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Notes, Short Comments, and Answersto Correspondents.

" TORMENTORS " FOR FLEAS.

IN the late Andrew Tuer’s " Old London Street Cries" (1885)there is some discussion as to what could have been theexact meaning of the ancient street-hawker’s adjuration-" Buy a tormentor for your fleas," or again, " Buy a finemousetrap, or a tormentor for your fleas." The latter cryis embalmed in literature in Taylor, the Water Poet’squaint couplet :-

I could name more, if so my muse did please,Of Mouse Traps, and tormentors to kill Fleas.

The bodies of our Elizabethan ancestors, and indeed ofEnglishmen in general up to the time of the introductionof the morning bath, were more or less tortured by pulicesand kindred insects. Ingoldsby sings of a big-wig at anearly Victorian levee who is troubled by a ravenous flea inthe small of his back; the idea was so little shocking to thepast generation that the verse was often quoted byadmirers of the " Legends."

Irritated thus, the fops of the eighteenth century made useof elegant " scratch-backs," slender rods of ebony or ivory,topped by miniature hands with sharpened fingers. Thesemay have been the descendants of the

" tormentors " or theirsublimation, for the tormentor, hymned by Taylor, wasprobably a humble affair like a lath, made of some roughsubstance resembling pumice-stone. Such an instrumentwas lately preserved in the collection of an Isle of Wightvirtuoso, and a specimen may perhaps exist in the LondonMuseum. The scratch-backs with hands are often to beseen in curiosity shops to-day. They were used to get atalmost inaccessible parts of the human economy, suchas the region between the shoulder-blades. Their dis-appearance is eloquent of the advance of personal hygiene.There are undoubtedly less fleas about than when theGreat Plague was supposed to have been spread by theescape of these creatures from sacks of rags in Long Acre.On the other hand, it might plausibly be argued that our

ancestors were conscious that disease is disseminated byfleas or flies, and that the " tormentor was used in thecrusade against them. Hence it may have been in thenature of fly-paper, or even of those little bamboo cageswith greased perches which the Japanese are said to taketo bed with them in order to catch fleas.

A CASE OF BEE-STING.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.SIR,-I was attracted by Mr. Lawrence Pick’s letter in

THE LANCET of May 30th. It is now nearly 13 years agosince I published a similar case in your paper (THE LANCET,Oct. 26th, 1901). Mr. Pick’s case and my own are almostidentical. The points of interest in the two cases are :

(1) The extreme rapidity of onset of symptoms after theindividual had been stung; (2) the general skin eruption,with its intense irritability ; (3) vomiting ; and (4) the rapiddisappearance of the rash. The points of difference in thetwo cases were : (a) Whereas in Mr. Pick’s case it was a bee-sting, in mine it was the sting of a wasp ; and (b) the rashis described in his case as being " scarlatiniform," while inmine it was urticarial. Mr. Pick asks for a cause. He maybe interested to hear the suggestion I offered in THE LANCETat that time-" the suddenness of the onset of the rash afterthe sting seems to be indicative of a hypodermic injectionof some toxic substance which might have been impartedwith the sting." 1 am, Sir, yours faithfully, Crouch End Hill, N., May 29th, 1914.

T. Wl.-L:SUiN -rAl-titY.

REINDEER MEAT.A CORRESPONDENT writes : Dr. W. T. Grenfell, the well-known medical missionary and explorer of Labrador, isabout to start reindeer farms in Labrador to meet thedemand for reindeer meat in Canada, and it is also pro-posed to bring some of the frozen reindeer meat toEngland. The caribou, or renne du Canada, otherwisecariboo, is the name of the North American reindeer. Itis the fleetest, wildest, and most shy of all the deer tribe.The woodland cariboo is abundant in Labrador, and maybe found in considerable numbers in New Brunswick andin parts of Nova Scotia. The reindeer moss, otherwisecalled cariboo moss (Cladonia or Cenomyce rangiferina),is the principal food of the reindeer in the sterile regions,and covers the rocks. Professor Henry Youle Hind, whowrote " Explorations in the Interior of the LabradorPeninsula," published in London in 1863, said that " Oncethe country was rich in fur-bearing animals and cariboo orreindeer, but these are now greatly reduced in numbers."Nansen, speaking of the Eskimos, said : " One of theirgreatest delicacies is the contents of a reindeer’s stomach.

