New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-02-04
MEDICAL AND SANITARY NOTES.

EYE COMPLAINTS AT sEA.-one of the MILL
tary journals in France calls attention to the
fact that owing to the intensity Of the electric
light used board men-of-war, the men are
frequently affected with eye complaints which in
some cases have led to total blindness. Accord
ing to observation, 1t would seem that eyes IN
which the iris is not heavily charged with pig
rnents, that is to say. gray and blue eyes are
likely TO be thus fnjuriously anected. InS i
the intensity of the light and the action of the
ultra violet rays. Oculists have recommended the
light Of a transparent substance which will in
tercept the ultra violet rays, such as Ior
uranium glass which is yellow the french naval
authorities supply dark blue glasses Ior tne use
and the cases in which injury has been caused to
the eyes those OF men VINO nau heseclsu 20
to afford any protection against the ultra violet
rays.
CONTACT WITH PHTHISICAL PATENTS
That not every phthisical patient Is danger 10
other people is point made by Professor Franke
OF Halle The baeili found In the sputa and IL is
settled by repeated researches that tuberculosis
is spread nearly exclusively by dried sputum The
mode of infection has been ascertained by expert
ments with animals. injections of tuberculosis
cultures producing local tuberculosis. and It Is
t bae aTe likely 10 Suffer from
of the glands. the bacilli entering throusn aee
is pPodueeabe by inhalation of tubercle bac
coming either from dried sputa as recor pr by oy
eontaning baciii according to other INVESTIGATORS
nt oe{ST II is Professor Frankeis opinion
theess. that healthy organism is apie 70 nc
sbrog rne Wbo 1--we in ncean or badly ventilated
dwellings decidedly more susceptOie IMAM
others.
THE BREAD QUESTION.-In the recent discus
sion as to the merits respectively ana relatNeiE'
OF white and brown bread. there appears to be a
weghty leaning. the part of professionals. IN
favor of the former. They are firm in their belief
after having made elaborate Investigations that
white bread is more nutritious than the brown va
riety No denial is made that the latter has It's
merits namely that it tends to remove the torpid
y of the digestive system SO frequent IA RerSo t
tiers, especially phosphate Of lime SO important f9r
e1pees mineral mater and as regards fat said
to afford larger proportion Of this essential 1000
which stress laid in this discussion is the neces-
og3{csI Tstber than bv purely chemical criterion
It is one thing to assume that certain food shows
nutriment. and quite another to assert that it can
be easily all or In Gt9er hv fe boy f
the ultimate purpose Of In sr9 9 b
many to the brown whole wheat article.
A DANGEROUS oCCUPATIoN.-Much time and
labor have been bestowed by scientific in
periments relating to the use Of phosphorus in the
manufacture of ucifer Matches 1t Is found that
while the present factory rules in England have
led to improved conditions and lessened risk,
of the works in that country are old, and lend
themselves with difficulty to the improved strut
sanpped and in most of them
methods now shown to be obsolete are in use, in
dangerous processes are said to Be largely carried
on p By unsoHnd eeth The fact is partcg
larry noted of the neglect in substituting machin-
s s a o in the tie e of m
atives teeth and neglesctng to report wen known
for their occurrence1deliberate and long continued
IMPROVED MEDICAL INSTRUMENTAL Paris
manufacturer has received much commentator
lately In medical circles for the production OF new
and ingeniousy constructed cauterizing instrument
While formerly such apparatus was bulky. blow
pipe or blowing bellows forming part of it, the
device is not larger than fountain pen, and built
somewhat its ORDER. The scientific principle in
remain incandesceat after having been PREVIOUSLY
heated TO- glow heat while current of
rising in gGop0r port With the strength Of the air
ether and operates like syringe When the p wit
is heated. the head of the reservoir also heated
small opening is directed upon the platinum blade
ar tbror OF prs ret a pf by the oper
OF the rod going through the entire length of the
three atmospheres, the Instrument has been tested
and more without damage to the tube.
STATISTICAL RECORD OF ANTIToxIN.-
After trial of the antitoxin treatment in Chicago
for period of some twenty-six months the test of
Its efficiency considered to have been fair one
The reports show that during the period named
the department of physicians had examined 57S9
cases of alleged diphthera, and in 1856 cases the
Klebs-Loeff1er bacillus found. The department
treated 1892 cases. 1868 of which recovered giving
death rate of 81 per cent. against rate of 81
ton OF antitoxn. Statistics from Gernany' while
less marked are notable in their character in this
deaths from diphtheria Group an average of
IL, s04 year In 1895 antitoxn was first introduced
the previous ten years the diphthera death rate
was 1899 per 10000 of the population, in 1895 it
POISONOUS HAIR ToNICS-Many BARRIERS
possess but little knowledge of pharmacy and on
this account are unknowingly tempted to employ
highly poisonous antiseptics in their methods of
washing the scalp to improve it's condition and to
prevent dandrufr scurf. II is to be noted how
ever that a solution of corrosive subIimate is a
favorite application with not a few; in a majority
the dangerous nature of such a prenaratiSn bnf
under certain conditions. as In abrasions mercury
would De readily absorbed and mercuriaiism might
result II Is the opinion OF those hest Informed
that corrosive sublimate should never be used for
.hs purpose and carbolic acid and other cerresves
snouIo also De avoided. especially there are
great number of equally effective ana comparative-
~ nonl,posonous antisepties to choose from such
oenzoate OF soda borax beta napthol etc
SO-CALLED ANNUAL FEVER ILLNESSES
The secretary Of the Connecticut State Board of
Health. Or. Linsley. does not hesitate 10 declare
in his annual report. that large part OF the an
nual fever illnesses In the late summer and autumn
is due TO the bad sanitary con iltions az summer
resorts Personal observation has satisfied him
that, in many cases OF typhoid fever breaking out
AFTER summer. the victim was the shore Tor a
IN one instance there We're found fifteen deveoped