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much more frequent after the administration of ether than iafter chloroform had been given, and that deaths from thesecauses were not infrequent. In estimating the safety of ananaesthetic, therefore, not only deaths during the administra- Ition, but also those occurring later owing to its secondaryeffects, had to be taken into consideration.-Mr. H. Little- iwood showed : (1) A Meckel’s Diverticulum removed fromthe Hernial Sac of a child three months old ; and I(2) a Stone removed from a Horseshoe Kidney.-Dr. iA. G. Barrs showed a case of Gronorrhoeal Arthritistreated with vaccine.-Dr. Alex. D. Sharp showed a case of ISyphilitic Affection of the Nose and Pharynx and Advanced ITuberculous Disease of the Larynx.-Mr. W. Thompsonexhibited a Large Intestine showing two Malignant Growths,one of which perforated after ileo-sigmoidostomy.-Mr.J. F. Dobson showed an Omental Band causing attacks ofintestinal obstruction simulating appendicitis.-Dr. T.

Wardrop Griffith showed a case of Mitral Stenosis withPhthisis.-Cases and specimens were also shown by Dr. D.Sanderson Long, Mr. J. Basil Hall, Dr. E. 0. Croft, Mr.B. G. A. Moynihan, Dr. Hellier, Dr. G. Oldfield, and Mr.H. Seeker Walker.

GLASGOW MEDICO-CHIRURGICAL SOCIETY.-Ameeting of this society was held on Feb. 5th, Dr. J. WalkerDownie, the President, being in the chair.-Mr. JamesMacLean showed a case of very severe and protractedCerebro-spinal Meningitis with complete recovery in a femalechild, aged four and a half years. The onset was suddenand the temperature was very variable, frequently droppingfrom 103° F. to normal in a very short time and as quicklyrising again. After seven months’ acute illness the tempera-ture fell to subnormal and did not again become febrile.Meningeal symptoms gradually passed off and by theeleventh month she was well but naturally very weak andemaciated. Recovery appeared to have been largely due tothe large quantities of nourishment she was able to take. A

striking feature in the case was the exudation of a stickyserous fluid from the back of the neck.-Dr. J. Kerr Love de-scribed a case of Peri-sinus Abscess, with mural thrombus inthe sinus, basal meningitis, and tuberculous tumours in thepons, cerebellum, and cerebrum. He considered there was a

danger of the aurist too often considering tubercutoua eardisease to be primary or secondary only to disease ofthe temporal bone, whereas many were hopeless cases of

general infection. Such theories led to aggressive surgeryand perhaps to the opening of the cranial cavity in hopelesscases. Taking the view that the affection in the temporalbone was carried from a distance by the blood stream, theprimary lesion being in the thorax or abdomen, more conser-vative treatment was called for, and one should be slow toopen the cranial cavity unless localising symptoms of a curablecondition declared themselves.-Dr. Henry Rutherfurdshowed a girl, aged eight years, the subject of Osseous Anky-losis of the Jaw after otitis. The condyle and neck were excisedand she could now open the mouth well, but the teeth, espe-cially the incisors, were not accurately apposed. He alsodiscussed some cases of Contusion Injuries of the Abdomen,illustrating how conflicting symptoms might be. He thoughtthat in cases of doubt it was much better to operate. A

specimen of Rupture of the Colon by bursting (eciatenzerct)was also shown.

HARVEAAN SOCIETY OF LONDON.-A clinicalevening of this society was held at St. Mary’s Hospital onJan. 28th.-Dr. G. William Hill demonstrated Direct VisionLaryngoscopy and Tracheo-Bronchoscopy. Using Briining’sor Chevalier Jackson’s instruments he showed: (1) growthon the right vocal cord ; (2) pachydermia of cords ; (3) tuber-culous growths ; (4) tuberculous laryngitis, where theulcerations had healed under daily direct vision treatment inhospital; (5) subacute laryngitis ; and (6) chronic laryngitis.He also demonstated the bifurcation of the trachea. Aftercocainisation of the larynx, a tracheoscope was passedthrough the vocal cords during inspiration to a distance ofthree inches. After further cocainisation Bri7ining’s exten-sion bronchoscopic tube was passed through the trachealtube to the bifurcation. No coughing occurred in any ofthese cases, showing the efficiency of Mr. Harrison’smethod of cocainisation. Dr. Hill also showed theinstruments used in oesophagoscopy and related a

