Procedures carried out in the preven tion of this disease: I. To keep the female Stet/way/a from biting the yel low-fever patient by having the quar ters of the patient entirely screened so as completely to prevent access of mos quitoes. A guard is left at the door to see that the only door communicating with the quarantined area is kept closed and that only those designated by the sanitary authorities have access to the rooms. 2. The destroying of such in sects as might have become infected in spite of precautions or before the pa tient was screened; pyrethrum powder is burned in all the rooms of the house and in all the contiguous houses, the rooms having first been made as tight as possible and the precaution having been taken to sweep up the mosquitoes from the floor immediately after the fumigation, as pyrethrum does not kill the insects. 3. To destroy the mosquito systematically, as it was found that the principal points for the breed ing of Ntrytnnyia mosquitoes were fresh water collections about the houses of the city. An ordinance was passed re quiring all collections of fresh water to he made mosquito-proof. Petroleum was also placed in the cesspools every month. and was also used on marshy ground which could not be drained. (lorgas (Medieal News. Jan. 3. 1903).
In closing the subject of the epidemic management of yellow fever, it seems proper to make brief allusion to hopes of what the future may have in store for us in this direction. A glance at the history of epidemic diseases will show that half of the terror inspired by these diseases has been from ignorance of their specific causes. The cause discovered. we know with what we have to deal, and what it is necessary to do. The discov ery of the spirillum of Asiatic cholera. by Koch, the demonstration that it was by drinking-water that the disease was most frequently transmitted, experi ments showing the slight resistance of the organism to physical agents and chemical disinfection, at once converted a dreaded pestilence into a comparatively simply handled problem. The discovery by Yersin and Kitasato of the plague bacillus threw a flood of light on the means of transmission of the disease and led to the discovery of means for its prevention in the ilaftkine prophylactic and its prevention and cure by the Roux Yersin prevention and curative serum.
The magnificent discovery of diph theria antitoxin by Roux and Behring, and the saving of 100,000 lives annually which it has led to in the United States alone, lead us to hope that in the near future we may be in possession of a ZINC.—Zincum (U. S. P.) is metallic zinc in the form of thin sheets, in ir regular granulated pieces, molded into thin pencils, or in a state of fine powder. Zinc is found as a carbonate, silicate, and sulphide, associated with lead ores in many districts of Great Britain, on the Continent, and in the United States. Zinc is a bluish-white metal, which slowly tarnishes in the air, forming oxide and carbonate of zinc. It has a lamellar, crystalline structure. Zinc unites with the acids and halogens to form salts, of which the acetate, bro mine, carbonate, chloride, iodide, oxide, phosphide, sulphate, and valerianate are official.
Acetate of zinc occurs in white, mono clinal plates, having a pearly lustre, and is soluble in 2.7 parts of cold and in 1.5 parts of boiling water and in 36 parts of cold and in 3 parts of boiling alcohol. It possesses a high diffusion power.
Bromide of zinc occurs as a white, hygroscopical, crystalline powder, hav ing a sharp, metallic taste, and is soluble in water, alcohol, ether, and ammonia.
Carbonate of zinc (precipitated) oc curs as an impalpable, white powder, of variable composition. It is insoluble in water.
Chloride of zinc (butter of zinc) oc curs as a white, deliquescent powder, and is soluble in 0.3 part of water, in alcohol, and in ether. It possesses a high diffu sion power. The official solution of zinc chloride occurs as a colorless, astringent, sweetish, aqueous, liquid, having an acid reaction, containing 50 per cent. by weight of zinc chloride and being mis cible in all proportions with water. Bur nett's disinfecting fluid is a solution of zinc chloride. Canquoin's paste is made by mixing zinc chloride with flour and water. The strength varies, according to the purpose, from 1 part of the chloride in 6 parts (weakest) to 1 part in 3 (strongest). When used, 10 or 15 drops of water are added to the applications, being made when a large tumor is to be destroyed. The stronger paste may be cut into pointed strips or arrows and dried before using, as suggested by Maisonneuve.
Iodide of zinc occurs as a white, hy groscopical, crystalline powder, having a sharp, saline taste; and is soluble in water, alcohol, and in ether. It pos sesses a high diffusion power.
Oxide of zinc occurs as a white, amor phous powder, having the property of absorbing carbon dioxide from the air. It is soluble in dilute acids, ammonia, and in ammonium carbonate. It should be kept in air-tight vessels. The oint ment of the oxide of zinc (zinc oint ment) contains 20 per cent. of zinc oxide.
Phosphide of zinc occurs as dark gray crystals or metallic lumps, having a faint odor, and is soluble in hydro chloric and sulphuric acids with the evo lution of hydrogen phosphide.
Sulphate of zinc (white vitriol; zinc vitriol) occurs in colorless, rhombic crystals, having an astringent, metallic taste; they effloresce in dry air. It is soluble in 0.6 part of cold and in 0.2 part of boiling water and in 3 parts of glycerin. Villate's solution for treating caries consists of: sulphates of copper and zinc, of each, 15 parts; solution of subacetate of lead, 30 parts; vinegar, 300 parts.
Valerianate of zinc occurs in white, glistening laminm, having a valerianic acid odor and a sweetish taste, and de composing on exposure. It is soluble in 40 parts of alcohol and in 100 parts of water.
Preparations and Doses. — IRRITANT (SOLUBLE).—Zinci acetas (U. S. P.), 2 to 6 grains.
Zinci chloridum (U. S. P.), 1 to 2 grains.
Liquor zinci chloridi (U. S. P.). Zinci iodidum (U. S. P.), 1 to 2 grains.
Zinci phosphidum (U. S. P.), to grain.
Zinci sulphas (U. S. P.), 1 to 3 grains (emetic, 10 to 60 grains).
Zinci valerianas (U. S. P.), to 2 grains.