New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1900-01-28
MEDICAL AND SANITARY NOTES.


MEDICAL MEASURES IN THE GERMAN
ARNIY.-It would appear from official reports that
the medical department CT the German armv
has laid great stress during the recent past
on measures to prevent the spread OF tn
berculosis IN its ranks To this end the SOL
ders have been better fed than before, well
better clothed, and. among other hygienic ad-
vances, the barracks have been improved from
sanitaGy point of view. Special sanatoria, for
isolate the patients soon possible, the result
tuberculosis. In places where phthisis was rife
an the civic b the used to
vously conveyed from the civil population to ths
duty as clerks. and to the bandsmen among Who15
a great mortality prevailed The majority OF
military patients were found among men in the
first year of their service.
A TIMELY INQUIRY.-A committee has been
appointed by the R6ntgen Society. of London. to
collect information report on the alleged njur-
Gus effects OF the Rontgen rays-infcrmation being
sought from all medical who work with such
rays concerning any of injury that may have
come under notice after exposure of patient the
rays, and, in order to obtain reports the
committee has prepared a set Of questions to
the following causes: ], the X rays themselves d-
OF a leakage discharge current from the leads or
from the terminals Of the tube; 8. some combination
trostatiG charges the surface Of the tube lastly
emitted simultaneously with the x rays, or some
other cause hitherto unobserved. The cooperation
or all medical men Is Invited in furthering the
inquiries here set forth.
AMERICAN BIRTHS DIMINIsHING.-on the
authority Of official records by H. T. Newcomb, the
Well known statistcian at Washington, the birth
rate In the United States is gradually decreasing
this diminution beng due to both the white and
black races. 1t is ascertained that in 1890 there
were some 100000 less children under the age OF
ten years than were expected, judging from the
statistics OF 1880 and It is anticipated that such
dred years this decimal loss is recorded as having
gone on; Official figures show that increase for
70 1850. "a per from 1850 to iSso while It is be-
ject in its various bearings that this decade win
only show an increase of 1894 per cent.
REVIVED THERAPEUTIC AGENT-A for
eign medical journal publishes an interesting case
of the revival of the popular of red light
as therapeutic agent. A child. eight years old
having Sickened with attack of measles of more
than usual severity. the second day brought
under the influence OF the rays of least refransi-
bity. the windows being fitted with red blinds and
a photographers lamp, with Orange-yelow
globe, being used for artificial light In three hours
and the child was playing cheerfuy, complaining
only Of want Of light The blinds We're subsequent
was summoned to And that the eruption and fever
red light Having been MaT resumed "f the rsh
disappeared in a little over two hours. as did the
cough had ceased. and the child was well in every
respect. A brother, sister and fourth patient in
fected from the first case. were similarly and sue
cessfully treated.
MALARIAI. NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. as well
medical readers have been much interested in
the report made by Professor Koch and his asso-
cates concerning the viruent malaria at Grosetto,
Italy. in July August and September last. The
experience gained thus far shows that the time of
infection, which is the really dangerous time. is
the above named, showing that the malaria para
sites can live in only certain kind OF gnats as
well in The chief kinds found in the
neighborhood OF Grosetto, which. according
Professor Koch, came under this category the
S4ieA Pip,ens and AnSpinees maculpennis-para-
not summer months, and consequently there re
they must subsist on man alone. Search was
made In vain for malarial parasites in other
the sole harborer Of this SPECIFIC parasite the n
sh bTSg Se Only Of during the
the not season comes there are so many cases OF
spread forming in fact the binding link or bridge
next.
VISUAL FATIGUE.-The fact seems to be
abundantly proved by Professor Catteu and by
others. that facility reading Is affected by size
and quality of type. by leading by the intensity
and quality OF the illumination and by the quality
of the paper. But the result TO which all this
class of inquiries comes is that the size OF the
type is the all important condition OF visual
fatigue; that type less than Is In height
eleventh point. should be used. the fatigue
increasing rapidly even before the size becomes so
small as this; The intensity OF Illumination IS
found TO be of little consequence within the limits
OF daylight In well lighted rooms, and experience
shows that few intensties less than three to ten
candle metres-a candle metre being the light OF
standard candle at perpendicular distance OF
one metre-are sources OF even greater fatigue
than small type, 100 candle metres being consid-
cred type limit. These experiments were made
with sufficient care certainly to establish the sub
stantal accuracy of the results here given.
USE OF LEAD IN DYE woRKs.-The use Of
lead in various forms In print and dye works-so
extensive in fact both in yarn dyelng and calico