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Page 1: CINEMATOGRAPHS ON PRIVATE PREMISES

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efficiency of respectable institutions in schemes for the sup-pression of disorderly resorts. To distinguish between

immoral houses and nursing homes is a totally different thingfrom the assessment of relative degrees of merit among thelatter. Hastily considered plans for the first may involve

unsatisfactory arrangements for the second, unless it is

clearly apprehended from the outset that the two questionsare entirely different. -

CINEMATOGRAPHS ON PRIVATE PREMISES.

THE National Hospital for the Paralysed and Epileptic,summoned in the person of its secretary, has been compelledto pay in fines and costs the sum of f.8 3s. for a contra-vention of the regulations made by the Secretary of Stateunder the Cinematograph Act, 1909. The penalty appears tous to be somewhat in excess of the needs of the occasion,for although those responsible for what was apparentlya breach of the law were aware of the nature of the

regulations under which public cinematograph exhibitionsare held, they were evidently of the opinion that thecircumstances in which they were demonstrating withinflammable films were not illegal. The occasion was a ’’

lecture delivered to members of the Section of Neuro-

pathology of the International Congress of Medicine, whenDr. Weissenberg, of Philadelphia, demonstrated the value ofcertain films for educational purposes. The demonstration

took place in the lecture-theatre of the medical school,provided with three exits ; the hospital fire brigade waspresent, buckets of sand and wet blankets were at hand,and the films were in a fireproof box, with a safety shutterwhich closed automatically if a film stopped running. The

breaches of the regulations consisted in not indicatingthe exits which existed, and in not enclosing the apparatusin the prescribed manner. It was contended, on behalfof the hospital, that the lecture-theatre came under

Section 7, Subsection 4, of the Act, which says that

the statute in question shall not apply to an exhi-

bition given in a private dwelling-house to which the

public are not admitted whether on payment or other-wise." " No doubt those who were responsible for the

use of the building in question considered that they wereexempt from compliance with regulations framed for publicexhibitions, in that they were arranging for a lecture to

take place in a private building and before an audience ofmedical men specially invited. An officer of the London

County Council had expressed himself satisfied on a previousinspection of the theatre. It would not be right to protestin any way against the strict enforcement of the law, butthe authorities of the hospital took every possible precaution.We call attention to the case because the use of cinemato-

graph films to illustrate lectures is likely to increase, and inorder that lecturers may be warned as to the restrictions im-

posed. The Act is not unreasonable in the conditions whichit lays down as to places where films may be exhibited,and makes special provision for premises used occasionallyand exceptionally for such a purpose.

BAKING POWDER.

Professor E. F. Ladd, Commissioner of Food and Drugsfor the State of North Dakota, has recently made a numberof observations regarding baking powder, with the object ofnxing the standards of purity, quality, and strength. It is

directed that the label shall show the net weight and befree from advertising or descriptive matter. Baking powderscontaining 1 part per 1,000,000 of arsenic or more than

5 parts per 1,000,000 of lead are illegal, as well as those con-taining harmful or deleterious ingredients. Misleading ordeceptive newspaper or other form of advertising is

prohibited. When the essential constituent is a compoundof aluminium, the baking powder must be labelled "alum" "

baking powder, and the presence of acid phosphates mustbe indicated by the use of the term calcium acid

phosphate." " It is recommended that the ingredientsbe named as follows: "This baking powder contains

the following ingredients and none other: sodium bi-

carbonate, calcium acid phosphate, alum, and starch." Astandard baking powder is considered to contain not less

than 12 per cent. of available carbon dioxides. The sale of

baking powder containing added albumin is prohibited. It

is of interest to note that the use of egg albumin in bakingpowders has increased during the past few years. When

asked why it was used some of the manufacturers franklystated that the presence of albumin produced foam for usein demonstrating the qualities of the powder to the con-

sumers at county and other fairs. Such a test is misleadingand completely deceives the customer, who is therebydeluded into believing that the particular baking powderunder test is greatly superior to others in its raising qualities.One manufacturer stated that the presence of albumin

retarded the escape of carbon dioxide, and another claimedthat the albumin increased the leavening power in the sensethat it provided an additional amount of gas available forthe leavening action. Professor Ladd believes that the test

really shows nothing as to the real merits of two bakingpowders, as a baking powder free from albumin might seemto be the poorest in the lot, and yet it might yield the mostcarbon dioxide, uniformly given off.

RECURRENT ANTERIOR DISLOCATION OFTHE ULNA.

IN the Journal of the A me1’ican illedical Association of

Sept. 6th Dr. A. C. Yoder has reported a case of a very rareresult of injury-recurrent anterior dislocation of the ulna.A woman, aged 36 years, fell downstairs and hurt her leftwrist on Feb. 28th, 1910. She immediately came to Dr.

Yoder holding the forearm in median pronation with the

hand and fingers slightly flexed. As there was a protuberanceon the dorsum of the wrist he primarily diagnosed Colles’sfracture. But on examination he soon discovered that this

fracture was not present. The ulna was dislocated forwards

and was easily reduced, but when the pressure was releasedthe dislocation recurred. Motion in all directions was some-what limited by the pain. The deformity on the back of thewrist could not be reduced by manipulation or pressure. An

anterior splint was applied and rest was advised for severalweeks. The splint was readjusted several times and thenabandoned. The ulna remained in its normal place onlywhen held there. The patient was finally advised to

wear a wristlet, and to use her wrist and hand as

much as possible. A skiagram taken a month after the

injury did not show any fracture. In June, 1911, the patientreturned complaining of pain and weakness in the wrist.Motion was practically normal, but the ulna was still dis-

located. In March, 1913, the condition was as follows.Motion was practically normal, but there was some hyper-extension and somewhat diminished flexion. The hand wasused for all kinds of heavy work. The deformity on the backof the wrist persisted. When the hand was in supinationthe anterior lower end of the ulna projected anteriorly, butwas freely movable and easily replaced ; in fact, reductionoccurred when the hand was pronated. The bone could befelt slipping into the sigmoid cavity of the radius as thehand passed from supination to pronation. It was con-

cluded that the triangular fibro-cartilage and the anteriorradio-ulnar ligaments were ruptured. The deformity on theback of the hand was difficult to explain. Several skiagrams

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