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FROM THE LANCET, SATURDAY, August 18th, 1832.
570
compared with those grown in the incubator. The larvæ hatched in the manure heaps looked almost black compared with the creamy white appearance of those grown in the incubator, due, no doubt, to their alimentary canal being filled with the contents of the manure pit. This fact should suffice to make us regard the fly with suspicion, even if its legs were not so admirably constructed for picking up and carrying whatever material its unsavoury habits induced it to rest upon. Dr. Clements expressed the opinion that summer diarrhoea was a disease depending on filth conditions, the poison entering the body usually in contaminated food, the common house fly being an active agent in distributing the poison. He did not consider that the capacity of patients for infecting others was very great. Dr. JOHN BuowN (Bacup) said that the possibility of the house fly being a carrier of disease had been strongly urged by many medical men, especially by those who had been in tropical regions where typhoid fever was endemic. As a filth carrier and as a house pest the house fly should be destroyed, though it might serve some useful purpose in nature of which we were not now fully aware.
Looking Back. FROM
THE LANCET, SATURDAY, August 18th, 1832. REMARKS ON THE
As
an
DISINFECTING POWER OF HEAT, Agent for destroying Contagion or Pestilential Miasmata.
By
J.
HANCOCK, M.D., London.
IT has been with some surprise that I have observed, that the disinfecting power of heat is regarded by gentlemen of science as a new discovery. I considered it a very common and prevalent idea, and recollect seeing the method employed, many years ago, on clothing, which had been worn by persons in small-pox, being smoked and roasted, I Mr. HERBERT JONES (Hereford) suggested that the nuisance might say, by nurses, before a strong fire, for the purpose oF caused by the large accumulations of excremental filth in destroying infection. I do not say this to invalidate the country districts might be very materially lessened if the experiments of Dr. Henry,who, it may be said, "improves provisions of the nuisance sections of the Public Health Act, whatever he tonches." I have seen the same alluded to, or 1875, were more stringently enforced. directed, I think in the old French Encyclopedia, and other Dr. McWALTER considered that the idea that the house works, which I cannot now call to mind ; but I may fly was the cause of disease was a mere superstition, refer, on this subject, to the letters of Dr. Lobb, addressed though he admitted that a great deal of good might be to Martin Folkes, Esq., president, and read at the accomplished by removing accumulations of filth on which meetings of the Royal Society, 1743-4. From these I the flies were bred. In continental cities flies were very beg leave to give a brief extract. "Iwill take up prevalent, but epidemic diarrhoea was not so common as no more time," says Dr. Lobb, "at present, than to with us. mention two methods for removing the pestilential particles from infected goods or apparel, which may prove botheffectua and expeditious. One is by airing them before brisk fires TWELFTH SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL CONGRESS made in chimneys;"" and he conceives that, "as wateris (1910), CAPE TOWN.—It was originally decided to hold this carried off by heat, so the pestilential particles also, which Congress in October, but it has since been decided to hold are more volatile, must be speedily removed by the action of it from Nov. 7th to 12th. The Union Parliament is heat from infected goods; that although simple exposure to expected to meet on Nov. 4th and during that week and the the air would in time effect the same purpose, yet the means following one the Union festivities, pageant, and other pro- proposed by heat is likely to do more in one hour, than the ceedings will take place. The President is Dr. C. F. K. other in several days." On the same principle he recomMurray ; the vice-president is Dr. C. Macgowan Kitching ; mends, that persons who have been exposed to the fomes the honorary treasurer is Dr. R. Arderne Wilson ; and the of pestilence:’, should take the earliest opportunity of honorary secretary is Mr. H. A. Moffat, F.R C S. Eng., whose approaching a brisk fire, turning round before it to get rid address is Norwich Union Buildings, St. George’s-street, of any infection received in their garments. This, he thinks, Cape Town. There are the following sections-viz., deserves the attention of all who have been exposed amongst medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynascology, public health, the sick. The other method of disinfecting is, by boiling all such eye, ear, nose, and throat, pathology, and special subject". Every registered medical practitioner in South Africa is articles as may not be spoiled