43

nor weight is prohibitive it is safer to use a high-pressurecurrent steam disinfector. Dr. Judson S. Bury records twocases of endothelioma arising in the middle fossa of the

skull, both in comparatively young men.

Hospital Gazettes.—The Broad Way (Westminster HospitalGazette) for November is chiefly concerned with topicalmatters, the only scientific note being on Abscess of the

Liver by Lieutenant C. G. Browne, R. A. M. C. — The MiddlesexHospital Journal has a December number full of good things,including papers on Sir James Paget by Mr. Howard Marshand on Practice Hunting by Mr. W. A. Rees.-In the

December number of St. Mary’s Hospital Gazette Dr. R. H.Miller makes some shrewd and lively observations on theExamination of Sick Children.

Reports and Analytical RecordsFROM

THE LANCET LABORATORY.

TABLOS SALT.

(TABLOS LIVLITED, 17, TEMPLE CHAMBERS, TEMPLE-AVENUE,LONDON, E.C.)

THE most troublesome property of common salt is its

power of absorbing moisture which is due to impurities.Absolutely pure sodium chloride is not deliquescent. The

impurities are chiefly the chlorides of magnesium andcalcium together with calcium sulphate. Tablos salt is

"non-caking" because the grains have been faced with aminimum quantity of carbonate of sodium which, besides con-verting the deliquescent chlorides of magnesium and calciuminto non-deliquescent carbonates, adds slightly also to thepercentage of salt present. The salt is fine and granular anddry so that it could be used in an hour-glass in the same wayas is sand. Curiously enough the treatment seems to developthe saline taste or, at any rate, the salt seems to be salterthan usual. We have kept specimens for some time exposedto moist air but there was no sign of caking.

" On dis-

solving the salt in water the solution is turbid owing to theformation of magnesium and calcium carbonate. We found

that the precipitate amounted to 0’ 38 per cent. The processdoes not completely convert the magnesium and calciumsalts into carbonates, so that a minimum amount of treatmentsuffices to prevent deliquescence. Tablos salt presentsobvious advantages compared with ordinary table salt. It is

economical, clean, dry, and" non-caking." »

(1) ALBUMINURIA TEST; AND (2) FORMOZONE.

(CHARLES ZIMMERMANN AND CO., 9 AND 10, ST. MARY-AT-HILL,LONDON, E.C.)

(1) The test described as the Elias albuminuria test reactspromptly with urine containing albumin. Moreover, it is

not affected by phosphates, urates, or bile. When albumoseis present the precipitate disappears on heating but albumincoagulates. The tablets afford a ready means of detectingalbumin in urine. (2) Formozone consists of a formaldehyd{fumigating cone containing, amongst other things, charcoaand solidified formaldehyde. In use it is suspended bmeans of a ring at its base from a wire bridge over a pail o:other suitable vessel. On applying a light to the apex thcone burns with a glow slowly giving off formaldehyde gasEach cone, it is said, gives off enough formaldehyde to disinfect a room having a capacity of 1000 cubic feet. It idifficult to suggest a simpler or more economical way o

applying the principles of disinfection to cubic spaces, wallsand furniture.

FRENCH COFFEE EXTRACT.

(SHARPE, GREEN, AND SON, 11, SIR THOMAS-STREET, LIVERPOOL.)We think that this extract is quite good but should prefB

it to be without chicory which, in our opinion, gives to it a

sickly, sweetish taste. The extract dissolves easily in water.Its genuineness is evidenced by the fact that we were able toextract 2’ 37 per cent. of caffeine from it. Needless to say,it is free from those aromatic oils which in coffee contribute

considerably to its attractive flavour if not to its stimulatingproperties.

SAN PELLEGRINO WATER.

(JOHN BELL AND CROYDEN, LIMITED, 50, WIGMORE-STREET, LONDON, W.)

Judging from the satisfactory accounts which are given ofthe therapeutic effects of this water in gravel, renal calculousdisorders, and treatment generally of affections of the

urinary passages San Pellegrino should be better known

than it is. Further, the place has attractions in the shape ofbeautiful scenery, amusements, and well-equipped hotels andstabilimenti balneari. San Pellegrino is within one and a.half hours’ journey of Milan, three-quarters of an hour fromGenoa and Turin, and about an hour from Venice and Bologna.The composition of the water is remarkable in showing a,

relatively small amount of mineral matter, and yet somarked is its diuretic effect having regard to the quantitydrunk that patients are inclined to imagine that they passmore water than they drink. It is probable that the wateris strongly radio-active, a point, however, which can only becleared up by examining the water at its source. On analysis.we fond that the water contained mineral salts to theextent of 1’264 grammes per litre. These consisted chieflyof the sulphates of calcium and magnesium and some

carbonate, with a trace of chloride. Spectroscopic examina-tion of the residue showed the presence of lithium verydistinctly. The complete analysis was as follows : Calcium

(Ca), 0-221; magnesium (Mg), 0 - 120 ; sulphate (SO,),0 ° 360 ; carbonate (003), O. 483; and chlorine (Cl), 0 - 08

gramme per litre. The water is organically pure and

pleasantly fresh to the palate.

