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present. These preparations afford undoubtedly a salutarybeverage, presenting all the valued characteristics of

rape juice itself. An analysis of the still red wine gavethe following results :-Alcohol, nil; extractive matters,16 35 per cent. ; and mineral matter (chiefly carbonates ofphosphate and potassium), 10’32 per cent. Some proof ofthe absence of preservatives is afforded by the fact that onkeeping the wine, after opening, at 1000F. fermentationsoon commenced. In spite of the method adopted to

exclude ferments there is no suspicion of a caramel-likeflavour in the wine.

New Inventions.A NEW CHAMPAGNE TAP AND CORK.

As is well known it is very desirable for many purposes to’be able to keep champagne bright and sparkling to the endin cases where only a glassful or so is consumed at one time.Hitherto this has not been attained in a way that can

be regarded as satisfactory or convenient. Above all it is

’necessary that there may be no risk of metallic contamina-tion as might happen with the hollow metal corkscrew tap.Ttlr. Hilgers, of Old Trinity House, Water-lane, Great Tower-street, E.C., has recently introduced a distinct improvement,we think, in this direction which should render the adminis-

tration of champagne in the sick-room an easy and satisfactory matter.The construction of the new tapwill be readily understood from theaccompanying diagram. In the firstplace a metal cover is placed uponthe champagne bottle. This is pro-

vided at the top with a screw uponwhich the tap itself may easily befitted. A few turns make the attach-ment quite tight. The tap itself is

composed of porcelain, inside andout, and the valve is a kind of porce-lain float provided with a small

rubber bearing. The float is lifted from its bearings bymeans of the lever situated inside the curved handle. The’whole fitting gives to the champagne bottle the appearanceof a jug. We have tried the apparatus and find, as theinventor claims, that it keeps the wine sparkling to the lastdelivered wineglassful. This appliance should prove of thegreatest service in hospitals and in sick-rooms. Mr. Hilgershas also brought to our notice what he calls "an economiccork." The construction of this, again, will be apparentin the illustrations given above. It consists of twotubes one within the other. The outer tube serves for thepassage of the outflowing wine, and the inner tube for theair to enter before the wine will flow. Both tubes are openedby means of a lever which can be easily turned with thethumb while the hand grasps the neck of the bottle.

IMPROVED APPLIANCE FOR SPINAL CARIES.

AN appliance intended to be substituted for the ordinarySayre’s jurymast has been submitted to us by Messrs. Saltand Son, of Corporation- street, Birmingham. Sayre’sjurymast allows considerable movement to the head, acondition at variance with the accepted principle of treatingdisease of joints by rest as far as possible. In Messrs. Saltand Son’s appliance the jurymast is attached to the body inthe ordinary way by means of a plaster poroplastic felt corsetand rises no higher than the occiput. It is here bifur-

cated, the arms being carried around the head as illus-trated and terminating in small pads placed slightlyabove the temples. From these points the head is slungby means of straps for the chin and occiput fitted inthe usual manner. The advantages of this arrangementare readily perceived. The pads, carefully fitted to rest

against the head without pressure, prevent lateral movement,

FIG. 1. FIG. 2.

Salt’s appliance. Ordinary jurymast.

and, as will be seen from a comparison of the new appliancewith an ordinary jurymast, the usual headgear can be wornand the instrument is far less unsightly than the older

pattern. By a simple modification consisting in loweringone arm and placing a quadrant action at the point of bifur-cation the apparatus becomes a most effective appliance fortorticollis, inasmuch as the axis of the quadrant is placedat the most advantageous position for rotating the head.

THE OMEGA. GAS STOVE.

THE Omega gas stove is constructed in compliance withwell known principles. It consists essentially of a speciallydesigned Bunsen burner the flame of which plays up againstan asbestos plate, and the heat currents and the hot productsof combustion are compelled to travel downward, upward,and again downward, and so on, before they finally emergeinto the air. This plan obviously leads to the flame beingsurrounded with heat, and also warms the air which takespart in the combustion. To some extent, therefore, thestove is constructed on the principle of the regenerativeburner. As is well known, it is the cooling cf the flamewhich is apt to produce disagreeable and injurious productsof combustion. We have submitted this stove to fairtrial with satisfactory results. It is free from smell, andthe heat evolved possesses no objectionable qualities. Ofcourse the products of combustion are discharged into theair, but assuming the working conditions are sound theseproducts would only consist practically of carbonic acid andmoisture. We see no objection to flueless gas stoves so longas combustion is complete and the consumption of gas, as inthe present instance, is comparatively low. The stove is notfree from the one objection inseparable from atmosphericburners-namely, the noise of air entering into the gas at thefoot of the burner. The stove was sent to us by Mr. E. HarryWoods, of 8, Victoria-street, Westminster, S.W.