cannot
blage
fail
to
be
productive
of
good,
for
it will
not only be a means of diffusing information and correcting false notious, but add a new interest to the work of each medical man, and
create
a
healthy
ambition among many to carry Indifference may be ac-
further research.
on
cordingly expected the advent of the
to
latter,
advancement in
an
give
way to shall
we
Indian
zeal,
and with
certainly
have
Science.
Medical
The Executive Council have done well in following the lead of European and American Congresses in
Jiuliau Jftediqitl (fagqtti;. JUNE 1894.
INDIAN MEDICAL
unanimity, which at the meeting of
CONGRESS. the
was
distinguishing profession held in Calcutta, at the Medical College, on May 12th, as regards the desirability of holding next Christmas, in the Capital of India, a Medical Congress, augurs well for the success of the The
feature
There
project.
were
the medical
differences of to be
special advantages
to the
opinion
derived from
as a
of Indian medical men, some inelinCongress D ino" to view that these would be more social the C5 than
educative
either
with all thivt
agreeing
we
aspects,
are
scientific.
or
was
strongly
said of
as
While
to the social
opinion
that in-
the educative and scientific influences such a Congress will be extremely im-
directly of
portant.
Congress will be an epoch in history of India, and will form the
We believe the the medical
of
starting point
a
in which co-operaof the Indian
new era
tion between the medical Empire will be the ruling
men
principle instead of been the case. It is hitherto isolation as has seldom that isolated effort, unless sustained by some bond of sympathy between fellow-workers, does not
soon
under these
flag,
and when it is maintained
unfavourable conditions,
it
often
the absence of
healthy criticism from competent investigators 011 the same subject. If, therefore,a triennial Congress will break down this isolation, and bring together men interested suffers from
in the
and of and the
same
work for the
comparison
suggesting under each section of the
Congress, in the letter of invitation, subjects which
of notes
experiences, the intermingling of ideas demonstration of facts^ such an assem-
might be discussed. All are important, but some are likely to become more prominent than others : such, for instance, as eye diseases and stone in the bladder among Natives, rhinoplastic operations, enteric fever among Europeans and Natives, diabetes, kala-azar, tropical diarrhoea, hill diarrhoea, dysentery, liver affections, Indian fevers, and cholera. The first and last of these subjects will serve to illustrate the benefits and interest which must undoubtedly be derived and arise from the Congress. In eye diseases and operations 011 the bladder, Indiau Medical men possess exceptional experience, and the Congress will be
an
excellent
opportunity
together
the different methods
found
be most effective.
to
eye
gathering
which each have Owing to this special
experience the discussions on operations on the bladder
competency and diseases
of
and
cannot fail to be attractive.
To others cholera
will be of great interest; the subject may be considered from its epidemiological point of view, or from that of its micro-biology or or ifs treatment. Its prevention from its be considered may sanitary aspect or from the standpoint of anti-choleraic vacciIn this latter question alone Indiau nations.
its
prevention
medical
practitioners from different parts
of India will be able to furnish most valuable facts to the Congress. The anti-choleraic vaccinations have been carried 011 in widely scattered parts of India, among the civil population and among British and Native Regiments, and there will doubtless be gathered, by the time of the Congress, facts of the
sources
highest importance from widely different which
cussed at such
cau a
best be considered and dismeeting as is to be held in
Calcutta next Christmas. When Ferran announced his system of inoculation cholera in
against Spain nine years ago, immediately after Koch's
222
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. of the cholera
discovery
every part of that country new
ment
crude
the
presented plain that
was
Ferran's attempt Spain felt it
him to recommend to the Govern-
011
to the scientific
01*
use
into the value of the
enquire so
sent to
were
scientist who visited
one
incumbent
the
to
treatment; but
that not
and America
Europe
from
bacillus, delegates
adoption
society
of
of a virus taken
re-
the system. It was due first of all to
Ferran's failure
and not fixed
which he
was
directly
from
a
patient
the system attenuated, resembled in this respect the inoculations which were
virus
and
or
The
formerly practised against small-pox. was
variable,
and the results induced in the
patient uncertain ; secondly, that no particular precautions were taken to insure the virus against contamination and its consequent dangers. Accordingly, the attempt was destined to fail, though the sensation it created, at the time, indicated the large amount of interest and importance which the scientific medical world and the
took
Government
discovery
of
a
in
and
attached
to
possible protective against
cholera.
By Mons. Haffkine's discovery the problem of transforming the virus into a vaccine has been solved in
scientific manner, and the uncertainty and dangers which were attached to Ferran's a
attempt have been avoided. vaccine of Haffkine is
perfectly 25,000
harmless
men
The anti-choleraic
fixed, and
as
the
has been
procedure
proved by
The
he has vaccinated in India.
method has been
is
the
and the
sound basis, placed being applied in a scientific manner; and now it is a mere matter of collecting facts to ascertain the amount of protection which the vaccination affords. No better opportunity on a
system has been and is
for the collection of these facts could arise than that of the Indian Medical thod of vaccination
can
Congress.
The
me-
be demonstrated to all
Congress, Indian and foreigner, given by the different observers can be recorded and discussed, and an important resolution framed. With such a subject on the who
come to
the
and the facts
programme and made widely known, there is every possibility of delegates coming from tries outside India, and if nothing more
coun-
were
to be effected at the gathering than framing a resolution 011 this question which interests every civilized Government, the first Indian Medical Congress would become memorable in the annals of Medical Congresses.
