1897] MICROSCOPICAL JOURNAL 169 



called attention to a matter which effects the public health 

 in a different deg"ree. Disclaiming- any intention of need- 

 lessly interfering- with any person's means of lively hood, 

 he has protested ag-ainst the licensing- of nig-ht lunch wag-- 

 ons, on account of the liability of the spread of disease by 

 this means. These wag-ons are a familiar sig-ht in the 

 cities and larg-er towns. Either they are driving- about the 

 streets or they occupy a stand, night after nig-ht. Mr. 

 Hurley has interested himself to inquire into their oper- 

 ation and finds when ready for customers the water supply 

 of a wag-on consists of about two g-allons of water in a 

 bucket. During- the nig-ht several hundred cups of coffee 

 and mug-s of milk are sold and emptied into mouths many 

 of which are dirty and diseased, some foully so. The 

 cleansing- of the mug- or cups consists of a rinsing- in the 

 bucket of water and a wipe with a towel that does duty for 

 the entire nig-ht. We must ag-ree with Mr. Hurley that 

 probably no better method of spreading- disease can be 

 found than the practices he discribes, and the subject is 

 one which should receive the attention of the board of 

 health in the cities where such a menace to public health 

 exists. — The Eng-ineering- Record. 



Infection by Pets. — Cats have been suspected of con- 

 veying- the infection of diphtheria, and scarlet fever has 

 been traced to them. To this may be added (Chicag-o 

 Medical Record ) the unwelcome news that a health officer 

 has reported a case of smallpox broug-ht about in the same 

 way; that is, by a cat from an infected house carrying- the 

 disease to a neig-hboring- house. 



Another case is reported in La Medecine Moderne, "of 

 a seamstress who was in the habit of allowing- her dog- to 

 lick her face. She was attacked one day with a severe in- 

 flammation of the rig-ht eye. Oculists were consulted, but 

 their treatment was unsuccessful; and owing- to the fact 

 that inflammation of the left eye was beg-inning-, the rig-ht 

 eye was cut out. In it was found a tapeworm, which the 

 dog- had probably picked up while licking- some less pleas- 

 ing- object than his mistress's face. 



