EDITORIAL 
475 
other  aquatic  plants.  Upon  this  base  or  plinth  rests  a  surbase  adorned 
with  mouldings,  from  which  arises  a  die  bearing  upon  each  of  its  four 
sides  an  inscription  surmounted  by  a  bas  relief  in  marble.  These  are 
sunk  in  the  tympana  of  four  pointed  and  cuspidated  arches,  supported 
each  by  two  stunted  shafts  of  Gloucester  red  granite,  the  capitals  of 
which  are  enriched  by  poppies  and  oak  leaves,  which  decoration  is 
carried  around  the  monument  on  the  same  level  in  a  band  or  string 
course."  From  this  point  the  structure  diminishes  rapidly  in  diameter 
by  a  series  of  mouldings  to  a  base,  from  which  arises  a  shaft  of  polished 
red  granite  with  a  decorated  capital,  the  sculpture  of  which  is  intended 
to  symbolize  the  relief  of  suffering.    The  first  inscription  is  as  follows  : 
"To  commemorate  the  discovery  that  the  inhalation  of  Ether  causes 
insensibility  to  pain.  First  proved  to  the  world  at  the  Mass.  General 
Hospital,  in  Boston,  October,  A.  D.  MDCOCXLVI." 
Two  of  the  inscriptions  are  scriptural,  and  the  fourth  states  that  the 
monument  was  erected  by  a  citizen  of  Boston  in  gratitude  for  the  relief 
of  human  suffering  by  the  inhaling  of  Ether.  No  reference  is  made  to 
the  individuals  who  have  been  before  the  public  with  the  claims  of  dis- 
coverers. Death  has  just  removed  the  most  zealous  of  these,  Dr.  Mor- 
ton (see  page  480),  and  when  time  has  developed  the  true  verdict,  we 
doubt  not  that  justice  will  be  rendered  where  it  is  due. 
New  Filtering  Apparatus. — Messrs.  Hance,  Griffith  &  Co.,  of 
Philadelphia,  have  sent  us  a  new  arrangement  made  of  glass,  which  they 
call  "  a  non-wasting  percolating  and  filtering  apparatus."  E.  H.  Hance> 
the  designer,  savs  it  is  intended  to  prevent  the  wasteful  and  injurious  ex- 
posure which  too  frequently  occurs  in  conducting  the  processes  referred 
to  in  its  title.  The  arrangement  consists  of  an  outer,  cylindrical,  glass 
vessel  or  reservoir,  furnished  with  a  faucet  below,  and  having  the  rim  ex- 
panded so  as  to  form  a  shoulder  within,  above  which  the  rirn  rises  about 
an  inch.  This  rim  is  ground  perfectly  flat  on  top  so  as  to  form  an  air- 
tight joint  with  the  lid  or  cover,  which  has  a  flat  surface  to  fit  it,  but  un- 
fortunately no  flange  to  prevent  it  from  slipping  off.  When  used  for 
percolation  there  is  a  second  cj^liuder  of  glass  with  a  projecting  rim  to 
rest  on  the  shoulder  of  the  reservoir.  The  lower  end  has  a  beaded  edge, 
so  that  a  piece  of  cloth  or  filtering  tissue  may  be  tied  securely  over  it 
as  a  diaphragm.  When  used  for  filtering,  the  funuel  is  supported  by  its 
upper  edge  resting  on  the  shoulder  of  the  reservoir;  in  either  case  the 
filtered  liquid  is  caught  in  the  reservoir  and  may  be  drawn  off  from 
time  to  time  by  the  faucet.  The  whole  is  so  simple  in  its  action  that  it 
needs  no  explanation,  it  being  merely  the  suspension  of  a  filter  in  a  close 
vessel.  There  are  two  points  in  connection  with  it  that  suggest  a  criti- 
cism, viz  :  The  easily  displaced  cover,  the  loss  or  fracture  of  which 
destroys  the  usefulness  of  the  whole  apparatus  ;  and  the  metallic  faucet. 
The  former  may  be  replaced  by  a  piece  of  plate  glass,  and  the  latter 
by  a  gum  elastic  tube  with  a  compress  stop — or,  if  expense  is  no  object, 