case in which he had used them. He showed ChevalierJackson’s Gastroscope, together with the laryngeal and

tracheal instruments by Kirstein and Killian, which led upto the perfected instruments of Briining and Jackson.-Mr. Cecil I. Graham exhibited by direct vision laryngoscopythe condition of a tuberculous patient from whom an inter-arytenoid tuberculoma had been removed under chloroformby the aid of Bruning’s laryngoscope.-Mr. M. Fitzmaurice-Kelly showed a case of Endothelioma of the Tonsil with

enlargement of the cervical glands ; and also a case ofOsteo-Arthritis of the Left Metatarso-phalangeal Joint ofthe Great Toe, associated with Cystitis.-Dr. W. H. Willcoxshowed a case of Collapsed Lung with Secondary Fibrosis ina child. He discussed the possibility of congenital bronchi-ectasis and fibrosis following phthisis.-Mr. E. Laming Evansshowed a case of Congenital Dislocation of the Left Hip ofthe Supra-cotyloid Variety in a girl, aged seven years. Therewas a complete absence of lordosis. Trendelenburg’s signwas present.

LIVERPOOL MEDICAL INSTITUTION.-A meetingof this society was held on Feb. llth, Mr. T. H. Bickerton,the President, being in the chair.-Dr. W. B. Warringtondescribed a case of Myasthenia Gravis in a woman aged 32years. The ptosis often so readily seen was not marked,though it could be produced to some extent by fatigue.There was extreme weakness of the masseters, which gavethe characteristic myasthenic electric reactions. In otherways the case was quite typical.-Dr. E. E. Glynn referredto a case which commenced with giddiness, double vision, andptosis, the latter being transitory. There was considerableloss of voluntary muscular power of the legs after exercise orexcitement and death ’occurred in 12 months from bulbar

symptoms, these developing and proving fatal in four days.-Dr. J. Murray Bligh and Dr. Glynn communicated a note onthe Diagnosis of Typhoid Fever by Bacteriological Examina-tion. Their method was based on lines suggested by Colemanand Buxton of New York, particularly in the employment ofsterilised ox bile medium. In eight out of 15 cases of typhoidfever examined in the second and third week they obtainedpositive results. The method proved of distinct value in two’cases in which the nature of the disease was obscure.-Mr.K. W. Monsarrat read a paper on Cancer of the Breast. Hediscussed the difficulties of early diagnosis. He described theextent of the operation undertaken in 37 cases and theirafter-histories. There was no recurrence in 20 cases duringa period extending from five years to one year. Recurrenc&had taken place in 14 cases during periods ranging fromfour years to within one year.-Mr. F. T. Paul referred tqthe importance of removing breasts affected with intractableinvolution mastitis before they became malignant. He

thought the modern operations gave decidedly improvedresults. He had removed the breast over 200 times duringthe last five years without a death and had no death since1901. In 30 years he had had only four deaths frombreast operations-two from sepsis and two from acutemania.

Reviews and Notices of Books.Scientific Memoirs by Offleers of the Medical and SanitaryDepartments of the Government of India. No. 35, Black-- DcpMeM C/ Ae 6’Ct)C7’MM<’M 0/ 7?KM. -/Vb. , <!0-

water Fever. By Captain S. R. CHRISTOPHERS, M.B.Vict., I. M.S., and Dr. C. A. BENTLEY. Issued under theauthority of the Government of India by the SanitaryCommissioner with the Government of India. Simla:Government Monotype Press. 1908. Pp. 239.DAY by day the evil influence of certain tropical diseases

in retarding the economic development of some of our

colonies is becoming more and more recognised in officialas well as in commercial circles. Blackwater fever is one ofthe latest cases in point. It has in the past exacted a heavytoll, in the shape of death or disablement, from Europeansengaged in work in certain tropical regions under Britishrule. Recently it has been admitted that the precise natureof the disease was uncertain, and consequently that therewas doubt as to the most appropriate preventive measureswhich should be applied. This doubt and uncertainty ledto the appointment almost simultaneously of two separate

