Pg. 357

¶ 1 Leave a comment on paragraph 1 0 MEDICAL NEWS.

¶ 2 Leave a comment on paragraph 2 0 357

¶ 3 Leave a comment on paragraph 3 0 Lewis.—Sept. 19, at North Side, Bethnal Green, of disease of the heart, Theophilus Caractacus Lewis, Esq., M.D., Surgeon to the Queen’s Own Light Infantry Regiment, Tower Hamlets Militia, aged 35. M.D. University and King’s College, Aberdeen, 1851; F.R.C.S. (Sen.), 1852; M.R.C.S.E., 1843; L.S.A., 1840; Surgeon to the Royal South London Dispensary ; one of the Cholera Surgeons for St. Mary, Newington, 1849. Author,—“On the Treatment of Epilepsy,” Medical Gazette, 1842.

¶ 4 Leave a comment on paragraph 4 0 Tait.—Sept. 21, at Boulogne-sur-Mer, William Tait, Esq., M.D., many years Physician to the Royal Naval Hospital, Yarmouth.

¶ 5 Leave a comment on paragraph 5 0 Brighton Medical Society.—At a meeting of this Society, held Aug. 31, the following Resolution was come to :— “ That this meeting views with deep regret the present embarrassment of Mr. George Battcock, of Brighton, one of their body, who, after a long life spent in the laborious duties of his Profession, is, in the winter of his days, suffering from the want of that assistance which, during his prosperity, he so liberally bestowed on others; and, in order to testify their undiminished esteem and confidence in his honour and respectability, express their desire to co-operate in the efforts of his friends to relieve him from his difficulties. It is therefore proposed to raise a public subscription for him to purchase an annuity.”

¶ 6 Leave a comment on paragraph 6 0 British Association.—At a meeting of the Association at Liverpool, Mr. J. Cunningham read a paper upon ventilation of emigrant ships, which excited some attention among the shipowners of Liverpool. He said, it was a fact acknowledged by all men practically conversant with the general condition of emigrant ships as respected ventilation, that the means usually employed were wholly inadequate for affording a constant and sufficient supply of pure air to the parts of a vessel occupied by emigrants, or for conveying away from them at the same time the vitiated air. The want of such means was painfully experienced by the emigrants, even under ordinary circumstances; but more particularly was the want felt during calms and hot weather, when scarcely a breath of pure air could be conveyed into the cabins and holds, and when the vessels were crowded with human beings, as emigrant vessels usually are, in spaces proportionally less than the law allows for the commonest lodging-houses. In rough weather, also, when the portholes were closed and the hatches battened down, the condition of the emigrants became infinitely worse, for, to the fetid atmosphere which they were compelled to breathe, were superadded consequent sickness, fevers, and other cognate evils. These consequences, frequently fatal, arising to the poor creatures from such a state of unfavourable conditions, were too well known to require particular illustration. An example or two, however, might be given of the fatal effects, which, if not directly produced, were certainly greatly aggravated by a want of the means for proper ventilation, and for disinfecting the vessels. He referred to the ship Dirigo, which lately sailed from this port for Australia with emigrants, and in which two days after she left the port cholera broke out, and carried off forty-two passengers. In a letter published in the Times of the 1st of this month, an account was given of the horrible condition of the men in the Government ships now in the Black Sea, where the cholera broke out during stormy weather, when the hatches were battened down, and the portholes closed. The fetid state of the atmosphere in these ships from a want of ventilation, and the frightful mortality that ensued in consequence, were most graphically described in that letter. These cases were sufficient to illustrate the defective ventilating means employed on board, not only of merchant vessels, but even the best appointed men-of-war or Government ships. The plan of the engine shown by Mr. Cunningham to the section was calculated at 3-horse power, and was sufficient to thoroughly ventilate a ship of 1500 tons burden, containing 600 persons, and to afford each person 3 cubic feet of pure air every minute. This supply is effected by two fans, performing 450 revolutions in a minute, thereby forcing the air down the main air-shaft to the side trunk fines, which extend along each side of the vessel. Small branch flues to the cabins and other parts of the ship requiring ventilation are joined in the main trunk flues, each being provided with sliding or revolving ventilators to regulate the requisite amount of supply. One vessel is employed for disinfecting or for cooling the atmosphere; a tank is charged with water containing the disinfecting fluid, and the truncated cone, which is termed “ a spray,” is inverted with its smaller end into the fluid, its upper end spreading out, and being perforated. This vessel rotates rapidly, and the fluid, by the centrifugal force, is drawn up and thrown out in spray, through which the

