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Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.

THE EQUILIBRIUM OF GAS AND AIR IN THEGAS FIRE.

IN a series of articles which we have published on thehygienic aspects of the gas fire used for domestic heatingpurposes we have shown how important have been theimprovements effected in the construction of the 11 fires "aimed chiefly at preventing the flow of combustion productsinto the room. There is now no reason for the existence ofa gas fire which violates this principle. Next we suggestedthat the familiar " purr " of gas burning in the atmosphericburner should be overcome and abolished, and finally, thatthe adjustment of the supply of gas and air should beautomatic and not left to the consumer, who, as a rule, Iknows little about these things. Several more or less Isuccessful attempts to attain these ends have since been made, and we have referred to them. More recently amodified burner known as "the economic air and gasregulator" has been brought to our notice. Once thisburner has been adjusted by the expert workman itremains "fool proof." In other words, the averagedomestic servant who is generally responsible for lighting ’,the "fire" and more or less keeping an eye on it hasnothing to do but operate one valve which, whether the Isupply be turned on full or low, secures a ilame free from ’,flaw, inasmuch as under extreme conditions one way orthe other the proportion of gas to air is always the same.Complete combustion is thus secured and sooting of the" radiants " by reason of the flames being starved of air isavoided. The valve, intended for use by the consumer,by an ingenious mechanical arrangement operates auto-matically, and at the same time both the supplyof gas and air and their proper relation is thus keptup, whether the flames be turned high or low. Thisalso secures a most desirable immunity from the draw-back of " back-firing." Another improvement developedby the same company (The Economic Stove Company,of 128, Charing Cross-road, London, W.C.) consists ina simple modification in construction of the mixingchamber by which a more complete admixture of the gasand air is obtained; the nozzles, further, are rectangularinstead of circular, an arrangement which brings theedge of the flame into better contact with the tubular" radiants," so securing an increased supply of effectiveor radiant heat. This means that, whether turned high orlow, the flame impinges upon the " radiants." Speakinggenerally, these devices aim at keeping the gas- and air-supply under automatic control, so that whatever the flowof gas may be the flames are tof the same efficient quality.The flames, moreover, are quiet.

WANTED, A HOME.To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR.-I should be grateful to anyone who could supply in-formation as to a suitable home within a moderate distance ofChester for a man aged 58, suffering from paralysis of bothlegs, who could only afford a small contribution towards thecost of his maintenance.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

MEREDITH YOUNG,County Medical Officer, Cheshire County Council.

Public Health Department, 43, Foregate-street,Chester, Dec. 3rd, 1915.

THE " WELLCOME " PHOTOGRAPHIC EXPOSURERECORD AND DIARY, 1916.

THIS annual publication of Messrs. Burroughs, Wellcome,and Co. is an excellent companion for amateur photo-graphers, informing them about, and advising them on,the carrying out of the many little details which go tothe production of a successful photograph. The expertphotographer will also find much useful information. Inaddition to the ordinary diary pages, space is provided forrecording particulars of exposure. At the end on theback cover is affixed a rotatory device (the W ell come " I

Exposure Calculator) by which can be indicated thecorrect exposure of any plate at any time of the year.Four beautifully reproduced photographs embellish thediary-namelv, the meeting of King George V. with theKing of the Belgians in Flanders, a view of Sir DouglasMawson’s Antarctic Expedition, and two views of actualfighting in the Dardanelles. The Diary, which makes auseful Christmas present, is published in three editions,one for the Northern Hemisphere, one for the Southern,and another for the United States. The price in theBritish Isles is Is.

THE "MULTIMIST" " SPRAY.

APART from the small hand bellows, the glass tube which inthis instrument effects the spray occupies no more spacethan a lead pencil. The principle by which spray is pro-duced is well known, but Messrs. C. J. Hewlett and Sons,of 35 to 42, Charlotte-street, London, E.C., have intro-duced in their "Multimist" spray slight modifications inconstruction which adapt it for atomising oils, spirituoussolutions, or aqueous fluids equally effectively. Thespray works quite well when only a few drops offluid are used. This allows of the employment ofa restricted quantity of medicament, as in the case ofcocaine. The glass is of the "toughened" variety, justopposite the end of the injector, and on the inner wall ofthe tube is a kink upon which the current of sprayimpinges. This serves to break the mechanical vapourinto a uniform spray.

