September 19, 1884.1 



SCIENCE 



299 



is possible that through the efforts of Capt. Bedford 

 Pirn an invitation may be received from the- city of 

 London. 



— Dr. Dobell, in writing to the London Times, 

 directs attention to a method of destroying cholera 

 and typhoid germs, in drinking-water, by passing 

 through it an electric current, and thereby exposing 

 it to the influence of nascent oxygen, by which means 

 the water would be dezymotized. This suggestion 

 of Dr. DobelFs seems to have been forestalled by the 

 construction of a filter invented by Dr. Stephen H. 

 Emmons, which is now on view at the offices of the 

 Economic electric company in London. The filter 

 consists of an earthenware vessel, in which are placed 

 porous cells containing carbon plates, the spaces be- 

 tween the plates and the cells being partially filled 

 with animal charcoal. The plates are coupled up 

 with the positive pole of a Leclanche battery or of 

 one of the company's own chromozone batteries. 

 Alternating with the porous cells are other carbon 

 plates, which are coupled up with the negative pole 

 of the battery. The water is supplied into the porous 

 cells, and passes through the charcoal to the exterior 

 of the cells, and is drawn off by a tap in the usual 

 way. It is claimed, that by this means, the water 

 being submitted to the influence of the evolved nas- 

 cent oxygen, as suggested by Dr. Dobell, the materies 

 morbi of typhoid, cholera, and similar diseases are 

 destroyed, and that an end is put to the dreaded 

 danger of, ' death in the pot.' 



New Romney. In the evening, Herve made an ascen- 

 sion at Paris in a balloon provided with some aero- 

 nautic apparatus constructed on a new system. 



— Among the diamonds reserved from the ap- 

 proaching sale of the crown jewels of France is the 

 Regent, so-called, which is retained on account of its 

 mineralogical rarity, its perfect shape, its limpid 



vnKo 



— The 7th of last August was signalized in France 

 by three balloon ascensions. Gaston Tissandier and 

 Georges Masson, the editor and publisher of La 

 nature, made an ascent from Paris (a diagram of the 

 course of which we reproduce from that journal), 

 which occupied three hours and twenty minutes. 

 While they were in the air, Shoste crossed for a sec- 

 ond time the English channel; starting alone from 

 Boulogne at 7 p. m., and descending at 9.50 p.m. at 



color, great size, and fame. According to La nature, 

 from which we take the accompanying illustration 

 representing its exact size, it is the largest brilliant 

 known. 



— In lecturing at the Health exhibition, on cholera 

 and its prevention, Mr. de Chaumont expressed his 

 opinion, that, " in regard to disinfectants, there 

 is but one true disinfectant; viz., fire. The 

 majority of so-called disinfectants are simply 

 deodorants. The idea that tobacco-smoke or 

 the odor of camphor is destructive of conta- 

 gion is still extensively held, though it is 

 simply absurd. A true disinfectant is a sub- 

 stance that will kill the germ or living particle 

 in which the contagious principle resides, or 

 through which it is conveyed." 



On the other hand, Mr. de Cyon, at a seance 

 of the Academie des sciences on July 21, recom- 

 mended as a prophylactic against cholera, bo- 

 racic acid, or a solution of borax, to be applied 

 to all the external mucous membranes, and 

 about six grains of borax to be taken with the 

 food and drink every twenty-four hours. 



— At a meeting of the Association of public 

 sanitary inspectors in London, on Aug. 11, 

 Mr. Edwin Chad wick read a paper on prepara- 

 tions for meeting the cholera, giving his ex- 

 periences of the action of the board of health 

 in the visitation of 1848-49. It would be in 

 accordance, he thought, with the previous 

 advances of the disease in periodic hounds upon 

 Europe, that it should sooner or later again visit 

 England. The practice of quarantine he considered 

 useless and mischievous. The last decade had shown 

 a reduction of the sickness and death-rate by nearly 

 three-quarters of a million, and a saving of some 

 four millions of money, incontestably from the re- 

 duction of the foul-air diseases operated upon by the 

 services of the sanitary inspectors. 



