TELEGRAPHIC.

Daily Southern Cross, Volume XXXI, Issue 5571, 5 July 1875, Page 2

TELEGRAPHIC.

Nli.sox, Saturday. Tlie s.s. "Wellington anivcd fioni New l'lymouth, curly this morning. The ll.nve.i made a romaikably iapid run of si\ houis and twenty-five minutes fiom l'icton wh.u f to the Lishthouso.

Tauu vng \, Saturday. The s.«. Roweiui arrivcil from Auckland this evening.

PicroN, Sunday. The s.s. ■Wellington anived fiom Nelson this moi ning.

Bluff, Sunday. The s.s. Taravua with the Suez mail, ai lived from Melbourne, at 9 o'clock last night.

Medical Scale for English Ships.— The Board of Trade have just issued a new sc.ile of medicines and medical stores for use inemigiant ships. This list has not come a day too soon, for the old scale had existed, we believe, since the Emigration Commission commenced woik, and was sufficient only for the days when meicury and Epsom salts were considered to be transcendently the two things needful afloat. It is to be observed, in the first place, that in the list now before us one scale, instead of two, has been compiled, half the quantities only being required when the passage occupies less than one hundred days. This latter arrangement, of course, includes a large proportion of emigrant ships, and excludes those bound to Australia and New Zealand. In glancing over the variety of drugs ordered, we find three socalled disinfectanta— chloride of zinc, carbolic acid, and permanganate of potash, — all of which can hardly be necessary. Nitrate of silver is conspicuous by its absence, and has probably been omitted in error. All pills are to be readymade, in five-grain doses ; a very useful rule, which those of our nautical readers who are called on to dispense afloat, when the wind is "abeam," will highly appreciate. Additional quantities of quinine and anti-choleraic preparations are to be taken to all tropical ports, and a neutral solution of morphia is provided for hypodermic injections. The medical stores appear amply sufficient both in quantity and quality, though, even for short voyages, wo cannot, having regard to surgical exigencies, say that there is more than enough. The shipowner will probably not be pleased at having to provide a case of instruments, but it is right that lie should do so, or should make an allowance to the surgeon if the latter choose to provide them. It appears to us that the list of these instruments should be slightly amplified, so as to include probe, director, and two or three other so-called " minor requisites. The medical officer would then be quite independent of a pocket-case, and the instrument makers will soon furnish a case and include in it their lists as the "regulation" emigration or merchant ship case, analogous to that provided for surgeons in the anny and navy. We have noticed this scale somewhat in detail, because it is a subject of some interest to a large and increasing body of medical men, who, unlike those ashore, cannot find a instrument-maker or a druggist round the. corner, and hence may fairly claim to criticise the quality, quantity, and variety of stores officially furnished tor the treatment of their patients. 5. The new turret-ship Dreadnought was recently launched from Pembroke dockyard. The vessel is 320ft. in length, and G3ft. lOin. in breadth. The total cost of the hull was £401,300 ; the total displacement of weight 10,886 tons. She carries two 35-ton guns in each of her two turrets, and the horse-power of her engines is 8,000.