If a Greenlander kills a reindeer and is unable to conveymuch of it home, he will, I believe, secure the stomachfirst of all. It is, no doubt, because they stand in need ofvegetable food that they prize this so highly, and also

because it is in reality a very choice collection of the veryfinest moss and grasses which that gourmet,’ the rein-deer, picks out for himself. It has undergone a sort ofstewing in the process of semi-digestion, while the gastricjuice provides a somewhat sharp and aromatic sauce."

A NEW BINOCULAR MICROSCOPE.IN reviewing the exhibits of medical interest at the Royal

’ Society conversazione in an article in our issue ofMay 23rd we inadvertently omitted to mention that thenew binocular microscope of Mr. E. Leitz (18, Blooms-bury-square, London, W.C.) was seen to great advantage inthe demonstration of microscopic objects. This instru-ment is capable of being used for all purposes to whichthe monocular microscope is put, and without at allimpairing the performance of any optical system. In apaper read before the Royal Microscopical Society thismicroscope is described as the first successful binocularinstrument made for use with all ordinary objectives andeyepieces, including the highest powers. This, of course,is a most important achievement which adds considerablyto the value of the microscope in the work of biologicaldiagnosis. The body of the binocular microscope consists of afiat casing containing the system of prisms. At the upperend are situated two eyepieces whose distance apart can beregulated to suit the eyes of the observer by means of amilled head which actuates two levers inside the casing.The interpupillary distance can be varied between 54 and70 mm. The eyepiece tubes slide in guides so that dustcannot enter the prism casing. The left eyepiece tube isprovided with an independent adjustment to accommodateeyes of unequal vision. All kinds of eyepieces andobjectives may be used, and the instrument can beemployed for the same purposes as the ordinary monocularmicroscope. A most important feature in this microscopeis the parallel eyepieces which obviate the actions ofaccommodation and adjustment for convergence as isnecessary in binocular microscopes constructed hitherto.By the use of this instrument it is now possible for theresearch worker to employ both eyes in microscopicalobservations for a considerably longer period with muchless fatigue than is commonly felt by using one eye inhigh magnifications. Greater facilities are thus offered infuture researches and the prolonged routine of dailymicroscope work may be carried on with much less eye-strain.

THE STERILISATION OF MILK AND ALLIEDQUESTIONS.

To the Editor of THE LANCET.

SIR,—In THE LANCET of Feb. 14th last you published a letterfrom Mr. Richard W. Woosnam on the subject of condensedmilk, in which he offered to arrange for an inspection ofa condensed milk factory by any medical men interested inthe matter. I wrote to Mr. Woosnam, and he very kindlyarranged with the Anglo-Swiss Condensed Milk Co. for asmall party of medical men to inspect their factory atAylesbury. I went with them, and full opportunities weregiven us to inspect the factory and the whole of the processof condensation. The arrangements to ensure absolutecleanliness and the details of the process employed incondensing and sweetening the milk are most interesting.Mr. Simond, the manager, tells me that the company makearrangements for conducting parties of medical men overthe works at frequent intervals, and that any doctor whoapplies to the company for permission to visit the workswill receive an invitation to join the next party. The visittakes the greater part of the day, but the provision madeby the company is such as to make it a very enjoyable aswell as instructive outing.-I am, Sir, yours faithfully,

C. THACKRAY PARSONS, M.D Lond.

Fulham Infirmary, Hammersmith, W.. May 29th, 1914.

THE UROBILIN REACTION IN BLACKWATERFEVER.

Dr. Sorensen, of the Dutch Army in Flores, a small islandin the most beautiful part of the Sunda Seas, reportsin the Archiv für Schiffs- qtnd Tropen-Hygiene for Marchan interesting observation on the urobilin reaction inmalaria and blackwater fever. He made his tests either bySchlesinger’s zinc acetate method or by the spectroscope,and even devised a quantitative method by dilution of theurine till the absorption bands were no longer visible.There is much malaria in Flores. In all cases of the threeforms of malaria there was a reaction during pyrexia,and urobilin disappeared from the urine two to three daysafter defervescence. It reappeared again in some casesbefore relapses, and daily increased till the fever developed.Other relapses might show no warning urobilin. Themore urobilin appeared, the worse the patient felt, the more

