New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1899-04-22
MEDICAL AND SANITARY NOTES.

SOURCES OF LEPROsY-The fact OF so many
cases OF leprosy in Minnesota has been made sub
ject Of special study by Dr. Brackeh OF Minneapolis
who finds first OF all, that the impression prevalent
that leprosy immigrants from the Scandinavian pen
insula all from Norway is a wrong one. five
of eleven lepers officially recorded by the State
Board OF Health during 1897 and 1898 from swe
den. Dr. Bracken regards 1t as imperative that the
family history Of all immigrants from the country
where leprosy prev.ils should be secured before
they allowed to embark for America and no
member Of leprous family should be permitted to
land Ian on these shores would sppeaG IT. to- that
In nt S % also % to e ssr se az
Of these having several children. as the figures ex-
hibted, VIZ five. five six. six. four six. four, FIVE
practicab!e that is in single States it would. he
enfor ing such practice to those that were not car
rying out any such system.
DIMINUTION OF DREAD DISEASE-An in
telligent writer in London journal quotes the
statement made by Sir Richard Thorne, medical off,
OF the local Government Board that the number
of deaths from all forms of tuberculosis. reg
istered, since 1851 had shown a marked and
tnuous dimnuton; that IL, the per million
yearly for the years 1870 34S3 and In 1881
's5 It only 2l22 a decrease of little more than
&c per cent. At the present time some sixty thou
sand deaths occur annually In England and Wales.
from the disease OF tuberculosis has not been UNI
form as concerns the various forms or types OF it,
less of the population-infants and young children
1T still claims its victims in almost undiminished
have worked in the direction OF diminishing tuber-
culosis the foremost place Is given. without hest
in and the free Of sunlight to the dwellings
d The places en OF S0I on the VITA
acted upon.
EXPERIMENTS WITH oRTHoFoRM-som
interesting information is given in the Revue
Scientifque" concerning this rev German anses-
thetic for which so much has been claimed. APP
piled in powder or ointment TO a wound or raw
| surface. orthoform renders It insensibe, a fact
confirmed by repea ted clinical observation and In
S nsns @ Is fonnd to
nt ef enduring for hours and, being Conscious
there is no danger In Fsappying It as often as nay
in a case Of liberated cancer Of the face here
constant and excruciating pain rendered sleep i'm
fifty grams on being busted over the sore for q
whole week. resulted in cessation CT the pain and
equally safe and effectual when administered in
ternally as an anodyne in cancer OF the stomach.
SUBSTITUTE FOR OPIUM OR MORPHINE
Texas journals describe what is declared to be one
OF the most perfect Of antidotes cxtant for the
various forms OF the opium habit. The plant is
known by the name of husa. and is CT dull
whtish-gre color and about two three inches
long, 1t has at it's summit ball-lIke white forma-
ton. and where the flower should be this Is hard
slightly lobulated, its resemblance 10 small cau-
flower being quite marked. II grows In cumps In
moist, shady places particularly on the hummocks
at the roots OF cabbage palms. and IL OF low order
Of plants above the mosses. It's use II asserted
be only antidote for narcotic ro.sons. but
likewise for all snake bites stings OF insects. etc
DR. McCiregor describes II the most dffusible of
stmulants acting Immediately. and. having sub
iected the plant to various tests. pronounces Il an
infaliibe for the opium habit taking the place
of opium morphine. II Is sedative. not narcotic
ANALYSIS OF LONDON WATER-Contrary to
common opinion abroad. the residents a. the great
British metropolis well favored In this impor
tant matter. Professors Crookes and Dewar in
an offical report showing the composition and quail
fly OF daily samples OF the water supplied 10 the
city during the month of September last state that
OF the ls2 samples analyzed by them al were found
TO be clear bright and well filtered. The analysts
remark that the meteorological quality Of the Lon
don water supply does not depend on the use or
rejection OF food-water, but upon the proper regu-
lstion and the efficiency Of the filtration; this has
long been conducted substantially Under the SUPER
vision OF the official water examiner OF the me-
tropolis The direct use OF water from the river
during a prolonged Hood depending somew hat
the time OF year may result In the filtered supply
containing in solution little additional vegetable
matter. slightly adding to the brown color, but
rarely. ~ ever. is the color OF the London water
supply. In Its most peaty condition. equal TO the
average color OF Loeb Katrins or the Welsh lakes.