bv the process, by which eligible for membership. The subscription is 1 guinea. The means, as in the application of heat, the pestilential secretary informs members of the medical profession intend- particles will be carried up the chimney ; for he believed the ing to be present at the Union celebrations that they will miasma is not destroyed or decomposed, but driven off by Dr. A. Jasper heat. Lobb on the Plague, p 48-51 ; and this opinion would receive a hearty welcome at the Congress. Anderson, medical officer of health of Cape Town, is chair- seem to have been borne out by experiments on small-pox, man of the entertainment and reception committee. as cited in Lyon’s Treatise on the Prevention of the Plague, where it is stated that the smoking of infected clothing conNINTH INTERNATIONAL ANTI- TUBERCTTLOSIS CONveyed the infection of small-pox to some distance, denying FEREKCE, BRUSSELS.-This Conference will take place at’ that fire will destroy the pestilential miasm, if confined, but On Oct. 4th there is a he believes it Brussels from Oct. 5th to 8th. extremely evanescent on the approach of heat, preliminary visit to Mons to inspect the measures there p. 359. I may observe that this book of Dr. Lobb, although against tuberculosis. On the 5th there will be several mingled with the superstitious philosophy of his meetings of various commissions-viz., those on sanatoria,’ day, contains much sound sense and useful information, and milk-supply, solar radiation, international statistics, and inter- that his pathological opinions are rational, and rather national marks (or symbols) for the state of the lungs. On superior for one of his time. the 6th various well-known speakers will address the conIt would appear that, in earlier times, ships, merchandise. ference ; among the list we observe the following abbreviated and all, were frequently burnt to get rid of contagion, but sigi3ifications-viz , Philip—Edinburgh, Raw-Liverpool,, the good Dr. Lobb, conceiving the pestiferous particles may On the 7th be thus disseminated in the Williams-London, Woodhead-Cambridge. air, proposes another measure the following subjects will be discussed :-Protection of rational and efficient-that of " sinking the infected Children from Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis and School, and to the bottom of the sea and burying infected goods the Campaign against Tuberculosis and the Women. On in the earth,"which, he says, is likely to prove very deep the 8th there will again be meetings of the various com- effectual for preventing the propagation of pestilence! See missions and reports on the progress of the campaign 366. This would put out of countenance, perhaps, even p. against tuberculosis in the various countries. These seriouss the most zealous and froward advocates for contagion and proceedings will be followed by an excursion to Antwerp, quarantine of the present day. The fact seems to be that, in and on the Sunday an excursion to see the arrangements forr those actually believed in the vagaries which are the tuberculous at Liege, at the Sanatorium Borgoumont,’ now days, they and acknowledged by most honest men, to be known, and at the sanatorium of Mont sur Meuse at Namur. The set up as mere searecroms. conference is under the patronage of His Majesty the King of the Belgians. The honorary secretary is Dr. Pannwitz, 1 Vide "Looking Back" in THE LANCET, Jan. 22nd, 1910, p. 261, and April 23rd, 1910, p. 1147. Avenue Van Volxem, 253, Forest-Brussels.
dry
’
abundantly -
fequally ships ’
ef
compared with those grown in the incubator. The larvæ hatched in the manure heaps looked almost black compared with the creamy white appearance of those grown in the incubator, due, no doubt, to their alimentary canal being filled with the contents of the manure pit. This fact should suffice to make us regard the fly with suspicion, even if its legs were not so admirably constructed for picking up and carrying whatever material its unsavoury habits induced it to rest upon. Dr. Clements expressed the opinion that summer diarrhoea was a disease depending on filth conditions, the poison entering the body usually in contaminated food, the common house fly being an active agent in distributing the poison. He did not consider that the capacity of patients for infecting others was very great. Dr. JOHN BuowN (Bacup) said that the possibility of the house fly being a carrier of disease had been strongly urged by many medical men, especially by those who had been in tropical regions where typhoid fever was endemic. As a filth carrier and as a house pest the house fly should be destroyed, though it might serve some useful purpose in nature of which we were not now fully aware.
Looking Back. FROM
THE LANCET, SATURDAY, August 18th, 1832. REMARKS ON THE
As
an
DISINFECTING POWER OF HEAT, Agent for destroying Contagion or Pestilential Miasmata.
By
J.
HANCOCK, M.D., London.