549

investigations into the nature of blackwater fever. The first,financed jointly by the Colonial Office and the LiverpoolSchool of Tropical Medicine, sent its investigators to tropicalAfrica early in 1907 ; they have recently returned to this- country and their report is expected to be published shortly.The second inquiry was ordered by the Government of Indiawhich in 1907 dispatched Captain Christophers and Dr. Bentleyon special duty to the Duars, a district which lies along thefoot of the Eastern Himalayas between Nepaul and Assam,where all the conditions associated with intense malaria andblackwater fever are to be found abundantly. In the Duars

district there has been of late a considerable developmentof the tea-planting industry which has caused an influx ofnew population from a distance, including coolies, Babuclerks, and European officials. As the manifestations of

blackwater fever are seen chiefly in the foreign and not inthe indigenous native population, the locality selected forthe investigation appeared particularly appropriate.

In the report which has just been issued in the form ofa " scientific memoir " the main views hitherto put forward

as to the nature of blackwater fever are discussed in detail,and it is pointed out that none of them are entirely in accordwith the observations made in the Duars. The authors do

not altogether agree with Scheube and others that the diseaseis a pernicious form of malaria, nor with Koch and his

supporters that it is merely a quinine intoxication, nor yetdo they hold with Manson that it is a distinct disease due toa specific organism. It is admitted that the geographicaldistribution of blackwater fever is the same as that of

intense malaria, and that those who suffer from blackwaterfever invariably suffer previously from repeated attacks ofmalaria. The reporters therefore adopt the opinion thatblackwater fever is the result of an induced condition

brought about by repeated malarial infection, lasting over acertain time. It is pointed out that there is no incompati-bility between the view which asserts that quinine admini-stration may produce blackwater fever and the malarial

hypothesis, if it be admitted that the drug is only a determin-ing cause acting in conjunction with a condition induced byprevious intense malaria. As regards the exact processwhich brings about what the authors describe as theu terrific destruction of red cells " which characterises the

disease, they say that they have as yet no certain knowledge,though they incline to agree with those who have formulatedthe opinion that blackwater fever is due to the action of aspecific haemolysin which may be produced in some way asa result of malaria ; but whether it is, as some believe, inthe form of a toxin derived from the malarial parasite it is

not yet possible to say. Further research in this direction

appears to be necessary.As to prophylaxis Captain Christophers and Dr. Bentley

look upon this as simply the prevention, so far as possible,of malarial infection, and the prompt and efficient treatment tof this disease with a view to prevent the occurrence of

relapses. Quinine prophylaxis, they assert, should be

pushed. In the Duars it has now become the customwith a large proportion of the European residents to

take quinine systematically, with the result that malaria

among them has become greatly reduced, and the

number of cases of blackwater fever is now extremelysmall. Indeed, during the last 12 months the only threecases reported in the Duars occurred among those who pro-fessed not to believe in quinine and only took it when theywere ill. With respect to treatment it is anticipated thatgood results are likely to be obtained from serum-therapy,but further experiments will be necessary before thiscan be adopted. Annexed to the report are a numberof appendices, including a record of 34 cases of blackwaterfever investigated by the authors with the aid of the most

modern methods ; also a list of all the recorded cases ofblackwater fever in the Duars tea-gardens and those in

adjacent Assam territory since 1889. There is also appendeda valuable bibliography containing some 97 references.We shall look forward to further reports on this subject

from these experts, and we shall be interested also to see ifthe report of the other Commission as a result of its in-

quiries in tropical Africa confirms the observations andconclusions of the Indian investigators.

lhe Bone 7M<M’M : A Cytological Stitdy. By W. E. CARNEGIEDICKSON, M.D., B.Sc.Edin., M.R.C.P.Edin., Lecturer onPathological Bacteriology and Senior Assistant to theProfessor of Pathology in the University of Edinburgh.With coloured plates and microscopical photographs byRICHARD MUIR. London: Longmans, Green, and Co.1908. Pp. 160. Price 42s. net.

