310 Oil in Human Blood. 



and fore-scuttle were taken off, when a suffocating smell of 

 fire and clouds of smoke began to issue from both places. 

 On going into the fore-hold, and clearing away the goods near 

 the hatchway, found that a large cask of lamp-black in the star- 

 board wing had taken fire, and was giving out dense columns 

 of smoke ; the cask, although not in a blaze, was too hot to be 

 handled. All the ship's company and passengers were instantly 

 employed in handing down water and wet blankets, the latter 

 being found of the greatest use in stifling the smoke : these 

 enabled the officers and people in the hold, who were indefa- 

 tigable in their exertions, to remove the surrounding articles, 

 chiefly large jars of linseed and neats'-foot oil, which were 

 immediately hoisted on deck by the prompt assistance of the 

 passengers, and at the same time a constant supply of water 

 passed down the hatchway ; and although the people in the 

 hold were frequently driven back by the strong suffocating 

 smell, they at last succeeded in getting the cask, which was 

 on fire and muffled by wet blankets, brought to the hatchway; 

 this was instantly hoisted on deck and thrown overboard, be- 

 fore it had completely ignited or burst into a flame ; had it 

 done so in the hold, instant destruction must have inevitably 

 followed, it being surrounded by 200 barrels of tar, and up- 

 wards of eighty large jars of oil. As no apparent cause could 

 be assigned for this catastrophe — as no leak either from the 

 deck or from any of the jars could be perceived, and as no light 

 had ever been suffered in the hold since leaving England, — 

 it was reasonable to conclude that spontaneous combustion 

 must have taken place in the cask. And as there were many 

 more casks of the same material on board, it was considered 

 absolutely necessary for the safety of the ship and cargo, as 

 well as the lives of the crew and passengers, to throw the 

 whole overboard. 



" Employed during the rest of the day in hoisting up and 

 throwing overboard the remaining casks of lamp-black, sixty- 

 one in number. 



" N.B. Two other casks of lamp-black were observed to 

 smoke, while floating past the ship." — Ind. Gaz. March 20. 



ON OIL IN HUMAN BLOOD, BY DR. ADAM. 



The following brief notice may prove interesting, as it re- 

 lates to a peculiarity in the human subject, which I have not 

 hitherto met with ; nor do I remember to have read of a similar 

 occurrence in medical writings. The body of Serjeant Mac- 

 donald was sent from the garrison to the general hospital, for 

 inspection ; as certain circumstances had created a suspicion 

 regarding the manner of his death. He had gone to bed in 



the 



