328 NEW INVENTIONS.

described in the paper has engaged the author during theperiod between 1912 and the date of publication, and many ofthe results obtained should prove of unusual interest to thoseemployed in public health work. The more important of theconclusions arrived at by the author may be briefly sum-marised as follows : 1. Amongst the common species of fliesit was found that the majority passed the winter as pupae or,rarely, as larvae which pupate in the spring. The pupae orlarvae are usually buried within two or three inches of thesurface of the ground, but occasionally are found on thesurface in sheltered positions. 2. The wintering habitsof Milsea domestiocc are still obscure. 3. The emergenceof the "winter" pupae is dependent upon the mean

temperature of the immediate surroundings reaching a

certain ’’ critical " point, which differs for each species.The " critical " point for Calliphora erythrooep2cla,Fannia manicata, and F. soalaris is about 480-500 F.4. Flies emerging from "winter" pupae are always morehardy than those of subsequent generations. The males

usually emerge before the females. 5. The author’s observa-tions on blow-flies, confined in a large, open-air, protectedcage, lead him to believe that " the estimations of themultiplication of flies" made by Howard and Fabre"arevery much exaggerated." 6. The normal duration of life of

I

the blow-fly, in summer, is about 30 days. The influence ofthe weather on the death-rate of flies is dealt with and the

greatest mortality was found to occur on sultry days. 7. Ofthe flies which enter houses, only M. domestica remains forany long period. C. e’l’!fthrooephala enters for the purpose ofovipositing on meat, S. caloitrans for temporary shelter, andI. oanimÛaris "for some purpose at present unknown. Theauthor suggests that M. domestioa requires a high temperaturefor the development of its eggs and remains indoors until

ready to oviposit. 8. Amongst the more important agentswhich tend to limit the numbers of flies are braconid andchalcid parasites, which bring about the destruction of largenumbers of larvae and pupae. The braconids, A. manducatorand A. cephalotes, and the chalcid, 1!T acasta, hibernate inthe fly puparia as larvae ; and experimental work with aview to the destruction of flies by their agency, is nowbeing carried on. The author also deals with the part whichflies play in the distribution of pathogenic bacteria, andpoints out that "all species of flies which visit excrementand decaying animal matter also visit ripe fruit." He addsthat’’ great contamination of fruit on trees and exposed forsale in shops with faecal and putrefactive bacteria is causedby flies and wasps." Numerous charts and illustrations

accompany the article, which contains much valuableinformation for the practical sanitarian.

Journal of Cancer Research. Vol. 1., No.2, 1916.-Thesecond number of the new Journal of Canoer Research beginswith an interesting review of tumour immunity, by Dr.

Tyzzer. Starting from the conception, first clearly enunciatedby Russell, that natural resistance to tumour inoculation ismerely the consequence of capacity to react with immunityto tumour inoculation and susceptibility the failure of thisreaction, Dr. Tyzzer utilises the varying resistance of severalstrains of mice to one tumour strain to analyse tumourimmunity, and to throw light on the nature of cancer. Bycarefully planned and recorded breeding experiments it isshown that resistance is not transmitted as a Mendeliancharacter when resistant and susceptible strains are crossed,and the conclusion is drawn that resistance depends onthe cooperation of a number of independent factors.Tumours themselves are regarded as ’’ somatic mutations "

arising in the body cells and breeding true on propagation.Dr. E. T. Bell and Dr. A. T. Henrici describe two renaltumours from the rabbit. The first of these corresponded instructure to the adeno-sarcomata of man, with undifferen-tiated cell masses tending to develop tubules and indicationsof glomeruli. The second case was of similar type butrather more tubular in structure. The authors suggest the nameNephroblastoma for tumours of this type. Dr. R. A. Lambert

gives a general survey of the application of in vitro cultureto cancer problems. Five cases of thyroid tumour in the seabass (Serranus scriba and cabrilla) are described and figuredby Dr. Marsh and Dr. Vouwiller. In structure the tumoursvaried from colloid goitres to adenoma, and there was nodefinite evidence of malignancy. Professor Gaylord addsremarks or thyroid enlargement in fish. The effects ofcancer tissue on protozoa are utilised by Professor G. N.Calkins to study the biochemical differences between normal

and tumour tissue. He finds that cancer tissue added tocultures of Didynium nasutum, a predatory infusorian, stimu-lates the rate of division in moderate doses more than doesextract of normal epithelium. Larger doses have a lethalaction, absent when normal tissue is used. The results arecorrelated with the r6le of products of tissue autolysis inchronic irritation associated with the development of cancer.The last paper, by Dr. Erwin F. Smith, deals with crown

gall of plants and its relation to human cancer. The planttumours due to Bact. tumefaciens are well described andfigured, and the view put forward that the tumours of manand animals are due to a similar organism.

New Inventions.A WRISTLET LIGATURE HOLDER.

I HAVE used the wristlet ligature holder here illustratedfor many months, and find it very convenient as a time-

saving device where a numberof bleeding points have to betied in the course, for example,of such operations as removal ofthe breast, glands in the neck,and thyroidectomy. The lid isremovable, and when secured bya bayonet catch leaves a smallslit-like aperture through which

the ligature material emerges.Owing to its small bulk it canbe worn throughout an operationwithout inconvenience. Theskeleton reels are removable,.and a number can be kept readywound and sterilised. A reel

will easily hold 40 feet of afine thread. If gut be used,

iodine should not be utilised in its preparation, owing to itsaction on the metal. =:::The instrument has been made to my design by Messrs-.

Meyer and Meltzer, of Great Portland-street, W.PERCIVAL P. COLE, M.B. CH.B.Birm., F.R.C.S.Eng.

Queen Anne-street, W. -

AN EGG-CUP FOR SINGLE-HANDED USE.AN egg-cup for the use of men with only one arm has,

been designed by Mr. Magnus Volk, R.A.M.C., voluntaryworker byappointment atthe 2nd EasternGeneral Hospital,Brighton. The e

cup is a woodendisc, 5 inches indiameter, withprojecting rubberfeet. The essen-tial features are shown in the perspective view, Fig. 1,and the section, Fig. 2, showing rubber feet projeeting

RTP- 9. one-sixteenth ofan inch. The cupsits firmly on thetablecloth even

when only one

hand is used, andthe hollow is deepenough for thecontained egg not

to tilt. The cup has proved most useful to crippled men iuthe hospital. The illustrations are one-third natural size. ,

THE NEw HULL SANATORIUM.-The new sana-torium erected by the Hull corporation on the CottinghamCastle estate, the foundation-stone of which was laid by theKing in 1914, was opened by the Lord Mayor of Hull onAugust 5th. It covers 100 acres and has cost JE25,228, ofwhich <E10,800 have been paid by the Government.B..<Thebuildings consist of an administrative block, with pavilions-for males and females and a hospital for advanced cases.The pavilions provide for 80 beds and the hospital block for40 beds.