“The Surgeon-General of the U. S. Navy has furnished the following facts in regard to the recent outbreak of yellow fever on the U. S. Steamer ‘Plymouth:’ On November 7th last, four cases of yellow fever occurred on board the vessel while lying in the harbor of Santa Cruz; these were removed to hospital on shore and the ship sailed for Norfolk. Three mild cases occurred during the voyage and the ‘Plymouth’ was ordered to Portsmouth, N. H., thence to Boston. At the latter port everything was removed from the ship and all parts of the interior freely exposed to a temperature which frequently fell below zero, the exposure continuing for more than a month. During this time the water in the tanks, bilges, and in vessels placed in the store rooms was frozen, 100 pounds of sulphur was burned below decks, this fumigation continuing for two days, and the berth-decks, holds and store rooms were thoroughly whitewashed. On March 15th, the ship sailed from Boston southward; on the 19th, during a severe gale, the hatches had to be battened down, and the berth deck became very close and damp. On the 23d two men showed decided symptoms of yellow fever, and on the recommendation of the Surgeon, the vessel headed northward. The sick men were isolated, and measures adopted for improving the hygienic condition of the vessel and crew. The surgeon reported that he believed the infection to be confined to the hull of the ship, especially to the unsound wood about the berth deck, all the cases but one having occurred within a limited area, and that while the ‘Plymouth’ is in good sanitary condition for service in temperate climates, should she be sent to a tropical station, probably no precautionary measures whatever, would avail to prevent an outbreak of yellow fever.”

Charcoal for Burns.—A retired foundryman claims that powdered pine charcoal thickly dusted over a burn is a never-failing and speedy remedy.

THE NATIONAL BOARD OF HEALTH.

This body as now composed includes fairly representative men. As far as we can learn it is as follows:

A committee of experts has been sent to Havana to study the disease where it is endemic, and where it can be seen for many months in the year.

“The system [adopted by the new National Health bill] contemplates a national sanitary supervision of all vessels engaged in the transportation of goods or persons from any foreign port where any contagious or infectious disease exists, to any port of the United States. All such vessels shall be required to obtain from the consul, vice-consul, or other consular officer of the United States at the port of departure, a certificate in duplicate, setting forth that said vessel has complied with all the necessary regulations and possesses a clean bill of health. This provision applies with particular and special force to vessels from Havana, a clause in the bill defining in detail the duties of the medical officer in charge of the port. The said inspector must issue a certificate setting forth ‘that he has personally inspected said vessel, her cargo, crew, and passengers; that the rules and regulations prescribed by the National Board of Health in respect thereto have been fully complied with, and that in his opinion the said vessel may be allowed to enter any port of the United States and land its cargo and passengers without danger to the health thereof on account of any contagious or infectious disease.’ Any vessels from such port entering any port of the United States without such certificate shall in each instance forfeit the sum of five hundred dollars. The execution of these provisions is entrusted to the National Board of Health. The latter is also charged with the duty of obtaining information of the sanitary condition of foreign ports and places from which contagious diseases are or may be imported into the United States, and also similar information from home ports. It is also provided that the National Board of Health ‘shall correspond with similar local officers, boards and authorities acting under laws of the States in sanitary matters, to prevent the introduction and spread of contagious and infectious diseases from foreign countries into the United States and from one State into any other State by means of commercial intercourse, or upon and along the lines of inter-State trade and travel.’ To such an end it shall be lawful in times of emergency for said board of health to confer upon any such local officer or board within or near the locality where his provisions of this act, and any rules or regulations made in pursuance thereof.”—Medical Record.

SYMES ON THYMOL AND THYMOL-CAMPHOR.

Dr. Symes, in the Pharmaceutical Journal of January 10, publishes the results of his researches on the combination of thymol, chloral-hydrate, and camphor, acting as an antiseptic. The two former drugs are rubbed together in a mortar, and an equal quantity of camphor added, which liquefies the whole, and produces a powerful antiseptic. Its virtues were immediately tested on some urine containing pus, and which was already beginning to decompose. Two drops of the compound being added to it, the putrefaction was arrested. If thymol and camphor alone are rubbed together, they also become liquid, and this a convenient form from which to prepare the ointment. Thymol-camphor can be mixed in almost any proportion with vaseline, ung. petrolei, or ozokerine, and the thymol will not separate, as in crystals, when thymol alone is used. A solution of thymol in water (1 in 1000) is sufficiently strong for the spray in surgical operations. If used for the throat, milk and glacial acetic acid will be found to be good solvents for it.—London Medical Record.