most powerful wrist, "well, my orders are to punch all
tickets passing on to this platform."

LUGGAGE IN RAILWAY CARRIAGES.

The question of the liability of railway companies in the event of
personal accident through parcels falling from a rack in the compartments
of passenger trains has been raised in the Midlands. In December last, a
tailor named Round was travelling from Dudley to Stourbridge, and, on the
train being drawn up at Round Oak Station, a hamper was jerked from the
racks and fell with such force as to cause him serious injury. Certain
medical charges were incurred, and Mr. Round alleged that he was unable
to attend to his business for five weeks in consequence of the accident.
He therefore claimed 50 pounds by way of compensation. Sir Rupert
Kettle, before whom the case was tried, decided that the company was not
liable, and could not be held responsible for whatever happened in
respect to luggage directly under the control of passengers. The case is
one of some public interest, inasmuch as a parcel falling from a rack is
not an uncommon incident in a railway journey. Moreover, the hamper in
question belonged, not to the plaintiff, but to a glass engraver, and
contained four empty bottles, two razors, and a couple of knives.

--_Daily News_, March 29th, 1884.

EFFECTS OF CONSTANT RAILWAY TRAVELLING.

A writer in _Cassell's Magazine_ remarks:--"We hear individuals now and
then talking of the ease with which the season-ticket holder journeys
backwards and forwards daily from Brighton. By the young, healthy man,
no doubt, the journey is done without fatigue; but, after a certain time
of life, the process of being conveyed by express fifty miles night and
morning is anything but refreshing. The shaking and jolting of the best
constructed carriage is not such as we experience in a coach on an
ordinary road; but is made up of an infinite series of slight
concussions, which jar the spinal column and keep the muscles of the back
and sides in continued action." Dr. Radcliff, who has witnessed many
cases of serious injury to the nervous system from this cause,
contributed the following conclusive case some years ago to the pages of
the _Lancet_:--"A hale and stout gentleman, aged sixty-three, came to me
complaining of inability to sleep, numbness in limbs, great depression,
and all the symptoms of approaching paralytic seizure. He was very
active