The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1886-07-10 00:00:00

MILK AND DISEASE.

We (St. James's Gazette) save indication of some
hitherto little-suspected possibilities of the spread of
malignant diseases by means of milk. The broad
general knowledge that infection could be conveyed
in milk has, of course, long been familiar to medical
experts, and it was owing to this knowledge that the
Privy Council last year framed a "Dairies, Cow-
shede,.and Milk-shops Order." This order came into
force on the Ist of the present month. Every cow-
keeper or dairyman has now to be registered by his
local authority; no person can use premises as a
dairy or a cow-shed without first satisfying the
local authority that the air-space, ventilation,
drainage, and water supply are all that they
Bhould be. No "person suffering from any
dangerous infectious disorder, or having been in
contact with any person so suffering," is to be allowed
to milk cows or take any part whatever in the
business until he can show a clean bill of health. It
is obvious that these sensible and necessary regula-
tions can only be properly enforced by efficient in-
spection; and that is Just where local authorities
usually fail. Also, it unluckily happens that dairy-
men have, with some reason, a bad name. Presently,
perhaps, we may get as far as inspecting the cows as
I well as their sheds.

RUSSIA AND THE BULGARIAN
QUESTION;
The Bulgarian question continues to form almost
the exclusive subject of political conversation at St.
Vetersburg. The papers on Tuesday expressed the
modest conviction that Russia will take the matter
into her own hands if Turkey and the other Powers
are really unable to coerce the Prince of Bulgaria:
They seem to have convinced themselves that no one
will contest her right to act in tbislashion if it so
pleases her:

GOSSIP ON DRESS.

Es that delightfully entertaining journal, ne
Girls Own Paper for June, we have the following
notes on dress by "A Lady Dressmaker " : One of
the changes worthy of notice this season in London
is, that hats are now worn so much more in town
than they used to be, and on occasions tTi: n no one
would have thought of wearing one. Formerly to
wear a hat was considered the worst" form" in London,
even for young and unmarried women. This year
not only girls, but matrons, young and middle-aged,
wear them, both in the morning and afternoon also.
Most of the hats worn are extravagant in shape and
style, and look as senseless and as unlike head-gear
as it is possible to imagine. Many of them turn up
more at the back than the front, and .one have cres-
cent-shaped and round pieces of brim turned up, and
stuck flat against the sides and back, in a way that is
hard and ungraceful. Some of the trimmings are
put on quite at the back, and there seems a strong
tendency to lift them up higher and higher on the
crown with every succeeding week. On some hats
indeed all the trimming is on the crown, but in that
case it is put on evenly, not stuck at one side as if it
hung there by accident, not by design at all.

ONE of the odd introductions of the day may be
seen in the coral-leaf bonnets, which are shown in the
Bermudas Court of the Colonial and Indian Exhibi-
tion, and which is a product of the West Indian
Islands. The bonnets and Eats made of it are, at
present, too highly priced to become very popular,
and it can only be mentioned as a curious novelty.
Another nchelty is produced in the bonn t 3 made of
a fungus, called tolgi, which looks like dull brown
leather. Hand-painted bonnets and hats of straw are
also new. Some of these have neck; of co'our
laid on at intervals, to contrast with the
straw; others have a marbled effect in bright hues,
or a pattern like paper mosaic. They are in fast
colours, so that a shower will do them no harm; and
though the hat itself is so decorated, this is not in-
tended to be a substitute for other trimming, which
latter is put on toharmonise with it. In thin bonnets
and hats we have our old friends crêpe, areophane,
and tulle again; and many bonnets of transparent
:jet bead-work, more generally unlined than lined.
The veils that are now most used are of plain white
tulle, or of white with black spots; and with the
stringless bonnets, a veil is always worn. The new
pins which, since the bonnets became so small and
stringless, are really needed to hold them on the
head, are very large and peculiar in shape—tridets,
daggers, pikes, and bishop's croziers, are amongst
the designs. Many of them are of catseye, or of the
r.own spar, both so much used at present.
• •

IN the way of fashion in gowns there does not seem
much to chronicle, and the lateness of the season and
the lack of warm weather up to nearly the end of May
has been a great loss to the draper and dressmaker.
Both prints, zephyrs, and crepe cottons are sold. The
former are peculiarly pretty and novel. Zephyrs have
the designs woven in them in cords or tufts, and they
are also made shot and crinkled. In cambrics ,there
are a great many woven, like the zephyrs, in bouclé
weaving (tiny loops thrown up to the surface like a
Turkish bath-towel). None of these crlped and
bouelld materials are ironed after being washed. I
may say en pa:sant, that they are only shaken out and
smoothed with the hands. The new makes of Irish
linen are likely to be popular in dark and pale blues,
of indigo, and a charming old-fashioned yellow-pink;
the dyes being purely vegetable and fast as well, I
should think they will prove of everlasting wear.
Piqué in a new and soft form, and batiste with open
stripes of embroidery are resuscitations of old friends.
TAILOR-MADE gowns are generally of grey and very
light browns; this material being generally of thin
summer serge. Very dark blue is worn, and also
pink, and yellow seems the universal trimming for
all the white dresses of the season. The gowns of
black transparent fabrics are generally made-up over
colours; lavender, fawn, and swede being popular,
while canvas and black silk canvas, as d grenadine,
are more used for them than lace, either Spanish or
woollen,

