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THE ARMY MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CORONATION.
THE ARMY MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE CORONATION.
addition to
sucking blood exercise a poisonous influence the organism of the patient. It is also well known that the body of the parasite, and especially its anterior region, is provided with numerous large glands, distinguished as the head glands, neck glands, and cesophageal glands. Dr. Looss gives reasons for supposing that if the impairment of health which accompanies ankylostomiasis is really due to a substance secreted by the parasite this substance is probably derived from the head glands. In continuation of the research Dr. Looss turned his attention to sclerostoma, a parasite closely allied to ankylostoma and found in Egypt in immense numbers in In examining the parasites he the bodies of the equidæ. had much trouble from the tendency of their bodies to contract and to become wrinkled when they were removed from their natural habitat, but he overcame this difficulty by immersing them in alcohol of about 70 per cent. strength heated to 80° C. ; they were then cleared in glycerine and mounted unstained in glycerine-gelatin.
poisonous compounds intended exclusively for agricultural purposes would possibly involve it is pretty evident that the provisions of the Pharmacy Act were never intended to apply to such preparations. The sale, for instance, of a weedkiller or insecticide does not surely require the offices of a particularly well-educated or qualified person, such as is the chemist and druggist. The chemist and druggist is required to possess an accurate knowledge of poisons for obvious reasons, chief amongst which is that he dispenses them for internal administration. Elsewhere we record a case in which a seed and artificial manure merchant was summoned for selling a poisonous vegetable alkaloid known as nicotine without having his name and address on the bottle, and for selling the poison to an unknown person, and for failing to entry of the sale in a book kept for the purpose, contrary to the provisions of the Pharmacy Act. 1868. The preparation was sold as a I I vaporiser fumigator" which is used for the destruction of greenhouse pests. Evidence was given to the effect that the compound contained over 20 per cent. of nicotine, two ounces containing as much as 186 grains of the alkaloid-a quantity, it was stated, sufficient to prove fatal to at least The case was considered proved and the 300 persons. defendant was fined £2on each of the three summonses,
on
THE
ARMY
MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS CORONATION.
THE
DISTRIBUTION
OF
PLAGUE.
the Director-General of the Sanitary shows that for the week ending June 8th there were four new cases of plague admitted, of which one occurred in a European. There were two deaths, 14 recoveries, and 16 cases remained under treatment.
weekly return of Department of Egypt THE
THE
UNRESTRICTED SALE
OF
make an
FOR THE
THE army medical arrangements in the metropolis in connexion with the processions on June 26th and June 27th have been made public and appear to be of a most detailed and comprehensive character. Stretcher squads will be stationed immediately behind the line of troops on either side of the route ; 18ambulance and six dressing stations will be established at convenient spots ; and 10 field hospitals will be located at such varying points around the centre as Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, St. James’s -Park, Battersea Park, Regent’s Park, Lambeth Palace, Surrey Sessions House, Tower Ditch, King’s College, and Hounslow Heath. The following seven general hospitals, the first four of which are actually on Friday’s route, have engaged to reserve a certain number of beds for casualties of a severe nature occurring among the troops : St. Thomas’s Hospital, St. George’s Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, Westminster Hospital, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Guy’s Hospital, and King’s College Hospital. Special arrangements have been made for the Colonial and Indian contingents present in London for the ceremonies of the" coronation. At Alexandra Palace temporary ’- non-dieted hospitals have been established to meet the wants of over 3000 officers and men, while serious cases can be drafted to St. Thomas’s Home (officers), Rochester-row Station Hospital (non-commissioned Europeans), and Herbert Hospital (noncommissioned natives). Field hospitals of 50 beds will be established in the Home Park, Hampton Court, and on Hounslow Heath ; a detention hospital of 14 beds will be opened at Fulham Palace for the mounted troops of the Indian contingent ; and a method is to be devised for the separate treatment of infectious diseases. The medical officers in charge of the various camps have been warned as to the need of the utmost vigilance against small-pox.
POISONS.