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anaemic he became, and the longer his convalescence lasted.One day a patient gave a value of 125; this was astonishing,and only to be explained by great destruction of redblood corpuscles and the oncoming of hasmoglobinuria.He had had 15 gr. quinine on each of the precedingdays, was very slightly jaundiced, but had albuminuria.His quinine was stopped and he was put in hospital;that night he had haemoglobinuria which increased tillnext midday, and lasted in all 40 hours. Urobilin dis-appeared from the urine in about a week, and in 10 daysthe patient applied to leave the hospital to get married.Very similar experiences are related concerning 15 othercases of blackwater fever. They were all recognised12 to 24 hours before hæmoslobinuria set in.

COMMUNICATIONS not noticed in our present issue willreceive attention in our next.

Medical Diary for the ensuing Week.SOCIETIES.

ROYAL SOCIETY, Burlington House, London, W.THURSDAY.-4.30 P.M., Croonian Lecture :-Prof. E. B. Wilson

’

(Columbia University) : The Bearing of Cytological Research onHeredity. _____

ROYAL SOCIETY OF MEDICINE, 1. Wimpole-street. W.TUESDAY.

SECTION OF SURGERY (Hon. Secretaries-J. Murray, RaymondJohnson).MEETING AT LIVERPOOL, the arrangements for which have

already been announced. Members intending to attend themeeting are requested to send their names to one of the Hon.Secretaries without delay.

WEDNESDAY.SECTION OF OPHTHALMOLOGY (Hon. Secretaries-J. HerbertParsons, Leslie Paton).

Annual General Meeting.-Election of Officers and Council forSession 1914-1915.

Cases (at 8 P.M.) :Mr. Harold Whale (introduced by Mr. Brewerton): Case of

West’s Intranasal Operation for Dacryocystitis (photographand instruments).

Mr. R. Affleck Greeves: Supernumerary Punctum Lacrimaleand Canaliculus.

Mr. Rayner and Dr. Batten: Double Detachment of the Retinain a Boy with Functional Albuminuria.

Mr. E. Erskine Henderson : Hole in Optic Disc (drawing).Mr. Charles Wray: (1) Multiple Ruptures of Choroid between

Macula aud Disc, with V. _ (drawing); (2) Keratoconustreated by Snell’s Cautery.

Papers (at 8.30 P.M.) :Mr. Charles Wray: Operative Treatment of Keratoconus.Mr. E. Erskine Henderson: Rupture of Optic Nerve at Lamina

Cribrosa.

THURSDAY.,SECTION OF OBSTETRICS AND GYNÆCOL0GY (Hon. Secretaries-

T. Watts Eden, C. Hubert Roberts): at 8 P.M.Specimens :Dr. Macnaughton-Jones: Twin Female Monster.Mr. Gordon Luker: A Lithopaedion Removed from a Patient

Six Months Pregnant.Epidiascope Demonstration :Professor David Waterston: A Decidual Cast containing a Very

Young Embryo.Papers .-Dr. Archibald Donald (Manchester): Case of So-called Chronic

Metritis in a Nullipara.Dr. W. Fletcher Shaw (Manchester): The Subdivisions of

Chronic Metritis.

MEDICAL SOCIETY OF LONDON, 11, Chandos-street, Cavendish-square, W.TUESDAY AND THURSDAY.-9 P.M., Lettsomian Lectures:-Dr..

F. M. Sandwith: Dysentery. (Lecture II. will be illustrated bypictures and pathological specimens.)

SOUTH-WEST LONDON MEDICAL SOCIETY, Bolingbroke Hospital.Wandsworth Common, S.W.WEDNESDAY-9 P.M, Bolingbroke Lecture :—Dr. W. Hale White.

LECTURES, ADDRESSES, DEMONSTRATIONS, &c. IMEDICAL GRADUATES’ COLLEGE AND POLYCLINIC, 22,Chenies-street. W.C.MONDAY.-4 P.M., Dr. A. M. H. Gray: Clinique (Skin). 5.15 p.M

Lecture :-Dr. F. L. Golla : Acute Antetior Poliomyelitis.TUESDAY.-4 P.M., Dr. P. Parkinson: Clinique (Medical). 5.15 P.M.,

Lecture:-Mr. A. E. J. Barker : Leucoplakia on the Tongue andOther Parts.