THIS is purely a cytological study and represents the

results of a portion of the work submitted as a thesis for thedegree of M.D. in Edinburgh, for which the author wasawarded a gold medal. The Carnegie Trust contributed agrant of <&50 towards the expenses of publication, chiefly forthe illustrations. All the usual methods were adopted forthe study of the red marrow and more than 4000 micro-scopical preparations, over 3000 of which were from the

human subject, were examined.Bone is perhaps one of the most unstable of tissues-with

the exception only of the blood itself. As the bone marrow

is the seat of the formation of the red blood corpuscles andby far the greater proportion of the leucocytes, and as itundergoes variations, both physiological and pathological,with remarkable rapidity, its study is of the greatestpractical importance. The author’s historical introductionis short and occupies a page and it begins with Golgi’sobservation of the changes undergone by the marrow in casesof small-pox (1873). At first the author studied the changesproduced in the bone marrow in pneumonia, but ultimatelyover a hundred representative cases of disease in the humansubject were included. The varieties of normal bone marrow

are classified as (1) embryonic ; (2) red or lymphoid marrow,erythroblastic and leucoblastic; and (3) fatty or yellowmarrow ; -, the pathological varieties (4) fibroid and (5)gelatinous, acute and chronic. Each of these is representedby coloured drawings or reproductions of photographs.The author states that the reactive changes in bone

marrow in disease may be classified in two great groups-the leucoblastic and the erythroblastic. The former maybe subdivided into four groups according to the particularleucocyte most affected, while the latter includes two sub-divisions, the normoblastic and megaloblastic. Most

frequently, however, when the tissue reacts in disease it

presents a varying admixture of several of these types. An

increase in the neutrophile series is found in the majority ofacute infective diseases, whether due to local staphylococciand streptococci or to general conditions such as pneumonia,septicasmia, and so on. The megaloblastic type of red cell ismost typically seen in cases of pernicious anasmia. The

description of the cytology of the marrow occupies about45 pages and the cells present are classified as (1) blood-forming cells ; (2) giant cells ; (3) cells of the connective-tissue type; and (4) endothelial cells. These are severallydescribed and figured. The development of the polymor-phonuclear leucocytes, as found in the blood, is traced in

detail and the story of its development is diagrammaticallyrepresented in a coloured scheme. The degenerative changesoccurring in the cells of the leucocyte-forming series werespecially studied in animals killed by snake venom and areillustrated in Plates II. and III. We find on p. 26 that thename chemiotaxis is ascribed to Pfeiffer." Surely this is a

550

mistake. The author, instead of going to the prime source,contents himself with the remark, " Quoted by Ewing."

Regarding the disappearance of the nucleus from the

normocytes and normoblasts the author favours the viewthat it is not extruded but disappears within the cell bodyby a process of fragmentation or solution or both. The

giant cells are specially dealt with. The term polykaryocyte-i.e., a multi-nucleated phagocytic cell-is taken as equiva-lent to osteoclast, while the term megakaryocyte is applied topeculiar giant cells with characteristic, highly complex, but asingle " basket-nucleus." These very readily undergodegenerative changes in toxic conditions and acute diseases,and an excellent row of serial sections of one of these is

given in Plate V. The source of these cells the author

regards as still sub judice. Their functions also are obscure.

The work is well got up, the plates are excellent, and notthe least valuable are those showing the naked-eye appear-ances of the marrow in various diseases-e.g., pneumonia,rheumatic pericarditis, gastric ulcer, septicsemia, endo-

carditis, and pernicious anasmia. In an appendix are givena list of cases and an excellent bibliography.

A Book of Simples: : cc &THORN;&agrave;ithf1&Ucirc; Copy of a Still-room Book(Early Eighteenth Centwy). With an introduction byH. W. LEWER, and a Cookery and Herbal Bibliography.London: Sampson Low, Marston, and Co., Limited.1908. Pp. 226. Price 14s. net.

