98 KANSAS CITY REVIEW OF SCIENCE. 



M. Reyrusson has discovered an azoteous ether, not only a perfect disinfec- 

 tant, but an antiseptic at the same time, the only agent filling the two roles 

 effectively. Its preparation is, however, costly. Messrs. Girard and Pabstdisin- 

 fect night-soil reservoirs by dissolving lead crystals in sulphuric acid, when azoteous 

 acid, a very active agent in acidation, is eliminated. M. SuUiot has tried to disin- 

 fect sick chambers with the Girard and Pabst process, but the fumes of the disen- 

 gaged acid are rather too irritating for the patients. It is an excellent agent in the 

 case of cess-pools, and so is employed in the Hospital la Pitie, in that end, where 

 the night-soil reservoirs are so vast. The gases eliminated from the latter are 

 collected in a chimney filled with coke and wet with sulpho-nitric acid. 



Paper, like wine, seems to be made out of every matter. Wood is largely 

 employed, and when mixed with a little rag, becomes more tenacious. It is the 

 cellulose matter of the fibre that is utilized. Messrs. Deung & Co. have made a 

 rapid stride to solve the pressing question of finding a substitute for paper, and 

 have succeeded with cow and horse excrements, by submitting them to the action 

 of sulphuric acid. The animals, however, must be fed on a strictly cellulose diet, 

 grass, hay, etc. Beautiful white paper has thus been manufactured, and the 

 residue can be employed to produce ammonia, aniline, epuchsine, etc. 



Closely connected with this subject is the production of sugar, also from cel- 

 ulose matters, whether these be old shirts or saw dust. By submitting such 

 substances to the action of sulphuric acid, which thus converts them into dextrine, 

 the latter, after being placed in a solution of lime, is again operated upon by 

 sulphuric acid, that converts it into syrup or glucose, which, though not crystal- 

 ized, is not the less sugar, and is extensively employed in the preparation of 

 jams, jeUies and bon-bons. In France wood, as in Germany, is being tried for 

 the preparation of sugar, and one manufactory turns out large quantities of glucose 

 by operating on starch, which is also a cellulose body. * 



Fur tinning sauce-pans about 5 per cent of lead is added. When this per- 

 centage is exceeded, toxical results may be anticipated M. Maistrasse indicates 

 a means for the detection of the excess, or to ascertain if the tin be pure. Wash 

 the surface with muriatic acid, or diluted in water. If a characteristic black re- 

 sults, the proportion of lead has been exceeded. Pure tin leaves no such black 

 stain. 



There are many means for 'inducing sleep. Drowsy syrups are chiefly re- 

 sorted to, and also sub cutaneous injections of morphine. Preparations of bromine 

 are also employed, and chloral is an important agent. Dr. Bisenz, of Vienna, 

 has a cheaper remedy than any. He maintains all that is necessary is an indul. 

 gence in forty winks, almost. He literally recommends to open and shut the eye 

 lids thirty times in succession. This induces such a fatigue of the muscles that 

 the patient falls unconsciously asleep. It is said that it is quite a common place 

 remedy in Persia. In that country there is also a cheap and effective way for 