WEDNESDAY.-4 P.M., Mr. J. Berry: Clinique (Surgical) 5.15 P.M.,Lecture :-Dr. J. C. McClure : Neurasthenia Gastrica.

THURSDAY.-4 P.M., Dr. F. G. Crookshank: Clinique (Medical).5.15 P.M., Lecture :-Dr. J. F. H. Dally: Practical Electro-

-

cardiography. ,

FRIDAY.—4 P.M., Mr. W. Stuart-Low Clinique (Ear, Nose, andThroat).

POST-GRADUATE COLLEGE, West London Hospital, Hammersmith-road, W.MONDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Simson’: Diseases of Women. 10.30 A.M.,

Medical Registrar: Demonstration of Cases in Wards. 12 noon,Dr. Bernstein : Pathological Demonstration. 2 P.M., Medical andSurgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. D. Armour : Operations. Dr.Pritchard : Bacterial Therapy Department. Mr. B. Harman.Diseases of the Eye. 5 P.M., Lecture :-Dr. Saunders : Diseasesof the Liver. .

TUESDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Robinson : Gynaecological Operations.Dr. Owen: Demonstration of Cases in Wards. 12 noonMr. T. Gray: Demonstration of Fractures, &c. 2 P.M.,Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Bald win : Operations’Dr. Davis : Diseases of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. Dr. Pernet :Diseases of the Skin. 5 P.M., Lecture:—Dr. Saunders:Diseases of the Liver.

WEDNESDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Saunders: Diseases of Children. Dr.Davis: Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. 11 A.M.,Mr. Souttar: Demonstration of Minor Operations. 12 noon,Lecture:-Mr. Souttar: Abdominal Diagnosis. 2 P.M., Medicaland Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Pardoe: Operations. Dr.Simson : Diseases of Women. Mr. Gibb: Diseases of the Eye.5 P.M., Lecture :-Dr. Saunders: Diseases of the Liver.

THURSDAY.-9 A.M., Dr. Bernstein: Bacterial Therapy Depart-ment. 10 A.M., Dr. Simson: Gynaecological Demonstration.12 noon, Lecture :-Dr. G. Stewart: Neurological Cases.2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. D. Armour:Operations. Mr. B. Harman : Diseases of the Eye. 5 P.M.,Lecture :-Dr. Saunders : Diseases of the Liver.

FRIDAY.-10 A.M., Dr. Robinson: Gynaecological Operations. 10.30 A.M, Surgical Registrar : Demonstration of Cases in Wards. 12.15 P.M.,Lecture :-Dr. Bernstein: Applied Pathology. 2 P.M., Medicaland Surgical Clinics. X Rays. Mr. Baldwin: Operations.Dr. Davis: Diseases of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. Dr. Pernet :Diseases of the Skin. 5 P.M., Lecture :-Dr. SaundersDiseases of the Liver.

SATURDAY.-10A.M., Dr. Saunders: Diseases of Children. Dr. Davis:Operations of the Throat, Nose, and Ear. Mr. Gibb:Diseases of the Eye. 12 noon, Lecture :—Mr. Souttar : SurgicalAnatomy of the Abdomen. 2 P.M., Medical and Surgical Clinics.X Rays. Mr. Pardoe : Operations.

LONDON SCHOOL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE, DreadnoughtHospital, Greenwich.MONDAY.-Out-patient Demonstrations:-10 A.M. Dr. H. B. Carlill:

Medical. Mr. H. Curtis: Surgical. 12 noon, Mr. G. N. Biggs :Throat, Nose, and Ear.-2.15 P.M., Mr. W. Turner: Surgery.3 P.M., Mr. W. Turner: Operations. 3.15 P.M., Sir DyceDuckworth : Medicine. 4.15 P.M., Mr. R. Lake: Throat, Nose,and Ear. 3.15 P.M., Special Lecture:-Sir Dyce Duckworth:Prognosis in Cases of Albuminuria.

TUESDAY.—Out-patient Demonstrations:—10 A.M., Dr. C. E. Zundel:Medical. Mr. Cole: Surgical. 12 noon, Dr. H. MacCormae:Skin.-2 P.M., Mr. L. McGavin: Operations. 2.15 P.M., Mr.R. Carling: Surgery. 3.15 P.M., Dr. G. Rankin: Medicine.4.15 P.M., Sir Malcolm Morris: Skin. 3.15 P.M., SpecialLecture :—Dr. G. Rankin : Lymphadenoma.

