542 ANNUAL RECORD OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY. 



ure and animal matter from the lungs, thereby rendering it 

 foul and offensive in a short time. By means of the charcoal 

 all decomposing animal vapors are completely absorbed, 

 while the lime also answers the purpose of arresting and con- 

 densing acid exhalations, especially those of carbonic acid, 

 hydrochloric acid, etc. In conclusion, the lecturer remarked 

 that the subject of respirators for the use of firemen was one 

 that had been brought into practical application, the London 

 Fire Brigade having been provided with a certain kind, by 

 means of which they were able to go into a room filled with 

 stifling smoke and remain there for any length of time with- 

 out the slightest inconvenience. 12 A, June 15, 124. 



OPPOSITION TO TYNDALL's THEORY OF DISEASE. 



In a previous number we have given an abstract of certain 

 views of Professor Tyndali in regard to the germ theory of 

 disease. These, however, have not passed unchallenged by 

 very eminent medical authority, and a late number of the 

 British Medical Journal contains a sharp article on the sub- 

 ject. After taking up the different points of Professor Tyn- 

 dall's theory in regular order, the Journal sums up by stating 

 that the tendency of modern research is not as favorable as 

 Professor Tyndali believes it to be respecting the theory of 

 the parasitical origin of contagious diseases, and that the pre- 

 dominance of belief is to the opposite view ; also, that the 

 theory of the permanency of unrelated, individual, or zymotic 

 types is not an undisputed or unquestioned theory. 12^4, 

 June 29, 165. 



VENTILATING EOOMS. 



An ingenious and elegant arrangement for ventilating 

 rooms consists in inserting in one of the windows a pane of 

 glass having four round holes cut into it. Upon this pane 

 a second round j:>late, having also four round holes of the same 

 size, is so attached that it may be easily made to rotate in 

 close contact. To admit fresh air, the rotating disk is turned 

 so that both sets of openings coincide ; to reduce the amount, 

 or to exclude it, it is only necessary to make a slight turn of 

 the plate. 15 C\ xxin., 368. 