IT is, of course, difficult to suggest a satisfactory system of control by which all poisons or poisonous preparations can be sold. Tobacco, paint, and alcohol are poisons, but there is practically no limit to their sale. Whilst admitting, however, the danger to the community which the unrestricted sale of
1789
including costs. Consent, however, was given to state a special case for the Court of Appeal. Instances of this sort are multiplying and it is to be hoped that the Privy Council Poisons Committee may find that they will be able to control the sale of poisons in some way which, while duly protecting the public, will not threaten to extinguish an undoubtedly important trade. We learn that the report of this committee is not expected until the end of the autumn. Their decision will have an important bearing upon the case which we have just discussed. -
THE
’
SMOKE
NUISANCE
IN
NEW YORK.
A VERY instructive incident is reported in our columns this week by our New York correspondent in regard to thesmoke nuisance which has recently arisen in that city. As is well known, the fuel used for heating purposes in New York, as in most continental cities, is anthracite. As a consequence the atmosphere of these cities is never blackened with smoke, for anthracite is a smokeless fuel. Owing,. however, to the high price of hard coal in New York city, as a result of the general strike amongst the anthracite colliers cheaper and smoky coal has suddenly come intovogue. This change of fuel soon had its bad effect upon the atmosphere of the city and to some extent the inhabitants have been experiencing a condition of things similar to that frequently met with in London, where the householders are allowed to pollute the air with comparative impunity. In New York city it is a civil offence for a householder to allow smoke other than white, or cinders, dust, gas, or any offensive odour to come from his chimney. We fear that it would be impossible to impose such a restriction, as that regarding the use of anthracite or smokeless coal in London. But what an excellent result would accrue could it be done. There is little doubt that the householders of the metropolis tarnish the atmosphere of London to an infinitely greater degree than does the manufacturer. There is no reason, however, why pressure should not be kept to bearupon the latter offender. It is quite easy to prevent smokeproduction in a large furnace even when soft bituminouscoal is used, whereby not only is a nuisance effectually checked but an important economy of fuel obtained, as we have repeatedly pointed out. In New York notice is to besent to all persons guilty of the offence to discontinuethe use of soft coal within five days and in aggravated cases within 24 hours. If the notice is not complied with prosecution is to be immediately instituted and in case of the
addition to
sucking blood exercise a poisonous influence the organism of the patient. It is also well known that the body of the parasite, and especially its anterior region, is provided with numerous large glands, distinguished as the head glands, neck glands, and cesophageal glands. Dr. Looss gives reasons for supposing that if the impairment of health which accompanies ankylostomiasis is really due to a substance secreted by the parasite this substance is probably derived from the head glands. In continuation of the research Dr. Looss turned his attention to sclerostoma, a parasite closely allied to ankylostoma and found in Egypt in immense numbers in In examining the parasites he the bodies of the equidæ. had much trouble from the tendency of their bodies to contract and to become wrinkled when they were removed from their natural habitat, but he overcame this difficulty by immersing them in alcohol of about 70 per cent. strength heated to 80° C. ; they were then cleared in glycerine and mounted unstained in glycerine-gelatin.
poisonous compounds intended exclusively for agricultural purposes would possibly involve it is pretty evident that the provisions of the Pharmacy Act were never intended to apply to such preparations. The sale, for instance, of a weedkiller or insecticide does not surely require the offices of a particularly well-educated or qualified person, such as is the chemist and druggist. The chemist and druggist is required to possess an accurate knowledge of poisons for obvious reasons, chief amongst which is that he dispenses them for internal administration. Elsewhere we record a case in which a seed and artificial manure merchant was summoned for selling a poisonous vegetable alkaloid known as nicotine without having his name and address on the bottle, and for selling the poison to an unknown person, and for failing to entry of the sale in a book kept for the purpose, contrary to the provisions of the Pharmacy Act. 1868. The preparation was sold as a I I vaporiser fumigator" which is used for the destruction of greenhouse pests. Evidence was given to the effect that the compound contained over 20 per cent. of nicotine, two ounces containing as much as 186 grains of the alkaloid-a quantity, it was stated, sufficient to prove fatal to at least The case was considered proved and the 300 persons. defendant was fined £2on each of the three summonses,
on
THE
ARMY
MEDICAL ARRANGEMENTS CORONATION.
