A Ministry of Health, and other Addresses

Abstract

THIS is a collection of addresses given by Dr. Richardson, mostly in his capacity of propagandist of sound ideas as to individual and especially national health. In the lecture which gives the title to the volume he advocates the national urgency for a responsible minister of health, not so much to obtain new sanitary laws as to enforce the multitude of existing laws on the subject, which, from the want of any central authority, are at present a dead letter. Dr. Richardson's arguments are forcible, and must be convincing to any unprejudiced mind, and we trust that ere long his recommendations will be given practical effect to. The second paper is a sympathetic and extremely interesting sketch of the life and work of William Harvey, the model physician, teacher, and public man of his time. The other lectures are: “A Homily Clerico-Medical,” “Learning and Health” (in which some valuable hints as to educational methods are given), “Vitality, Individual and National,” “The World of Physic,” “Burial, Embalming, and Cremation,” “Registration of Disease,” “Ether-Drinking, and Extra-Alcoholic Intoxication.”