342 
PARASITIC DISEASES. 
Sheep are reported to be suffering, in South Devon, from 
the presence of filarise in the bronchial tubes, and also from 
the development of the ccenurus in the brain. This last 
parasite is to be referred to introduction of embryos of the 
taenia coenurus from the intestines of the dog. 
Facts and Observations. 
Utilization of Sewage. — Mr. David Forbes, F.R.S., 
after describing the processes, mechanical and chemical, by 
which sewage has been dealt with, called attention to what 
he said was an entirely novel process, brought forward by Dr. 
Price and himself. It was founded on the fact that certain 
mineral phosphates, especially those containing alumina, 
eagerly combine with the organic matter of sewage. A solu- 
tion of the phosphates and milk of lime was added to the 
sewage, and the ammonia was precipitated in the shape of a 
double phosphate. Mr. Forbes illustrated the process with a 
bottle of Liverpool sewage, and the result was, that in a few 
minutes the precipitate was seen falling to the bottom, leaving 
the water perfectly clear and free from smell. In another 
experiment he added ink to the sewage, which gave it a black 
colour, but the colouring matter was at once removed by the 
addition of the solution of phosphates and the lime-water. 
In fact, he contended that the sewage water so purified could 
be drunk without offence, and he caused some amusement by 
drinking a wine-glass of the water clarified from the London 
sewage. Before recommending the process, he said they 
must be prepared to answer two questions — first, whether the 
water was sufficiently pure to be permitted to flow into rivers : 
and, secondly, whether the valuable constituents of the sew- 
age had been precipitated. He proceeded to show that the 
answers to both questions were satisfactory, and, in conclu- 
sion, he expressed an opinion that his process would be 
extremely valuable in such localities as were found unsuitable 
for sewage irrigation . — Journal of the Society of Arts, 
Relation of Pigment-cells to Capillaries. — The 
Lancet has called attention to some valuable researches of Dr. 
Saviotti, which we should be sorry to omit noticing. The 
