Abstract: A composition for use in the prevention and/or treatment of microbial infection comprising essentially of one or more pure alkanol alkoxylates, diol alkoxylates and/or triol alkoxylates.

Abstract: A fluid heating apparatus comprising a chamber for containing a quantity of fluid to be heated and a heating device in the chamber. The heating device comprises a hollow body having a flow inlet and a return outlet to allow a heating medium to flow through the hollow body. The hollow body has a first heat exchanging surface extending along the chamber between a fluid inlet and fluid outlet and defining a smooth, straight fluid passage between the inlet and outlet. The preferred apparatus takes the form of a thermosyphon and is particularly suited for use with a water storage tank, where it is arranged to cause thermosyphonic circulation of water between the thermosyphon and the tank.

Abstract: An aqueous composition comprising, in addition to water: (a) one or more surfactant materials selected from polyoxyalkylene condensate derivatives of lanolin or a lanolin derivative; and (b) a lipid component comprising one or more lipid materials, especially lanolin or a lanolin derivative, present as particles emulsified by the said one or more lanolin-derived surfactant materials and having a median particle size of less than about 5 &mgr;m, especially from 0.01 to 1 &mgr;m. The compositions have very good physical stability and are particularly useful as carriers for transdermal delivery of pharmaceutical actives to the human skin.