May I, 1S84,'] 



THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST, 



Sot 



SUGAK AS A DRESSING FOR WOUNDS. 



Dr. F. Fischer states in an English journal, that in the 

 Strasbourg Hospital, where he is assistant in the surgical 

 department. Professor Liicke has, since last May, used pow- 

 dered cane-sugar as an antiseptic dressing to wounds. Hither- 

 to it has been used in combination with naphthaline (equal 

 parts) or with iodoform (one part to five of sugar). In cases 

 of wounds united by suture, the mixture is put up in gauze, 

 and applied to the part ; where there is loss of skin, the sugar 

 is sprinkled directly over the part. The sugar-dressing is 

 fixed in place by some layers of gauze deprived of fat, over 

 which a layer of guttapercha is applied, and the whole is se- 

 cured by a bandage. The sugar-dressing may remain from 

 eight to fourteen days, without the sugar dissolving. The 

 secretion from the wound is equally distributed through the 

 sugar, and it is only when the layer of sugar is too thick 

 (more than about one-fifth of an inch), that lumps are formed. 

 The wounds have a healthy appearance under the sugar, the 

 dressings are not offensive, and bacteria cannot be found in 

 them. Healthy granulations, with no tendency to bleed, are 

 developed; and cicatrization proceeds rapidly. In wounds 

 united by suture, heahng by the first intention has always 

 been observed. 



Dr. 'Windelschmidt of Cologne says that he has used sugar 

 alone as as dressing with good results. He finds, that, for 

 small wounds and ulcers, powdered cane-sugar is not inferior 

 to iodoform as a dressing ; while iodoform is necessary in 

 many cases, such as chancres and mammary abscesses. He 

 calls attention to the fact that powdered sugar is a very old, 

 popular remedy in cases of fungous granulations, ichorous 

 eczema, aud erysipelas of the face. Whether the action of the 

 sugar is antiseptic is not certain .- that it is aseptic is proved 

 by its use in confectionery. In spite of his success. Dr. Win- 

 delsehmidt has for several months desisted from the use of 

 sugar as a dressing ; partly because the patients found out 

 the nature of the powder that was apphed, aud ceased to 

 trust in it ; partly because they treated themselves, and so 

 passed from his observation. He thinks, however, that 

 sugar, like iodoform and naphthaline, has its sphere of ap- 

 plicatiou ; and joins with Dr. Fischer in recommending 

 that it be more extensively tried. — Popular Science News. 



TOILET PERFUMES. 



S.vcHET-PowDEEs.— The Drufft/ist's Circular gives the 

 following recipes: — 



Violet ■Cachet-Powder. 



Powdered orris-root 



Gum-benzoin 



Tonka beau 



Oil of bitter almonds ... 



Extract of cassia 



Mush Sachet-Powder. 

 Powdered orris-root 

 Grain musk 



Carbonate of ammonia 



Oil of rose 



Lavender Sachet-Powder. 



Lavender-flowers 8 ounces. 



Dry thyme 4 drachms. 



Dry mint ,., ... ... ... 2 



Cloves ..'. ... ... ... ... o 



Oil of lavender... 



Tincture of ambergris 



Patchovly Sachet-Powder. 



Powdered orris-root 1 pound. 



Patchouty-leaves 8 ounces. 



Oil of rose ;iO drops. 



Oil of patchouly 60 



E.XTKACT OF W.\LLFi.owER.— The following is commended 



as a good preparation: — 



Extract of orange-flower 1 pint. 



Extract of vanilla ,„ ... i 



Spirit of rose ... 1 



Extract of orris , ... i 



Extract of cassia ... ... ... I 



Essential oil of almonds 5 drops. 



This should be prepared for two or three weeks prior 



to putting up for sale. 

 102 



24 ounces. 

 A „ 

 4 drachms. 

 6 drops. 

 6 drachms. 



2 pounds. 

 30 grains. 

 10 „ 

 20 minims. 



30 minims. 

 1 drachm. 



Extract of Heliotrope. — The following is commended 

 for this popular perfume; — 



Spirituous extract of vanilla ... i pint. 



Spirituous extract of French rose 



pomatum J „ 



Spirituous extract of orange-flower... 2 ounces. 



