was

tractive light of this nature, but quite another age gases. "Cleanliness and pure air" was All fine preparations of the carbonates and oxto bring it into successful competition with cheap the text from which he constantly preached. ides of lead or copper are unsuitable for this purstreet gas, under the ordinary conditions in which Under these apparently favorable circumstances pose, for the reason that a pure oxide, when apits use is required. If it does not meet this end, for health, diphtheria in its most malignant form plied to other metals, will assist in the action of it sinks to a level with the other pretty electrical suddenly appeared last autumn in the family. The vehicle of all good paint is boiled or raw linthe elements to oxidize the metals they cover. experiments which are now amusing the world. Two of the children were stricken down with the seed oil, and this, when thickened with pigments, The Keely motor is an old delusion, but it has disease, and in a short time died; in a few days covers a less given space; and the material being recently been again advertised, through an ex- another was taken ill, and still another, and out an oxide, holding more oil than is imparted to the hibition of its impossible capabilities to a won- of the family of six five died. Mr. Crump surface to be painted, soon throws off its share, dering crowd in New York. Keely has found a himself was attacked, and narrowly escaped and is ready to absorb the air and convey it to rival in Professor Gamgee, who has just brought death. Such extraordinary fatality from a the body of the metal, where natural corrosion will out his "zeromotor," and hence it may be that purely zymotic disease, under the best sanitary take place, and then the two oxides unite chemically. the new activity of the former is due to jeal- conditions, puzzled the physicians greatly, and In other words, all paints, in the absence of a solousy. But little is known of the zeromotor be- thorough investigation was made. It vent, which time soon releases them of, act upon yond what is claimed for it in the specifica- learned that a neighbor owning an adjoining iron or tin as a filter, feeding the porous spots with tions of the inventor on file in the Patent Office, lot, used as a lawn, had spread over it the con- moisture, like a porous plaster of rust; and as like and from the favorable report by B. F. Isher- tents of a cesspool, and that the wind, for like a happy family, and roll in beds of rust. This produces its kind, the decomposed metals work wood, chief engineer in the United States serv- several days thereafter, had been favorable for fact is observable on flat surfaces, or in gutters where ice. This machine we judge to be a kind of conveying the filthy odors towards the Crump inequalities occur. Here the fine dust or powder colperpetual motion," which is to supersede steam. dwelling. The opening for air leading to the lects, and keeps the water in them until the oil is deIt is based on a violation of chemical and me- furnace was upon the side towards the lawn, composed; then the work of oxidation commences. chanical laws as recognized at the present stage and through this avenue the fatal germs of of knowledge, if we do not misunderstand the lan- disease gained access to every portion of the guage and claims of the patentee, and the expla- house, and hence the mysterious illness. nations of Engineer Isherwood. We have not space to give in detail a description of the remarkable zeromotor, but will reserve it for a future time. It only remains to say that the most astonishing thing connected with the motor is the full endorsement of its merits by so able an engineer as Mr. Isherwood. The position which he has taken appears to be one from which it will not be easy for him to escape.

66

SICKNESS FROM MANURES.

THE case of the Crump family at Montclair, N. J., is attracting attention to the injury which may come from the compost matters strewn on lawns, gardens, and fields. Some of our city journals have been protesting against the use of manures on our parks. They urge, very reasonably it would seem, that if fatal diphtheria was introduced into the house of the Crump family from the compost heaps in an adjacent garden, then the frequenters of our parks, and particularly sensitive people who visit these parks for recreation, will be liable to suffer from a similar cause. We have driven through Central Park when the odors were

so offensive that we felt like holding our breath; we have been on country roads when we have

There is another fruitful source from which rust on the upper or under side of roofing tin comes, and that is mixing paints in common, cheap oils of kerosene, containing sulphuric acid. This oil never dries. It may harden the film of paint, so as to allow the acid it contains to corrode the tin, and the best paint in the world on the opposite through; and judge the effect where both sides hapside cannot prevent the acid-eaten holes from coming pen to receive the same potent mixture!

