547 
Facts and Observations. 
Anthracoid Disease. —The British Medical Journal says 
that M. Cohn, of Alfort, communicated to the Academy of 
Medicine, at their last Meeting, some fresh experimental 
researches on malignant pustule and anthracoid oedema. Also 
that the French Government has allotted to M. Pasteur the 
sum of 50,000 francs for the purpose of enabling him to carry 
out his researches on the contagious diseases of animals. 
Death From Glanders. —A report of the case of a 
German officer who died of glanders, contracted through 
using an infected handkerchief, has been published in the 
Militdr Wochenblatt. 
Variation in Price of Meat. —An increase of a penny 
a pound in the price of meat costs the country, it is said, 
about £ 5,000,000 a year; and a fall of a penny or a half¬ 
penny a pound is tantamount to much increased health and 
comfort to millions.— Times . 
To Detect Aloes. —Aloes used in elixirs, liqueurs, 
beer, and other liquids, may be recognised (says Hugo Born- 
triiger in the Zeitsc/iriftfur Analyt. Chem.) by shaking a little 
of the liquid smartly in a test-tube, with twice its volume of 
benzine, and adding to the layer of clear benzine a few drops 
of strong ammonia, warming, and gently agitating. Aloes 
causes a beautiful violet red; fixed alkalies give the same 
colour, but less intense; other bitters and haematoxylin do 
not yield a colour. One part of aloes in 5000 can be recog¬ 
nised by this test. 
Solidified Bromine. —The utility of bromine as a dis¬ 
infectant agent is now well recognised; but, owing to its 
liquid condition and difficulty of transportation, it has hitherto 
been but little used for such purposes. Chlorine, which is a 
gas, is always available by means of the solid commercial 
chloride of lime; but a similar method of binding bromine in 
a compound, which would readily yield it up, has heretofore 
been a desideratum. A manufacturer of Charlottenburg 
(Prussia), Mr. Frank, has conceived the idea to cause bro¬ 
mine to be absorbed by so-called “ kiesel-guhr,” that is, 
the siliceous marl which Ehrenberg has shown to consist of 
the microscopic shells of infusoria, and which is also used to 
absorb nitro-glycerine, thus forming the well-known dynamite. 
The inventor has given to the mixture the inappropriate name 
<f solidified, or solid bromine.” In this condition it is easily 
applied for disinfecting purposes. 
