and Notes trary, is incompletely burnt up to the irritating formic acid Queries Minor (Pohl: Arch. f. exper. Path. u. Pharmakol., 1893, xxxi, 281; editorial, The Journal, Nov. 30, 1912, p. 1974). The unburnt residue after a moderate may not be Anonymous Communications and on postal cards will not dosage completely queries : be noticed. Every letter must contain the writer's name and address, eliminated after two days (Völtz and Dietrich Biochem. but these will be omitted, on request. Ztschr., 1912, xl, 15; editorial, The Journal, July '20, 1912, p. 200). This accumulation of methyl alcohol in the system and its slow elimination possibly constitute the reasons for AND COFFEE SUBSTITUTES the special toxicity of methyl alcohol. This applies especially when alcohol is in small doses. A To the Editor:—Many substitutes for coffee are being advertised, methyl given repeated among which are "Vacuum Improved Coffee," "Kaffee Hag," "" single large dose of methyl alcohol may be less toxic than a and "Monco." In what way do -these differ from ordinary coffee? similar dose of ethyl alcohol. Except in cases of idiosyn¬ Please do not use my name. Enquirer, Columbus, Ohio. crasy, the superior toxicity of methyl alcohol is manifest chiefly under chronic conditions. Answer.—The extensive advertising of a certain coffee There is no reason to believe that methyl alcohol as a fuel substitute opened the market for various forms of coffee and possesses any special dangers or disadvantages. The prod¬ coffee substitutes. Each promoting concern, in its own inter¬ ucts of its complete combustion are the same as those of the est, attempts to create a prejudice against ordinary coffee. combustion of ethyl alcohol, namely, water and carbon Of the actual chemical constitution of coffee we know little. dioxid. Ordinary coffee is made by subjecting the green bean to heat, in a until the bean has been browned to rotating cylinder, VALUE OF ROUTINE FUMIGATION the right color. This process is one of destructive distilla¬ in this tion. That is, the oils (aroma), etc., are formed as a result To the Editor:—During a recent epidemic of scarlatina vicinity, a number of the "B. & B. Solidified Formaldehyde of the breaking up of organic substances at a high tempera¬ fumigators" were used. These apparently gave satisfactory results, as there have ture. Some of these oils are retained in the while a bean, been no infections from the places where they were used. I am a portion of the oils and portion of the caffein are volatilized writing to ask whether or not these are considered efficient? I consider and escape. The amount of organic matter lost in the process them more efficient than the so-called sheet method recommended by of is about 10 per cent. the state board of health. this and "Vacuum Improved Coffee" is said to differ from ordinary This epidemic was among the schoolchildren at place, some of them became sick at the schoolhouse. The schoolhouse was not coffee in that the bean is first to the action of subjected fumigated. I maintain that it should have been, and so expressed my a vacuum. steam superheated steam, and then placed in The opinion, but as I am not the health officer I did not try to enforce swells the and causes hydrolysis of some of the com¬ my ideas. plex organic compounds. Immediately following this, the Will you kindly furnish me information along these lines? bean is subjected to negative pressure (a so-called vacuum) M. B. Galloway, M.D., South English, Iowa. which removes some of the of products hydrolysis, notably Answer.—The value.of routine of rooms as a furfurol. The it is is not removed. This fumigation caffein, claimed, means for the of infectious diseases has treatment the which preventing spread preliminary permits roasting (during been seriously questioned of late years. The experience of process the aromatic oils are to be done at a lower formed) the health authorities at Providence, R. I., extending over than is the case. This method is temperature ordinarily indicates that the abandonment of room dis¬ flavor and lessen the many years, supposed to enhance the astringency. infection is not followed noticeable increase in the The of the relative in to ordi¬ by any question toxicity comparison number of secondary cases. In New York City, terminal coffee has not been The nary scientifically investigated. disinfection has been omitted since 1913 in cases of scarlet caffein content is practically the same as in ordinary coffee. fever and several other diseases. Milwaukee, Boston and "Kaffee is a so-called "decaffeinated coffee." It is Hag" other cities have followed the example set by the authorities claimed to contain 5 cent, of the amount only per original of Providence and New York, and in no case has there been of caffein, but otherwise to be the same as ordinary coffee. evidence of the increase of diseases like measles "Kaffee diphtheria, The processes of making both Hag" and "Vacuum and scarlet fever in consequence of the discontinuance of Coffee" are Improved patented. room fumigation. New York City has now adopted a or a "." It "Postum" "Postum " is definite program for study in this field, and the results, when contains no alkaloids. According to a pamphlet issued by available, will constitute an important contribution to this Collier's, it is stated to be "made from roasted and ground question of public health administration. , and mostly bran." Exaggerated claims have been made for the— product. "Monco" is another so-called "coffee substitute." According POISONING FROM INHALATION OF BENZIN to information which has come to us, it is prepared from To the Editor:—I have a patient who now has to work in a room 20 F/ench and roasted and vegetables (such as by 100 in which he is exposed to the fumes and vapors of benzin for sweet and Tests made in the carrots, potatoes, ). eight hours each day. It seems to affect" him as follows: After getting laboratory of the American Medical Association demon¬ to work he begins to get drowsy, head begins to swim and begins to strated the absence of caffein. feel light, and he gets dizzy. This effect is slight at first but gets increasingly worse, and soon the muscles of his arms feel tired and "all in" and gradually his legs become affected. He soon has some difficulty in and if he goes to the open air, as he occasionally THE TOXICITY OF METHYL ALCOHOL breathing does, he falls to the ground, his legs giving way, and he feels "giggly" To the Editor:—Will you inform me what is the poisonous element and foolish. He has no desire for , always feels tired and drowsy, in wood alcohol ? I have seen many cautions as to its use and its though unable to sleep well, feels thirsty and has a desire to void fre¬ d-Tz-erous elements, but never as to the poisonous one. I have used quently, passing urine that is strongly odorous of benzin. He looks and let me how much of it in an alcohol stove for sterilizing instruments and heating haggard worn. Please know deleterious to health this water, and have never had any ill effects. Is there harm in using it apparent benzin poisoning is, how to prevent it and how to rid the in this way? Can the open flame be deleterious? system of it. ¡j_ j_ g A. I. Lawbaugh, Mich. M.D., Calumet, Answer.—Few textbooks discuss benzin poisoning, probably Answer.—In the past, opinion has been divided as to the because it has been infrequent until comparatively recently. cause of the toxic effects produced by the ingestion of methyl Holland ("Medical Chemistry and Toxicology," Ed. 3, p. 380) alcohol. Some have held that these toxic effects were due mentions general debility, palpitation of the heart, staring to some of the contaminations, such as acetone, which are eyes, hallucinations, cough and chronic bronchitis as among almost always present except in highly refined products, the effects produced on workers in oil refineries and rubber rather than to the methyl alcohol itself. The known facts factories by inhalation of benzin. Oliver ("Dangerous with regard to this substance, however, indicate that it is in Trades," 1902, p. 492) says that women are more susceptible itself a highly toxic agent. The end-product of its combus¬ than men. Fatal cases are said to be rare. Persons vary in tion in the body (formic acid) is also toxic. Ordinary grain susceptibility to the toxic effects of benzin. The only means spirit or ethyl alcohol when taken in small quantities is of prevention that have been suggested are ventilation of the largely burnt up in the body to carbon dioxid and water, and workrooms and, for susceptible persons, change of employ¬ the unburnt excess is eliminated through the kidneys ment. The system rids itself of benzin through the lungs ; and the respiratory exchange. Methyl alcohol, on the con- hence persons affected should be given fresh air.

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