THE
DISTRIBUTION
OF
PLAGUE.
the Director-General of the Sanitary shows that for the week ending June 8th there were four new cases of plague admitted, of which one occurred in a European. There were two deaths, 14 recoveries, and 16 cases remained under treatment.
weekly return of Department of Egypt THE
THE
UNRESTRICTED SALE
OF
make an
FOR THE
THE army medical arrangements in the metropolis in connexion with the processions on June 26th and June 27th have been made public and appear to be of a most detailed and comprehensive character. Stretcher squads will be stationed immediately behind the line of troops on either side of the route ; 18ambulance and six dressing stations will be established at convenient spots ; and 10 field hospitals will be located at such varying points around the centre as Kensington Gardens, Hyde Park, St. James’s -Park, Battersea Park, Regent’s Park, Lambeth Palace, Surrey Sessions House, Tower Ditch, King’s College, and Hounslow Heath. The following seven general hospitals, the first four of which are actually on Friday’s route, have engaged to reserve a certain number of beds for casualties of a severe nature occurring among the troops : St. Thomas’s Hospital, St. George’s Hospital, Charing Cross Hospital, Westminster Hospital, St. Bartholomew’s Hospital, Guy’s Hospital, and King’s College Hospital. Special arrangements have been made for the Colonial and Indian contingents present in London for the ceremonies of the" coronation. At Alexandra Palace temporary ’- non-dieted hospitals have been established to meet the wants of over 3000 officers and men, while serious cases can be drafted to St. Thomas’s Home (officers), Rochester-row Station Hospital (non-commissioned Europeans), and Herbert Hospital (noncommissioned natives). Field hospitals of 50 beds will be established in the Home Park, Hampton Court, and on Hounslow Heath ; a detention hospital of 14 beds will be opened at Fulham Palace for the mounted troops of the Indian contingent ; and a method is to be devised for the separate treatment of infectious diseases. The medical officers in charge of the various camps have been warned as to the need of the utmost vigilance against small-pox.
POISONS.
IT is, of course, difficult to suggest a satisfactory system of control by which all poisons or poisonous preparations can be sold. Tobacco, paint, and alcohol are poisons, but there is practically no limit to their sale. Whilst admitting, however, the danger to the community which the unrestricted sale of
1789
including costs. Consent, however, was given to state a special case for the Court of Appeal. Instances of this sort are multiplying and it is to be hoped that the Privy Council Poisons Committee may find that they will be able to control the sale of poisons in some way which, while duly protecting the public, will not threaten to extinguish an undoubtedly important trade. We learn that the report of this committee is not expected until the end of the autumn. Their decision will have an important bearing upon the case which we have just discussed. -
THE
’
SMOKE
NUISANCE
IN
NEW YORK.
A VERY instructive incident is reported in our columns this week by our New York correspondent in regard to thesmoke nuisance which has recently arisen in that city. As is well known, the fuel used for heating purposes in New York, as in most continental cities, is anthracite. As a consequence the atmosphere of these cities is never blackened with smoke, for anthracite is a smokeless fuel. Owing,. however, to the high price of hard coal in New York city, as a result of the general strike amongst the anthracite colliers cheaper and smoky coal has suddenly come intovogue. This change of fuel soon had its bad effect upon the atmosphere of the city and to some extent the inhabitants have been experiencing a condition of things similar to that frequently met with in London, where the householders are allowed to pollute the air with comparative impunity. In New York city it is a civil offence for a householder to allow smoke other than white, or cinders, dust, gas, or any offensive odour to come from his chimney. We fear that it would be impossible to impose such a restriction, as that regarding the use of anthracite or smokeless coal in London. But what an excellent result would accrue could it be done. There is little doubt that the householders of the metropolis tarnish the atmosphere of London to an infinitely greater degree than does the manufacturer. There is no reason, however, why pressure should not be kept to bearupon the latter offender. It is quite easy to prevent smokeproduction in a large furnace even when soft bituminouscoal is used, whereby not only is a nuisance effectually checked but an important economy of fuel obtained, as we have repeatedly pointed out. In New York notice is to besent to all persons guilty of the offence to discontinuethe use of soft coal within five days and in aggravated cases within 24 hours. If the notice is not complied with prosecution is to be immediately instituted and in case of the