While this instance affords no ground for alarm in the use of ordinary manure upon fields, it is exceedingly important and instructive in some of its bearings upon health. The contents of a house cesspool differ in their nature most essentially from barn-yard manure, or any of the usual forms of fertilizers. Into The best paint for tin or iron is composed of pure this receptacle pass the most dangerous waste linseed oil and earthy ochres, red or yellow. The products of a family, and these are by no coarser granulated powders are best as a pigment means what come from water-closets. From as they offer less air holes, and give a firmer hold for the kitchen flow the dangerous nitrogenous the oil on the grits, and thus bend them to the metal. agents which, under the influence of putrefactive The oil in this manner gets close to the metal, and change, give rise to the fatal germs of disease. offers resistance to the air in removing the atoms The fatty matters and nitrogenous products which pass down the sink-pipe in every dwelling are by chemical decomposition converted into bodies which are perilous in the highest degree if exposed so that they can be inhaled. The contents of cesspools should never be used upon land until after the last state of decay is reached by combining the contents with much soil, and allowing it to remain composted for at least one Under no circumstances should it be used on lawns, or on fields very near habitations. Sewage gases in cities originate nine tenths of

year.

from its cohesion. Beware of all metallic oxides or mineral paints, especially on lofty towers or inac

cessible coverings of metal.

-

Roofing tin should, when laid, be kept clean from windfalls of dust, and painted once in every two or three years, by the day,- never by contract. Metals applied in the angles of roofs as flashings, where shingles are laid behind parapet walls, should be well painted, on both sides, and the exposed crevices between the laps puttied and painted, and thus cut off leaks in corners" which no feller can find out."...

Woodwork never should be allowed to close

speeded our horse to pass a field reeking with filth, the virulent zymotic diseases so fatal in their down on the metal, but instead a space of one or

which had been spread over it for the purpose of enriching the soil. Cannot our Boards of Health investigate this matter, and devise some means for preserving the productiveness of the soil without hazarding the public health?

influence; and in towns, villages, and even in
the dwellings of farmers the same septic agencies
are at work destroying the lives of thousands.

PAINTING TIN ROOFS.

Items similar to the above, which we take from one of our exchanges, have appeared in several TIN roofs, as every one knows who has them papers in New York and elsewhere, during the on any part of his premises, are a constant care past spring and winter. The case of the Crump and vexation. Eternal vigilance is the price of family at Montclair, alluded to, was indeed a their preservation. Even when kept well

very peculiar one, and deserving of notice. The painted they have a way of "giving out" here

two inches should always be left, so that paint can be easily applied to all flashings on all sides, and where the dust can be easily swept out. Many

troublesome leaks occur from the base of balustrades shutting down so close that dirt is completely imprisoned, and consequently in time decomposition sets in, and the metal coverings are ruined. Bay windows, with balconies, or with other ornaments, if put on with an idea of permanency, should leave ample room for the painter's brushes to reach every angle, nook, or corner, and thus save a thousand leaks.

METEOROLOGY FOR APRIL, 1881.
THE sum of my observations on the weather for

Average Thermometer.

Lowest. Highest. Range.

facts we obtained from a neighbor, who is well and there in eccentric and unexpected fashion.
acquainted with all the circumstances of the case. It would seem, indeed, that the ordinary meth-
The family consisted of the father, mother, and ods of painting them are at fault, and that
six children, and the house occupied by them had some of the "metallic paints" and other com- the past month has been as follows:-
all the modern conveniences and was in a healthy pounds recommended for the purpose, though
locality. Mr. Crump is a very intelligent gen- well enough so far as outward appearances are
tleman, and specially careful of all sanitary sur- concerned, are not suited to preserving metals
A correspondent of the Cali-
roundings; he was indeed noted in the place from oxidation.
for his systematic and persevering efforts to se-fornia Architect gives some facts and hints on
cure perfect drainage to his house, and the this subject which are, in our opinion, well
The following is the
pipes and water-closets were all constructed worthy of consideration.
with every device for preventing access of sew- practical portion of his article:-

At 7 A. M.
At 2 P. M.
At 9 P. M.
Whole month
Last 18 Aprils

37.63°

220

56°

34°

50.372

282

762

480

The average barometer for the month was 29.776 AN IRON RAIN. It is reported from Catania, in inches; the lowest 29.25 and the highest 30.20, Sicily, that on the morning of March 27th last a a range of .95 of an inch. The average for the light rain of ferruginous sand began to fall there, last nine Aprils has been 29.815, while the average and continued for twenty-four hours. The sky was for the last eight entire years has been 29.919, show-covered with clouds, and the barometer rose sensibly ing that we have, on the average, a lighter atmosphere in April than the average through the year. The lowest average for the year during the last eight years was 29.878 in 1873, and the highest 29.951 in 1879, a range of only .073 of an inch! The sum of the daily variations for the April just closed was 4.18 inches, giving an average daily movement of .139 of an inch. The average for the last nine Aprils has been 5.24 inches; the average daily movement, .175. There were no large movements of the barometer during the month past, and but little stormy or windy weather.

