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AUTOMATIC PURIFYING CLOSET.
886
work, which contains nineteen maps, will be appreciated by all who take our
an
New Inventions.
interest in and desire information respecting
colonies. _____________
SELF-FIXING ABSORBENT PADS. MR. DE ST. DALMAS, of Leicester, has submitted to us one of his " self-fixing absorbent pads :’ It consists of a in of thin absorbent wool enclosed with four muslin, pad " tails’’ of St. Dalmas strapping affixed to it. The pads are
Analytical Records. THE GERMAINS IMPROVED APPARATUS AND POWDER FOR DISINFECTING AND FUMIGATING.
(A. Z. GERMAINS, WINDSOR-ROAD, YICTORIA-L’ARK, LONDON.) THE apparatus is a small metal hearth with a false bottom and side hole, to admit air. Over this is a hood with a side pipe near the top, by which fumes can escape. The powder contains sulphur, and burns easily. Mr. has certainly contrived a convenient and safe method for sulphur fumigation, but every such contrivance is liable to be misused, and some of the statements made by the inventor are likely to lead to very dangerous misuse. Our readers know well that serious disinfection cannot be by the production in a room of a mere smell of acid or any other chemical agent. To disinfect with sulphur one pound must be burned to every 1000 cubic feet, and the made of various sizes, and can of course be easily prepared exposure must last many hours. Real disinfection by this impregnated with an antiseptic. The woodcut shows at a machine in the presence of living creatures would be impos- glance the mode of application. sible ; and when the inventor talks of the purification of churches he talks nonsense. Such a fumigation would AUTOMATIC PURIFYING CLOSET. no real value, and would be dangerous as leading to a false AN ingenious method of dealing with excreta has recently sense of security. been patented by Messrs T. Goddard and Co,, of Queen MOUILLA, OR POTASH LIQUID SOAP. which claims to be an improvement upon the (M. R. EDWARDES, ADAM-STREET, STRAND.) earth-closet. The material used in substitution for earth This interesting soap is the invention of Dr. Duncan of is called "sanitary carbon," but there is no statement St. Petersburg. We find by analysis that it is, as described, of the source from which this carbon is derived. Its a potash soap containing glycerine, and scented with lemon. action upon the excreta is that of an effectual deodorant, It is a clear solution, which mixes easily, and gives a lather and it has the advantage of retaining the ammonia, with soft water. Opinions may differ as to whether potash thus producing a manure which must have some value. It is better than soda soap for ordinary use; but if potash is used in connexion with closets and commodes prosoap is wanted it could not be obtained in a more convenient vided with lids which are charged with this material. or elegant form. For medical purposes the soap is incor- On shutting down the lid a sufficient quantity of the carbon porated with small quantities of carbolic acid, Russian is scattered over the excreta in the pan beneath, rendering birch tar, and other substances. The carbolic soap, in par- them entirely free from smell; and it is said that the amount of earth or ashes commonly required for this purpose is five ticular, is a useful and valuable preparation. times that of the carbon, the cost of the quantity of the BOKOL: A NORWEGIAN PREPARATION OF MALT. latter material sufficient for each time of using being one(DAvIS, BERGENDAHL, & Co., NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.) of a penny. It is probable there will be some This is a liquid alcoholic preparation which tastes like eighth demand for the use of this deodorant in places where the sweetened beer. It might, perhaps, be used with advantage inwater-carried system is impossible. stead of stout, but, as it possesses scarcely any diastasic power, we cannot recommend it as a substitute for malt extract.
Germains
accomplished
sulphurous
have
Victoria-street,
KENTISH SAUCE.
(BURGOYNE & CO., PERCY-STRIET, TOTTENHAM-COURT-ROAD.) All that we need say of this sauce is that it is pleasant in flavour, and that our analysis shows that it is entirely free
from
poisonous metals.