¶ 7 Leave a comment on paragraph 7 0 air must pass into the fanners, thus becoming impregnated in its passage with the disinfecting material, such as the chloride of zinc or of lime. By placing a few bucketsful of ice per diem in the tank, the water may be cooled to a low degree, and consequently the air must be reduced in temperature in like manner. This may be applied in the tropics, or when required. The cost of providing a steam-engine boiler and apparatus complete, including flues, etc., for a ship of 1500 tons burden, similar to the plans exhibited, was estimated by the lecturer at between 250l. and 300l. The quantity of fuel required to keep the engine at work night and day for 100 days would be about twenty tons. In addition to the process of ventilation, it was proposed also to adapt the engine to several other purposes, such as the loading and discharging of the vessel, lifting the anchors, pumping the ship, supplying water to the waterclosets, and for cleansing the decks; and besides this it was proposed to apply the waste steam to the purposes of cooking.—[This plan appears to be more expensive, less simple, and less likely to prove effectual than the pumps introduced by Dr. Arnott.—Ed.]

¶ 8 Leave a comment on paragraph 8 0 Professor F. Grace Calvert presented to the chemical section a paper on the action of citric, tartaric, and oxalic acids on cotton and flax fibres under the influence of dry heat and steam pressure. He observed that when from two to four parts of these acids are dissolved in l00 parts of water, and that linen or cotton is dipped into the solution obtained, and afterwards dried in the air, they, on exposure to certain temperatures, completely destroy the tenacity of the fibre. This action of organic acids is interesting, when it is known that it takes place even at the low temperature of 180° F., 212° F., and 260° F. He also found that cotton flax fibres, when prepared as above, and then submitted to the influence of steam of 3 lbs. pressure, were also destroyed. These facts will prove not only interesting to calico printers, who employ large quantities of these acids, but also to the Medical man, who often prescribes to his patients calves’-foot jelly as made by confectioners, which, in reality, generally consists of isinglass clarified by tartaric acid. The same gentleman communicated a paper on the value of carbo-azotic acid as a therapeutic agent. He stated that Dr. Bell, Physician to the Royal Infirmary of Manchester, had cured with it several cases of intermittent fever, and remarked that he should be very happy to furnish any physician with a small sample of the substance, so that its real medicinal value might be ascertained. After having described the process by which pure carbo-azotic could he procured from carbonic acid, he impressed upon those present the value of this pure acid in silk dyeing, as a much finer straw colour could be obtained by employing it. Next Meeting.—The General

¶ 9 Leave a comment on paragraph 9 0 Committee decided that their next meeting, for the year 1855, should be held in Glasgow. On the Motion of Sir R. Murchison, seconded by Mr. Smith, the Duke of Argyll was elected President of the Association for the next meeting.

¶ 10 Leave a comment on paragraph 10 0 West Indies.—The yellow fever at Savannah continues with unmitigated force. The city is being rapidly depopulated.

¶ 11 Leave a comment on paragraph 11 0 Temperature in the United States.—The intense heat and drought continued in many parts of the United States. The thermometer had stood as high as 89, 95, and, in one instance, 100 degrees in the shade at noon, at Buffalo, Philadelphia, and Washington. At Washington, it stood three degrees higher, on the last day to which the advices come, than it had ever done before during the summer. At Baltimore, the thermometer stood at 82 degrees on the night of the 1st September.

¶ 12 Leave a comment on paragraph 12 0 “ The Pig Cholera.”-—Under this heading, the Galway Vindicator contains the following: “ This disease, we regret to learn, is still very virulent, and exhibits slight indications of abatement. Some farmers attributed the attack to diseased potatoes, alleging that these animals are frequently taken ill after eating them. We are, however, disposed to regard this theory as incorrect, and to refer it to one of those scourges which mysteriously assail both men and animals, the origin of which has baffled the ‘ wisdom of the wise.'”

¶ 13 Leave a comment on paragraph 13 0 Mortality in Public Institutions for the week ending

Sept. 23:—	Males.	Females.	Total,
Workhouses…	117	132	249
Military and Naval Asylums …	9		9
General Hospitals …	52	41	93
Hospitals for Special Diseases	….	3	3
Lying-in Hospitals …
Lunatic Asylums	5	io	15
Military and Naval Hospitals	10		10
Hospitals for Foreigners, etc.		…	…
Prisons …  … …	13		13
	206	186	392