under a strong northeast wind. A thunder-storm
was anticipated, but only a few raindrops fell, leav-
ing on objects small spots of a reddish-yellow color.
All day a kind of fog hung in the air, causing pain
to the eyes. Next day the leaves of the trees were
covered with a fine powder, like brick-dust. S.
Ercole found this substance composed of fine frag-
ments of carbonate of iron, of irregular angular or
spherical form. Very strong southwest winds had
blown for several days previously.

The face of the sky in 90 observations gave 61 fair, 8 cloudy, 16 overcast, 4 rainy, and 1 snowy, or over two thirds fair. The amount of rain, including 5 inches of melted snow, was only 1.92 inches, while the average amount for the past thirteen Aprils has been 4.32 inches; the lowest 1.20 in 1869, and the highest 8.50 in 1870, a range of 7.30 inches. menmischungsverhaeltnisskundiger. No thunder or lightning was observed during the month.

The direction of the wind in the usual observations gave an excess of 36 northerly and 54 westerly over the southerly and easterly, indicating the average direction to be west 33° 40′ north, or N. W. by W., three points N. of W.

some notice of it will be taken at the forthcoming meeting of the British Association. Starch, according to a German authority, may be made more glossy by adding to lb. when made up into a paste from two to three spoonfuls of the following emulsion: spermaceti, 1 part; gum arabic, 1 part; borax, 1 part; glycerine, 2 parts; water, 24 parts. - The peculiar merit of Sydenham has been said to be that in an age of brilliant theories he applied himself to questioning Nature herself, thinking that "though the practice of physic may seem to flow from hypotheses, yet if the hypotheses are solid and true they in some measure owe their origin to practice."— Darwin acknowledged himself sold when his little niece asked him seriously what a cat has that GERMAN NOMENCLATURE. The Chicago Phar- no other animal has; he gave it up after mature demacist says: A German druggist of New Orleans has liberation, and then the sly puss answered, "Kitinvented an improved process for clarifying sugar- tens." Mr. Stephen Jenner, grand-nephew of the cane juice, to which he facetiously gives the appel- discoverer of vaccination, and himself in childhood lation, Chemisches zuckerrohrsaftunreinigkeitenentfer- the subject of many of his uncle's experiments, is livnungsschnellverfahren. A purist suggests to use in ing, at the age of eighty-eight, in great poverty, at place of the foreign word "apotheker" the German Heathfield, near Berkeley, England. -The Art Amaexpression, Gesundheitswiederherstellungsmittelzusam-teur, which is on our "clubbing list," continues to be full of attractive matter for all who are interested in household art, and its designs for china painting and other branches of ornamental work are particularly tasteful. A new revolver, devised by Herr Sederl, of Vienna, has the peculiarity that in firing not only is one cartridge discharged, but a discharged cartridge case is simultaneously driven out from the cylinder behind. In China, large pieces of silk, often with sacred sentences written on them, are offered to the gods, and it is estimated that in the temples of Confucius alone about 30,000 yards of silk are burnt in this way; the Imperial Court at Pekin issues its edicts on silk in the imperial color (yellow), and the accrediting documents of ambassadors to foreign courts are now also of the same material.— At Liège, in Belgium, one may arrange with the telephone company to be roused at any particular hour of the night or morning; when the hour comes, the bell begins to ring, and it continues ringing till the person has answered by telephone. To blacken brass, dissolve 30 parts of carbonate of copper in 250 parts of water of ammonia, and add 500 parts of water; the objects to be blackened are suspended in the liquid by means of a brass or copper papers. He states that a room covered with an ul- wire, and afterwards polished with an oiled rag. tramarine paper was observed to be tainted by a Sulphate of zinc is recommended as a substitute for smell of sulphuretted hydrogen, the source of which nitrate of silver in acute and chronic affections of long escaped detection. Eventually, however, it was the stomach, gastralgia, and diarrhoea; it may be associated with the paper, and a closer examination used in doses of 6 to 10 centigrams daily. — An led to the conclusion that the ultramarine on the sur-"instantaneous dye" is obtained by treating the hair face was being slowly decomposed under the influence of the alum in the paste used in hanging the paper. This appeared to be confirmed by the fact that a piece of the paper steeped in very dilute solution of alum gave off sufficient sulphuretted hydrogen to be perceptible to the nose and to blacken lead paper.