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Ill.l.Illec7i.E. writes to call our attention to a suggestion fortreating frost-bite by enclosing the limb in an air-tightchamber, from which the air is then exhausted. Thismethod of producing venous congestion is a well-knownmodification of Bier’s passive hypermmia, but as appliedto any except the very earliest stage of frost-bite would becalculated to increase the venous congestion alreadypresent and result in nothing but harm.

Dr. Bichenda Gillett (31, Lyndhurst-road, Hampstead, N.W.),who is responsible for obtaining the instruments and drugsnecessary for the medical section of the Friends’ WarVictims’ Relief Expedition in France and Serbia, writesto inquire if any reader has instruments to give or lend tothis work. A pair of axis-traction forceps (preferablyNeville’s, Williamson’s, or Milne Murray’s) is an immediateneed.

COMMUNICATIONS not noticed in our present issue willreceive attention in our next.

Medical Diary for the ensuing Week.SOCIETIES.

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE, 1, Wimpole-street, W.MEETINGS OF SECTIONS.

Tuesday, Dec. 14th.GENERAL MEETING OF FELLOWS: at 5 P.M.

Ballot for the Election to the Fellowship of Candidates.PSYCHIATRY (Hon. Secretaries-Bernard Hart, G. F. Barham):

at 4.30 P.M.CLINICAL MEETING at the Bethlem Royal Hospital, S.E.

Wednesday, Dec. 15th.HISTORY OF MEDICINE (Hon. Secretaries-Leonard G. Guthrie,

J. D. Rolleston) : at 5 P.M.Books, MSS., (&c , on view at 4.30 P.MDr. Raymond Crawfurd : Of Superstitions concerning Men-

struation.Mr. D’Arcy Power: Edmund Harman, "King’s Barber" to

Henry VIII.Thursday, Dec. 16th.

DERMATOLOGY (Hon. Secretaries-A. M. H. Gray, J. E. R.McDonagh): at 5 P.M.

Exhibition of Cases (at 4.30 P.M.).Dr. George Pernet : Morphoea and Sclerodermia (already

shown) with Recent Acute Involvement of the doles of theFeet.

Dr. J. H. Sequeira : Myxoedema with Sclerodermia.Dr. Knowsley Sibley : Actinomycosis.Dr. Graham Little: (1) Granuloma Annulare with Widespread

Follicular Eruption; (2) (?) Lichen Planus.

Friday, Dec. l7th.ELECTRO-THERAPEUTICS (Hon. Secretaries-S. Gilbert Scott,

E. P. Cumberbatch): at 8.30 P.M.At the King George Hoqpital, Waterloo-road, S.E. (by kindpermission of the Commanding Officer).The X Ray Section will be open for Inspection and a

Demonstration of the methods employed will be given byMembers of the Staff.

Monday, Dec. 20th.Lectitre :Lieutenant-Colonel Sir Ronald Ross, K.C.B., F.R.S, will deliver

a Lecture on the Treatment of Dysentery in the RobertBarnes Hall at 5 P.M.

The President of the society will preside and a Discussionwilt follow.

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ILLUMINATING ENGINEERING SOCIETY, House of the RoyalSociety of Arts, 18, John-street, Adelphi, W.C.TUESDAY.-8 P.M., Discussion on Recent Developments in Electric

Incandescent Lamps in Relation to IIluminatHw Engineering(opened by Professor J. T. Morris). -’-

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ROYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY, 20, Hanover-square, W.WEDNESDAY.-8 P.M., Demonstration : -Mr. J. E. Barnard : The

Use of Ultra-violet Light in Microscopy.SOCIETY OF TROPICAL MEDICINE AND HYGIENE, 11, Chandos-

street, Cavendish-square, W.FRIDAY.—5.30 P.M., Series of Papers on Tropical Subjects :-Dr.

