July 17, 1903.] 



SCIENCE, 



89 



The effect of even minute quantities, such 

 as the dairymen began to employ in the pres- 

 ervation of milk (1:20,000), has been shown 

 to be a harmful one, in the long run, at all 

 events. Whether this is due to its influence 

 on the proteids of the milk or upon the 

 enzymes of the digestive tract, is not rendered 

 quite clear as yet, but that digestion is inter- 

 fered with, particularly the pancreatic diges- 

 tion of albumen, is determined with certainty. 



The above enumeration of some of the dan- 

 gers of formal shows that the accidental swal- 

 lowing of the drug is perhaps the greatest, 

 particularly as the outcome of any case differs 

 very much in different individuals and under 

 different circumstances. Even the prompt 

 medical aid given in the first case cited above 

 failed to avert death, and the careful guarding 

 of this drug from coming into the hands of 

 the ine.xperienced or the irresponsible devolves 

 upon every one in charge of laboratories, fac- 

 tories, farms, hospitals and other places where 

 formal is used. Every bottle or other re- 

 ceptacle containing formal should be dis- 

 tinctly labelled ' Poison.' A few words, in 

 conclusion, on the initial treatment of a case 

 of acute formal poisoning may be found use- 

 ful. The strong affinity of formaldehyd for 

 ammonia gives a hint of therapeutic value.* 

 The aromatic spirits of ammonia in doses of 

 from one half to two' fluid drachms, or even 

 somewhat more, according to the amount of 

 formal swallowed; or the liquor ammonii 

 acetatis (spirit of Mindererus) in half-ounce 

 doses, should be taken immediately as an 

 antidote for the local effects. A physician 

 should, of course, be sent for. Vomiting 

 should be promoted, and the stomach washed 

 out several times through a tube. The con- 

 stitutional symptoms of depression of the 

 vital functions must be met by the use of 

 stimulants such as strychnine or caffeine. 

 The patient must remain in the recumbent 

 position, and external heat, by means of hot- 

 water bottles, or by frequent lukewarm baths, 

 should be applied. Demulcent drinks in 

 small quantities frequently given allay the 



• Bnstedo, article, ' Formaldehyd,' in ' Buck's 

 Ref. Handbook of the Medical Sciences,' 1902. 



irritation. Food can not be taken for some 

 time. E. A. Spitzka. 



QUOTATIOXS. 



THE AJ1ERIC.\N METHOD OF APPOINTING LNIVEB- 

 SITY PROFESSORS.* 



I AM wrestling at the moment with a mass 

 of correspondence which has accumulated dur- 

 ing an eighteen weeks' absence in America. 

 Among the letters demanding my immediate 

 attention are several from friends requesting 

 ' testimonials ' regarding their fitness to fill 

 professorships which are now vacant. These 

 applications bring into sharp relief important 

 differences between the old country and the 

 new, in point of academic etiquette or cus- 

 tom. I think that the principle involved is 

 a matter of public concern. The superiority 

 of the new country's practice in the matter of 

 appointing academic officers is, to my mind, 

 so manifest that I am sanguine enough to be- 

 lieve that dissemination of knowledge about 

 the newer system will lead at no distant date 

 to the abrogation of the older. 



In America I visited a score of the leading 

 universities, including such %-eteran founda- 

 tions as Harvard, Yale and Princeton, and 

 such modern institutions as Johns Hopkins, 

 Cornell and Chicago. Among many other 

 topics which I discussed with university presi- 

 dents and professors of standing was the mode 

 in which vacancies in the various faculties 

 were sui)plied. The method in universal 

 vogue on the other side of the Atlantic is en- 

 tirely unlike the usage familiar on this side, 

 though there are resemblances between the 

 American method and that employed by min- 

 isters of the crown in nominating regius pro- 

 fessors. 



Appointments to all vacant offices in an 

 American university are made by the presi- 

 dent, on what may be regarded for practical 

 purposes as his sole authority or responsibility. 

 (At the same time the president's action is 

 always liable to control or check by boards 

 of trustees or regents, who are usually saga- 

 cious men of position in the professions or in 

 commerce.) As soon as a vacancy arises in 



* From the London Timra. 