IT has been with some surprise that I have observed, that the disinfecting power of heat is regarded by gentlemen of science as a new discovery. I considered it a very common and prevalent idea, and recollect seeing the method employed, many years ago, on clothing, which had been worn by persons in small-pox, being smoked and roasted, I Mr. HERBERT JONES (Hereford) suggested that the nuisance might say, by nurses, before a strong fire, for the purpose oF caused by the large accumulations of excremental filth in destroying infection. I do not say this to invalidate the country districts might be very materially lessened if the experiments of Dr. Henry,who, it may be said, "improves provisions of the nuisance sections of the Public Health Act, whatever he tonches." I have seen the same alluded to, or 1875, were more stringently enforced. directed, I think in the old French Encyclopedia, and other Dr. McWALTER considered that the idea that the house works, which I cannot now call to mind ; but I may fly was the cause of disease was a mere superstition, refer, on this subject, to the letters of Dr. Lobb, addressed though he admitted that a great deal of good might be to Martin Folkes, Esq., president, and read at the accomplished by removing accumulations of filth on which meetings of the Royal Society, 1743-4. From these I the flies were bred. In continental cities flies were very beg leave to give a brief extract. "Iwill take up prevalent, but epidemic diarrhoea was not so common as no more time," says Dr. Lobb, "at present, than to with us. mention two methods for removing the pestilential particles from infected goods or apparel, which may prove botheffectua and expeditious. One is by airing them before brisk fires TWELFTH SOUTH AFRICAN MEDICAL CONGRESS made in chimneys;"" and he conceives that, "as wateris (1910), CAPE TOWN.—It was originally decided to hold this carried off by heat, so the pestilential particles also, which Congress in October, but it has since been decided to hold are more volatile, must be speedily removed by the action of it from Nov. 7th to 12th. The Union Parliament is heat from infected goods; that although simple exposure to expected to meet on Nov. 4th and during that week and the the air would in time effect the same purpose, yet the means following one the Union festivities, pageant, and other pro- proposed by heat is likely to do more in one hour, than the ceedings will take place. The President is Dr. C. F. K. other in several days." On the same principle he recomMurray ; the vice-president is Dr. C. Macgowan Kitching ; mends, that persons who have been exposed to the fomes the honorary treasurer is Dr. R. Arderne Wilson ; and the of pestilence:’, should take the earliest opportunity of honorary secretary is Mr. H. A. Moffat, F.R C S. Eng., whose approaching a brisk fire, turning round before it to get rid address is Norwich Union Buildings, St. George’s-street, of any infection received in their garments. This, he thinks, Cape Town. There are the following sections-viz., deserves the attention of all who have been exposed amongst medicine, surgery, obstetrics and gynascology, public health, the sick. The other method of disinfecting is, by boiling all such eye, ear, nose, and throat, pathology, and special subject". Every registered medical practitioner in South Africa is articles as may not be spoiled bv the process, by which eligible for membership. The subscription is 1 guinea. The means, as in the application of heat, the pestilential secretary informs members of the medical profession intend- particles will be carried up the chimney ; for he believed the ing to be present at the Union celebrations that they will miasma is not destroyed or decomposed, but driven off by Dr. A. Jasper heat. Lobb on the Plague, p 48-51 ; and this opinion would receive a hearty welcome at the Congress. Anderson, medical officer of health of Cape Town, is chair- seem to have been borne out by experiments on small-pox, man of the entertainment and reception committee. as cited in Lyon’s Treatise on the Prevention of the Plague, where it is stated that the smoking of infected clothing conNINTH INTERNATIONAL ANTI- TUBERCTTLOSIS CONveyed the infection of small-pox to some distance, denying FEREKCE, BRUSSELS.-This Conference will take place at’ that fire will destroy the pestilential miasm, if confined, but On Oct. 4th there is a he believes it Brussels from Oct. 5th to 8th. extremely evanescent on the approach of heat, preliminary visit to Mons to inspect the measures there p. 359. I may observe that this book of Dr. Lobb, although against tuberculosis. On the 5th there will be several mingled with the superstitious philosophy of his meetings of various commissions-viz., those on sanatoria,’ day, contains much sound sense and useful information, and milk-supply, solar radiation, international statistics, and inter- that his pathological opinions are rational, and rather national marks (or symbols) for the state of the lungs. On superior for one of his time. the 6th various well-known speakers will address the conIt would appear that, in earlier times, ships, merchandise. ference ; among the list we observe the following abbreviated and all, were frequently burnt to get rid of contagion, but sigi3ifications-viz , Philip—Edinburgh, Raw-Liverpool,, the good Dr. Lobb, conceiving the pestiferous particles may On the 7th be thus disseminated in the Williams-London, Woodhead-Cambridge. air, proposes another measure the following subjects will be discussed :-Protection of rational and efficient-that of " sinking the infected Children from Tuberculosis, Tuberculosis and School, and to the bottom of the sea and burying infected goods the Campaign against Tuberculosis and the Women. On in the earth,"which, he says, is likely to prove very deep the 8th there will again be meetings of the various com- effectual for preventing the propagation of pestilence! See missions and reports on the progress of the campaign 366. This would put out of countenance, perhaps, even p. against tuberculosis in the various countries. These seriouss the most zealous and froward advocates for contagion and proceedings will be followed by an excursion to Antwerp, quarantine of the present day. The fact seems to be that, in and on the Sunday an excursion to see the arrangements forr those actually believed in the vagaries which are the tuberculous at Liege, at the Sanatorium Borgoumont,’ now days, they and acknowledged by most honest men, to be known, and at the sanatorium of Mont sur Meuse at Namur. The set up as mere searecroms. conference is under the patronage of His Majesty the King of the Belgians. The honorary secretary is Dr. Pannwitz, 1 Vide "Looking Back" in THE LANCET, Jan. 22nd, 1910, p. 261, and April 23rd, 1910, p. 1147. Avenue Van Volxem, 253, Forest-Brussels.
dry
’
abundantly -
fequally ships ’
ef