4 I 4 
The Health Exhibition. lj ul y> 
The bulk of the exhibits in the section of dress, however 
interesting to the historian and the sociologist, have but a 
very remote conneaion with health. One thought stiuc 
us as we gazed upon the figure and costume of a fop oi the 
early days of George III., now more than a century ago, 
concerning the evidently thin texture of the garments then 
worn by men. Very few of us could, save on a few excep- 
tional days in summer, endure the cool clothing ol our 
ancestors. Were they more tolerant of cold than are we, 
or are the seasons less genial ? . , 
Another point is the wide range ol colour then permissible 
in male costumes, as compared with the present narrow 
limits. But to this we have already referred as a case ol 
anti-differentiation. , , 
In this same dress-department, or gallery, or whatever 
else it may be named in the modern language ot Exhibi- 
tionists, we noticed not a few articles interesting enough in 
themselves, but surely out of place. Thus there was a 
glass case of dye-wares, unlabelled. We noticed indigo, 
safflower, turmeric, gall-nuts, catechu, and several of the 
aniline dyes. But fascinating as are the tinCtorial arts, as 
one of the highest developments of applied chemistry, it is 
doubtful whether they contribute much to health. It may 
even be suspeCted that the dyed or printed garment conceals 
dirt which the fibre in its original state would betray. 
Glove-making is in full operation for the instruction ot 
visitors. But the glove, save in severe weather, is not a 
sanitary appliance. It is merely an incumbrance with which 
Mrs. Grundy compels us to shackle ourselves all the year 
round, but which men of sense are eager to throw off if no 
one is looking. . . 
Among the long series of grates and stoves for cooking 
and warming houses, we came upon a model and specimens 
illustrating the Jameson patent process for coke-burning 
with utilisation of the volatile products, now allowed to 
escape into the air. There was no one in attendance, but 
from the labels we learnt that from a ton of coals burnt 
there are obtained oils to the extent of 5-65 gallons and 
2*7 lbs. of sulphate of ammonia. Concerning the value of 
the oil it is difficult to hazard even a guess without knowing 
whether it is rich or poor in benzol, toluol, anthracene, &c. 
The yield of sulphate of ammonia is not encouraging. 10 
obtain a ton of sulphate of ammonia, worth at present 
/15 15s., there must be burnt nearly 828 tons of coal, and 
from the returns must be deducted the value of the sulphuiic 
acid required to absorb and combine with the ammonia. If, 
