
































ApriL 7, 1923] 
by definiteness, with clear, simple, and eminently help- 
ful expositions from fundamental principles ; they were 
illustrated by most successful class experiments and 
demonstrations highly appreciated and much enjoyed, 
and were occasionally illuminated by quiet flashes of 
kindly wit: these were especially effective on the rare 
‘occasions when any student tried to make a disturb- 
ance. But probably he was at his best in his honours 
_ class, where his theoretical treatment was often very 
elegant and his demonstrations much to be admired. 
Prof. Butler was well read, particularly in geography— 
he was a medallist of the Royal Geographical Society— 
Napoleon’s Wars, and the Peninsular Campaigns. For 
many years he did much work as an examiner in 
Mathematics, Pure and Applied, and in English for the 
Civil Service Commissioners. 
Str Wittt1amM THorsurn, K.B.E., C.B., C.M.G. 
Tue death of Sir William Thorburn, on March 18, 
at sixty-one years of age, is a loss which will be severely 
felt in the obscure fields of neurology and surgery 
which his scientific mind and clinical acumen did so 
much to illuminate. 
William Thorburn was the eldest son of the late 
Dr. John Thorburn, professor of obstetrics in the 
Victoria University of Manchester, and obstetric 
physician to the Manchester Royal Infirmary. He 
entered the Owens College (afterwards the Victoria 
niversity) in 1876 and had a distinguished academic 
career. He obtained the B.Sc. London in 1880, the 
M.B. and B.S. in 1884, taking gold medals in medicine, 
obstetrics, and surgery, with a scholarship in medicine. 
He proceeded to the M.D. in 1885 and the F.R.C.S. 
in 1886. On the death of his father in 1885 he took 
up surgery and held junior posts until he was elected 
on the honorary staff of the Royal Infirmary in 1890, 
becoming full surgeon in rgor and consulting surgeon 
in 1920. 
_ Asalready announced (p. 439), the Government, at 
the last moment, in deference to the general protest, 
dropped its proposal to make a charge for admission 
to the British Museum. It was agreed in the House 
of Commons on March 26 to delete the clause in the 
Fees (Increase) Bill which gave power to the trustees 
of the museum to make regulations imposing charges 
for admission. The old Act of Parliament remains 
in force, under which the British Museum is, in the 
words of Sir Hans Sloane, “ preserved and main- 
tained, not only for the inspection and entertainment 
of the learned and the curious, but for the general 
use and benefit of the public to all posterity.”” The 
public, which has saved its rights, should be grateful 
to the trustees that they did not adopt the easier 
course of accepting the Government proposals. Had 
they done so they would no doubt have placated a 
Treasury rightly eager to cut down the estimates. 
They preferred, as trustees for the nation, to take 
higher ground. As a consequence it seems probable 
that they will have to renew the fight for an adequate 
no. 2788, VoL. 111] 
NATURE 
| Brain. 
475 
With a particularly acute and logical mind influenced 
by the teachings of the late Prof. James Ross, Sir 
William Thorburn was early attracted to the problems 
presented by injuries of the nervous system, and his 
first contribution to medical literature was a paper on 
“Obstetrical Paralysis,” published in the Medical 
Chronicle in 1886; this was followed by a paper on 
“Injuries of the Spinal Cord” published in 1887 in 
In the field of research thus early indicated 
he was a pioneer, and his work resulted in various 
publications which have made him for many years 
past a recognised authority all over the world on the 
surgery of the spinal cord. 
In 1891 Sir William Thorburn obtained the Jack- 
sonian prize of the Royal College of Surgeons and was 
later Hunterian professor; he was also president of 
the Neurological Section of the Royal Society of 
Medicine. 
Sir William Thorburn was always interested in 
medical education ; a first-rate teacher himself, he 
trained many who are now teachers in our medical 
schools, and was successively surgical tutor, lecturer 
on surgical pathology, professor and emeritus pro- 
fessor of clinical surgery in the University of Man- 
chester. His wise advice and willing help were of 
great value to the University, not only in the organisa- 
tion of surgical teaching but also in its general policy 
and administration. As an examiner he had great ex- 
perience, particularly at the Royal College of Surgeons, 
where he was chairman of the Court of Examiners 
and at the Universities. During the War he was at 
first, as lieutenant-colonel, in charge of the surgical 
division of the Second Western General Hospital, 
afterwards serving with great distinction as consulting 
surgeon in France and the Mediterranean. He was 
knighted in rg19. 
Of distinguished personality and strong character, 
with decided opinions, and a fluent and witty speaker, 
Sir William Thorburn will long be remembered with 
affection by all who came under his influence. 
Current Topics and Events. 
appropriation, if not on this budget, at all events 
next year. Let the public, and especially the scientific 
public, be quite clear on this matter. Nobody will 
wish to gain his freedom of admission at the cost of 
hampering the curatorial and scientific work of the 
museum, But that this would be seriously hampered 
by any further reduction, there is no doubt. When 
such items as printing, binding, glass-ware, and cases 
for storage and exhibition are about doubled in cost, 
even an amount equal to the pre-war grants is hope- 
lessly inadequate. No cutting down can be tolerated. 
Let the trustees continue to maintain a firm front 
in the highest interests of the nation, and they will 
be assured of national support. ; 
AcCORDING to an evidently inspired article in the 
Children’s Newspaper for March 17, Dr. Alfred Daniell, 
of Edinburgh, author of a well-known ‘‘ Text-book of 
the Principles of Physics,’’ has elaborately recon- 
sidered the whole theory of the Michelson-Morley 
experiment to his satisfaction, and has come to a 