[June
1894.
blage
fail
to
be
productive
of
good,
for
it will
not only be a means of diffusing information and correcting false notious, but add a new interest to the work of each medical man, and
create
a
healthy
ambition among many to carry Indifference may be ac-
further research.
on
cordingly expected the advent of the
to
latter,
advancement in
an
give
way to shall
we
Indian
zeal,
and with
certainly
have
Science.
Medical
The Executive Council have done well in following the lead of European and American Congresses in
Jiuliau Jftediqitl (fagqtti;. JUNE 1894.
INDIAN MEDICAL
unanimity, which at the meeting of
CONGRESS. the
was
distinguishing profession held in Calcutta, at the Medical College, on May 12th, as regards the desirability of holding next Christmas, in the Capital of India, a Medical Congress, augurs well for the success of the The
feature
There
project.
were
the medical
differences of to be
special advantages
to the
opinion
derived from
as a
of Indian medical men, some inelinCongress D ino" to view that these would be more social the C5 than
educative
either
with all thivt
agreeing
we
aspects,
are
scientific.
or
was
strongly
said of
as
While
to the social
opinion
that in-
the educative and scientific influences such a Congress will be extremely im-
directly of
portant.
Congress will be an epoch in history of India, and will form the
We believe the the medical
of
starting point
a
in which co-operaof the Indian
new era
tion between the medical Empire will be the ruling
men
principle instead of been the case. It is hitherto isolation as has seldom that isolated effort, unless sustained by some bond of sympathy between fellow-workers, does not
soon
under these
flag,
and when it is maintained
unfavourable conditions,
it
often
the absence of
healthy criticism from competent investigators 011 the same subject. If, therefore,a triennial Congress will break down this isolation, and bring together men interested suffers from
in the
and of and the
same
work for the
comparison
suggesting under each section of the
Congress, in the letter of invitation, subjects which
of notes
experiences, the intermingling of ideas demonstration of facts^ such an assem-
might be discussed. All are important, but some are likely to become more prominent than others : such, for instance, as eye diseases and stone in the bladder among Natives, rhinoplastic operations, enteric fever among Europeans and Natives, diabetes, kala-azar, tropical diarrhoea, hill diarrhoea, dysentery, liver affections, Indian fevers, and cholera. The first and last of these subjects will serve to illustrate the benefits and interest which must undoubtedly be derived and arise from the Congress. In eye diseases and operations 011 the bladder, Indiau Medical men possess exceptional experience, and the Congress will be
an
excellent
opportunity
together
the different methods
found
be most effective.
to
eye
gathering
which each have Owing to this special
experience the discussions on operations on the bladder
competency and diseases
of
and
cannot fail to be attractive.
To others cholera
will be of great interest; the subject may be considered from its epidemiological point of view, or from that of its micro-biology or or ifs treatment. Its prevention from its be considered may sanitary aspect or from the standpoint of anti-choleraic vacciIn this latter question alone Indiau nations.
its
prevention
medical
practitioners from different parts
of India will be able to furnish most valuable facts to the Congress. The anti-choleraic vaccinations have been carried 011 in widely scattered parts of India, among the civil population and among British and Native Regiments, and there will doubtless be gathered, by the time of the Congress, facts of the
sources
highest importance from widely different which
cussed at such
cau a
best be considered and dismeeting as is to be held in
Calcutta next Christmas. When Ferran announced his system of inoculation cholera in
against Spain nine years ago, immediately after Koch's
222
INDIAN MEDICAL GAZETTE. of the cholera
discovery
every part of that country new
ment
crude
the
presented plain that
was
Ferran's attempt Spain felt it
him to recommend to the Govern-
011
to the scientific
01*
use
into the value of the
enquire so
sent to
were
scientist who visited
one
incumbent
the
to
treatment; but
that not
and America
Europe
from
bacillus, delegates
adoption
society
of
of a virus taken
re-
the system. It was due first of all to
Ferran's failure
and not fixed
which he
was
directly
from
a
patient
the system attenuated, resembled in this respect the inoculations which were
virus
and
or
The
formerly practised against small-pox. was
variable,
and the results induced in the
patient uncertain ; secondly, that no particular precautions were taken to insure the virus against contamination and its consequent dangers. Accordingly, the attempt was destined to fail, though the sensation it created, at the time, indicated the large amount of interest and importance which the scientific medical world and the
took
Government
discovery
of
a
in
and
attached
to
possible protective against
cholera.
By Mons. Haffkine's discovery the problem of transforming the virus into a vaccine has been solved in
scientific manner, and the uncertainty and dangers which were attached to Ferran's a
attempt have been avoided. vaccine of Haffkine is
perfectly 25,000
harmless
men
The anti-choleraic
fixed, and
as
the
has been
procedure
proved by
The
he has vaccinated in India.
method has been
is
the
and the
sound basis, placed being applied in a scientific manner; and now it is a mere matter of collecting facts to ascertain the amount of protection which the vaccination affords. No better opportunity on a
system has been and is
for the collection of these facts could arise than that of the Indian Medical thod of vaccination
can
Congress.
The
me-
be demonstrated to all
Congress, Indian and foreigner, given by the different observers can be recorded and discussed, and an important resolution framed. With such a subject on the who
come to
the
and the facts
programme and made widely known, there is every possibility of delegates coming from tries outside India, and if nothing more
coun-
were
to be effected at the gathering than framing a resolution 011 this question which interests every civilized Government, the first Indian Medical Congress would become memorable in the annals of Medical Congresses.
[June
1894.
