The tent-cure of the tuberculous insane, inaugurated in June, 1901, by Dr. A. G. MacDonald at Manhattan, was found so successful that in July of the same year it was tried for filthy and demented patients, also with most strikingly satisfactory results.

A reception pavilion in connection with the General Hospital has been established at Albany (N.Y.), and appears to be doing very satisfactory work.

At the monthly meeting of the Committee of Management of this asylum, as reported in the Sligo Independent of February 21st, we find the opinion expressed by one of the members of that body that “the attendants were perfectly right to use a certain amount of violence in order to keep proper discipline amongst the inmates.” This expression of opinion arose on a discussion on a sworn inquiry, held by a Lunacy Inspector, as to the alleged ill-treatment of an inmate by two attendants. The Inspector stated that the patients “gave evidence under evident fear of the consequences their action might entail.” A letter was read from a number of attendants denying any terrorism, and this was apparently accepted as disproving the Inspector's statement. The Inspector having admitted that the two accused attendants could not, on the evidence obtained, beconvicted in a court of law, the Committee, after declining the invitation of their chairman to ask the opinion of the Medical Superintendent, exonerated the two attendants from all blame.

The pages of a spiritualistic contemporary afford a great amount of seriously stated information in regard to existence in the spirit world, which is almost as interesting as that which we are accustomed to receive from our patients.

This Bill, now before Parliament, is practically a repetition of the last English Act. In approaching the subject, however, the authors of the Bill have had to make certain alterations to bring it into conformity with the law of Scotland as already existing. The clauses relative to separation of married people who have become habitual drunkards have been omitted in the Scottish Bill; but the constitution of licensing courts and of licensing law is generally amended. Additional penalties are imposed for offences involving drunkenness, and the black list will be extended north of the Tweed. Much-needed reforms in regard to the registration of clubs are introduced, and it is to be hoped that these will pass into law without delay. There are other matters to which we have repeatedly referred as requiring amendment in connection with drunkards and their doings; and it is to be hoped that amendmentswill be made in the course of the Parliamentary discussions to render this Act still more effective.

The dinner held after the quarterly meeting was well attended, and a very happy evening was passed. Colonel Gascoyne's speech was duly appreciated after the visit to the County Asylum. He said that the Committee had great confidence in Dr. Legge, who had done so much to bring the old institution up to date; but their unhappy experience was that the County Council were always backward in granting large sums of money. Still, they had to consider that they were providing for a small town—a town which brought nothing back to the ratepayers in hard cash. No doubt that is the average unenlightened view of the County Councillor who does not serve on the Asylum Committee, but our recollection of Mickleover is that much money has been judiciously spent, and that, irrespective of humanitarian considerations, there is a recovery rate which shows that many patients are annually restored to usefulness and thereby rendered self-supporting.

The year 1902 was distinguished in Belgium by the meeting of the International Congress for the Care of the Insane—a meeting remarkable not alone for the importance of the subjects that were dealt with, but also for the number of distinguished foreign alienists who attended from all parts of Europe. Dr. Peeters, Physician and Director of the Colony of Gheel, served as President of the meeting, and conducted the proceedings with the greatest kindness and tact, displaying at the same time his thorough familiarity with all questions connected with the care of the insane on the most advanced lines. The Congress concluded by the adoption of certain resolutions which will entitle the proceedings of this assembly at Antwerp to rank among the most important works that have been done in connection with the organisation of asylums and of colonies for the insane.