WEDNESDAY.-Out-patient Demonstrations: 10 A.M., Dr. H. B.Carlill : Medical. Mr. Cecil Rowntree: Surgical. 11 A.M., Mr.R. E, Bickerton : Eye.-2 P.M., Mr. L. V. Cargill or Mr. Choyce :Operations. 2.15 P.M., Dr. F. Taylor: Medicine. 3.15 P.M.,Mr. Cargill: Eye Clinique. 4.30 P.M., Mr. G. C. Choyce :Surgery. ’ 3.15 P.M., Special Lecture :-Mr. L. V. CargillSyphilitic Affections of the Eye and its Adnexa.

THURSDAY.-Out-patient Demonstrations :-10 A.M., Dr. H. R. Pren-tice : Medical. Mr. H. Curtis: Surgical. 12 noon, Mr. G. N. Biggs:Throat, Nose, and Ear.-2 P.M., Mr. R. Carling or Mr. W.Turner: Operations. Dr. A. Davies: Pathological Demonstra-tion. 3.15 P.M., Dr. R. Wells: Medicine. 4.30 P.M., SpecialLecture :-Mr. C. Rowntree: Cancer of the Tongue.

FRIDAY.-Out-patient Demonstrations;-10 A.M., Dr. C. E. Zundel cMedical. Mr. Cole: Surgical. 12 noon, Dr. H. MacCormae: Skin.-2 P.M., Mr. L. McGavin : Operations. 2.15 P.M., Sir John RoseBradford ; Medicine. 3.15 P.M., Mr. L. MeGavin: Surgery.

SATURDAY.-’Out-patient Demonstrations: 10 A.M., Dr. H. R.Prentice: Medical. Mr. Cecil Rowntree : Surgical. 11 A.M.,Mr. R. E. Bickerton : Eye.-10 A.M., Col. Barry: Radiography,

NORTH-EAST LONDON POST. GRADUATE COLLEGE, Prince ofWales’s General Hospital, Tottenham, N.

MONDAY.—Clinics :-10.30 A.M., Surgical Out-patient (Mr. E.Gillespie). 2.30 P.M., Medical Out-patient (Dr. T. R. Whipham);Gynaecological (Dr. Banister). 3 P.M., Medical In-patients (Dr.R. M. Leslie).

TUESDAY.-2.30 P.M., Operations. Clinics :-Medical Out-patient(Dr. A. G. Auld); Surgical (Mr. Howell Evans); Nose, Throat,and Ear (Mr. H. D. Gillies). X Ray and Electrical Methods(Dr. Metcalfe). 3.30 P.M., Medical In-patient (Dr. A. J.Whiting).

WEDNESDAY.-Clinics :-2 P.M., Throat Operations (Mr. Gillies).2.30 P.M., Children’s Out-patient (Dr. T. R. Whipham); Sldn(Dr. G. N. Meachen); Eye (Mr. Dorell).

THURSDAY.-2.30 P.M., Gynaecological Operations (Dr. A. E. Giles).Clinics;— Medical Out-patient (Dr. A. J. Whiting); Surgical .

(Mr. Carson); X Rays and Electrical Methods (Dr. Metcalfe).FRIDAY.-2.30 P.M., Operations. Clinics :-Medical Out-patient

(Dr. A. G. Auld): Surgical (Mr. E. Gillespie); Eye (Mr. R. P.Brooks). 3 P.M., Medical In-patient (Dr. G. P. Chappel).

ROYAL HOSPITAL FOR DISEASES OF THE CHEST, MedicalSchool, City-road, E.C.MONDAY.-1.30 P.M., Department for the Prevention of Consump.

tion. 2 P.M., Cardiac Department, Dr. Stott; Out-patientDepartment, Dr. Phear, Dr. S. Thompson. 3 P.M., Wards, Dr.Phear.

TUESDAY.-9 A.m., Laryngological Department, Mr. Mant. 1.30P.M.,Department for the Prevention of Consumption. 2 P.M., Out-patient Department, Dr. M. Leslie, Dr. B. King; Operations.Mr. A. Evans. 3 P.M., Wards, Dr. White. 4 P.M., Wards, Dr.

’

M. Leslie.