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THE HOTEL PREMIUM ON WINES.
876 stream and in turn causes an increase in the permeability of the endothelial wall of the capillaries of the lung. As to treatment the most important procedure has been found to be a change of posture so as to aid in draining the respiratory If necessary, the passages of the great excess of mucus. should be turned over the side of the bed, repatient all the and pharynx. mucus from nares, mouth, moving The mouth should be opened with a gag or with the fingers protected by a towel. In addition, much benefit has been obtained by dry-cupping and the use of atropine and strychnine hypodermically. Venesection is of value in fullblooded patients. Adrenalin was used without apparent result. Dr. Shanahan’s paper concludes with details of 11 In view of the communications which have recently cases. appeared in our columns upon the subject in question this paper is of great interest. -
THE
HOTEL PREMIUM ON WINES.
WE have more than once commented upon the exorbitant prices which the proprietors of hotels, restaurants, and other places demand (and obtain) from the public for wines. The prices charged are out of all proportion to the value of the wine, and even at the high price paid the wine is often of indifferent quality, if, in fact, This matter is of more it is not actually rubbish. than ordinary interest, because we are convinced that this method of trading is very largely practised and is responsible in a considerable measure for the increased consumption of spirits which are now so often employed to form the basis of the alcoholic beverage consumed with the meal. Whatever views may be held about the use of alcoholic beverages there can be little doubt that the replacement of sound wines by mixtures of spirit and water (plain or aerated) is in general a retrograde step from a health point of view chiefly because in this way the chances of imbibing more alcohol in a given volume of fluid are greater than when a sound light wine is chosen. It is pretty certain that the man who drinks diluted whisky his meals consumes more or "whisky-and-soda" with alcohol at a sitting than the man who chooses claret or hock. There are, of course, individual cases in which the use of wines is contra-indicated but these represent the few acting under medical advice and not the majority. It is admitted by most people that a " whisky-and-soda " or two go further than a pint of claret from the point of view of a stimulant, while under the present objectionable régime of charging highly inflated prices for wines the
spirit mixture is decidedly cheaper. The public are silly enough to submit to this taxation at the hands of a comparative few and to risk their health also. And yet the public, if they chose, could alter matters completely if only they would realise the true state of affairs and if they would make up their minds to show their resentment in a practical way. Signs, however, the simple method of leaving are not wanting that the excessively priced wines severely alone is gaining ground. The result, of course, is a falling off in the sales of wines, which reacts on the shipper although he is not the real offender. While it is, therefore, not fair to him the hotel proprietors fully deserve the disaster which their own action threatens to bring upon their heads. In the language of the Stock Exchange there is at the present time a I I slump " in champagne, which is, no doubt, being felt by the champagne shippers very severely. They complain that the consumption of spirits with aerated water is increasing and that good light sparkling wines are losing favour simply and solely because of the large profits which the hotel proprietors attempt to extract from the public. When a man knows perfectly well that
can buy a bottle of a good brand of champagne at the rate of not more and often less than 10s. a bottle, is ib likely that he is going to pay for a bottle of that same
he
wine 20s. or even 25s. because it is the hotel price ?The trade is willing, we understand, to reduce the price of champagne by 30 per cent. if only the hotel proprietor will We are convinced, as. retail it at a reasonable profit. have said again and again, that a supply of we good, light, cheap wines augurs well for temperance and the morale of the nation when the growing and pernicious habit of drinking ardent spirits is considered. It is to be hoped that the step which the champagne shippers propose to take will not be forgotten by the public in their dealings with those who cater for them. THE
USE OF CYANIDE OF MERCURY WITH BORAX IN SURGICAL PRACTICE.
Dr. Paul Lemaire in a recent number of the Répertoire de Pharmacie draws attention to the advantages of a mixture of cyanide of mercury and borax in surgical practice. Cyanide of mercury is less caustic and less irritating than the perchloride and does not coagulate organic matter. Dr Mareohal of Angers showed in 18961 that steel, copper, and nickel instruments are not attacked when immersed in 2 per cent. aqueous solutions of various sodium salts, including borax and the carbonate, bicarbonate, and benzoate of sodium. The addition of borax to cyanide of mercury has been tried also in obstetric work. For conveniencethese antiseptics may be compressed in the form of tablets containing suitable colouring matters to give theresulting solutions a distinctive appearance. Dr. Lemairerecommends a combination of mercuric cyanide 1 gramme, borax 2 grammes, potassium chromate 0’ 075 gramme, One of these tablets and fluoresceine 0’ 001 gramme. dissolved in a litre of distilled water yields a convenient. antiseptic solution. -
NUISANCE FROM
FLIES.
WE have already had occasion to refer more than once to the evidence which has been collected by different observers as to the part taken by flies in the dissemination of disease. It has been proved by actual experiment than these insects can carry on their feet micro-organisms of all kinds with. which they are brought into contact, and it has been suggested that enteric fever and summer diarrhoea especially A very are maladies liable to be spread in this way. interesting report presented to the London County Council by the medical officer (general purposes), Dr. W. H. Hamer, deals with an allied problem, that, namely, of theeffect of accumulations of refuse matter in leading, to increase in the number of flies found in their neighDr. Hamer’s investigations were conducted bourhood. with as much precision as the nature of the task admitted, certain centres being chosen at which rubbish was allowed to accumulate and observations being made as to the numbers of flies caught in typical dwelling-houses situated at varying distances from these foci of attraction or rather of dissemination of flies. The results expressed in figures to which careful methods of correction were applied, and embodied in various graphic curves, point strongly to the importance of refuse heaps as breeding places for flies and give a vivid picture of the extent of the nuisance created by these insects. Of all refuse matter apparently horse dung is. the most directly implicated but doubtless other materials also serve as nurseries for flies. It was unfortunate, from the point of view of these experiments, that last summer was exceptionally cold, so that it prevented accurate observations being made as to the possible connexion 1
Répertoire de Pharmacie, 1896,
p. 160.
