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pharmacist will be expected to dispense the new tincture, andit would remove any doubt the dispenser might - have if theprescriber were to write "tinct. strophanth. 1914."

"

Tincture of opium.-This has been increased in; strength byabout 33 per cent. The tincture of the 1898 Pharmacopoeiawas standardised to contain 0’75 per cent. of morphine, butthe new tincture contains 1 per cent. and is approximatelythe same strength as the tincture of the International Agree-ment. In prescribing it would be advisable to indicate thatthe 1914 tincture is intended. Incidentally it may benoted that as the new tincture contains 1 per cent. of

morphine it is within Part I. of the Schedule of Poisons, andmay only be sold by retail to persons known or introducedto the seller and on condition that an entry of the trans-action is made in the poison book. The old laudanum wasin Part II. of the Schedule of Poisons. Compound tinctureof camphor (paregoric) contains one-tenth more morphinethan was contained in the corresponding preparation of theBritish Pharmacopoeia, 1898. Liniment of opium has beenincreased in the strength of its morphine content.

Tincture of aconite.-This is about twice as strong as thecorresponding preparation of the 1898 Pharmacopoeia, andapproximately the same strength as the tincture of aconiteof the International Agreement. Prescribers should indicatethe date of the Pharmacopoeia.

Vinegar of squill and vinegar of urginea.-Both these areapproximately twice as strong as the old preparations.

Spirit of juniper.-This is twice as strong as the oldpreparation.Syrup of chloral.-This is nearly 10 per cent. stronger

than the old preparation ; 1 fluid drachm contains 10’ 9 grainsof chloral hydrate.Syrup of codeine phosphate.-This has been increased

in strength by 9 per cent. ; 1 fluid drachm contains0’27 grain of codeine phosphate.

Calomel ointment.-This is twice the strength of the

corresponding preparation of 1898.Tincticre of n2cx vomica.-This is about half as strong as

the old tincture ; 1 fluid drachm contains about one-sixteenthof a grain of strychnine.

Tincture of colclticum.-This is one-half the strength of theold tincture.

Tincture of digitalis.-This is four-fifths the strength ofthe old tincture.Ammoniated tincture of opium.-This contains approxi-

mately one-tenth less morphine than that contained in thecorresponding preparation of the 1898 Pharmacopoeia.

Tincture of belladonna.-This contains seven-tenths of theproportion of alkaloids contained in the 1898 tincture ; it isstandardised to contain 0-035 per cent. of total alkaloid.

Tincture of picrorhizcc.-This is twice the strength of thecorresponding preparation of the Indian and ColonialAddendum, 1900.Belladonna plaster.-This is one-half the strength of the

old preparation.Hypodermic injection of cocaine.-This is one-half the

strength of the old preparation ; 110 minims contain 5 grainsof cocaine hydrochloride.Hypodermic injection of morphine.-This is one-half the

strength of the old preparation ; 110 minims contain2-5 grains of morphine tartrate.Phosphorus pill. -This contains 1 per cent. of phosphorus

and is one-half the strength of the old preparation.Phenol lozenges.-These are one-half the strength of the

old ; each lozenge contains approximately half a grain ofcarbolic acid.Phenol ointment.-This has been reduced in strength by

25 per cent. ; it contains 3 per cent. of carbolic acid.Ammoniated mercury ointment.-This is approximately one- ’,

half the strength of the old preparation.Compound mercury ointment.-This is approximately three-

fifths the strength of the old preparation.Mercury qint7nent.-This is approximately three-fifths the

strength of. the corresponding preparation of the 1898Pharmacopoeia.Liniment of mercury.-This contains approximately three-

fifths of the proportion of mercury contained in the oldpreparation. ’

Sol1ttion of mercuric chloride.-This has been reduced instrength from 1 in 875 to 1 in 1000.

Solution of potash.-This is nearly 20 per cent. weaker.

Syrup of ferrous- aodide.-This is approximately two-thirdsthe strength of the corresponding preparation of 1898 ; onefluid drachm contains 3’75’grains of ferrous iodide.

Tablets of nitroglycerine.-These ;have been reduced instrength ; each tablet’ contains approximately 1/130th grainof the trinitroglycerine of commerce.

Dilute nitric, phosphoric and sulphuric acids have all beendecreased in strength. ’

OTHER POINTS.