FROM all I see, I think that the small shoulder-
capes have completely returned to favour, but pro-
bably if so favoured as to have hot weather later on,
no mantles nor capes will be warn, but just at present
something is needed to add to the warmth of the
dress bodice. Large mantles are as much worn as
ever, and are trimmed with lace, ribbon, and velvet.
They are often made of canvas like the dross
beneath, an excellent plan for travelling, as the cloak
is both smart and covers the dress as well. The days
of putting on one's oldest clothes for travelling are
ended, and everyone tries to look their nicest.
Besides this, the general desire to take as little
luggage as possible when one goes away for a short
holiday, makes it an important thing to use the
travelling gown as a very considerable part of the
travelling outfits. Very often only one other dress is
taken, generally a black silk or suraL, prettily made,
80 as to answer for a quiet dinner or evening dress, as
well as for the Sunday change of attire.
0

Tin: ways of making up gowns show little change.
The skirts of washing dresses do not differ from those
of silk or woollen—in both the same careless effect
of plenty of stuff and no appearance of tying back is
aimed at. In fact, the newest eowns do not appear
to be tied back, but hang evenly all round, and there
is no line at the sides where the elastics or tapes used
to be sewn. Two materials and two skirts are still
the rule, and the narrow kiltings are seen on the edge
of every dress. As a general rule, there is an open-
ing to the waist in all tunics, and there the under-
skirt is fully shown. Many dresses are made with
polonaises and very fully-draped skirts, while the
underskirt is made up with very wide box-pleats all
round. The edges of these polonaises are not
trimmed, even with lace—in fact, the whole effect
aimed at seems to be simplicity, with long plain lines
combining fulness and grace.

So far as bodices are concerned, they are not as
simple for washing dresses as they were; but every
description of open bodice, vests, gimps, plastrons,
waistcoats, and yokes are all used, as well as an over
and an under bodice. The newest sleeves are
tight and moderately long, with small cuffs, intended
to 103 k as if the sleeve itself were lined and turned
up, and the cuff is open on the inside or the outside
of the arm. Some cotton dresses have velvet ribbon
fastened on the shoulder and then brought round,
like the Order o? the Garter, to the hip. The fancy
for using velvet ribbon and velvet collars and cuffs
with cotton and linen dresses still continues, while
gauze and all kinds of fancy ribbons are seen on thicker
and richer materials.

- -
THE Paris contributor to Mrs. Warren's charming
magazine. The Ladies' Treasury, has the following
gossip: But I have not yet said a word on the fashions
of the day for the seaside and watering places. These
will be chiefly of foulard, trimmed with lace or
embroidered tulle—or of cambric trimmed in the
same way—or of earn canvas net-work, embroidered
with coloured flowers in relief, and which is placed
over a coloured silk •or moire foundation. These
skirts have sometimes bodices to match the under-
skirt, with two long basques, which fall like panels
on each side, but are opened at the back.
This same style of dress may be worn also for dinner,
and evening parties at the sea-side. Another style is'
of cream-coloured net, embroidered with gold thread,
and worn over a silk foundation, with ribbons on one
side, and a long velvet cloak as already described.
Plain straw hats, trimmed round with a scarf to
match the dress, are worn with these dreoses. The
parasol must also be of the same material as the
dress. A novelty in parasols is a scent-bottle inserted
in the handle.

QUITE a different style is the white sorge, or
flannel dress, made in tailor style, without the least
ornament, but with the jacket bodice opened in front,
over a coloured velvet waistcoat. Some of these white
serge or flannel costumes are embroidered with gold
thread.

TRAVELLING costumes are made of cle.rk coloured
serge, and are braided to match; and a?companied
by a silk waterproof coat or cloak of the same colour,
made very full, and with a band at the back. Toques
to match the costume are worn for travelling.
Elastics are rarely used now on hats, they are fixed
on the head by large pins, more or less elegant and
expensive.
•

FOR ball dresses at the sea-side, white tall° over
moire, and moire bodice laced under each arm over an
under Greek bodice of the tulle. Natural dowers in
the hair, on the shoulders, and on one hip (quite a
novelty this season). Pink tulle over pink moire
may also be worn; and blue tulle over the moire. The
flowers should match in each case. Jersey bodices
still continue fashionable in Paris. They are of silk,
quite plain for the day, but elegantly embroidered
and beaded for the evening. Collars are very little
seen now; coloured ribbons are tied round the neck
instead. This is very pretty for young girls, but
older ladies require a little lace round the neck.

THE TREATMENT OF WHOOPING
COUGH.
We (The Provincial Medical Journal) have tested a
very simple method, recommended in the Medical
Press and Circular' of treating the above troublesome
complaint. We had nine infants suffering from per-
tussis in the nursery, Halifax Union; we connected a
piece of gas tubing with the gas burner, and turned
the gas on, and each child was brought sufficiently
near so that the gas might be inhaled; we repeated
this for some days, and can report most favourably
on the results. The intensity of the paroxysms was
diminiehed, and the duration of the disease cut
short. The infants recovered without any compli-
cations.

Some day in the dim future there may be born a
man who will keep a hotel and furnish it with bedsteads
long enough for a six-foot man to sleep in without
knocking his head against the head-board, or his
heels against the foot-board, every time ho straightens
out, atd who will furnish bed-clothes wide enough so
that a man can turn over without creating draught on
eitherside. A fortune awaits this landlord of the
future, bat it is too much to hope that he will come in
our day.