EXPERTS to whom the original MS. of this Book of Simpleshas been submitted consider that it extends over a periodof about 50 years, terminating in the middle of the

eighteenth century. The MS. was found in the library of adistinguished Essex antiquary; it was composed of vellumbound in green and gold, and the writing was in the handof several persons. The spelling and absence of punctuationhave been reproduced, Mr. Lewer tells us, in all their originalquaintness. Strictly speaking, a simple is a medicinal plant,not compounded or mixed, supposed to be a specific remedyfor a certain symptom or disease. In the olden days the ladyof the manor was obliged to act as chemist and leech for bothman and beast in ordinary ailments, and even in emergencies,such as "the Palsey," her remedies were in request. Hence

the importance of possessing a Book of Simples containingrecipes handed down from previous generations, especiallyrecipes against which the earlier writers had marked the

confident "Probatum est." Recipe No. 516 is a goodexample: "To stop bleeding if a veine be cut asunder. Takethe shell of goose or hen that the chick comes out of whenhacht and make it into powder being first burnt and cast

thereon and it stanch it presently. Probatum est." Recipe303 is approved for the wind. It consists of a quart of whitewine to which are added parsley seed, aniseed, fennel andcarroway seed, liquorice, nutmegs, lemon, spearmint water,treacle, and I when you have occasion drink of this 3 or 4

mornings when you rise and last at night and let it be bloodwarm when you drink it this is excellent for what is

mentioned. "

Quite half of the recipes in the collection are for cookery-cakes, fish, brawn and meats, puddings, jams, and sweets. Wethink that most women, reading these directions, will desire totest them, so fascinating and tempting do they sound in thequaint language of that age, especially when a personaltouch is added such as that in recipe 384 : "Ye Lady Downsthinks Jamaca pepper better than the black or white

pepper." Those who take no interest in the old-fashionedremedies will at least derive pleasure from reading the

cookery recipes and we venture to say that benefit also willbe derived from a trial of some of the appetising dishes socarefully described by the housekeepers of two centuries

ago.

LIBRARY TABLE.

Tile Practical Medicine Series. Comprising ten volumeson the year’s progress in Medicine and Surgery. Under the

general editorial charge of GusTAVUS P. HEAD, M.D.,Professor of Laryngology and Rhinology, Chicago Post-Graduate Medical School. Vol. II., General Surgery.Edited by JOHN B. MURPHY, A.M., M.D., LL.D., Professorof Surgery in Rush Medical College. Series 1908. Chicago :The Year Book Publishers ; and Glasgow: G. Gillies and

Co. Pp. 614. Price 8s. net.-We have spoken favourablyof earlier issues of this volume on surgery. Some

such work as this is almost a necessity for surgeonsif they wish to keep pace with the onward progressof surgery. On the whole the book is well arranged,but in some cases the abstracts might reasonably havebeen briefer. In Dr. W. J. Mayo’s account of the present-day surgery in England we do not quite recognise ourselves.For instance, we are told that "throughout Great Britainchloroform is used almost exclusively as an anaesthetic."This is certainly incorrect ; in many hospitals it is used verylittle. We are also told that the old-fashioned sea spongeis still the favourite." " In the majority of hospitals of

England the marine sponge has been discarded for all

operations except some procedures on the throat, so it wouldbe interesting to know what hospitals were visited by Dr.Mayo and it would have been only fair to mention them.The periodicals from which the information has been

obtained are numerous and the reports are unbiased. Theclassification adopted is convenient and it favours the rapidfinding of any information needed, and the full index is alsovaluable. The book doubtlessly owes much to the care andknowledge of the editor, Dr. J. B. Murphy, and the intro-duction written by him draws attention to the chief advancesmade during the year. The illustrations are fairly numerousand a few are coloured, which are very good. Some of the

illustrations seem to be merely reproductions of pen and inksketches and so are a little crude. We can recommend this

book to surgeons.The Practical Medicine Series. Vol. VIII. : Materia

Medica, Therapeutics, Preventive Medicine, and Climatology.Edited by GEORGE F. BUTLER, Ph.G., M.D., HENRY B.FAvii.L, A.B., M.D., and NORMAN BRIDGE, A.M., M.D.