The above represent most of the noteworthy changes in thestrengths of preparations. Many of them have been madein order that the compounds may comply with the recom-mendations of the International Conference respecting theunification of the formulae for potent drugs and preparationsin the several national pharmacopoeias. Alterations, for themost part slight, have been made in the composition ofvarious articles. For instance, the saffron has been omittedfrom compound decoction of aloes ; salicylic acid has beenomitted from solution of atropine sulphate ; the syrup incompound mixture of iron has been replaced by glucose anda small quantity of powdered acacia added ; in compoundtincture of cardamoms the raisins have been replacedby glycerine ; from compound tincture of cinchona thesaffron has been omitted ; in compound tincture of sennathe raisins have been replaced by glycerine.For the most part the changes in nomenclature are

not likely to give rise to many difficulties. It is interest-ing to note, however, that liquor iodi fortis (strongsolution of iodine) has been replaced by tinctura iodi fortis(strong tincture of iodine). Tinctura iodi is replaced bytinctura iodi mitis (weak tincture of iodine). The strongtincture of iodine of the new Pharmacopoeia contains

approximately the same proportion of iodine as the strongsolution of the old, and the weak tincture of iodine containsthe same proportion of iodine as the tincture of iodine of the1898 Pharmacopoeia. It is important that prescribers shouldnote this change in nomenclature, and indicate definitelywhether they require the strong or the weak tincture to bedispensed. "Tinctura iodi " by itself might leave the

dispenser in doubt ’as to which tincture was intended.

Practically all the drugs that have been added are alreadyfamiliar to medical men, and the more important ofthese drugs were detailed in the article which appeared inTHE LANCET of Oct. 10th, 1914, p. 907.

THE PUBLIC HEALTH OF DUBLIN.

THE annual report for 1913 on the state of public healthin Dublin has recently been issued by the superintendentmedical officer of health, Sir Charles Cameron. So muchattantion has been directed to the sanitary condition ofDublin within the past 12 months that the present volumemay find more readers than most of the series.The population of Dublin in the middle of 1913 was esti-

mated to be 308,187, and the density was 39 persons peracre. The actual density in the inhabited area is reallymuch greater, as the city boundaries include large stretchesof pastoral land. Some of the information given is not easyto understand, and contradictory statements occur. Forinstance, we are told (p. 18) that the "number of personsresiding in single-room tenements " is 21,133. It appearsfrom a table on the next page that this is the numberof single-room tenements, and the number of persons,as stated in the report of the Departmental Committee onHousing Conditions in Dublin 1 is 73,973. Again, indiscussing the deaths from typhoid fever, it is said thatthe number in 1913-viz., 33-is the smallest on recordexcept in 1910, when 32 occurred. A table on the next pageshows that in 1912 there were only 30 deaths. Again, astatement concerning the death-rate from infectious diseases(p. 36) is copied without correction from the previous report.Slovenliness of this kind makes it difficult to arrive at thefacts.

’

The birth-rate for the year was 31 per 1000 of the popu-lation, whereas in the suburbs it was only 17 per 1000. Thebirth-rate in the city shows little or no tendency to decrease.The death-rate for the year was 21-3 per 1000, and in thesuburbs it was 16-1 per 1000. Of the deaths in the Dublin

1 THE LANCET, Feb. 28th, 1914, pp. 623, 640,

82

registration area 42-6 per cent. occurred in ’the variousworkhouses, hospitals, asylums, and prisons.The death-rate from the principal infective diseases, 2-4

per 1000, was the same as in the previous year. No deathfrom small-pox has occurred in Dublin since 1904. There were11 deaths from typhus fever, the average for the previousten years being 3. The number of deaths due to diarrhcealdiseases and enteritis of children under 2 years of age was470, being more than double that-of the previous year. The

high incidence of these diseases is in part due to the long,hot summer of 1913, and in part to the distress arising outof the labour disturbances in the city. The infantile death-rate for the year was 154 per 1000 births, as against 140 inthe previous year.The deaths due to, tuberculosis numbered 1132. of which

839 were from phthisis. The total is less by 157 than theaverage for the previous five years. The tuberculosis dis-

pensary in Charles-street came into the possession of thecorporation at the end of 1912. In 1913, 1559 patients weretreated, the number of attendances at the dispensary being10,533. 54 per cent. of the patients ’were males. A littlemore than half were insured under the National HealthInsurance Act.

