85 



found by the latter amongst the birds at the Zoo. 

 Unfortunately no mention of this is made in the 

 Report, but I hope to find some details in the forth- 

 coming Proceedings of the Society as to the particular 

 species of birds involved, since it will be a very 

 interesting point to observe which of the avian 

 families outside the GalliriacecB are most susceptible 

 to tuberculosis when subjected to the influences above 

 alluded to, and which are so different to those obtain- 

 ing amongst them when kept as cage birds. 



The case of these two avian diseases strongly 

 reminds one of that of Typhus Fever amongst human 

 beings a generation ago. While it was so rarely found, 

 even as a sporadic incidence, among the well-to-do 

 classes or even in thinly populated districts of a mixed 

 character, as to be practically non-existent, and while 

 in certain large and thickly populated centres it 

 actually was non-existent {e.g. in Birmingham, where 

 I believe no case is on record), yet in the densely 

 crowded parts of some cities — Dublin and Liverpool 

 to wit — it amounted to a veritable scourge. But with 

 the march of knowledge came more efiicient sanitation, 

 and the disease is now often but a memory where 

 once it was rampant. 



It is to be hoped that the appointment of a Patho- 

 logist will have a like effect at the Zoo, and that in 

 time the Council and Fellows will reap the reward 

 which should accrue to logical far-sighted measures. 



There is no mention of any septicsemic disease 



in the Report. 



W. Geo. Creswfxi.. 