Chicago : The Year Book Publishers; and Glasgow:G. Gillies and Co. Pp. 353. Price 5s.-The sectionsin this volume of the Practical Medicine Series givean excellent summary of the main facts in connexion

with materia medica, therapeutics, preventive medicine,, and climatology. Amongst other new suggestions in

: the section on materia medica we note that Ferguson! speaks highly of adrenalin chloride in the treatment

L of snake-bite, considering it to be the remedy on which, we can place our chief reliance after antivenene. Dr. C. B.

Ker lauds the treatment of enteric fever by calomel, as he1 considers this drug to be the superior of all antiseptics inthe treatment of this fever. The good effect of chloretone

in sea-sickness is noted, whilst a remarkably good result inthe treatment of sunstroke by iced water enemata is recorded.3 The action of santonin in relieving the crises of tabes dorsalisis set forth. In the section on preventive medicine we finddetailed the most recent facts relative to malaria, yellow1 fever, and plague. The conveyance of disease by insectss and by rats is succinctly considered. Venereal diseasese receive full attention as to their prophylaxis, while the

i subject of prostitution is considered as regards the methodse of its control on the continent. The book forms a soundII 1’&eacute;s1lrJl&eacute; of the advances of medicine.o The Encyclovadia of Ga1’dening. By T. W. SANDERS,s F.L.S. London : W. H. and L. Collingridge. Pp. 466. Price

3s. 6d. net.-With great self-restraint we do not quote

551

Bacon’s dictum about a garden, but Mr. Sanders’s carefulcompilation should be found of great use to anybody who hasa garden and who takes any interest in it at all. The book is

arranged alphabetically and the names of the plants as a ruleare given under both their Latin and English titles, the lattercoming first. The arrangement is as follows : first comes thename of the plant, then the botanical order, then its descrip-tion, and then follow directions for culture. In some

instances a description of the various species is given.There is an interesting introduction dealing with gardensboth old and new, and since the days of the admirablebotanical dictionary of Paxton we have not seen a book whichcontains more information in as little space as this publica-tion.

Whitaker’s Peerage, Baronetage, Knightage, and Cona-

panionage, 1909. London : Joseph Whitaker. Pp. 793.

Price 5s. net.-This peerage is, in our opinion, the best ofthe smaller peerages, although, of course, it does not

pretend to compete with Burke" or "Lodge. " But it

contains a vast amount of information and that very clearlyset forth. A new feature of this current issue is a glossaryof official terms which will be found most useful.

Reports and Analytical RecordsFROM

THE LANCET LABORATORY.

THE ARSENICAL IRON WATERS OF RONCEGNO.

(LONDON AGENT: RICHARD DAVIS, 20, MADDOX-STREET, REGENT-STREET, LONDON, W.)

THE water of Roncegno is distinguished from the watersof its class by containing a remarkable quantity of arsenic.We have not examined a natural mineral water, at all

events, containing so much arsenic. According to our

analysis, the arsenic, calculated as arsenic acid (As2O5),amounts to 0’05 gramme per litre. Associated with the

arsenic is also iron, probably present for the most part inthe form of persulphate. There are present also distinct

quantities of copper, manganese, cobalt, and nickel. The

balance of the mineral constituents is accounted for bysodium sulphate, the total mineral salts amounting to 4.80grammes per litre. There can be little doubt that the

water owes its remarkable mineral composition to its

contact with a bed of pyrites at its source-pyritescontaining, besides sulphides of iron, arsenic com-

