TOPICS OF THE DAY.

Press, Volume LX, Issue 11489, 23 January 1903, Page 4

TOPICS OF THE DAY.

The Melbourne "Age" ie Adulterated grartly concerned at the . Beer. quality of Victorian beer, and calls for an organised campaign against the "cheap and unwholesome methods" adopted in its manufacture, A report of the Government Analyst of Victoria is quoted to show to what an extent the beer manufactured in that State is systematically adulterated with cheap preservatives. The report was made- in 1900, but as tJbere has been no legislation in the interval to prevent adulteration, the result* may be taken as an indication of the present state of affairs in the brewing trade. Out of 270 samples, of draught baer retailed in the Melbourne and suburban botete, tie analyst found that 109 contained salicyclic aoid, while out of 17 bottled 'beers of Victorian manufacture five were found to be adulterated in the some way. It is clear from these analyses tihat while some of the brewers manufacture pure beer others are by no means so scrupulous, and the consumer has no protection against the adulteration of his liquor. Sali«yclic acid, aoooiiding to Professor Lewui, of Berlin University, can create severe and even fatal poisoning. It "causes inflammation of the muoous membranes; the mortified cells are exfoliated within • few hours. Human beings showed, after poisonous doses, vomiting, unconsciousness, delirium, slow and,gapping respiration, acute deafness, dysphagia, and fail of temperatmre, irregular pulse, as well as anesthesia of the feet." After such startling testimony it k no* surprising to learn tfcat In Norway, Sweden, SwHssrtand, France, Germany, Auatnia-Hungory, Belgium, and Holland t/he use of salicylic acid in beer is prohibited by l*w. In calling for similar kgis~.*tion in Victoria, the "Age" lhaa the support of the Government Analyst, who declared tthe other day to an interviewer that the question of adulterated beer ought to be fought now and decided "There is no doubt," he said, "that saucyclio acid is used here only to escape- the consequence of unskilful manufacture, and it i* decidedly unfair to the brewers of unadulterated beer to be called upon to compete with those who eearetJy doctor an ill-made, unsound product with deleterious drugs."

The opening of the Great The Opening Nile data at Assouan apof the pears to have been, a picAssouan Dam. turesque and interesting ceremony. The scene was graced by the presence of an imposing company of Royal and official personage* among whom were the Khedive of Egypt and his suite, tbe Duke and Duchess cf ConntAight, representatives of various Powers, end the leading persons connected wdtb the oonstmction of the barrage— Six William Garstin, Sir Benjamin Baker, Sir Ernest Catsel, and Sir John Aird. The German ii<>mperor and the King of Italy had been inrittd, but found it impossible to be present. The official party took their station on a platform, carpeted with sc*rlefc cloth, on the top of the huge structure, between the locks and the' riverbank. The general .public were drawn up on the bank, on the' other side of the lock*. The special earrespondeoi. of the London "Standard 1 " thus describee tie eceos:—"The wftue 'houeee are decorated with strings of scarlet flags, and rows ot many-coloured lamps, arranged in readiness for the illuminations, are glittering in the brilliant suoehin*. Above and below the STfta is gay wiii. painted boat*, dressed with flag* of every conceivable hue, and flitting constantly from bank to bank. On tthe left, as we go from one extremity of the barrage to the other, the river lies like a tranquil kke, babhed in sunshine, and on ih» right is the dark, rocky bed. The ruins of Philae (on an island above the dam) are visible,, but they no longer tower on .high, bub dee direct out of the water. The tops of palm groves cdl be seen just above ifce Kile level, and the roofs of bouses that once formed the village of Shells.!.' , After the congratulatory speeches, waidh the Khedive and his Ministers delivered ia French, iho Duchess of Coonaught Isid the final stone—the la*t •tone of the parapet at the Western end. Then, after the Dokse iiad thanked fahe foreign representatives for the fiiwixitsl coopration of the Powers, the Khedive touched on electric button with «i silver key fashoomed on the model of tie Key .f Ammcn-Ra, as depicted on' Egyptian monument*. "Instantly five of the great shiicee opened, and tfhe imprisoned waters burst forth, foiling in a thundering cataract Ot foam on to the rooky river-bed beneath. The irrigation machinery bad been at lengtrh inaugurated." Finally, the Duke of Connaugat moved the lever of the hydraulic maohinery, and -ue bogs lock gate rolled slowly back into the solid masonry. -'A couple of gaily-decorated Jelooca*, flying the Egyptian flag, at once sailed out into the upper weien breaking, as they emerged, s> waite ribbon stretcbed across the look entrance. In this pretty and simple way the navigation of the Nile, voder the netr conditions, was auspiciously begun."

13m ktott ragajry of th» The Olau American woman of fashion >i may be iUly, but it » cctFMbion. tiunly dwing. 6he baa, it - Mtn, t*k«n to Te«diig the tiase eye-gl««. The origin of tibe in aov*tM», if it be •* repofied,::<Jo«i:; aiowt

to her good sense. At the time of tl*-riiii of Prince Henry of Prussia's rat to the United States," the inventive American Press informed the publio that the Kaiserhie brother, had adopted the monocle. As a matter of fact the German Emperor doe» not wear an eye-glees at aH, and if tie did. that hairdly seems a oonvincing reason wfoj the American woman should follow suit. But in the craze for all things German, which marked Prinoe Henry's visit, this report, according to the London "Daily Mail," was sufficient to bring the ittonoole for women into fashion in New York. Thence the fashion spread westward to Chicago, and now threatens to gain a foot ing even in .exclusive Wasnington. Of course it is the young women with perfectly sound eyesight who wear the monocle. People who are really shortsighted retain their spectacles or double eye-glasses, leaving the single glass of feet ion to those who want it for ornament rather than for uee. The fashionable lady's monocle costs anytlhing from £1 «P to £15, and as much a* £50 has ■ been paid for one of these jewelled toye. The big shops, believing that the craee has come to stay, are laying in large stocks, and the makers are busily devising fresh design*. The frames are of silver, gold or tortoise-shell, and are studkled with jewels. For those young ladies whose courage will not carry them the length of the monoclts stuck beneath their dainty eyebrows—the Chamb?r!ain monocle, as some ceil it~*-a single glass has been devised with a handle attached, by means of which it can b* held before the eye. But some of «i« society ladies evidently like to attract attention to their monocles. "They carry about with them singular-looking little boxes almost like chocolate cases, but in stead of sweets they take out a monocle and fix it in the eye with the fastidious air which is being fastidiously cultivated " The chain to hold the eye-glass affords tfoe society woman yet another opening to spend her money—or her husband's. Instead of the plain eilk oord usually worn by men Vho affect the monocle, she hae a chain of gold or silver, plentifully besprinkled with tiny jewels. Possibly the expense attaching to the innovation has something to do with the popularity which it now enjoys.