Spirituous extract of ambergi'is ... 1 ounce. 



Essential oil of almonds 5 drops. 



— Popular Science A'ews. 



HISTORIC NOTES ON SUGAR. 



Professor A. De Caudolle, in his recent work, has some in- 

 formation on the subject of sugar which is interesting, aud 

 not to be found in works of reference, Ti.e Sanscri' uitr' i 

 for sugar is sarkara or sakkaraj wiience come all the names 

 by which it is known in Em-opean languages in Aryan origin, 

 ancient Greek included. It would therefore appear that 

 the Western A\'orld got its first knowledge of the article 

 from the ancient Indian people speaking the Sanscrit tongue. 

 But there is no word for sugar in ancient Hebrew, so that, 

 presumably this knowledge had not progressed so far west- 

 ward as the Euphrates at the time of thi- Jewish captivity 

 in Babylon. AVhen we get beyond India, into Bmmah, 

 Cochin-China, &c., we find sugar known by ;i variety of names 

 which in all probability, are most of tliem of still older 

 date. InTelingait is called ^aHc/;«(/rt/"a, among the Burmese 

 kyam, in Cochin-China mia, amoug the Ol.inese kan and tche, 

 and by the Malays ««/«, the sugar cane ')eing tuhu or tabu. 

 Contrary to the assertion made in most looks of reference, 

 the Chinese, it would seem, were not acquainted with the 

 sugar cane in very remote times, but received it from the 

 westward about two centm-ies before the Christian era. Dr. 

 Bret^chneider is very positive on this poiiit. He states that 

 he has been unable to find any mention of the sugar cane in 

 the most ancient Chinese books (the Five Classics). The 

 first notice of it occurs about 200 b. c, and the earliest de-; 

 scription is given in a Chinese work written some six cent- 

 uries later. It is stated that A. D. 286, the State of Funan, 

 beyond the Ganges, paid tribute in sugar to the Emperor of 

 China; and a Chinese Emperor who reigned from a. n. 027 

 to 650 sent a functionary into what now is Eehar, to leani 

 the art of making sugar. The sugarcane has never been 

 found wild in India, but Loureiro (" Flore de Cochin-Chine'") 

 states that it grows wild abundantly in Cochin-China, aud 

 also, but less abundautly, in the adjoining parts of China 

 — a statement which appears to have been very generally 

 overlooked. From this and a variety of other arguments 

 Professor Caudolle infers that the sugarcane was orif: 'tally 

 a native of the region extendmg from the Cochin-Cbma to 

 Bengal, and that its cultivation probably began in Cochin- 

 China, extending thence to India aud from India to the 

 westward. The Greeks and Romans hau only a hearsay 

 knowledge of the commodity. The Saracens in the Middle 

 Ages carried the sugarcane into Egypt, Sicilj', and the South 

 of Spain, where it was largely grown until supplauted by the 

 produce of the Spanish colonies in the New World. Don 

 Henry carried it from Sicily to Maderia ; from Maderia it 

 was introduced into the Canaries in 1503 ; and thence into 

 Brazil at the beginning of the sixteenth centur/. It was 

 introduced into St. Domingo in 1520, and soon afterwards 

 into Mexico; into Guadaloupe in 1644; into Martinique about 

 1650 ; and into Mauritius and Bourbon when the first French 

 settlements were made there. — Royal Gazette. 



EMULSIONS OF PETROLEUM AND THEIR 

 VALUE AS INSECTICIDES. 



BY C. v. RILEY, OF WASHINGTON, D. C. 



The value of petroleum for the destruction of insects has 

 long been recognized, and I have for years been endeavoring 

 to solve the question of its safe and ready use for this purpose 

 without injury to plants. This jiaper contains the results of 

 extended experiments carried on under rny direction by 

 several of my assistants, aud particularly bv l^rof. W. S. Bar- 

 uard, Mr. Joseph Voyle, of Gainesville, 1- 'a., Mr. Clifford 

 Richardson, assistant chemist of the Departi'ient of Agricult- 

 ure, and Mr. H. G. Hubbard, who has for over a year been 

 devoting his time to practical tests in orange groves at Cres- 

 cent City, Fla. 



Passing over the ordinary methods of oil emulsions by phos- 



