150 
NEWS AND ITEMS. 
and at half past six that morning she gave birth to a dead pup, 
following this up at various periods during that day and even¬ 
ing by similar occurrences until on Tuesday morning there had 
been born five dead pups. Apparently the entire contents of 
the uterus had made its escape and the bitch appeared to feel as 
well as could be expected under such circumstances. Nothing 
more was thought of the matter until she was again discovered 
in labor on the following Sunday morning, and while the sta¬ 
bleman stood watching her efforts a live male pup was born, 
which lived and thrived, and is as vigorous and normal as it is 
possible to be. Was this a case of double fecundation ? 
Epicarin.— Epicarin, C 6 H 3 :COOH:OH.CH 2 C 10 H r pH, is 
a condensation-product of creosotinic acid and beta-naphtol. In 
the ordinary form in which it is found in the market, it forms 
a reddish-yellow, strongly acid powder, melting at 199 0 C., and 
readily soluble in alcohol and in ether. It forms easily solu¬ 
ble, neutral salts. According to Frick and Muller (E. Merck’s 
Bericht , 1900), epicarin is but very slightly toxic, and is a good 
remedy for scabies in dogs, as it quickly checks the itching, and 
rapidly removes the affection when contracted by a human being. 
Though epicarin does not possess the power to kill the acarus, 
to the same degree as do carbolic acid, creosote, tar, lysol, creo- 
lin and iodine, its application is said to be far pleasanter. In 
oleaginous suspensions, or mixed with green soap, epicarin is 
too weak for the treatment of scabies on household animals; 
it should be applied in alcoholic or ethero-alcoholic solution. 
A solution which is recommended is the following : epicarin, 
10 gm. ; castor oil, 10 gin. ; alcohol, 100 gin. This should be 
applied to the skin by means of a brush lightly drawn through 
the hairy coat. It is reported that these applications, should 
they even be licked off by the dog, are entirely free from any 
disadvantages, and, made every other day, rapidly effect a cure. 
Prof. Kaposi states {ibid.) that epicarin is also effective in cuta¬ 
neous diseases in human beings, and that its action, resembling 
that of beta-naphtol, perhaps renders it of special benefit in 
the treatment of children. He recommends the epicarin to be 
used in the form of a 10 per cent, ointment with any suitable 
base, or in solution with alcohol and glycerin.— {Merck's Re¬ 
port .) 
Legislative Bills in New York. —Chairman Wm. Henry 
Kelly, of the Legislative Committee of the N. Y. S. V. M. A., 
informs the Review that Assembly bills Nos. 567, 913 and 2526 
have become laws. The former provides that u any person 