THE CLASH OF ATOMS. The London Chemist and Druggist says: Mr. Labouchère has been crossexamining somebody on the subject of nitro-glycerine, and this is the information which he has obtained, and published in Truth: "The explosive character arises from this: nitrogen is composed of molecules in pairs of atoms. Nitric acid contains only one atom in its molecules. Upon this atom being set free from its unstable combination in the glycerine the two atoms of nitrogen rush together, producing a vast amount of energy of combination in the shape of heat. The gaseous products are thus heated, and an explosion takes place immediately." An inventive genius, having read the above, is engaged in preparing a patent process for heating churches by hanging two atoms of nitrogen from the roof, and causing them constantly to rush together, so as to produce a vast amount of energy of combination in the shape of heat.

The first week in the month was unusually cold, an average of 32°, or about 4° colder than the average of March, but the increasing warmth of the remainder of the month brought the temperature very nearly up to the average, though 5° below the April of 1880. The amount of rain was very small, falling almost entirely between the 12th and 15th, including a beautiful "robin snow." Although the West and South, and other countries also, have experienced unwonted severity of storm and cold the past winter, if we may rely on reports through the press, and our New England winter has been severe, yet vegetation has been so well protected by ULTRAMARINE a Bad Color in WALL-PAPERS. the snow that it has suffered but little. Our vines - Herr Bernbeck calls attention, in the Pharmaceuand fruit trees are putting forth very favorably, and tische Zeitung, to a possible inconvenience resulting give prospect of at least an average harvest. The from the use of ultramarine in the coloring of wailseason, however, is at least a week behind that of last year, though perhaps not far from the average forwardness.

D. W.

The Magazine of Art, which, by the way, has been "winning golden opinions" in a literal as well as a figurative sense, since its enlargement at the beginning of the present volume, refers as follows to the " practical" work

of artists ancient and modern :

More eminently practical men than are many of our modern artists it would be difficult to discover; and, in being so, they are but fulfilling the best traditions of their order, which boasts a Michel Angelo who could plan a fortification as well as he could paint a picture, a Rubens who was the architect of his own house and of the college of the Jesuits in

--

HOGS VERSUS BABIES. The Scientific American thinks it a pity that babies have not a market value, like hogs. A death-rate among the pigs less than one third the death-rate among children in our large cities moves the Government to costly investigations of the cause, and to diplomatic correspondence with foreign nations, while Produce Exchanges

first with a solution of pyrogallic acid, made strongly acid with acetic acid, and when it is almost dry the silver and copper solution of the above strength is added; all shades from brown to black may be obtained by varying the strength of the pyrogallic acid from 1 to 50 grams per liter.

LITERARY NOTES.

WE have to acknowledge the receipt of the Chemiker Zeitung

published at Coethen, Germany. For those who read German,
$5 per annum in this country, including postage.
this little weekly will prove exceedingly valuable. The price is

Antwerp, and Leonardo da Vinci, great at mechan- get excited on the subject, and all the newspapers in the Medical Record. Statical electricity was the form first

ATOMS.

join in the discussion. The babies die by the thouics, optics, hydraulics, acoustics, and magnetism, who sand in New York and other overcrowded cities, did not disdain to invent a wheelbarrow, a spring to and scarcely any notice is taken of the fact. hold doors open, and a roasting-jack. There is nothing incongruous, therefore, in the service which has been rendered to the Italian grape-grower by Mr. Arthur Strull, the landscape-painter, who has devoted attention to the wine culture of the Roman Provinces, with the result, to it, of making some very valuable proposals for its improvement, and, to himself, of receiving from King Humbert the Order of the Crown of Italy.

