In three previous studies the Water-Jel (WJ) system was found to protect burn wounds from microbial contamination, to have excellent analgesic and cooling effects when used as a first-aid dressing and to be bactericidal to 15 microorganisms including yeasts tested from the Ostrava Burn Unit. Now a new WJ system has been introduced without povidone iodine. An extensive bacteriological laboratory evaluation of the new WJ system showed quite clearly its excellent antimicrobial and antimycotic properties for 13 of the 15 strains of microorganisms tested, the only exceptions being Clostridium difficile and partially Streptococcus faecalis. In a preliminary study, the new WJ system was used for 24-48 h in 74 burned patients with superficial partial and deep partial skin thickness burns. In 89 per cent of them there were no signs of infection on their burn wound after 48 h. The new WJ system was well tolerated and no allergic reactions appeared.