Proceedings of the British Association. 279 



ciliary ; second, the adnasal. By a minute demonstration the author 

 endeavoured to establish the details of his system, which he contend- 

 ed was applicable to all the zoological classes and as well marked in 

 the insect tribe as in the mammalia. 



Dr. Brooke presented an instrument to assist in the discovery of 

 foreign bodies by auscultation. It consisted of a catheter or sound, 

 with a circular sounding-board, six inches in diameter, attached per- 

 pendicularly at its extremity, which increases the sensation derived 

 from the contact of its other end against a small calculus or fragment 

 after lithotripsy, which might otherwise escape detection, and lay the 

 foundation of future disease. The effect of the sounding-board was 

 demonstrated. A sound produced by the contact of a small fragment 

 in a small bag, which could scarcely be heard by the holder of the 

 instrument without the sounding-board, became perfectly audible on 

 its application. 



Section F.— STATISTICS. 

 Mr. Fletcher read a statistical and historical account of the ancient 

 system of public charities in London. He stated that the necessity 

 of systematic provision for the relief of the poor began to be felt after 

 the suppression of the monasteries and the hospitals governed by 

 monastic rule. In 1544 the site of St. Bartholomew was granted 

 to the Corporation of London, but no provision was made for its 

 endowment and government until 1548 ; and thus some provision 

 was made for the relief of the sick and infirm. Christ's Hospital, for 

 the education of destitute children, was founded in 1553, and about 

 the same time St. Thomas' Hospital was established for the same 

 purpose as that of St. Bartholomew. The next measure was to 

 provide a place for vagrants and unemployed labourers. The petition 

 sent by the Corporation to the King's Council stated, " it was too 

 evident to all men that beggary and thievery did abound, and we, 

 remembering how many statutes from time to time have been made 

 for the redress of the same, and little amendment hath hitherto fol- 

 lowed, thought to search the cause hereof, and after due examination 



had we evidently perceived that the cause of all this misery and 



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