64 The Australasian Scientific Magazine, [Sept. 1, 1885. 
the collection of statistics, and, with a view to approaching to uniformity, he 
advocated that the census should be taken simultaneously on an agreed 
basis in all British-speaking countries. In the discussion which followed 
the reading of the paper, the President, and Messrs. Rosales, Griffiths, 
Fenton, Sutherland, and Moors took part. Mr. Sutherland said that he 
considered the Victorian statistics the best he had seen. He did not think 
uniformity would be obtained unless the establishment of some statistical 
council were agreed upon, and given power to lay down rules. The 
Presiden t expressed an opinion that diagram information was the* best, and 
remarked that it was clear to his mind that the great differences which had 
arisen in ratios relating to New South Wales and Victoria, were due to the 
different methods of averaging the statistics, rather than to the actual 
results. In the course of the evening a paper was read on the dynamical 
equivalent of a pressure, contributed by Mr. Wakelin, a correspondent of 
the society in New Zealand. 
Historical Society of Australasia. 
A meeting of the above society was held at the office on Friday, 14th 
of August, and some business of an unimportant nature was transacted. 
Mr. R. T. Litton informed the meeting that he had received an interesting 
paper on “ Blackfellow’s Mounds,” from Mr. G. Soilleux, and also one 
from Mr. R. Thomson, to be read at the next public meeting. After some 
discussion on various subjects, the meeting dissolved. 
The Medical Students’ Society. 
The fortnightly meeting of the Medical Students* Society was held on 
Thursday, the 6th of August. Dr. F. D. Bird was in the chair, and twenty- 
eight members were present. A letter from the Registrar of the University, in 
reply to an enquiry as to what had been done with the petition of the senior 
students, stated that he had placed the petition before the Council, but 
nothing further had been done in the matter. A letter was then read from 
Dr. J. W. Springthorpe, proposing to meet the Society or its Committee in 
a conference, to discuss the possibility of turning the present new r ly 
inaugurated system of clinical instruction to best account, and representing 
that he had been appointed by the Council for that purpose. A motion 
w r as proposed to the effect that, “Whereas Dr. Springthorpe did publicly 
write that ‘the opinion of the students might be ignored,’ it be resolved by 
this Society that no further communications be held with that gentleman 
until a full withdrawal of such statement be made in writing.” Consider- 
able discussion ensued, and at length the motion was withdrawn in favour 
of the following amendment, which was carried : — “ That, recognising the 
existence of a medical faculty in connection with the Melbourne University, 
the members of this Society consider it injudicious in the extreme that the 
council should appoint any individual outside of that faculty to influence 
the students respecting their medical training, and out of respect to the 
faculty they must respectfully decline to meet Dr. Springthorpe as the 