We have received from W. J. Morton, M. D., of New York, a pamphlet on Statical Electro-Therapeutics, or Treatment of Disease by Franklinism, being a reprint of his valuable paper employed in medicine, and in 1752 Franklin treated paralytics at Philadelphia by this kind of electricity. Galvanism and Faradism have long since driven it from the field, but Dr. Morton seems to offer some excellent reasons for a return to the use of statical electricity.

The juvenile weekly, Golden Days, has more than fulfilled the promise with which it started, and can be safely commended to A MOVEMENT is on foot to celebrate the centenary parents in search of unexceptionable reading for their children. of the birth of Sir David Brewster, who, besides being It has just begun a new story of travels in Australia, that land an eminent scientist, was one of the founders of the of wonders, and a sketch which will be specially valued by boys, British Association, and was president at its twen-lustrations, in all that a party can possibly want who intend inasmuch as it gives full and complete instructions, aided by iltieth meeting; the centenary will be celebrated on camping out during the present season. The paper is for sale the 9th of December next, and it is probable that by all newsdealers.

The most common objection offered to the use of milk is that it produces "biliousness." In many instances this is due to a disregard of the fact that milk ought to be looked upon as an article of food, and not as a mere drink; consequently, to secure its perfect digestion it should be always taken at one of the regular meals, or at a point as near as practicable midway between two meals, when something is required to bridge over this interval. Bread and milk eaten together, by both children and adults, being agreeable to the palate, is often hurriedly swallowed and in excessive quantities, and indigestion is the consequence.

Again, since modern chemistry has taught us the important part taken by the saliva in the preparation of all starch foods for digestion, we have a ready explanation of the failure of the stomach to digest bread that has been swallowed with milk without previous mastication. . . . When milk is given to either children or adults with feeble digestion, the bread should be first thoroughly mixed with the fluids of the mouth and swallowed by the child or invalid before the milk is taken; the young child must be watched as it eats, mouthful by mouthful, until the proper habit is formed.

The digestibility of milk depends, in many in

stances, upon the temperature at which it is taken of nervous prostration. The digestive organs of these persons are almost invariably weak, and the temperature at which milk is ingested will determine whether it shall be gratefully received and readily digested, or, on the other hand, prove a source of

into the stomach. This is particularly true in cases

discomfort.

On reflection it will at once appear that food, on being taken into the stomach, must first of all be warmed up to the temperature of the stomach, and this at the expense of vital heat. To raise a half

drinking of hot milk. Milk heated to much above the treatment of this truly distressing malady is to
100° F. loses for the time a degree of its sweetness regulate the cerebral circulation; and this I would
and its density. No one who, fatigued by over-attempt to do the moment the first sense of nausea
exertion of body or mind, has ever experienced the began to manifest itself. I fear we shall never be
reviving influence of a tumbler of this beverage, able therapeutically to prevent sea-sickness, but I
heated as hot as it can be sipped, will willingly fore- do hope that we may some day be able to cure it.
go a resort to it because of its having been ren- The next sea-voyage I have to make, I intend to
dered somewhat less acceptable to the palate. The take with me the following mixture, and to try the
promptness with which its cordial influence is felt is effect of a one-ounce dose twice a day :
indeed surprising. Some portion of it seems to be
Liquoris atropiæ
digested and appropriated almost immediately; and
many who now fancy they need alcoholic stimulants
when exhausted by fatigue will find in this simple
draught an equivalent that shall be abundantly sat-
isfying, and far more enduring in its effects.

R

Tincturæ digitalis

Tincturæ cannabis indicæ.
Tincturæ capsici
Olei caryophylli
Lymph. aurantii,
Mucilaginis acacia
Aquæ

:

minims xij. minims lxxx.

minims xl.

f. 3ij. minims xvi.

āā f. zi.

ad f. 3 viij. M.

The following statement is a gratifying confirmation of the value of these suggestions: A lady, At the same time, of course, carefully regulating whose nervous system had been severely overtaxed the bowels, which are apt to become constipated on by the supervision of a large school for girls, and a sea-voyage. I am inclined to believe that the whose digestion had become seriously impaired, went combined action of atropine and digitalis, together to Europe for her health. She eventually consulted with the slightly exhilarating effect of the Indian Sir Thomas K. Chambers, and in answer to his in-hemp, may enable us to meet the indication to which quiries stated that she had made repeated attempts I have already referred. to take milk of ordinary temperature as an article of food, but it had never been tolerated. At the suggestion of Dr. Chambers she began to drink it after being heated, in the same quantities as before. This proved the turning point in her case. The heated milk was well borne, and her convalescence dated from that time.