Sir Charles Cameron publishes as an appendix his reply tothe report of the Departmental Committee on HousingConditions in Dublin. Notice of it has already been takenin THE LANCET.

_____________

New Inventions. Inventions.AN OBTURATING CATHETER.

I WAS consulted about some bronchial affection in the case of a man, 83 years of age, who, as the result of anunsuccessful attempt at a suprapubic prostatectomy, bore anopening from the skin into the bladder, from which thecontinual dribble of urine made him most uncomfortable.

As the several mechanical appliances which had been triedhad failed to stop the leakage I designed a catheterwhich completely answered its purpose and kept him

dry both night and day. The instrument is an ordinary46’ ’a.,tic coudé No. 10, A A, fitted with from 8-inch below theeye to aboulf a inches of its length with an air-bag B, B, B,

which at its end has a stop’cock and a detachable bulb, c, C,for inflation. After passing it through a small inflated ringand introducing it into the bladder it is fastened to the body-by means of a waistband in the; manner of a truss. The air-

bag is then inflated to the extent required completely toocclude the opening. At the other end of A is a plug, D,which is attached to it by a small chain, and can be easilywithdrawn for micturition. The patient, however, for whomthe instrument was intended was so intolerant of theslightest accumulation of urine in his bladder that he

preferred to connect it with an ordinary urinal when hewent out in his bath chair or driving.

, Wimpole-street. W. J. B. BERKART, M.D.J. B. BERKART, M.D.

INTRATRACHEAL ETHER ANÆSTHESIA.

THE method of giving open ether with a Schimmelbuschmask has been attacked on the score of pulmonary complica-tions which are alleged to follow. All who use thismethod are familiar with the frozen dew which collects onthe vuuomc m uuc mask, and

is difficult to believe that

breathing air at such a low

temperature does not in a

certain number of cases pre-judice the after results. Toobviate this I have devised an

apparatus for giving hot ethervapour which I have used most

satisfactorily both as regardsimmediate anaesthesia and after-effects. The apparatus (seeFig.) consists of a thick glasstest-tube- fitted with a rubbercork, through which pass a

glass outlet tube and twot e r m i n a 1 connegions. Theterminals are connected to a

U-shaped spiral resistancewire which reaches to thebottom of the test-tube. Thecurrent can be used directfrom an ordinary cauteryplug. The passage of thecurrent through the wireboils the ether, which passesoff through the outlet tube tothe patient, the quantity being regulated by the strength ofcurrent and length of wire. With a given current and agiven resistance the amount of ether evaporated in a unit oftime can be readily estimated. In practice it is found thatthe ether vapour reaches the patient at a higher temperaturethan its boiling point owing to the space above the etherbecoming heated by the naked wire. In using the apparatusI have passed the ether vapour through a rubber tube andfixed the end under a Schimmelbusch mask. The subject ofintratracheal ether anaesthesia has recently attracted con-siderable attention, which has prompted me to bring to noticethe above method which ensures in the simplest possiblemanner the two conditions essential to intratracheal tech-nique, these being warm vapour deliverable at a constantpressure. In cases where active ventilation of the lungs isdesired a stream of warm oxygen can be easily added bymeans of a T-shaped connexion fitted to the delivery tube.

H. L. C. NOEL, M.R C.S. Eng.,L.R.C.P. Lond.,

Rothesay. Late Resident Anaesthetist, London Hospital.

H. L. C. NOEL, M.R C.S. Eng.,L.R.C.P. Lond.,

Late Resident Anæsthetist, London Hospital.

DUBLIN JOINT HOSPITAL BOARD.-The manage-ment of the Dublin Joint Hospital Board has come in for avery severe report from the Local Government Board auditor.This body, made up of representatives of the Dublin corpora-tion and various local authorities in the county Dahlia, is thegoverning body of Crooksling Sanatorium. The auditorfound it difficult to complete his audit for 1913 owing to thecondition of the books. As regards dates, there were greatdiscrepancies between the books and the findings of thestocktaker, showing either very careless bookkeeping or

considerable wastage of stock. The provision account con-tained- numerous errors. The subsidiary bank account wasconsiderably overdrawn, and’ the contributing bodies had notpaid-their full contributions. -