N. MATERIA MEDIC A, THERAPEUTICS, AND HYGIENE. 569 



died, with the exception of four cows, which never seemed to 

 be ill, although they furnished one of the three specimens of 

 milk analyzed. Second, milk can not, any more than flesh, 

 transmit the disease to man, nor to animals that do not be- 

 long to the ruminant family. Third, notwithstanding this, 

 even during the first stage of the disease, when the yield still 

 continues normal, the milk should not be employed as food 

 for young children, in consequence of the modification that 

 has taken place in its principles. Fourth, from the com- 

 mencement of the disease, the combustible elements of the 

 milk, in great part, disappear, while the azotised elements, on 

 the contrary, are increased in considerable proportions, and 

 are soon found commingled with sanguinolent matters. Fre- 

 quently there may be observed, under the microscope, ag- 

 glutinated globules, either mucous or purulent. 20 A, De- 

 cemb&23yl8ll ? 777. 



DESTRUCTION OP INFECTED GERMS IN COTTON. 



Mr. Grace Calvert continues his valuable researches upon 

 protoplasmic life, and presents the results in the London 

 Chemical News. We have already referred to his announce- 

 ment that protoplasmic life, so far from being generally de- 

 stroyed by the heat of boiling water, in reality requires from 

 300 Fahr. to 400 Fahr. for this end, thus affecting very ma- 

 terially in many instances the soundness of the reasoning in 

 regard to spontaneous generation. In his last paper he dis- 

 cusses, the disinfectant effect upon germs by cotton fabrics 

 baking in heated stoves for sanitary and hygienic purposes. 

 The conclusions arrived at are essentially the same as those 

 previously indicated, namely, that germ life, in cotton fab- 

 rics exposed to a stove heat of 300 Fahr., is not completely 

 destroyed, although it is at 400 Fahr. At this latter tem- 

 perature, however, the fabric is frequently cither materially 

 injured or destroyed. He concludes, therefore, that no bene- 

 ficial result can be obtained by the employment of public 

 stoves as a means of destroying germ life and contagion. 

 AVe hope that the next step of Professor Calvert will be to 

 show us some process which, without injuring or destroying 

 the cloth, will have the effect of depriving the infection germs 

 of their vitality. 



A hint in this direction may perhaps be furnished by a 