COLORS FOR SHOW BOTTLES.

IN the November number of the JOURNAL, we gave the formula for two beautifully colored liquids for show bottles, amethystine and green. At the request of some of our readers we add a few others. A

very

stable red is ob

tained by dissolving 1 drachm of carbonate of
cobalt in pure hydrochloric acid, then adding
enough carbonate of ammonia to redissolve the
precipitate first formed, and diluting to 10 or
12 pints. Another red is made by adding sul-
phocyanide of potassium or ammonia to a very
dilute solution of perchloride of iron. Copper
dissolved in aqua regia, and diluted sufficiently,
yields a fine green. The addition of an excess
of ammonia to a very dilute solution of sulphate
of copper produces a blue. For yellow, a dilute
solution of picric acid may be used. Aniline colors
do not resist the action of light well enough.

SICKNESS.

pulse is retarded and fails, while the respirations quent and more marked with chloroform. Physiological. (1.) Chloroform and ethidene, in animals, reduce the blood pressure decidedly, — chloroform more rapidly and more decidedly; ether does not affect the blood pressure unfavorably. (2.) Chloroform may reduce the blood pressure suddenly and apparently capriciously; ethidene has not been observed to do this. (3.) In one instance, artificial respiration restored a dog whose heart had stopped beating, for a considerable time, from the effect of chloroform; it is

become more frequent; these changes are more fre

therefore an efficient means of resuscitation. (4.) Ethidene seems much safer than chloroform; in no instance has the heart or respiration, though sometimes much reduced, stopped entirely during its ad

pint of milk thirty or forty degrees involves the waste of considerable animal heat. This, in a healthy person with vigorous digestion may not only be disregarded, but may be agreeable in its effects; but it is far otherwise with him whose digestive or- THE CAUSE AND THE TREATMENT OF SEA-ministration. (5.) Chloroform affects the pulmonary gans, under any of the depressing influences productive of nervous exhaustion, are taxed to their utmost to furnish fresh supplies of enriched blood to the enfeebled nervous centres. In these cases, milk at ordinary temperatures will be felt as a cold, foreign body long after it is swallowed, and its ingestion will probably be followed by acidity and headache. It is manifestly far more economical of vital force, in these cases, to heat the food upon the kitchen range, rather than in the patient's stomach.

circulation most; ethidene next; ether least. (6.) The quantity of air and the time required to restore the circulation in the lungs are in inverse ratio to the amount of anaesthetic vapor and time necessary to stop it. (7.) The changes produced in the lungs rapidity of their occurrence; these changes are: (a) are the same in all, the only difference being in the

retardation and ultimate stoppage of the circulation in the lungs, first in the capillaries, then in the arterioles, etc.; (b) the epithelium cells and their These remarks are especially applicable to the use nuclei disappear; (c) the capillaries contract, their of food by such persons in cold weather. In sumwalls become less distinct or disappear, and the mer, when the temperature of the atmosphere and contained corpuscles disintegrate. Practical, — (1.) of surrounding objects approximates that of the huIt is necessary to remember that frequency of the man body, drinks may be generally taken without respirations denotes heart failure, and that diminbeing first artificially heated. On the return of cold (3.) This cerebral phenomenon is due to the dis-ished blood pressure may show itself by respiratory weather the stomach again becomes conscious of the ordered (irregular?) intracranial circulation, which, failure from anæmia of the medulla. (2.) It is essenadditional duty imposed upon it, and artificial heat-produced at first by the motion of the ship, is main- tial that the possibility of chloroform and ethidene ing again becomes necessary. . . . tained and intensified by a secondary disturbance of especially chloroform reducing the blood pressthe normal inhibitory function of the vagus, causing a rapid, weaker, and irregular action of the heart. Hence, the effect of the recumbent posture, and, perhaps, in part, the influence of stimulants.

der is: chloroform, ethidene, ether; as regards facility of resuscitation, the order is inverted, ether, ethidene, chloroform. (4.) The danger with chloroform is silent and sudden, approaches from the cardiac side, and is difficult to meet; the danger with ether is noisy and progressive, approaches from the pulmonary side, and may be efficiently warded off by artificial respiration. Ethidene resembles chloroform, but is less dangerous.

titioner:

ANTI-FAT.

