Part 5

In an article on ‘Infant-feeding,’ contributed to the _Lancet_, Dr E. Paget Thurstan, M.D., publishes an interesting discovery that he has recently made. It has been very generally admitted that, inasmuch as salivary and pancreatic secretions are practically absent in newborn children, all farinaceous food should be avoided in their dietary. Dr Thurstan’s discovery entails a departure from the letter, if not the spirit, of this axiom of child-rearing. Mothers are well aware that very young children cannot drink pure cow’s milk, because it curdles in a lump in their stomachs. Certain chemical substances—notably lime-water—must be blended with the liquid to make it digestible. These auxiliaries, however, frequently produce sickness; and it is obviously undesirable to doctor a child with medicine for months together if it be not absolutely necessary. Some persons imagine they solve the problem by using condensed milk as infant-food. But Dr Thurstan points out that, though its curd is undoubtedly more digestible than that of uncondensed milk, the cane-sugar with which it is prepared, itself produces indigestion in a new form, while the condensation robs the liquid of much of its saline constituents, and removes material required for bone-formation. Hence he sought a new method of making cow’s milk digestible to young children; and his final solution of the question is as simple as he declares it to be efficacious. He mixes with the milk a small quantity of farinaceous food, to secure a mechanical as opposed to a nutritive action. The particles of solid intermingle with the curds as they form, and thus prevent their coalescing into one large mass. Dr Thurstan suggests as appropriate agents the crust of bread—when free from alum and large quantities of potato starch—or any one of the many well-known infants’ foods. He points out that they should be added to the milk in such small quantities and in such minute particles that it will easily pass through the tube of a feeding-bottle. Dr Thurstan mentions in detail the case of a weak and ailing child whose life was saved by this method of feeding.

WOOD-PULP.

A report comes from Norway of a discovery just made at the Sognedal Pulp Factory, after years of experimenting—that wood-pulp can be used for the manufacture of all kinds of building ornaments which are usually made in plaster of Paris, the pulp readily taking painting or gilding to great advantage. The material also seems to be remarkably tough, and not easily broken, as shown by the fact that a bar a foot long, an inch thick, and five inches wide, was thrown with great violence against a wall and sustained no injury. Pieces have also been dropped from great heights with the same result. The material is lighter than plaster of Paris, is impervious to wet, and therefore admirably adapted for ceilings, ceiling ornaments, friezes, and such-like, both outdoor and indoor. It can easily be fixed either with nails or screws. One more advantage is claimed by the inventor—that ornaments made from this material cost half the price of similar ones made of plaster. If this discovery is really all that it is said to be, it will prove a useful adjunct to all kinds of ornamentation and architectural decoration, and ought therefore to be specially acceptable in the building trade.

M. DEPREZ’ ELECTRICAL EXPERIMENTS.

A series of interesting experiments have been lately carried on by M. Deprez at Creil, at the sole expense of Messrs Rothschild, with the view to ascertain whether certain results can be obtained from one generator and one receptor. M. Deprez now finds that with these appliances he can transmit to a distance of thirty-five miles a force of fifty-two horse-power, and that the machinery is now working regularly and continuously. The maximum electro-motive force is 6290 volts, which is all the more remarkable; for before the construction of M. Deprez’ apparatus, the maximum force did not exceed 2000. The transmitting wires may be left uncovered on poles, so long as they are high enough to be out of the reach of the hand. The cost of this arrangement to provide a circular line of seventy miles, for a fifty-horse power of transmission, is estimated at five thousand pounds; not a high price, when all the circumstances are considered; and a cost that would be lessened if the machines were to be frequently manufactured or brought into general use, which is much to be desired, as a new and very practicable motor-power will thus be made available for industrial purposes.

SWEET DAY OF DAYS.

On the moss-grown bridge I stand, Where you gave me once your hand, Where a story, new, yet old, Once without a word was told. Still the daylight slowly dies, Ebbing from the tender skies; Still the river creeps along, Crooning yet its wistful song. Day of days, sweet day of days, Years their shadows round us raise; Happy they who, looking on, Still remember days agone!

Ah! of all sweet days that day, Gone from sight and reach away, Even as this flower I throw Down the old gray stream will go. Nay—it lingers—prisoned lies, Where the swaying willows rise, Out of reach, love, like sweet days Lingering yet in memory’s gaze! Day of days, sweet day of days, Years their shadows round us raise; Happy they who, looking on, Still remember days agone!

G. CLIFTON BINGHAM.

* * * * *

_Volume III. of the Fifth Series of CHAMBERS’S JOURNAL is now completed, price Nine Shillings._

* * * * *

_A Title-page and Index, price One Penny, have been prepared, and may be ordered through any bookseller._

* * * * *

_An elegant cloth case for binding the whole of the numbers for 1886 is also ready._

* * * * *

_Back numbers to complete sets may at all times be had._

* * * * *

The First Monthly Part of the New Volume will contain the opening Chapters of an original Novel, entitled:

RICHARD CABLE

THE LIGHTSHIPMAN

BY THE AUTHOR OF ‘MEHALAH,’ ‘JOHN HERRING,’ ‘COURT ROYAL,’ ETC.

* * * * *

Also an interesting Novelette, entitled:

TOLD BY TWO

BY T. W. SPEIGHT

* * * * *

END OF THE THIRD VOLUME.

Printed and Published by W. and R. Chambers, 47 Paternoster Row, London, and 339 High Street, Edinburgh.

* * * * *

_All Rights Reserved._

* * * * *

[Transcriber’s note—the following changes have been made to this text.

Page 818: guaze to gauze—“wire-gauze”.

Page 831: shale oil-works to shale-oil works—“shale-oil works”.]