G. C. Low: An Interesting Case of Eosinophilia ; Dr. A. F. J.Herr: Intestinal Parasites in Northern Siam; Dr. W. M.Strong: The Causation of So called Tropical Anscmia; Dr. J. 0.Shircore: A Method for the Trapping of Glossina Morsitans

suggested for Trial. _____

LBOTURES, ADDRESSES, DEMONSTRATIONS, 8tc.POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE, West London Hospital, Hammersmith-

road. W.MONDAY.—10 A.M., Dr. Simson: Diseases of Women. 2 P.M., Medical

and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Gray: Operations.Mr. B. Harman : Diseases of the Eye.

TvEaner.-2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr.Addison: Operations. Dr. Banks Davis : Diseases of the Throat,Nose. and Ear Dr. Pernet : Diseases of the Skin.

WEBJfBSDAY.—10 A.M., Dr. Saunders Diseases ot Children. Dr. BanksDavis: Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. 2 P.M., Medicaland Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Pardoe: Operations. Dr.Simson : Diseases of Women.

THURSDAY.—8 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Gray :Operations. Mr. B. Harman : Diseases of the Eye.

FRIDAY.—10 A.M., Dr. Simson: Gynaecological Operations. 2 P.M.,Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Addison: Opera-tions. Dr. Banks Davis: Diseases of the Throat, Nose, and BarDr. Pernet: Diseases of the Skin.

SATURDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Saunders : Diseases of Children. Dr. BanksDavis Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. Mr. B. Harman:Bye Operations. 2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics X Rays.Mr. Pardoe: Operations.

NORTH-EAST LONDON POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE, Prince ofWales’s General Hospital, Tottenham, N.MONDAY. -Clinics:-10.30 A.M., Surgical Out-patients (Mr. E.

Gillespie). 2.30 P.M., Medical Out-patients (Dr. T. R. Whipham) :Gynaecological Out-patients (Dr. Banister). 3 P.M., MedicalIn patients (ur. R. M. Leslie).

TUESDAY.-2.30 P.M., Surgical Operations (Mr. Carson). Clinics:-Medical Out patients (Dr. A. G. Auld) ; Surgical Out patients(Mr. Howell Evans); Nose. Throat, and Ear Out-patients (Mr.C. H. Hayton). Radiography (Dr. Metcalfe). 3.30 P.M., MedicalIn-patients ())r. A. J. Whiting). I

WEDNESDAY.—Clinics :-2.30 P.M., Throat Operations (Mr. C. H.Hayton). Children Out-patients (Dr. T. R. Whipham); Eye Out-patients (Mr. R. P. Brooks); Skm Out-patients (Dr. H. W.Barber). 5.30 P.M., Eye Operations (Mr. R. P. Brooks).

THURSDAY.-2.30 P.M., Gynaecological Operations (Dr. A. E. Giles) ]Clinics :-Medical Out-patients (Dr. A. J. Whiting); SurgicalOut-patients (Mr Carson); Radiography (Dr. Metcalfe). 3 P.M.,Medical In-patients (Dr. R. M. Leslie).

FRIDAY.-2.30 p M., Surgical Operations (Mr. Howell Evans).Clinics:-Medical Out-patients (Dr. A. G. Auld); Surgical Out-patients (Mr. E. Gillespie) ; Eye Out-patients (Mr. R. P. Brooks). ’.

THB THROAT HOSPITAL, Golden-square, W.MoNDAY.-5.15 P.M., Special Demonstration of Selected Cases. 1TttfTODAY.—5.15 P.M., Clinical Lecture. 1

ST. JOHN’S HOSPITAL FOR DISEASES OF THE SKIN, 49, Leicester-square, W.C.TUESDAY.-4 P.M., Dr. C. Kempster: X Rays. Epilation for Ring-

worm.

THURSDAY.-6 P.M., Chesterfield Lecture :-Dr. M. Dockrell : <The Early Lesions of Syphilis and their Treatment.

Forfurthe,r particulars of above Lectures, &c., see Advertisement Pages

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