May eat lean mutton and beef, veal and lamb, soups not thickened, beef tea, and broth; poultry, game, fish, and eggs; bread in moderation; greens, cresses, lettuce, etc.; green peas, cabbage, cauliflower, onions; fresh fruit without sugar.

then herself succumbs quietly in the arms of one of
her hand-maidens. The feeling of weight in the
limbs points to opium-poisoning; but, then, why the
convulsions? And why do not both actors show the
same symptoms?

A for

given over to the doctors to be dissected.
cign journal states that recently, in Switzerland, a
man, apparently frozen to death in the neighborhood
of Solothurn, was handed over to the Cantonal hos-
pital for dissection. When the supposed corpse had
been laid on the dissecting-table the mistake was
discovered, and means were taken to infuse new life
into him, which succeeded so well that he is now in
his usual health.

Two NEW ANESTHETICS. The discovery of two new anæsthetics by Dr. Edward Tauber, of Jena, is noted, from foreign sources, in the Philadelphia Reporter. The one of these is methylchloroform. He tried it upon animals, and afterwards WHAT JOHN HUNTER DID.-In the Hunterian upon himself. Its action is very similar to that of oration recently delivered by Mr. Luther Holden, chloroform, and it does not seem to possess any ad- he said: "It was the great mission of Hunter to For those people whose embonpoint is a matvantages over it. The second anæsthetic is also found pathology on comparative physiology; to rester of solicitude, whether because it is uncom- closely allied to chloroform, resembling it in odor, cue disease from the grasp of quacks, fanatics, and fortable or unfashionable, the following diet is specific gravity, and boiling point. Its effect, how-system-mongers, and to restore it to the rank where proposed by Dr. George Johnson in the Prac-ever, would appear to be more prompt and more tran- Sydenham would have placed it, beside the benefisient than that of chloroform. The chemical names cent regulations of nature which govern the body of these anææsthetics are, respectively, monochloræ- in health; and he must read history amiss who does thylidenchlorid and monochlorethylenchlorid. These not set a high value on such work." brief and convenient names will, no doubt, add to the popularity of these substances. SMALL-POX IN BIRDS. Prof. James Law, in the Bulletin of the National Board of Health, states that in Europe and Hindostan variola is so common in pigeons and poultry as to constitute a veritable plague. Thus Guersent records that out of a dovecote of one thousand birds scarce a hundred could be found that did not bear marks of the disease, while Tytler says the poultry yards in India were habitually depopulated by the plague. Bechstein and others claim that this is the true small-pox, derived from the human being and conveyable back to man; while others, like Toggia and Gilbert, assert that it is communicable to the sheep. That this affection has not been recognized among us may be due to a difference in the environment which modi

May not eat-fat meat, bacon or ham, butter, cream, sugar, potatoes, carrots, parsnips, rice, sago, tapioca, macaroni, custard pastry and puddings,

sweet cakes.

May drink — tea, coffee, cocoa from nibs, with milk, but no sugar; dry wines in moderation; brandy, whisky, and gin in moderation without sugar; light bitter beer, soda and seltzer water. May not drink milk, except sparingly; porter and stout, sweet ales, sweet wines. As a rule, alcoholic liquors should be taken sparingly, and never

without food.

ABSORBENT COTTON.

THIS recent and useful adjunct to the surgical art can be made, according to F. L. Slocum, in the Journal of Pharmacy, by the following method:

fies the infection, or, perhaps, to the fact that men
and pigeons do not live so much in common here
as in Italy and India. Such an occurrence under
Italian skies should, however, demand a careful in-
vestigation into the reality of such infection in our
own States, and especially the Southern ones, dur-
ing the prevalence of an epidemic of small-pox, so
that whatever danger arises from this source may
be detected and guarded against.

