1068 Tjraxsactioxs of the American Institute. 



with insoluble albumen, will filter through paper, as also tlirough the 

 pores of all tissues of the animal organism. The dilute carbolic acid, 

 introduced into the system will, in the same manner, coagulate the 

 albumen and sporules it meets on its passage, in such subdivision 

 that the coagulum can no longer, form a dense coherent coating, as in 

 the case during the aj)plication of the concentrated acid, Avhile the 

 minute particles of this coagulum, after filtering through the animal 

 tissue, do not oppose an obstacle in the free passage of greater 

 quantities of the carbolic acids or of the vital fluids. On the other 

 hand, the sporules constituting tlie contagion are so minute themselves 

 that the limited sphere of action of the diluted, acid still embraces 

 a complete sporule, or a number of them, which thus have their vitality 

 suspended as completely as by the concentrated acid. This great 

 divisibility (irrespective of the volubility of the acid) prevents its 

 entire neutralization by the albumen of the larger organism to the 

 exclusion of that of the sporules, the albumen being a base of no 

 great energy, especially if linked to an acid as faint as carbolic. 

 Nevertheless for complete curative affect the dose must be repeated, 

 as the acid owns, in common with all other drugs, the property that 

 the limit of its sj)here of action is proportionate to its amount. 



IS^Ew Life Peeservee. f 



Mr. James "Weston exliibited several ingenious applications of 

 wood cut into veneer. Amongst the rest was a life preserver which 

 consisted of eight hollow cylinders formed of three layers of veneer 

 cemented together, the grain of the wood in the middle layer being 

 arranged at right angles to the grain of the other layers. Each cylinder is 

 covered with a thin sheet of guttapercha which makes them absolutely 

 water jjroof. Four of tliese cylinders are inclosed in a canvass case, 

 and two cases are so united In* sti-ips that a set of four cylinders may 

 be worn in front of the chest, while the other set of four lie on tlie 

 back. Each cylinder is about six inches long by two and three- 

 quarter inches in diameter, thus containing about thirty-four and one- 

 half cubic inches, or about one-sixth of a cubic foot for the eight 

 'cylinders. As the weight was stated by the inventor to be about 

 one and three-quarter pounds, the buoyant power of the life preserver 

 is equal to about eight and one-half pounds — an amount amply sufficient 

 to keep the face well out of the water if the wearer assumes a proper 

 position. These life preservers can be made for about six or seven dollars ; 

 and the great advantage of this life preserver over those made of 



