the.practical de- 

 monstration which this Exhibition afforded of the eagerness 

 of the English people to resort to healthful means of outdoor 

 amusement was in itself a valuable result and an important 

 experience. The gardens, illuminated by the electric light and 

 enlivened by music, were undoubtedly a great attraction to the 

 Exhibition, and I would be quite willing to agree with any 

 one who might say that they were the greatest attraction. 

 Allow me to add that I look upon this not merely as a means, 

 but itself an end. It is no small thing to have acquired the con- 

 viction that our open spaces may be, and should be, much more 

 largely devoted to the open-air recreation of the people than 

 they are at the present moment. I say this now, without any 

 intention of entering upon that large question, but with the 

 specific desire to repeat (for it is only by repeating often that 



one can gain access to the minds of the majority who are all- 

 powerful in such questions) that it appears to me to be no small 

 disgrace to this great metropolis that, in the very centre of its 

 crowded districts, within an arrow's flight of the houses probably 

 of most of us who are here, there lie great open spaces, such as 

 Hyde Park (but what I say refers also to Victoria Park), which 

 at night are dreary desolate areas of darkness, which are un- 

 lighted, which are dangerous to cross, which are unused in the 

 evenings for any wholesome or moral purpose, which are often 

 scenes for the display of some of the worst vices incidental to 

 the lowest dregs of the population of the great city. Why 

 should we not learn from the success of the music and the light- 

 ing of the gardens of the Health Exhibition, that our great parks 

 should all be lighted by the electric light at night, and that 

 throughout the spring and summer months the military bands 

 should play there, and should make those places, which are now 

 not only useless but scandals to the metropolis, the sites of 

 healthful and innocent recreation? I have inquired from a good 

 source what would be the cost of lighting Hyde Park by the 

 electric light ; and I am not speaking without data when I say 

 that I believe that Hyde Park could be adequately lighted with 

 the electric light, so that it might add to the resources of health 

 and enjoyment for the teeming population surrounding it, at an 

 annual expenditure of about 5000/. I do not know what im- 

 pression this will make upon you. I confess that to me such an 

 expenditure seems trifling in consideration of the sum of human 

 happiness and enjoyment, and, I may add, also of health, which 

 such a devotion of municipal or public money would afford to 

 the people of this city. Nor is it likely that, the example once 

 set, it would end here. Our eastern population have a right to 

 the enjoyment of their parks in the evenings that could be 

 conceded to the west. This lesson also, then, the Exhibition 

 seems to me to teach, and how greatly we might all rejoice if it 

 should ultimately prove that the lighting by electric light of our 

 public parks, and the introduction of music as a part to enliven 

 and attract the people, and to add to the success of the innocent 

 recreation, the health and the happiness of our working popu- 

 lation should form also one of the possible sequels of this 

 Exhibition. 



UNIVERSITY AND EDUCATIONAL 

 INTELLIGENCE 



Cambridge. — Prof. Roy was on Thursday last admitted to 

 the degree of M.A. honoris catts&. The Public Orator in pre- 

 senting him spoke as follows : — 



Dignissime Domine, domine Procancellarie, et tota Academia, 

 — Quis nescit Athenas illas Caledonicas, cum aliarum artium, 

 turn praesertim studiorum medicorum praeclaram esse sedem. 

 Acadeniiae tarn illustris alumnum, Pathologiae Professorem 

 primum nobis nuperrime datum, hodie senatus totius nomine 

 salutamus, ipsum senatorum nostrorum ordini libenter adiun- 

 gimus. Neque vero una tantum doctrinae sedes Professorem 

 nostrum sibi vindicat ; scilicet Germaniae ipsius Academiae cele- 

 berrimae hunc virum inter alumnos suos numerant. Ne inter 

 Cantabrigienses quidem prorsus hospes est, qui non modo 

 Physiologiae praeceptoris nostri optimi experimentis aliquamdiu 

 interfuerit, sed etiam ipse de Physiologiae arcanis praelectiones 

 quasdam inter nosmetipsos habuerit. Idem quondam (ut ad 

 remotiora transeamus) Ottomannorum inter milites arti medicae 

 deditus, in ipsa Epiro, prope Pindi montes, prope Dodonae 

 antiquae diu desertum oraculum, velut larpSfxafru aliqui, con- 

 sulentibus respondebat. Ad eundem postea Respublica Argen- 

 tina, morbo gravi et inexplicabili oppressa, velut ad oraculum 

 aliquod misit, cuius responsis obsecuta peste ilia dira sese pro- 

 tinus liberavit. Inter antiquos quidem victimarum in visceribus 

 rerum futurarum praesagia quaerebantur ; hie autem, non vanus 

 haruspex, ex ipsis morbis quos alii reformidant, ex ipsa Morte 

 quae aliis tacet, veritatem ipsam audacter extorquet, — adeo ut 

 Catonis verbis profited possit : 



me non oraeula certum 

 sed mors certa facit. 1 



Vobis praesento Medicinae Doctorem Edinensem, Pathologiae 

 Professorem Cantabrigiensem, Carolum Smart Roy. 



1 Lucan, " Pharsalia," ix. 582. 