THE
HOTEL PREMIUM ON WINES.
WE have more than once commented upon the exorbitant prices which the proprietors of hotels, restaurants, and other places demand (and obtain) from the public for wines. The prices charged are out of all proportion to the value of the wine, and even at the high price paid the wine is often of indifferent quality, if, in fact, This matter is of more it is not actually rubbish. than ordinary interest, because we are convinced that this method of trading is very largely practised and is responsible in a considerable measure for the increased consumption of spirits which are now so often employed to form the basis of the alcoholic beverage consumed with the meal. Whatever views may be held about the use of alcoholic beverages there can be little doubt that the replacement of sound wines by mixtures of spirit and water (plain or aerated) is in general a retrograde step from a health point of view chiefly because in this way the chances of imbibing more alcohol in a given volume of fluid are greater than when a sound light wine is chosen. It is pretty certain that the man who drinks diluted whisky his meals consumes more or "whisky-and-soda" with alcohol at a sitting than the man who chooses claret or hock. There are, of course, individual cases in which the use of wines is contra-indicated but these represent the few acting under medical advice and not the majority. It is admitted by most people that a " whisky-and-soda " or two go further than a pint of claret from the point of view of a stimulant, while under the present objectionable régime of charging highly inflated prices for wines the
spirit mixture is decidedly cheaper. The public are silly enough to submit to this taxation at the hands of a comparative few and to risk their health also. And yet the public, if they chose, could alter matters completely if only they would realise the true state of affairs and if they would make up their minds to show their resentment in a practical way. Signs, however, the simple method of leaving are not wanting that the excessively priced wines severely alone is gaining ground. The result, of course, is a falling off in the sales of wines, which reacts on the shipper although he is not the real offender. While it is, therefore, not fair to him the hotel proprietors fully deserve the disaster which their own action threatens to bring upon their heads. In the language of the Stock Exchange there is at the present time a I I slump " in champagne, which is, no doubt, being felt by the champagne shippers very severely. They complain that the consumption of spirits with aerated water is increasing and that good light sparkling wines are losing favour simply and solely because of the large profits which the hotel proprietors attempt to extract from the public. When a man knows perfectly well that
can buy a bottle of a good brand of champagne at the rate of not more and often less than 10s. a bottle, is ib likely that he is going to pay for a bottle of that same
he
wine 20s. or even 25s. because it is the hotel price ?The trade is willing, we understand, to reduce the price of champagne by 30 per cent. if only the hotel proprietor will We are convinced, as. retail it at a reasonable profit. have said again and again, that a supply of we good, light, cheap wines augurs well for temperance and the morale of the nation when the growing and pernicious habit of drinking ardent spirits is considered. It is to be hoped that the step which the champagne shippers propose to take will not be forgotten by the public in their dealings with those who cater for them. THE
USE OF CYANIDE OF MERCURY WITH BORAX IN SURGICAL PRACTICE.
Dr. Paul Lemaire in a recent number of the Répertoire de Pharmacie draws attention to the advantages of a mixture of cyanide of mercury and borax in surgical practice. Cyanide of mercury is less caustic and less irritating than the perchloride and does not coagulate organic matter. Dr Mareohal of Angers showed in 18961 that steel, copper, and nickel instruments are not attacked when immersed in 2 per cent. aqueous solutions of various sodium salts, including borax and the carbonate, bicarbonate, and benzoate of sodium. The addition of borax to cyanide of mercury has been tried also in obstetric work. For conveniencethese antiseptics may be compressed in the form of tablets containing suitable colouring matters to give theresulting solutions a distinctive appearance. Dr. Lemairerecommends a combination of mercuric cyanide 1 gramme, borax 2 grammes, potassium chromate 0’ 075 gramme, One of these tablets and fluoresceine 0’ 001 gramme. dissolved in a litre of distilled water yields a convenient. antiseptic solution. -
NUISANCE FROM
FLIES.
WE have already had occasion to refer more than once to the evidence which has been collected by different observers as to the part taken by flies in the dissemination of disease. It has been proved by actual experiment than these insects can carry on their feet micro-organisms of all kinds with. which they are brought into contact, and it has been suggested that enteric fever and summer diarrhoea especially A very are maladies liable to be spread in this way. interesting report presented to the London County Council by the medical officer (general purposes), Dr. W. H. Hamer, deals with an allied problem, that, namely, of theeffect of accumulations of refuse matter in leading, to increase in the number of flies found in their neighDr. Hamer’s investigations were conducted bourhood. with as much precision as the nature of the task admitted, certain centres being chosen at which rubbish was allowed to accumulate and observations being made as to the numbers of flies caught in typical dwelling-houses situated at varying distances from these foci of attraction or rather of dissemination of flies. The results expressed in figures to which careful methods of correction were applied, and embodied in various graphic curves, point strongly to the importance of refuse heaps as breeding places for flies and give a vivid picture of the extent of the nuisance created by these insects. Of all refuse matter apparently horse dung is. the most directly implicated but doubtless other materials also serve as nurseries for flies. It was unfortunate, from the point of view of these experiments, that last summer was exceptionally cold, so that it prevented accurate observations being made as to the possible connexion 1
Répertoire de Pharmacie, 1896,
p. 160.