August i6, 1889.] 



SCIENCE. 



— F. A. Davis of Philadelphia has in press a new work on the 

 " Practical Applications of Electricity in Medicine and Surgery," by 

 Dr. G. A. Liebig, jun., of Johns Hopkins University, and Professor 

 George H. Rohe of the College of Physicians and Surgeons, of 

 Baltimore. The part on physical electricity, written by Dr. Liebig, 

 one of the recognized authorities on the science in the United 

 States, will treat fully such topics of interest as storage-batteries, 

 dynamos, the electric light, and the principles and practice of elec- 

 trical measurement in their relations to medical practice. Profes- 

 sor Rohe, who writes on electro-therapeutics, discusses at length 

 the recent developments of electricity in the treatment of stricture, 

 enlarged prostate, uterine fibroids, pelvic cellulitis, and other dis- 

 eases of the male and female genito-urinary organs. The applica- 

 tions of electricity in dermatology, as well as in the diseases of the 

 nervous system, are also fully considered. The work will be fully 

 illustrated by engravings and original diagrams. 



— The last regular article in the railway series will be con- 

 tributed to Scribner's Magazine for September by H. G. Prout, 

 editor of the Railroad Gazette, who will write of " Safety in Rail- 

 road Travel," explaining in a popular way many of those ingenious 

 devices which have come into general use and have made railway 



travel the safest form of locomotion except walking. This articl% 

 which will be very fuUv illustrated, will explain, among other 

 things, the Westinghouse air-brake, and complicated system of 

 semaphore signals and interlocking switches, and crossing-gates, 

 detector-bars, and automatic couplers. W. Hamilton Gibson will 

 write on " Night Witchery," describing what may be seen of na- 

 ture on a very dark night with other organs of sense than the eye. 

 The article will be illustrated with a number of Mr. Gibson's most 

 characteristic drawings. A. R. Macdonough will contribute the 

 fourth paper in the fishing series, entitled " Nepigon River Fishing,'' 

 in which he will describe one of the most attractive spots in Canada 

 for all lovers of good sport. Lake Nepigon is two-thirds as large 

 as Lake Ontario, filled with picturesque islands, and with strangely 

 irregular shores. It is some distance from the line of the Canadian 

 Pacific Road. Professor George Trumbull Ladd of Yale College 

 will have in the number a very timely article on the " Place of the 

 Fitting-School in American Education," in which he discusses cer- 

 tain plans for enabling the preparatory schools of the country to 

 accomplish much better work than is now possible, so that they 

 may send out their pupils as well educated at eighteen as they now 

 are at twenty. Such changes he -believes necessary in order to 

 effectively raise the standard of American universities. 



INDUSTRIAL NOTES. 

 Electrical Apparatus for Medical and Surgical Purposes. 



The engravings given herewith illustrate two pieces of electrical 

 apparatus, manufactured by Charles Reitz of Indianapolis, and 

 intended for the use of physicians and surgeons. 



The office battery, shown in Fig. i, is furnished with thirty-six 



Fib. I. — REITZS ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. 



zinc-carbon cells, for galvanic current, and two electro-magnetic 

 machines. The manufacturer claims that the battery may be used 

 daily for a year without refilling. The cells are so arranged in the 

 lower part of the case, that, when removed for refilling, no mistakes 

 in connections can be made when returning them to their places. 



The jars are 3J inches square by 5i high. The porous cups are 

 If inches in diameter and 4J inches high. The cells are connected 

 to a hard-rubber switch-board in such a way that one cell after 

 another inay be added to the circuit, giving a current of any inten- 

 sity, from that of one cell to the full power of the battery. 



Each electro-magnetic machine has two large cells of battery of 

 a capacity sufficient to run the machine from three to five hours 

 with one tilling, and they are so connected by a switch-lever on 

 top that one or both cells may be used. The machines are kept 

 covered by glass shades, the regulating-tubes in the coils being 

 raised or lowered by turning a small crank in front of the case, the 

 • shades thus not requiring removal. 



A magneto-electric generator and small incandescent lamp are 

 shown in Fig. 2. The armature is of the Siemens type, 3! inches 



FIG. 2. — REITZ'S ELECTRICAL APPARATUS. 



long and l| in diameter, with f-inch bearings running in phosphor- 

 bronze boxes. The lamp is one-half candle-power, and is mounted 

 in a hard-rubber socket on the end of a flexible stem. It is a neat 

 and convenient apparatus for the use of medical men. 

 Electric Motors. 

 The C. & C. Electric Motor Company of this city have just 

 taken a contract to furnish a notable power-equipment for the 

 works of the Hickox Manufacturing Company, ruling-machine 

 makers of Harrisburg. Penn. The power-plant will consist of 

 four C. & C. electric motors, three being of 20 horse-power, and 

 one of 15 horse-power. The current to operate them will betaken 

 from the Edison central lighting station. This installation is 

 notable, both because of the amount of power used from large 

 motors, and the fact that it is all derived from a central station. 



