1678

in weight and in diameter. The following table gives theresults obtained by M. Debuchy by soaking tents of varioussizes in water at 15° C. for 24 hours :-

The mean coefficient of expansion is therefore 2’ 3 afterimmersion for 24 hours ; at the end of four days the limitof expansion is reached, when the mean coefficient is 2’8.The mean coefficient of absorption increases in the sametime from 4’0 0 to 5’1. Sea-tangle tents, therefore, arecapable of increasing about two and a half times in

diameter and from four to five times in weight whenthoroughly moistened. These results were obtained withhollow tents but this variety has the disadvantage of

assuming a curved form when moistened, owing to the factthat the central cells of the stalks of laminaria are muchmore hygroscopic than the outer cells. As regards expan-sion and absorption, practically the same results were

obtained at 37° C. with both hollow and solid tents. Sea-

tangle tents cannot be sterilised in steam ; it is usual to

employ dry heat or the vapour of acetone, chloroform, or 90 z,

per cent. alcohol under pressure at a temperature of 1330 C.Perfect asepsis is attainable by each of these methods.

The only physical change brought about by the process ofsterilising is a, contraction of about 5 per cent. in diameter.The tents may be sterilised a second time, just before use,by immersing them in a saturated solution of iodoform inether.

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SANITARY PROGRESS IN STAFFORDSHIRE.THE recently issued report for 1905 by Dr. George Reid,

medical officer of health to the Staffordshire county council,affords convincing proof of the beneficial result of countycouncil influence in sanitary matters when guided by experthygienic advice. It appears that during the year ending inJune last, with a view to improve the condition of theriver Tame, the Birmingham, Tame, and Rea district

drainage board (under the paramount authority of a jointcommittee of the county council and of the Birminghamcorporation) took measures for extending the area of its

biological filters and applied for that purpose for a loan ofE73,000, which sum will probably have to be supplementedat no distant date. A scheme for dealing with sewagedisposal for Bilston is said to be now rapidly approachingcompletion. The county borough of Walsall also has in

hand extensive plans for sewage disposal which are

in a forward condition. Oldbury, too, under the influenceof proceedings taken by the county council, under the RiversPollution Prevention Acts, has formulated a scheme which is

awaiting approval by the Local Government B)ard and

has applied for sanction to a loan of 38,300 in order to

carry out the work. Plans for sewage disposal have, it is

stated, been also practically completed for Tipton and Willen-hall, the authorities of which are still polluting the uppertributaries of the Tame. The new works for dealing with theHanley sewage have made considerable progress and no lessthan two and a half acres of filters are already in operationan area which nearly suffices to deal with the dry-weatherflow of sewage. Extensive sewage disposal works on modernlines were opened at Newcastle-under-Lyme in May lastwhich are yielding good results ; new works are in progress

at Burslem, Tunstall, and Longton ; and a new scheme

has been finally approved by the Local Government Boardfor Fenton. Negotiations for similar sanitary work are alsoin progress for other Staffordshire districts, notably Stoke-on-Trent and Wolstanton. This remarkable list of im-

portant sanitary work recently completed or in progresswithin the county of Stafford affords a thoroughly satis-factory commentary on the recent decline in the death-rate ofits population and of the decreased pr evalence and fatalityof enteric fever. It is seriously to be regretted that many ofthe English county councils still fail to recognise the desir.ability and advantage of appointing a thoroughly qualifiedand experienced county medical officer of health.

THE SIXTEENTH INTERNATIONAL CONGRESSOF MEDICINE.

ACCORDING to the decision of the Fifteenth International

Congress of Medicine held in Lisbon the next congress willbe held in Budapest in 1909, opening on August 29th andlasting till Sept. 7th. The first preparatory measures havebeen taken. His Majesty King Francis Joseph has grantedhis patronage to the congress. Professor Colman Multer hasbeen elected President and Professor Emit Gi6sz secretary-general, and Dr. Charles Bodon one of the secretaries. Con-

sidering that the congresses held in Rome and in Moscownumbered nearly 8000 members it may be fairly assumedthat owing to the geographical situation of Budapest this

congress will number at least 5000 members. It is to be

hoped that the leaders of the congress, who rank high inthe scientific world and are well known for their energy,will succeed in gaining the foremost men of medical scienceas collaborators and office-bearers and will raise the standard

of this congress to a high level.

THE SKIDDING MOTOR CARRIAGE.

ON Dec. 6th an inqueat was held at the City Coroner’sCourt by Dr. F. J. Waldo to inquire into the circum-

stances attending the death of George Herbert Durrantwho died on Dec. 2nd in St. Bartholomew’s Hospitalafter being knocked down by a motor omnibus belongingto the London General Omnibus Company in Moorgate-street on Nov. 21st. The roadway on the day in questionwas very slippery and the driver of the omnibus saidthat when he applied the brakes the omnibus skidded;moreover, it had been skidding all the way down the

road; however experienced a driver was he could notavoid skidding. The coroner is reported as saying: " How isit that such vehicles are allowed in the streets of London?"In his summing up he stated that during the months ofAugust and September the returns showed that therewere 21 persons killed by motor-cars, motor omnibuses,and mechanically driven tramcars and 797 accidents to

the same classes of vehicles in which 149 persons received

injury. During the same period there had been only threedeaths by horse-drawn vehicles. The jury in returning averdict of "Accidental death " added a rider that someefficient guard should be fitted round the wheels in order toprevent similar accidents in the future. The solicitors forthe company said that their clients would do what they couldto meet the views of the jury. Up to the present nothing hadbeen invented which would prevent skidding and the policeregulations contained no reference to this danger. It is

some comfort to hear that the authorities of this company,and we presume of other motor omnibus companies too, aredesiruus of finding some way of preventing skidding, but thefact remains that the streets of London are not laid outfor traffic composed of enormously heavy mechanically pro-pelled vehicles which are liable at any moment "to take

charge." We are quite aware that in many cases the surface