(1) SOLUBLE VERONAL; AND (2) SABROMIN.

(THE BAYER CO., 19, ST. DUNSTAN’S-HILL, LONDON, E.C.)

By its combination with sodium, veronal is converted intoa soluble form which has certain advantages, as, for instance,in being suitable for injection per rectum. Veronal is, ofcourse, a well-known hypnotic and in some cases the solubleform may be more applicable than the insoluble form.

Soluble veronal is a white crystalline powder, its solution

having an alkaline reaction. (2) Sabromin is analogous tosajodin except that the iodine in the molecule of the latter is.replaced by bromine. Sabromin is the calcium salt ofdibromic behenic acid and is said to contain 29 per cent. ofbromine and 3.8 per cent. of calcium. It is recommended

as a substitute for the ordinary bromides because it is,relatively speaking, non-toxic, without action on the mucouslining of the stomach, and produces sedative effects similarto those of the ordinary bromides but with a smaller

percentage of bromine.PUFF CRACKNELS.

’ (S. HENDERSON AND SONS, LIMITED, SL-&TEFORD-ROAD, EDINBURGH.)Certain dietetic claims are made in favour of these

T ingeniously made cracknels which we are prepared to

r endorse. To begin with, they are made with nutritive

materials, amongst which may be mentioned flour, eggs,

. butter, and sugar. The dough is first boiled and then baked- at a high temperature in an atmosphere of steam. The

s result is that while the exterior of the biscuit is crisp andf crusty the interior has a peculiar spongy texture. The

14 sponge" has remarkable absorbent properties and rapidly,

absorbs the saliva, so that the digestion of the biscuits is wellbegun in the mouth, where they may be reduced to an

almost soluble state by mastication. We are not surprised;r ) to learn that these biscuits are found suitable by persons

44

suffering from digestive troubles. Our analysis showed thatover 10 per cent. of the biscuit was soluble in cold water.

PURE OLIVE OIL.

[(COSENZA AND Co., 95, WIGMORE-STRRET, CAVENDISH-SQUARE,LONDON, W.)

We have submitted this oil, which is described as purelucca, to certain well-known tests with the view of criticisingthe claim made in regard to its genuineness. The specificgravity, the elaidin, and the Maumene test gave results

coinciding exactly with those obtained with pure un-

adulterated olive oil. Further, the taste of the oil is smoothand bland and free from any ‘suggestion of acidity. The

guarantee that this oil is absolutely pure is thus confirmed.Considering the fact of its digestibility it is a matter of

surprise that genuine olive oil is not applied to medicinal aswell as to dietetic purposes.

SCOTCH WHISKIES.

(JOHN MARSHALL, SONS, AND CO., 106, WEST REGENT-STREET,GLASGOW.)

It is correct to describe the Special Liqueur Whisky" "

and Laurel Old Scotch Whisky" submitted to us as blends.Their delicate flavour and the general evidences of maturitymay be referred partly to storage and partly to blending withold grain spirit. The secondary constituents in certain

instances fall short of the amounts invariably found in all-malt whiskies. The proportion of furfural, for instance, wasvery low in both cases. The "Special Liqueur," however,contained more than did the Laurel brand. In spite ofthis the ethers in both cases were high. There was no

evidence of the presence of immature products.

New Inventions.A UNIVERSAL PROJECTION APPARATUS.

WE have been afforded a most interesting demonstrationof a new optical projection apparatus made by E. Leitz ofWetzlar, by the courtesy of the firm’s London manager atOxford House, 9-15, Oxford-street, London, W. The apparatus, Swhich is described as "universal," combines the features ofa powerful optical lantern, an episcope, and a diascope. A pspecial feature is the intensity of the light, which is given byan arc lamp having one of the carbon pencils set in the opticalaxis of the apparatus and the other at right angles to it.The lamp, with a current of 30 amperes, develops a light sintensity of 10,500 candle power, which gives extraordinary , Ibrilliancy to the screen image. The rays pass through con-densing lenses and a cooling chamber containing water. As 3most of our readers are aware, an episcope is an apparatus

‘

whereby the greatly enlarged image of any solid object ofreasonable size can be projected on a white screen in itsnatural colours and with perfect stereoscopic effect. This is ‘

performed by the tilting of the lamp through half a rightangle so that its rays strike the object or pictureto be projected, which is placed on a suitable table.

