SHAVING DANGERS.

ANTHRAX IN CHEAP BRUSHES.

At the Westminster Coroner’s-court yesterday Mr. S. Ingleby Oddie concluded his inquiry with reference to the death of Robert Hunter, aged 67, a woollen merchant, lately of Bloemfontein-road, Shepherd’s-bush, W., who died in St. George’s Hospital on Sept. 22 from anthrax contracted through using a shaving-brush. Evidence given at the first hearing showed that before going for a holiday early last month the deceased purchased a Japanese shaving-brush of a chemist in Uxbridge-road, and that upon his return from the country he complained of a spot on his neck. He went to the hospital, where the case was at once diagnosed as one of anthrax, and he died the next day. Maurice James Healey, a chemist, of Uxbridge-road, W., stated that he sold Mr. Hunter a shaving-brush on Sept. 13. It was the last one of the kind he had in stock, and witness recommended it because he had been using a similar one for fifteen months and found it satisfactory. Dr. Reginald Robert Elsworthy, bacteriologist at the West London Hospital, stated that he had examined the shavingbrush used by the deceased, and found it richly infected with anthrax. Anthrax spores could not be destroyed by ordinary antiseptics: they were extraordinarily difficult to destroy. Boiling for half an hour might kill them, but that would destroy the brush.

CERTIFIED BRUSHES INFECTED.

Dr. Thomas Carnwath, medical officer to the Ministry of Health, giving evidence as to the steps taken by the Government to safeguard the public from the dangers of anthrax, said it was discovered that a certain number of Japanese brushes were infected, and they tried to trace it upwards towards the importers and downwards to the retailers. On Jan 6 last a notice was published in the Press warning the public of the dangers of using Japanese shavingbrushes The Coroner: What suggestion can you make to guard people from the danger of these brushes? Witness: We have had to rely on the Press. The Coroner: Would not a good way of putting it be this: No person, having regard for his own safety, ought to purchase a cheap shaving-brush that looks like a badger brush, but which is probably a Japanese one? Mr. Reginald Healey, recalled, said he had recently been on the south coast, and had seen hundreds of these brushes in chemists’ shops. He warned the people of the danger of selling them. Dr. Carnwath added that some Japanese shaving-brushes were accompanied by a certificate of freedom from anthrax, but these very brushes were found to be heavily infected. Mr. Healey added that there was a cream on the market that would obviate the use of shaving-brushes. Answering a question, Dr. Carnwath said there had been twenty-two cases of this kind and six fatalities. The coroner recorded a verdict of death by misadventure from toxemia.