room, and after retiring, the room is thoroughly disinfected by an increased quantity of Formalin gas (about thirty tablets to the 1,000 cubic feet), evaporated from Schering's Formalin.

"Sometimes I have found that children, after the inhalation, become a little sleepy, which may, however, be explained by the slight irritation of the conjunctiva."—He cites a number of other cases and concludes that: "(1) By the proper inhalation of the vapors of Formalin it is possible to destroy the germs of whooping cough-those existing on the mucous membrane of the respiratory organs, and also those in the surroundings of the patients. By this means the disease is cut short and further infection inhibited.

"(2) If we consider that the removal of the patient in whooping cough acts beneficially upon the disease, it is only reasonable to expect that the disinfection of the patient's dwelling is sufficient to frequently effect a cure.

(3) In accordance with these experiences it seems advisable that schools, hospitals, churches, and other localities should from time to time be thoroughly disinfected."

FOOT-AND-MOUTH DISEASE (Circular No. 38, Bureau of Animal Industry, U. S. Department of Agriculture) is an exceedingly contagious malady peculiar to ruminating animals (cattle, sheep, goats, deer) and swine, that has been recently brought from some foreign country, and has appeared in a few localities in Massachusetts and some adjacent States. Rarely is it transmitted to man. It is characterized by the eruption of vesicles or blisters in the mouth, upon the heels, or between the toes, and upon the teats or udder. The appetite is depressed, the milk flow diminishes, the animal loses condition and becomes lame. After a day or two the vesicles break, peel off, and leave a raw surface that may heal in a few days, or, especially upon the feet and teats, that may remain sore for a long time and lead to serious complications. The death rate is very low, but it attacks the whole herd, and many animals are seriously damaged, so that the loss to a herd owner is heavy.

With our much larger holdings of live stock in this country, the possible losses from this disease, if it were to become general, are stupendous and incalculable. At present the disease exists over a comparatively small area. It is confidently believed by the experts who have investigated the situation that it can be controlled and eradicated. It is important that this shall be done, not only

that the other parts of the country shall be protected, but also to prevent the frequent visitations of the disease that otherwise would afflict the live stock of New England. To this end, the aid of all stockmen and farmers is requested.

The most important matter is to prevent the infection of animals not yet exposed. This can be done by avoiding the purchase of affected stock; by excluding all outside animals from the herd or flock; by each person who comes near healthy stock avoiding contact with diseased animals or the places or things contaminated by them; by excluding visitors from the cow stable, sheep and hog pens; and by preventing the access of strange or stray animals, which may carry the virus on their feet or hair, although they are themselves in good health. Neither cows nor bulls should be moved from one place to another for service.

Should the herd or flock become infected, the appearance of the first evidence of disease should be immediately reported to the Chief of the Cattle Bureau, a State Cattle Commissioner, the local inspector of live animals, or to the Bureau of Animal Industry office, 147 Milk street, Boston, Mass.

The eradication of this disease and the removal of all quarantine and other restrictions upon the cattle trade can be materially hastened by the live stock owners themselves, if they will promptly report the first evidence of foot-and-mouth disease in their herds. or localities. This fact cannot be suppressed, and the sooner it is brought to the notice of the proper authorities, the less the resulting damage will be.

THE VALUE OF TRIKRESOL AS AN ANTISEPTIC IN OPHTHALMIC PRACTICE.-Edward Jackson, A. M., M.D., Denver, Col., reports in "Ophthalmic Review," London, June, 1902: In 1894, E. A. de Schweinitz recommended an aqueous solution of Trikresol 1:1000 as a basis for collyria. In 1897 he reported before the Section on Ophthalmology of the American Medical Association (p. 104 of its Transactions), that such solutions placed in looselycorked bottles and exposed to the air remained free from bacterial contamination after a lapse of three years.

Jackson's experience with this solution has convinced him that it constitutes a more nearly ideal antiseptic than any yet tried in ophthalmic practice. Applied to the conjunctiva it causes only a momentary sensation of burning, comparable to the transient smarting induced by simple solutions of eserin or cocain. He has used it with entire satisfaction as a basis for solutions of cocain,

eserin and most of the mydriatics. As an antiseptic wash it is superior to boric acid, which, as is well known, readily becomes contaminated with low vegetable forms. Its advantages in this connection are summed up as follows: 1. It is free from risk of making the eye worse in any respect. 2. It is an antiseptic solution that will at least keep itself clean. 3. It has a distinctly germicidal influence when used to wash out the conjunctiva.

While the solution of 1 to 1,000 has a very perceptible odor of Trikresol, this smell does not remain noticeable about the patient on whom it has been used.

In all respects it seems superior to carbolic acid to lay instruments in, to keep them from contamination after cleansing.

It is superior to formaldehyde solutions for this purpose, because there is no need to remove a source of irritation by rinsing the instrument coming from it in something else before using it upon the eye.

