1118 to make a false declaration on such an occasion is a serious offence. and a medical man in London, who was acquitted upon a charge of signing such a declaration, only escaped conviction because having personally questioned the applicant for a passport he could hardly be said to have no personal knowledge of her. He had acted in perfect good faith at the request of a patient, but nevertheless the person for whom he accepted responsibility was afterwards sentenced to a long term of

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... nt under the Defence of the Realm Act. Bogus Practitioners. The absence of medical men from their practices through war service and the demand for medical practitioners to undertake civil and military duties have been taken advantage of in several instances by impostors. Among these H. J. HERRING, an unqualified person who several years ago was sentenced to five years' penal servitude for manslaughter committed when personating a medical man, was sentenced to four years' penal servitude at the Central Criminal Court for bigamy and for feloniously giving death certificates. He had personated a medical practitioner, Mr. E. K. HERRING, practising in New South Wales, and so obtained a post as locum tenens. R. v. Burdee: Manslaughter by an Ynqualijied Person. In the case of an unqualified person, who was sentenced to 12 months' imprisonment for the manslaughter of an elderly woman, to whom he had applied a so-called "cold water cure," Mr. Justice DARLING said that if a person, whether a qualified practitioner or not, professed to deal with the life or health of any person, he was bound to have competent skill to perform the task. The convict had held himself out as qualified to perform certain work, and he was bound to treat his patients with care and attention. CHEMISTRY. The war has set back pure science for a while in this country, but it has given a very decided and welcome stimulus to the application of scientific knowledge to pressing practical affairs. The scientific staffs at our universities and schools, hitherto engaged on academic work, have, to a large extent, been transferred to work of immediate national importance, and in consequence there is little to report in regard to pure research. Many interesting theoretical questions must perforce remain in abeyance, but the union of workshop and laboratory has been effected. It is being very generally recognised that the future of scientific industry can only be secured by greater progress in organisation and by cooperation amongst the various manufacturers engaged in it, added to which there must be an important development in our system of technical education so as to increase the efficiency of labour and its scientific management. There must, however, be State assistance in this matter; chemistry in particular requires just the sort of support that is forthcoming at the present time in the prosecution of research aimed at replacing so many essential materials hitherto exclusively supplied by the enemy. Good progress here is being made in the dye industry and many colouring matters formerly made abroad have now been successfully prepared. Again, considerable advances have been reported in the manufacture of synthetics, and particularly of drugs and medicinal agents. The university and the factory have combined most usefully in this direction, while several well-known firms of manufacturing chemists have given determined and successful attention* to the elaboration of fine products which I were hitherto enemy monopolies. The following substances I may be mentioned : the salicylates, including aspirin, the organic arsenic derivatives used in syphilis, phenacftin, homatropine, pilocarpine, glycerophosphates, benzamine derivatives, hexamine, adalin, benzidin, allantoin, betanaphthol, formaldehyde, resorcin, hydroquinone, chloralamide, cotarnin, ichthyol, and eau de Cologne. To these may be added lanoline, which is now prepared in this country, the product satisfying the requirements of the British Pharmacopoeia, and, in fact, reaching a higher standard than that laid down. There is thus nothing wrong with British effort and brain, and such achievements must receive our admiration, but these gains can only be retained by a national determination to support British enterprise. We were unprepared for the war; we m n st be prepared for the fierce economic struggle which is almost certain to succeed peace. CONTRIBUTIONS FROM "THE LANCET" LABORATORY. Throughout the year the total number of articles reported upon in our analytical columns was 37, involving just a hundred analytical determinations. In the monthly records of atmospheric pollution, published as soon as possible after the returns from the various stations have been received, the analyses made in THE LANCET laboratory for the Meteorological Office amounted to 130. In a special article entitled " Paraffinum Liquidum : the B.P. Standard Ignored," published in our issue of August 12th, it was pointed out that certain American oils were being imported into this country which were not refined to the extent that is desirable for medicinal purposes as an intestinal lubricant. While these, according to examination, did not exhibit fluorescence, colour, odour, or taste, they were below the wide limits laid down in the British Pharmacopoeia in regard to specific gravity. Moreover, their viscosity was so low as to exclude them for the purpose of effectively lubricating the intestinal tract. In connexion with this inquiry 17 analytical determinations were made ; the total number of laboratory analyses carried out during the year being 274. It may be added that the large increase in the cost of chemical reagents is seriously handicapping analytical operations in all laboratories, while in'some cases the reagents are unobtainable. HONOURS TO MEDICAL MEN. The honours which have been bestowed upon members of the medical profession in connexion with the war will be found recorded in our columns from week to week during the year. We give below, however, a list of the New Year and Birthday Honours, though here also services in connexion with the war are included.