New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-12-03
MEDICAL AND SANITARY NOTES.

HELPS TO DECREASED MORTALITY
nggestive statements arc presented In his late re-
port by DR. Abbott secretary OF the Massachu"
yetts Board of Health, showing that diseases are
Necomng less dangerous IN human Hfe III APP
pears that the hygienic condition Of the people In
that Commonwealth was better last year than at
Any previous time for half a century. and there
were fewer deaths by nearly 800 from infectious
diseases than during the previous year. notwlth-
standing a decided increase Of population; The
number OF deaths from diphtheria decreased one
from consumption were about 5 per cent lower.
and there only some half as many deaths death,
death rate is given IS per !, 900 whereas IT has
been about 10 for half century There etss w9 srom
typhoid Who9png gSnEn a the General de-
crease in the death rate to various causes, such
as Improved sanitary conditions. stricter Quaran,,
tine regulations and improvements IN meuicai
treatment,
SAFEGUARDS AGAINST PToMAINEs.-Al-
though It has been proved that the greater num-
Der of the products OF putrefaction known as
otoraines are not poisonous. science has not been
nble 10 distinguish preventivey between the deadly
and the harmless. According 10 a writer In Inc
Baltimore American" Il Is rarely, even In cases OF
death from ptomaine poisoning, that the elusive
ptomaine has been discovered In succeeding eM,
anlinations Chemical agents are dscovereG khoMn
70 indicate the presence Of ptomaines but tne
careful analysts that somehow the puttelacudEoe
alkalod has decompOsed. cVaporated OF peeli ~
stroyed by reagent he has used me IaG9 no 20
the poison is Of putrefactve origin gives weigh to
the precautiOn that food 10 be harmless must De
absolutely fresh and prepared with greatest eabS
and I'm this consist all the safeguards possiOe
against ptomaines.
DEFECTIVE CREMATORY PROCESSES'-lhe
Important point is made by intelligent aoVoca,e'
OF cremation that 1t must be regarded as VAST
ful and expensive process unless proper means oe
taken 10 utilize the great heat which has of neces-
vity TO be employed II the operation is to be con-
Quoted in the thoroughly efectual manner required
Something more is essential Of course FOR the Gre
nation Of animal substances-without the produc-
ton OF a positive nuisance-than mere ourh h
that IS such a temperature will not merely burn
up the body into gases, but also consume suSn
To heat a furnace so as TO produce such tempera-
lures for each single cremation howeser ane
very wastefu But; 1t Is argued, Whe RE care are
ried out continuously as In modern refuse destruc-
tors such is obviated. for not only Is tne
tSe form Str0 Of power but there is the advantage
that every particle of refuse consumed ages gas, IT'S
the unitarian view presented by correspondent
OF 1.-The London Hospital
MILITARY HYGIENE.-In official circular
the Surgeon General of the German army Collar,
IN Berlin, has called the attention OF the heads OF
the garrison hospital 10 what he describes as
new cleaning method for such institutions. to be
emploved in future, thorough experiments having
proved II to be OF sufficient advantage to warrant
its adoption The main feature OF this method con-
ssts in the addition of petroleum TO the water be-
sides soap and soda. many grams or II peins
taken there litres of water used.roT ,,, eS
ample thirty grams of petroleum TO thirty ntIes
Of water has been fou1d ran such iS 'ae
diHfnre Of petroleum not only admits Of
easier cleaning as well as less tear ana wear 4
thoroughly dsinfected. and the expense Is consid-
eraby reduced.
DAMPNEss IN DWELLING HoUSEs.-rhe
dampness Of dwelling houses is pronounced by
writer in The Scientific American dangerous
from a twofod point Of view-hrst and primarily
in itself and second because Of the long life
which 1t gives to the elements Of contagon and In
lection 1t is ascertained that the microbe OF
typhoid fever remains alive for three days. that OF
dphtheria month and that or pneumo ma , IqG
tions Of the elegance" Of dwellings. when causes
imaon Of it, scientific Experiences would now ad
wise the employment OF stucco or good Varnlsh as
both because they easily washed and because
they possess the property Of cleansing themselves
which become lodged in them
EFFECTS. PHYSIOLOGICALLY, OF HIGH AND
Low AIR LEVELS.-The Investigations made by
Professor Angelo Mosso. we'll known in European
medical circles have apparently settled the question
as the effect the human organism OF a sudden
and Of a gradual change from the atmosphere OF
O low level 10 that OF high mountain-from the
that much rarehed. The results Of his ingenious
scientific experiments seem 10 show that after a
person has become acclimated and rested his
muscles are capable Of performing quite as much
work at an altitude OF nearly fifteen thousand feet
as at q lower level but that the centres do
not perform their part WELL causing difficulty in
breathing. papitation OF the heart ETC. SO that the
With although the barometric depression does not
act directly on the muscles themselves The ad-
a Certain poison is produced in the muscles by
fatigue which acts on the CARDIAC and respiratory
centres but he maintains that difficulty in breath
ing and papitaton not due 10 contractons Of
the muscles on account h9weyer OF the complex
the different organs, It is often extremely difficult
TO distinguish the cause from the effect.
TRADE PARALYSIS.-The fact IS well known
that while trade spasms comparatively COM
mon, trade paralyses are much less But NJ.
yere Belgian physician. narrates the case Of a
girl OF fourteen years. tapestry worker. whose
work made 1t necessary TO keep her right arm
constantly elevated and abducted After twelve
days Of this application, signs Of paralysis began
20 appear IN the right arm and soon became COM
plete-there aneshesia Of the affected
limb. and no evidence that the girl was hysterical.
Under massage and electricity the patient recov-
cred 1t is be noted that the paralysis affected
ees conceTned in the trade in this
respect differing from trade spasms. There was
aiS e regaSd Sy Fc a ece
of muscular debility. such as is seen in exhausted
cyclists.
DIsINFECTING PUBLIC CONvEYANCEs-In
consequence OF infectious character Of the dust
OF ordinary apartments occupied by consumptives
experiments have been made In Berlin to deter
mine the efficiency OF various methods Of cleansing
and disinfecting. Three coaches first infected
with different sorts of germs, and were then dis
infected with soap and carbolc acid soutions these
tests showed a dimnution In the bacill. and in
the case OF the material treated with steam disn-
lection was complete. The results Of the final ex
perments briefly stated. showed that the system
OF cleansing, consisting simply in washing with a
potash soap soution-1 to 100-followed by an
abundant rinsing or shrinking with water and
then by dry rubbing. Is sufficient 10 remove all