The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1898-12-25

vice, and there nre many Of It's ~votnrlos on the
outskirts OF the capital.
The medical men have not yet hal time
thoroughly to study the effects OF petroleum
drinking. but their experience has been wide
enough to allow Of n good many features being
determined As usual with oil such vices,
the taste grows ubon the victim until ~ de-
velops into IN irresistible passion. The in
toxtcatlon produced by petroleum Is Of q mel
anoholy nature. Tho drlnker IL sad. discon-
tented and despairlng. rarely duarrolsome or
puRnacious. His sleep at night would not
seem to be very injuriously affected by IT.. and,
according to ZONE opinions. the general health
10 not so rapidly undermined as by alcoholic
drinks usually aiken to excess. On this point.
however. opinions differ. Some doctors hold
that the Grnvest organic changes nre caused
by the use of petroleum. and that the germs Of
mortal diseases are called into being. The
Ieleoraphs Paris correspondent writes:
The manner in which the latest batch Of
pet,o'iQues was discovered Is curious. A firm
In the city furnished petroleum to certain re-
tail shops. The head OF one OF the latter
complained OF short measure. The Wholesale
merchant denied the charge and proved that
he was right. Then the retail dealer set him
self to discover the clue to the mystery. but
for a long time in vain. Mono OF tho liquid
was removed from the premises nor spilled.
hiu ySI ~ CohJluueu 10 disappear. -U la9J IL
was discovered that their workmen drank It
TO raise their laboring power to the proper
level.
Another confraternity OF tipplers was con-
voted OF the offence in n different way. A
usually sober and hard working man, who
was happy. though married. began suddenly to
stagGer home In q state OF half sens over. His
spouse. Mortified at the prospective before
her. searched his pockets. and. to her sur
prise. found that his funds were not lower than
before. Neither was he ever late. strange to
say. Unable to solve the riddle. she connded it
to one OF her married friends. The latter
had a husband OF her own who was In the
same boat. They put their heads together
and. after some days Of shadowinE and inquir-
ing. the two Borrowing matrons learned that
their lords and masters were slaves to petro-
leum. This curious and reprehensible vice is.
l am told. receiving careful attention in medi-
cal circles In Paris. The authorities will hardly
take 1t up until they are ready to tax it."
Tho Spaniards did not put the medical and
sick-bay departments Of the American fleet to
any great test in action. but doubtless these
departments would not have been found want
Ing II need had unfortunately risen. Nor. ac-
cordinR to the Lancet. is there much to be
afraid OF in this respect in the British Navy.
But the case would seem to be different with
the French Navy. and measures are being
taken to remedy the faults.
The storage OF drugs and medical appliances
on board men-of-war. as the Lancet Justly
says. Is a question OF considerable magnitude
and importance. Hitherto in the French Navy
it has been the custom to keep the whole Of
the medical stores In cupboards. no two Of
which are alike as to size or shape. the re-
ceptacle in each case having been constructed
according to the exigencies OF a space Grudg-
ingly ALLOTTED and all too narrow for the re-
quirements. In order to remedy the confu-
sion. waste and ineficiency thus inevitably
arising. DR.. Rouvier. principal medical officer
at Cherbourg. has devised O series Of portable
Golfers. which will be taken into general use
throughout the fleet on and after Jan. l.
DR.. Rouvier describes his Golfers as being
five In number. two for medicine marked re-
spectively Ma and Mo. two for dressings
marked Pa and Pb. and one for use during an
action marked FG. The Golfers Ma and Pa
contain all that Is necessary for treating 100
men during six months-all. that Is. except q
few cumbrous articles. as well as some bulky
non-perishable material for which
dation has TO be provided elsewhere. Each a
Golfer Is divided by q horizontal diaphragm.
The lower division contains only substances
In constant use: the upper division contains q
certain humble OF imperishable articles and
aAo SShSsohtiy AZ uoSs oaCl 80
silk. catGut. atropine. emetine. reflls for am
bulance satohels. DC. Golfers Mo and Pb arc
simply duplicates OF the lower divisions In Ma
and Pa. being intended as u reserve for re-
stocking purposes. In addition to their hori-
Eontal diaphraGms all the Golfers are likewise
subdivided vertically In order to facilitate ao-
cess to the contents. When two or more COT
fers Of the same kind are on board q vessel
they can be superimposed In such a way that
the contents OF each face Of a combined pair
ara equal to those OF an entire Golfer. When
only a single Golfer Is available 1t can be made
to revolve by means OF an ingenious mechani-
cal device.
The greatest care has naturally been de-
voted to the stocking OF the various Golfers,
but. as DR.. Rouvier points out. nothing on
earth or ocean Is stable. and sooner or later
notifications OF the existing arrangements
will be introduced. In order SO far as posi-
BILE to provide for this inevitable contingency.
the internal fittings have been reduced to a
minimum and where 1t was practicable have
been made movable. Tho partitions be-
tween the several walls. pots. ;&c. leach OF
which shows the date Of It's filing. consist OF
galvanized iron wire 80 as to provide for a GER
tain amount OF elasticity. and here and there
a few compartments have been LETT empty
for individual preferences.
Various accounts have appeared In CONT
mental and British journals OF the treatment
which Luccheni. the cowardly murderer Of
the Empress Of Austria. will receive In prison
at Geneva. According to one ent. he
was TO be immuted in O damp subterranean
vault. where the light OF day could not pene-
trate. he was to have no change. nc exercise.
and the barest possible diet. But such sto-
ries have no foundation In fact. The follow
ing descriptionsof the prison and prison treat
ment may be taken as correct. inasmuch as
it was written by NJ. de Meuron. a member OF
the Grand Council and OF the committee
which regularly visits the prisoner:
The prison OF liEveche at Geneva. In which
Luccheni 10 now undergoing his sentence. was
built about fifty years ago. Designed origi-
nally as q place Of detention for prisoners
awaiting their trial. 1t has recently been APP
propriated for definite terms OF impriSon-
ment. At the period at which 1t was con-
structed 1t was considered a model prison.