pounds and metals of the iron group and copper. Oxida-tion converts these sulphides into sulphates, while arsenicis similarly converted into arsenic acid. Approximatelythe water may be said to contain per litre according to ouranalysis 2-87 grammes of persulphate of iron, 0 - 874 grammeof sulphate of calcium, 0-870 gramme of sulphate of sodium,and 0-05 gramme of arsenic calculated as arsenic acid.These results agree with an elaborate analysis made by Pro-fessor Nasini at the University of Pisa, who reports also thatthe water is strongly radio-active. Roncegno is situated ina charming valley in the Austrian Tyrol and is reached fromInnsbruck in six hours or from Venice in four hours. Weunderstand that the place is provided with ample accom-modation especially for treatment, while there is much toattract the visitor in the way of picturesque surroundingsand social amusements. According to Professor A. deGiovanni of the Medical Clinic of Padua the water is veryvaluable internally for improving the state of the blood inany case of disease where the abnormal conditions are the

consequence of a progressive malady or else the effect of anoriginally delicate constitution. If in these cases, he adds,there exjst functional anomalies of the general nervous system

or of one special section which may arouse suspicion or

even actually prove the existence of that pathologicalstate called neurasthenia, then the doses, and above all theundertaking of the entire Roncegno cure, must be regulatedaccording to the individual. In addition to its valuein common nervous disorders the water has been employedalso with decided advantage, he states, in ansemia, leukasmia,Addison’s disease, and Basedow’s disease, and in skin anduterine troubles. He also speaks of the water possessing aspecial "dinamizzazione," which is not traceable to its

chemical composition but which indicates the marked radio-active properties which have been shown to exist by Pro-fessor Nasini and Professor Taramelli. The water may be

obtained in this country, but presumably the best thera-peutic results are obtained when the treatment internally andexternally is regularly carried out at Roncegno in the

charming and healthy environment of the Austrian Tyrol.

DIAMALT.

(THE BRITISH DIAMALT CO., 11 AND 13, SOUTHWARK-STREET,LONDON, S.E.)

About two years ago we had occasion to examine this pre-

paration which then showed active digestive properties so faras regards converting starch into dextrin and sugar. Activeas according to our experiments diamalt proved to be theimproved preparation now placed upon the market shows aneven greater degree of diastasic activity, besides which theflavour is very satisfactory and such as points to the use ofthe finest maltings for the purpose. According to our ex-periments diamalt digests nearly seven times its weight ofstarch at body temperature, while at higher temperatures itdigests over 13 times its own weight of starch. It is obvious,therefore, that diamalt may be trusted to do its digestivework. It contains 27’ 5 per cent. of moisture and 1’ 25 percent. of mineral matter which consists chiefly of the

phosphates of lime and potassium.

BULL DOG LIGHT ALE.

(ROBERT PORTER AND CO., CRINAN-STREET, KING’S CROSS, LONDON, N.

This ale, according to our examination, is accuratelydescribed, showing a comparative low gravity and 2 - 75 percent. of malt extractives. We could find no preservativepresent except the hop, and, as a matter of fact, the beer israther heavily bittered. The sample was in sound conditionand was practically free from volatile acid in the form ofacetic acid. The ale is introduced chiefly for consumptionin hot climates and hence is brewed lightly.

CRENIOGEN.

(THE TROMMER COMPANY, 27, CHARTERHOUSE-SQUARE, LONDON, E.C.)

Cremogen is a new and satisfactory basis for the prepara-tion of an ointment. It is a very agreeable preparation andshould be well adapted for the purpose of compoundingointments, for its use promotes the absorption of themedicament. Its special adaptability as an unguent rests onthe fact that cremogen has a considerable absorbent powerfor water which renders it a generally useful excipient. Itis thus an excellent vehicle for iodine, ichthyol, or thealkaloids, such as morphine and cocaine. It is also mostconvenient for use with an antiseptic such as borax.

Cremogen leaves no grease or stickiness when rubbed on theskin and it has an agreeable soothing effect.

NATURAL FOODS.’

(CHRISTIAN’S NATURAL FOOD COMPANY, 54, DUKE-STREET, OXFORD-STREET, LONDON, W.)

There is no need to submit these foods to analysis sincethey all represent the foods practically in their natural form,their dietetic value being unaltered by any manufacturingprocess. We can recommend in particular the "unfired

"

bread which is a kind of whole wheat or oat cake. It is

suggested that this bread (and we are prepared to accept the