]

The rays are reflected thence on to a tilted mirrorwhich reflects them in turn through a projecting lens. Inthis apparatus the object can be placed either verticallyor horizontally. The apparatus is not only of value in

demonstrating any object such as a pathological specimen toa large audience, but the magnified page of a book or apicture can in like manner be exhibited. Thus also tabularstatements or photographs can be shown without the

necessity of lantern slides being prepared. By a sideattachment a part of a patient’s limb or even his head canbe demonstrated in its living form and colour on the screen.The sharpness of the image is almost the same as that of oneseen in a looking-glass. For microscopic projection a micro-scope is placed in the optical axis of the apparatus, with apowerful condenser intervening between the objective andthe source of light, whilst the eye-piece is nearest thescreen. With a l-12th inch oil immersion objective an

enlargement of 6000 diameters can be demonstrated,objects such as typhoid bacilli with stained flagella or

stained blood films appearing with capital definition. The

projection of stained tissue sections under lower powers ofmagnification is even more beautiful. Both episcopic mirrorand microscope can be swung readily out of position, for theworkmanship of the apparatus is excellent and its manipula-tion simple in spite of its distinctly formidable appearance.It can then be used as a diascope or simple projection lanternfor slides. With this arrangement we were shown photo-micrographs taken by the Lumiere process. On approachingthe screen the whites" " of the image are seen to resolvethemselves into the brilliantly stained granules of the threeprimary colours, which incidentally afforded an interestingobject-lesson in the methods by which a modern schoolof painters obtains its atmospheric effects. The wholeapparatus will be an addition of the utmost educationalvalue for any university, college, or scientific society wherelectures are given to large numbers of people, to whom canbe shown simultaneously any object, macroscopic or micro-scopic, with the same ease as they, could be demonstrated bythe lecturer to a person standing at his side. We were alsoshown a smaller apparatus of equal ingenuity which can beused as a projection lantern for slides, or for photomicro-graphy, or for drawing microscopic objects on any desiredscale.We have also had the opportunity of submitting to

practical test the Leitz prism binocular which is admirablyadapted for field service and other purposes, so sharp andwell defined are the images right up to the range of thelenses. The prismatic glasses are constructed, it is stated,on the principle of Porro’s erecting prisms, the actual fieldof view embracing 70, which is said to be from 0 ’ 30 to 0’ 50in excess of that of any other glass. The glasses are con-veniently light to carry, being constructed of magnalium,which is presumably an alloy of the light metals magnesiumand aluminium.

Looking Back.FROM

THE LANCET, SATURDAY, Jan. 1st, 1831.

SPONTANEOUS LACTATION AT AN ADVANCED AGE.

The following case is communicated by Mr. GeorgeSemple, surgeon, of Shipley Hall, near Bradford. Parallel

phenomena are referred to as being recorded in the Philo-sop,hical Transactions, Vol. IX., 1674, and Vol. XXXI., 1739."It beautifully exemplifies," Mr. Semple observes, "thepower of sympathy or maternal feeling in re-exciting to

action long-disused secretory organs."1"Mrs. B., wife of John Breward, Simpson-green, near

Idle, aged forty-nine, has borne eight or nine children, theyoungest of whom is about twelve years old. About a yearago she lost a daughter-in-law, who died of puerperalinflammation about a fortnight after confinement of her firstchild. On her death Mrs. B. took the charge of the infant-a little, puny, sickly baby. The child was so fretful anduneasy, so averse to taking any kind of food, and so trouble-some, that Mrs. B., after several sleepless nights, was

induced, by way of soothing, to permit her to take thenipple of her breast into the mouth-the child was pleasedand soon sunk to rest, and the old lady of course con-

tinued to give her this cheap and innocent sedativefrom time to time. In the course , of from thirtyto thirty-six hours she felt very unwell, her breastsbecame extremely painful, considerably increased in size,and soon after, to her utter astonishment, the lactealfluid was secreted, and poured forth in the same abundanceas on former occasions after confinement of her own children.

:

The child, now a year old, is a fine healthy, thriving girl,.

and only a few days ago I saw her eagerly engaged in obtain-. ing an apparently abundant supply of healthy nourishment. from the same fountain, which, nearly twenty years since,poured forth its resources for the support of her father.

Mrs. B. is a stout healthy woman, and has continued to

, menstruate regularly, both since weaning her last child,

’ nearly eleven years ago, and during the time she has suckledthis little grandchild."

1 Extracted with some other papers from The North of EnglandMedical and Surgical Journal, No. 2.