remove the acid from the part affected by copious affusions of water. 2. The neutralisation of any remaining acid by means of weal: solutions of alkaline carbonates, is desirable. 3. A corrosion is simply a burn, and must be treated as a burn air-tight bandage, with goulard water compression. 4. With extensive burns, it is highly desirable to avoid, in every possible way, a loss of heat or chill in the subject under treatment, by administration of a warm bath; warm leadwater compressions, &c. Nevertheless, it is perfectly evident that the quickest possible dilution, and washing away of all acid, must be regarded as the first duty to the man. In the case of burns and scalds, we in England are almost invariably supplied with a stock of the good old linseed oil and lime water, and this is highly spoken of too in Germany as a safe palliative in unprofessional hands. But a better remedy still is one devised by the large German firm, Bayer & Co., of Elberfield, for use for their workpeople in case of burns and scalds. This consists of an organic preparation called "Aristol," an Iodo-thymol compound, which is used in the form of a 10 per cent. lanoline or vaseline salve, or even in the form of powder, to be laid upon the wound. A subnitrate of bismuth, as prepared by a South German firm, is also very warmly recommended for burns. Either of these preparations much diminishes the pain of the wounds. In all places where dangerous work is carried on likely to bring about burns or scalds should accidents occur, it is recommended that plentiful supplies of water should be close at hand. tacles. The use of suitable spectacles is strongly recommended by Use of specLehmann and by the various authorities, and great fault is found with some spectacles that are already in use. It also appears, that like their English brothers, many of the German workmen will not wear these spectacles if they can help it, or even respirators. The kind of spectacles most recommended are those devised by Stroof, and patented by him. These have means for the circulation of air through them, and thus the eyes are kept cool. Another kind of spectacles obtained the first prize recently from the Association des industriels de France contre les Accidents du Travail. This prize was won by Simmelbander, of Montigny, near Metz. It is made with trapezoidal glasses (J. Soc. Arts, Aug., 1893, 876), surrounded by wire gauze; does not heat the eyes, and is specially useful in cases where corrosive liquids may be thrown about in spray as the result of accident or otherwise. Protective mask. Formerly used noxious respira Disinfecting human beings with chlorine and bromine. Dr. Lehmann most strongly recommended the use by workmen and others of a protective mask, invented by Herr Pitzner, Engineer in Chief of the Seydelmayer Brewery in Munich. Lehmann has worn this mask himself in all kinds of noxious atmospheres and thoroughly experimented upon it. It appears actually to be a kind of light helmet made of soft indiarubber, which loosely encloses both head and neck, whilst the eyes are protected by two large circular glasses. In the neighbourhood of the mouth is a strong indiarubber tube passing out into the fresh air and connected with a powerful bellows. Whilst the workman operates in the noxious atmosphere, a strong stream of fresh air is blown to his mouth, the loose soft rubber around the head and neck expanding or contracting as the excess of air increases or diminishes. Also any openings through the loose fastening of the helmet are of no detriment, the escaping air preventing return of obnoxious gas. Lehmann's exhaustive experiments with the mask show how effective it is, at all events, for a man not attempting any hard work in it. It appears from Lehmann that, at one time in Germany, tors in Germany sponges moistened with aniline were recommended as respirators for men working in atmospheres containing chlorine, and these he properly condemns, since aniline vapours are more noxious than chlorine itself! It may be interesting to refer to a paragraph written by Lehmann on the attempts that have been made to disinfect human beings in cases of serious epidemics, with chlorine and bromine vapours. He points out that the experiments of Fischer, Proskauer, and others, demonstrate the futility of any such method of disinfection, since it was found that for the destruction of the organisms it was necessary that the moist atmosphere of the sterilizing chamber should contain 3 per 1000 of chlorine, or 2.1 per 1000 of bromine, and the exposure should continue for three hours, or there might be used an atmosphere containing 0.4 per 1000 chlorine or 0.3 per 1000 bromine, with a