OCULIST (after examination of the eye): "Yes, it is, as I supposed, a case of choroiditis exsudativa, accompanied by partial micropsia, metamorphopsia, and chromatopsic scotomata of singularly regularly forms."

Young lady: "There! And ma said it was only a sty coming."

HORSE-CHESTNUTS AS FOOD.

Dr. Loves, of Hanover, presented at a recent meeting of German naturalists and physicians, a paper on this topic. He said that if the ground seed be macerated in alcohol, the bitter principles are extracted, and the residue, a white, tasteless powder, is of high nutritive value. The analysis of the seed gives 8 per cent. proteid, 7 per cent. fat, 77 per cent. nitrogen-free extract, and 2.6 per cent. ash. The nitrogen-free extract contains about 14 per cent. of cane sugar (in the unripe seeds invert-sugar is present), 13 per cent. of glucosides, and 0.2 per cent. of tannic acid. The ingredients that pass into the alcohol include certain phenolic bodies and a substance resembling saponin. The process is covered by patent (now being operated), and it is also proposed to utilize the carbohydrates for the production of alcohol. It is said that 25 litres of alcohol can be obtained from 100 kilos of seeds, and that a plantation of trees will yield yearly 400 marks per hectare (about $40 per acre.)-American Journal of Pharmacy.

EDITOR'S TABLE.

SANITARIAN, FEBRUARY, 1903.

Embarrassment incidental to the death of the intended manager, under the new business arrangements, announced in October number, delays the completion of the organization. Meanwhile:

All Communications, business and otherwise, all exchanges and all publications for review, should be addressed to the Editor, as heretofore: Dr. A. N. Bell, 337 Clinton Street, Brooklyn, N. Y.

SALT WATER FOR FIRES AND DUST.

THE SANITARIAN is gratified, after more than a dozen years repeatedly urging the use of salt water for extinguishing fires, street sprinkling and gutter flushing, and for the economy of the water supply in Brooklyn, in particular, that plans are now being devised for the purpose. By a leading editorial in the Brooklyn "Eagle," January 8th, the public authorities seem to have been stirred to this measure as a necessity to meet the requirements of the underwriters of fire insurance, the rates on risks in Brooklyn having been advanced 25 to 30 per cent. on account of the insufficiency of the water supply. Though nothing has as yet been formulated for the salt-water supply, several plans have been suggested by which it may be effected, one of which is, as quoted from a communication to the Mayor by John R. Kuhn, a lawyer of Brooklyn, with the request that it be laid before the engineers for examination and report, that:

"The place is to pump water to the top of the bridge towers and cause it to flow thence to reservoirs to be constructed upon Fort Greene, Prospect Park, Forest Park, Sunset Park and other elevated stations in various sections of the city. From these reservoirs a separate system of mains and pipes would convey the supply through the streets.

"The bridge towers are higher than the surface of any part of the city; higher than the proposed reservoirs, and are admirably suited for the purpose. When this project was submitted to a former administration it was not favored because of the suggestion that tanks should be erected on the towers. The engineer-inchief refused to consider anything that would render the towers unsightly. A receptacle, invisible from below, to receive the water from the pumps and convey it to the pipes would be suffi

cient. The pipes alongside the towers might be made ornamental or hidden from view. Only one pumping of the water to the towers would be necessary; thence it would flow by its own gravity into the reservoirs.

Other and more comprehensive plans are suggested with reservoirs conveniently located in different sections of the city to meet all requirements.

Regarding the feasibility of this project the fact is cited that the City of London was supplied with water from the River Thames for nearly two hundred years by a similar plan.

STREET CAR SANITATION.

The Committee of the Merchants' Association on Franchises and Transportation has received from George A. Soper, a sanitary expert, a letter concerning the sanitation of street and elevated cars supplemental to that which he submitted to the committee several weeks ago.

In his second letter Mr. Soper enumerates the measures which he considers essential to the public health, as follows: The prevention of expectoration, improvement in the existing means of ventilation by means of screens outside the transoms to exclude gusts of wind, and a device whereby the transoms may be operated from the ends of the car; the use of movable floor grating of a non-porous nature and of leather or some other smooth-faced material for seat coverings; electric lights to be placed at the sides of cars above the windows so as to furnish a proper light for reading; cuspidors of ample size to be placed in stations of the elevated railroad, and public toilet rooms in elevated stations to be kept clean and in order.

In the designing of new cars Mr. Soper advocates the following changes on the plans now followed: Greater seating capacity as compared with the room now provided for standing passengers; a higher roof, which may give better ventilation; improved heating and lighting facilities, lower and wider steps on both open and closed cars, and the avoidance of all unnecessary paneling and molding on which germ-carrying dust may collect.

CHILD LABOR.

The apparently recent discovery of the extensive employment of children in Southern cotton factories, of which we published an account from the "Outlook" in October, has had the effect of awakening attention to the scarcely less extensive stunting process