Vol. XII. No. 287. 



THE AGRICULTURAL NEWS. 



139 



The adults probably emerge from the ground at night and 

 feed on the leaves of these or other pi mta. This would be 

 likely to take place during the mating season, the nocturnal 

 visit!- to the leaves of plants providing npportunity for feed- 

 ing and the union of the sexes, as is the ewe with Fhytalus 

 and other inserts of this group. The adult beetle is brown 

 in colour, and in size is considerably sin.tller than the ordinary 

 Lard back. 



The amount of injury caused by this insect to sugar- 

 canes in St. Kitts is not k 'Own N'o definite observations 

 on this point have been made 



One or more parasites of Tj. patrmJis exist in St. Kitts. 

 During the visit mentioned above, the Entomologist 

 found one larva of this species to which was attached 

 the grub of a hymenopterous insect, jjrobably one of the 

 Scoliidae, but this was not successfully brought to maturity. 

 In the sugar cane fields where the observations on L patruelis 

 were chieHy made, there were observed two or perhaps three 

 species of this group of wasps, one or ninre of which may be 

 parasites of tluse beetle grubs. One of these Scoliid wasps 

 (Ti]ihla parelhla) has been mentioned above as a parasite of 

 I'hytalus sniithi, in Barbados, and another, E'is atrata, 

 a parasite of Praepodea riltatus, in .laroaica. 



In the next issue of the Af/ricullurd Neifs the contin- 

 uation of the present article will concern the different species 

 of hard backs in Antigua, Porto Rico and .St. Vincent together 

 ■with the different species of beetles belonging to the group 

 Dyn.astides, which includes the common hvd back (/.ii/i/na: 

 tuiiiulosnx) and many other scavengers whicli may possibly, 

 under certain conditions, become parasitic. 



THE 



TUBERCULOSIS CONFERENCE 

 IN TRINIDAD. 



This Conference was the outcome of a laudable idea on 

 the part of the medical staff connected witli the Trinidad 

 Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis, 

 to ascertain and collate those facts having a bearing on the 

 disease as it exists in the various British and Foreign Colonies 

 and countries comprising the West Indies, and the adjacent 

 mainland. 



The Hon. Dr H. L Clare, B.A., M.D., Surgeon-General 

 of Trinidad, and Dr. G H. Masson, M.D., the Hon. Secre- 

 tary of the A.ssociation were mainly responsible for its incep- 

 tion, and much credit is due to them for their unsparing 

 effc^rts in this direction. 



His Excellency Sir George Le Hunte, ('< C M.Cl., Governor 

 of Trinidad, interested himselt in the movement, and with 

 the sanction of the Secretary of State, conferred u(ion the 

 proceedings the dignity of official business. The various 

 Governments were approached and delt^gates were invited to 

 attend in Trinidad from March 2-5 to 31, 1913; represen- 

 tatives were sent from Colombia, Martinique, Porto Rico, 

 Surinam, from England and from the following I'.ritish Colo- 

 nies: Barbados, British Guiana, Jamaica, Leeward Islands, 

 Trinidad, Windward Islands, and from the Imperial Depart- 

 ment of Agriculture. 



The inaugural meeting of the Conference was held on 

 Tuesday March 2.5, in the Council Chamber, Port ofSpain, 

 when the L'elegates were presented to His P^xcellency and 

 to Lady Le Hunte. The ordinary meetings were held in the 

 Victoria Institute daily, under the presidency of Hon. Dr. H. L. 

 Clare, M.D.; the final meeting, at which resolutions were 

 passed, took place in the Council Chamber. 



The deliberations were, on the whole, productive of much 

 that was useful, the delegates agreeing in the main on most 

 ( f the points raised, noticeable among which were the facts 



that tuberculosis is more rapid in its destructive progress- 

 in the West Indies than in temperate climates, and that 

 surgical tuberculosis, in fact, any form oiher than pulmonary 

 tuberculosis---popularly known as consumption — is compara- 

 tively rare. 



The passing of resolutif>ns was the last stage of the 

 proceedings In all, five were submitted for the considera-- 

 tion of the delegates and were unanimously agreed to: 

 they will therefore go out with the strong su|'port of thfr' 

 Conference. 



Dr. Cecil Wall ((ireat Britain) proposed, and Major- 

 Dr. Noc (Martinique) seconded a resolution pointing to the 

 desirability of the administrative control of tuberculosis 

 including (1) notification, (2) housing reform, (3) the- 

 establisLment of tuberculosis dispens.iries and other machin- 

 ery for the detection, prevention and treatment of the 

 disease Hon. Dr. Godfrey (Biitish Guiana) moved, ancL 

 Hon. Dr. J. Hutson (Barbados) .seconded 'That tuberculosis, 

 associations be started in West Indian Colonies where they 

 do not now exist.' Hon. Dr. M. P. Duke (Leeward Islands)^ 

 moved, and Dr Tucker (Bermuda) seconded a resolution 

 expressing the desirability of teaching sanitation and hygiene- 

 in the schools. Dr. Ross (.Jamaica), seconded by Hon. 

 Dr. E. F. Hatton (Windward Islands), moved a resolution to> 

 the effect that the endeavour to combat disease would be 

 aided by the adoption of etiioient registration of births,, 

 deaths and marriages. 



During the deliberations of the Conference the ques- 

 tion of bovine tuberculosis had raised some consider- 

 able discussion. There was an almost complete absence; 

 of statistics regarding the incidence of tuberculosis- 

 amongst cattle, and the concensus of opinion appeared, 

 to be that it was so small as to be almost negligible, 

 as a contributory cause of the disease in the human subject. 

 It was however pointed out that at least in some parts of the 

 West Indies the disease exists to a somewhat large extent, and. 

 a paper was read by Mr. P. T. Saunders, M.R.C. V^.S., the- 

 delegate from the Imperial Department of Agriculture, which. 

 elicited the following remark from the President: 'I think 

 it is definitely established that bovine tuberculosis exists ia 

 the West Indies, and it is quite clear that we must endeavour 

 as far as possible tj advise and recommend that measures- 

 should be taken to prevent the extension of the disease andi 

 the possible infection of human subjects.' 



It was not surprising, therefore, to find included, 

 among the resolutions, the following one moved, by Dr. A. 

 McDonald (Kingston City Council, Jamaica): 'That it be- 

 a recommendation of this Conference that measures be 

 taken in the colonies and countries represented here, to stamp- 

 out bovine tuberculosis and to prevent its importation.' This, 

 was seconded by the Veterinary Officer of this 1 )epartment.> 



It was announced at this meeting that the next 

 conference would be held in British Guiana in 1915. 



During the course of the conference the delegates, 

 addressed gatherings in the various schools, a mass meet- 

 ing of some 3,000 East Indians at San Fernando, and the- 

 audience present at the annual meeting of the Trinidad 

 Association for the Prevention and Treatment of Tuberculosis.. 



On Thursday March 27, a Tuberculosis Exhibition wasi. 

 opened by His Excellency Sir George Le Hunte, who was. 

 accompanied by Lady Le Hunte, when all the delegates 

 were present. 



Through the kindne-ss of various local organizations and 

 individuals, the delegates were able to partake in many excur- 

 sions and functions of a social character, all of which were-- 

 rfndered doubly enjoyable through the consideration and 

 attention of the Committee. 