twenty-four hours' exposure. Lehmann very pertinently, and somewhat humorously, says: "The microorganisms would, under the above conditions, be very effectively slain, but so also would the patients!" Besides many pathogenic bacteria can easily withstand the action of an atmosphere containing as much as 4 per cent. of chlorine for an hour together. Chemical workmen with Before concluding, I should like to refer to one or two facts of great interest :— The first is the predisposition, as already mentioned, to scrofulous taint, eruptive complaints shown by a certain class of workpeople of scrofulous or syphilitic taint. Dr. Arlidge in his work mentions the occurrence of skin eruptions in the case of bleaching Such powder workers, through the action of the chlorine. The second is the curious fact that in some chemical works in which a variety of products is manufactured, it is found that the influence of the conditions of one department acts as an antidote to those of another in which some injury is contracted, and accordingly the men are changed about from one place to another. and acid and employers? In conclusion, and in view of some hard things that have Are our alkali been said of the chemical manufacturers in their relations to manufacturers their workmen, I should like to mention two facts which have humane masters recently come to my notice, and after mentioning them I am content to leave it to the public verdict, whether the chemical manufacturer, and more especially in this connection, the alkali maker, does not possess his share of humanity. The first fact is that at a recent meeting of the Liverpool Section of the Society of Chemical Industry, two of the chief magnates of the Alkali Union set forth the advantages and spoke entirely in favour of, an eight hours day for the alkali men. The second is what I call a beautiful testimony to the same good feeling. During the late coal famine, when many of the Alkali works were brought to a standstill, especially in and around St. Helens, the principal officials of the United Alkali Co. started a relief fund for their out-of-work hands. A strong committee was formed, with a secretary and treasurer, and this committee had received promises of weekly contributions amounting to £150. It was estimated that these sums would provide 2s. 6d. per week for each single man, and 5s. for each of the married men, thrown out of work through the scarcity of fuel. The first distribution of relief was made on Nov. 20th, when 742 workmen, representing 2,500 souls, participated. But numerous outside applicants for relief presented themselves, and an appeal was made for public support. Hence, the hearts of this Alkali Union Committee were good for their own men, and large enough to take in the woes and distress of a famine stricken population outside them. LECTURES TO SANITARY OFFICERS. WATER SUPPLY FOR DOMESTIC USE. By J. WALLACE PEGGS, Assoc.M.INST.C.E. Delivered 10th October, 1893. Sources of Rainfall Evapo colation. THE plentiful supply of water for domestic purposes of good quality is of paramount importance, as we now know that many diseases, cholera and typhoid fever especially, may be spread by drinking foul water. As all sources of water supply are derived from rainfall, a short consideration of this interesting subject will be necessary before proceeding to the various sources of supply themselves. The amount of rainfall varies in different parts of the world, ration and Per- and even in different parts of England. The average rainfall over England may be taken at 30 inches per annum, equivalent to 3,000 tons per acre. In parts of India, however, more than this amount has fallen in one day. It will be useful and instructive to explain here how rainfall is measured. The apparatus for measuring rainfall is called a rain-gauge, and the size usually adopted is 8 inches in diameter. The most generally useful pattern is made of copper, in two parts, and consists of a lower cylindrical part and an upper deep funnel part, with a strong truly-turned rim of brass, leading by a small pipe into a bottle within the copper cylinder, so placed as to be protected from breakage by frost and from evaporation. A small graduated glass of an area one-tenth of the mouth of the funnel is used to read off the amount of rainfall direct in inches and decimals of an inch. The rainfall over the British Isles varies considerably, and the best way of studying its distribution is from the map prepared by Mr. J. G. Symons, F.R.S., for the Sixth Report of the Rivers Pollution Commission. Upon this map rainfall contours or lines of equal rainfall are shown, and the spaces between or areas of equal rainfall are |