Take the best quality of carded cotton batting and boil with a five per cent. solution of caustic potassa or soda for half an hour, or until the cotton is entirely saturated with the solution, and the alkali has saponified all oily matter. Then wash DISEASES OF COAL MINERS. The Belgian thoroughly to remove all soap and nearly all alAcademy of Science has received a report on the rekali; press out the excess of water and immerse in searches made by M. Fabre regarding the diseases a five per cent. solution of chlorinated lime for fif- to which coal miners are especially liable. He finds teen or twenty minutes; wash again, first with a that, as coal absorbs rapidly up to one hundred little water, then dip in water acidulated with hy- times its own volume of oxygen, the air which the drochloric acid, and thoroughly wash with water; miners have to breathe is deprived of oxygen to a press out the excess of water, and again boil for hurtful degree; the atmosphere of a mine is also fifteen or twenty minutes in a five per cent. solu- further vitiated by the gaseous carbon compounds tion of caustic potassa or soda; now wash well, dip-given off by the slow combustion of the coal. M. ping in the acidulated water and washing thoroughly with pure water. Afterwards press out and dry quickly. The amount of loss by the operation is practically ten per cent.

THE LEGAL VALUE OF Vows MADE IN PAIN. - In a case tried at Paris, where a surgeon claimed 6900f. ($1380) for 31 dressings of a wound and for accessory expenses, the court ruled that "there could be no valid agreement between the patient and his doctor; for the former, struggling for his life, is no longer master of his will, and if he makes any agreement it is only fear and necessity that guide his will."

NEW TEST FOR ARSENIC.-Brame recommends the use of baryta in place of sodium carbonate and charcoal in the ordinary dry test for arsenic. If arsenious oxide is heated with baryta, a mirror is obtained consisting partly of metallic arsenic and partly of barium arsenate. The test does not succeed so well with arsenious sulphide.

FOR THE PHARMACIST.

DIALYSED IRON. Mr. Rother, in New Remedies, states that the so-called dialysed iron of commerce is made by saturating a solution of ferric chloride with ferric hydrate. In giving directions for this procedure he proposes a solution of triferric hydrodichloride equivalent in iron strength to the officinal solution of ferric sulphate. He writes as follows: Upon 15 troy ounces of disodic carbonate pour half a pint of water, and apply heat until a hot solution is obtained; then pour into this 1 pint of solution of ferric sulphate in a rapid and continuous stream, and with constant stirring of the mixture. Keep up the heat a few minutes until effervescence nearly ceases, and add water to the measure of 2 gallons. After a sufficient repose, decant the supernatant liquid, and wash the precipitate three or four more times in a similar manner, or until the washFabre concludes that a supply of air is more essential ings yield no trace of reaction with barium chloride. than that of light, and even the best ventilated mines Collect the ferric hydrocarbonate upon a filter, and require better ventilation. when the excess of water has drained away dissolve STRYCHNIA AS A PHYSIOLOGICAL ANTIDOTE it in 1 troy ounce of chlorhydric acid with the aid of TO ALCOHOL. Thérapeutique, claims that by frequent experiment essary. Dr. Luton, in the Bulletin de heat, and evaporate to the measure of 1 pint, if neche has demonstrated that strychnia is the best physTHE SIZE OF DROPS.- A correspondent of the iological antidote in cases of chronic alcoholism. Druggists' Circular, referring to the recent objecHe has used hypodermic injections of the sulphate tions made to prescribing by "drops," says: of strychnia in delirium tremens with markedly prescription lately handed me to prepare called for favorable results, relieving tetanic rigidity and liquor arsenici et hydrargyri iodidi, gtt. xcvi., and quieting delirium. with the other ingredients formed å four-ounce mixture. Now in such a case the pharmaceutist, who drops the solution and counts the 96 drops, follows the letter of the prescription; but the strength of the compound will probably never be twice alike. The probable variation might seem to be of little account practically; but I think this would not be so in many cases, as the possible range is large; and consequently it is a careless way of writing. From our shelf bottle 96 drops of Donovan's solution measured 124 minims; from the lip of a minim graduate, 150 minims; from a so-called minim dropper, 106 min

He is then partially raised by one of his retinue,
but dies apparently in convulsions, with marked
opisthotonus. On the contrary, Miss Ellen Terry,
who has swallowed somewhat less of the poison, THE ADVANTAGE OF BEING DISSECTED.
lives long enough to see the other party die, and may sometimes be lucky for a man that his body is

It

66 A

"After trying various compounds, I have for sev-ing: John Thomas: "Did you ring, sir?" Surgeon eral years used the following with results entirely (just arrived at country house): "Yes. Why have satisfactory. laid out my surgical instruments on the dressing table?" John Thomas : 66 Surgical instruments, sir? I thought them things was what you dressed for dinner with!"