Popular Science Monthly 



817 



Every consideration is given to the injured horse in carrying him away to the hospital. 

 This truck differs from the ordinary automobile ambulance in having a trailer 



A New Type of Motor Horse- 

 Ambulance 



DIFFERING from other previous 

 types of motor ambulances for sick 

 or disabled horses in that it is a truck 

 and trailer principle and not a self- 

 contained vehicle, the latest unit, as 

 shown in the accompanying illustration, 

 has a low platform trailer into which the 

 horse may walk with ease or be hauled 

 in on a special device if unable to stand 

 up. 



The new equipment consists of a one- 

 ton motor-truck and a trailer, the for- 

 ward end of which is supported on the 

 truck. The trailer has a specially low 

 platform and a tail-gate which may be 

 swung down to form a bridge to enable 

 the sick horse to w^alk into the trailer 

 body with ease. A second independent 

 floor on rollers is provided in the trailer. 

 When the horse is so disabled that he 

 cannot stand up this platform is rolled 

 out of the trailer and down the lowered 

 tail-gate to the street, where the animal 

 is securely bound to it with his head on a 

 pillow to prevent injury. The platform 

 is then hauled into the trailer by means 

 of a steel cable wrapped around a drum 

 carried in the gooseneck of the trailer- 

 frame and revoh'ed by a hand-crank as 

 shown in the illustration. 



The trailer is provided with a perma- 

 nent top and curtains at the front, rear 

 and sides for use in inclement weather. 



Two stanchions are provided at the 

 center of the trailer at each side to sup- 

 port the ends of a canvas sling passed 

 under the stomach of the horse to take 

 the weight off his feet when one of his 

 legs is injured. 



Germany's Rubber Trade 



THE war has had its effect on the rub- 

 ber trade in Germany. The manu- 

 facture of rubber sporting goods, toys, 

 articles of luxury and the like has been 

 almost entirely curtailed. Had a demand 

 existed, the lack of the necessary raw 

 materials, even in substitute qualities, 

 would not have been forthcoming. Busi- 

 ness is very slack in sanitary and surgical 

 goods, because the essential, fine crude 

 rubber can only be had for military pur- 

 poses and skilled labor, which is ver>- 

 important in this line, is very scarce. 



The enormous consumption of solid 

 and pneumatic tires by the German arm\' 

 has given the manufacturers all they can 

 handle. Business decreased appreciably, 

 however, towards the close of the year 

 1915. The cycle tire industry has not 

 been favored by war conditions. Onl>- 

 reclaimed rubber has been axailable for 

 making casings and only very limited 

 (luan titles of crude rubber have been 

 allowed for inner tubes. The restrictions 

 on the use of cotton fabrics has practical- 

 ly stopped the making of cycle tires for 

 other than military purposes. 