LIQ. PODOPHYLLIN (HOCKIN). Co., DUKE-STREET, MANCHESTER-SQUARE.) (HOCKIN, WILSON, & This seems an excellent extract. It is faintly alkaline, mixes well with water, alcohol, dilute acids, and small quantities of alkaline carbonates, but is precipitated by alkaline hydrates. VAN ABBOTT’S BEEF-TEA.
(G. VAN ABBOTT & SON, LONDON.) This is a stiff jelly easily soluble in warm water. The solution contains no fat or albumen, and may therefore be boiled. In flavour it is excellent, and we have no hesitation
in
awarding it high praise. RAPHAEL TANNIN WINE.
(E. GALLAIS, PICCADILLY.)
A
full-coloured, luscious, and agreeable wine, faintly acid and remarkably astringent. The iron and gelatine testa show the presence of a considerable proportion of tannin, We think it will be useful in medical practice.
MEDICAL ATTENDANCE ON THE POOR. To the Editors
of
THE LANCET.
obliged by your remarks, and the attention have you given to my pamphlet on Medical Attendance for the Sick Poor not Paupers; but I regret if I have at all led you to infer (and I appear to have done so by your closing remark) " that I said the object sought by Sir Spencer Welln’ committee was only for the benefit of the poor and not the industrial classes." Now by the very title I gave my paper it was my desire and intention to show that it was in the hope of providing, as I particularly mentioned in my pamphlet, kind and efficient medical aid for this section of the general practitioner’s Datients that this committee was now sitting, and I think I specially implied this by mentioning that I advocated that the wage limit should in certain cases be extended (as to men with large families) even to £6 per week by paying 10s. per month when in health. What I did mention was that Sir Spencer Wells’ committee was not organised for relieving any class who were well able to pay our usual fees, not for that upper stratum of the industrial classes "whose annual income very often was much larger than that of the average clerk, SIRS,—
and
am
even
classes."
April 18th,
Hearing
a
I am, 1887.
not small number of the
professional
Sirs, your obedient servant,
ALDEBSON. FREDERICK H. ALDERSON.
work, which contains nineteen maps, will be appreciated by all who take our
an
New Inventions.
interest in and desire information respecting
colonies. _____________
SELF-FIXING ABSORBENT PADS. MR. DE ST. DALMAS, of Leicester, has submitted to us one of his " self-fixing absorbent pads :’ It consists of a in of thin absorbent wool enclosed with four muslin, pad " tails’’ of St. Dalmas strapping affixed to it. The pads are
Analytical Records. THE GERMAINS IMPROVED APPARATUS AND POWDER FOR DISINFECTING AND FUMIGATING.
(A. Z. GERMAINS, WINDSOR-ROAD, YICTORIA-L’ARK, LONDON.) THE apparatus is a small metal hearth with a false bottom and side hole, to admit air. Over this is a hood with a side pipe near the top, by which fumes can escape. The powder contains sulphur, and burns easily. Mr. has certainly contrived a convenient and safe method for sulphur fumigation, but every such contrivance is liable to be misused, and some of the statements made by the inventor are likely to lead to very dangerous misuse. Our readers know well that serious disinfection cannot be by the production in a room of a mere smell of acid or any other chemical agent. To disinfect with sulphur one pound must be burned to every 1000 cubic feet, and the made of various sizes, and can of course be easily prepared exposure must last many hours. Real disinfection by this impregnated with an antiseptic. The woodcut shows at a machine in the presence of living creatures would be impos- glance the mode of application. sible ; and when the inventor talks of the purification of churches he talks nonsense. Such a fumigation would AUTOMATIC PURIFYING CLOSET. no real value, and would be dangerous as leading to a false AN ingenious method of dealing with excreta has recently sense of security. been patented by Messrs T. Goddard and Co,, of Queen MOUILLA, OR POTASH LIQUID SOAP. which claims to be an improvement upon the (M. R. EDWARDES, ADAM-STREET, STRAND.) earth-closet. The material used in substitution for earth This interesting soap is the invention of Dr. Duncan of is called "sanitary carbon," but there is no statement St. Petersburg. We find by analysis that it is, as described, of the source from which this carbon is derived. Its a potash soap containing glycerine, and scented with lemon. action upon the excreta is that of an effectual deodorant, It is a clear solution, which mixes easily, and gives a lather and it has the advantage of retaining the ammonia, with soft water. Opinions may differ as to whether potash thus producing a manure which must have some value. It is better than soda soap for ordinary use; but if potash is used in connexion with closets and commodes prosoap is wanted it could not be obtained in a more convenient vided with lids which are charged with this material. or elegant form. For medical purposes the soap is incor- On shutting down the lid a sufficient quantity of the carbon porated with small quantities of carbolic acid, Russian is scattered over the excreta in the pan beneath, rendering birch tar, and other substances. The carbolic soap, in par- them entirely free from smell; and it is said that the amount of earth or ashes commonly required for this purpose is five ticular, is a useful and valuable preparation. times that of the carbon, the cost of the quantity of the BOKOL: A NORWEGIAN PREPARATION OF MALT. latter material sufficient for each time of using being one(DAvIS, BERGENDAHL, & Co., NEWCASTLE-ON-TYNE.) of a penny. It is probable there will be some This is a liquid alcoholic preparation which tastes like eighth demand for the use of this deodorant in places where the sweetened beer. It might, perhaps, be used with advantage inwater-carried system is impossible. stead of stout, but, as it possesses scarcely any diastasic power, we cannot recommend it as a substitute for malt extract.
Germains
accomplished
sulphurous
have
Victoria-street,
KENTISH SAUCE.
(BURGOYNE & CO., PERCY-STRIET, TOTTENHAM-COURT-ROAD.) All that we need say of this sauce is that it is pleasant in flavour, and that our analysis shows that it is entirely free
from
poisonous metals.
LIQ. PODOPHYLLIN (HOCKIN). Co., DUKE-STREET, MANCHESTER-SQUARE.) (HOCKIN, WILSON, & This seems an excellent extract. It is faintly alkaline, mixes well with water, alcohol, dilute acids, and small quantities of alkaline carbonates, but is precipitated by alkaline hydrates. VAN ABBOTT’S BEEF-TEA.
(G. VAN ABBOTT & SON, LONDON.) This is a stiff jelly easily soluble in warm water. The solution contains no fat or albumen, and may therefore be boiled. In flavour it is excellent, and we have no hesitation
in
awarding it high praise. RAPHAEL TANNIN WINE.
(E. GALLAIS, PICCADILLY.)
A
full-coloured, luscious, and agreeable wine, faintly acid and remarkably astringent. The iron and gelatine testa show the presence of a considerable proportion of tannin, We think it will be useful in medical practice.
MEDICAL ATTENDANCE ON THE POOR. To the Editors
of
THE LANCET.
obliged by your remarks, and the attention have you given to my pamphlet on Medical Attendance for the Sick Poor not Paupers; but I regret if I have at all led you to infer (and I appear to have done so by your closing remark) " that I said the object sought by Sir Spencer Welln’ committee was only for the benefit of the poor and not the industrial classes." Now by the very title I gave my paper it was my desire and intention to show that it was in the hope of providing, as I particularly mentioned in my pamphlet, kind and efficient medical aid for this section of the general practitioner’s Datients that this committee was now sitting, and I think I specially implied this by mentioning that I advocated that the wage limit should in certain cases be extended (as to men with large families) even to £6 per week by paying 10s. per month when in health. What I did mention was that Sir Spencer Wells’ committee was not organised for relieving any class who were well able to pay our usual fees, not for that upper stratum of the industrial classes "whose annual income very often was much larger than that of the average clerk, SIRS,—
and
am
even
classes."
April 18th,
Hearing
a
I am, 1887.
not small number of the
professional
Sirs, your obedient servant,
ALDEBSON. FREDERICK H. ALDERSON.