XUl 



read at this society's rooms. He (the speaker) had been of opinion 

 for 25 years that consumption was infectious. He had seen husbands 

 taking it from wives, and wives from husbands, and he had always 

 advised that a consumptive patient should occupy a separate room. 

 Boiling the milk was most important. Dr. F. Swarbeck Hall strongly 

 advised it in this city years ago. Much could be done by the efficient 

 inspection of dairies and dairy cows. They had seen last summer 

 what great dangers the health of the city was exposed to through bad 

 and unwholesome milk being sold. The spread of infection by the 

 sputum of diseased persons was a most serious thing. He believed very 

 strongly that the disease was hereditary ; that predisposition was not 

 all that was communicated from parent to child. Tuberculosis was 

 most common in aged milch cows. He moved a vote of thanks to Dr. 

 Sprott, and hoped that the people would boil their milk, also that 

 expectoration about the streets would be suppressed. 



Dr. Harvey seconded, and congratulated Dr. Sprott on the able way 

 in which he had handled the subject. Another means of prevention 

 was undoubtedly to be found in a reform in the manner of burying the 

 dead. Spores of disease were often brought up by the earthworm. 



Dr. Crosby Walch believed that the disease was not hereditary, but 

 predisposition only was communicated from mother to child. 



Mr. Mault intimated that the Central Board of Health was seeking 

 to obtain legislative power to inspect all dairies in the country sending 

 milk into the city. 



The Chief Justice thought, that if it be true that there was no 

 tuberculosis in Tasmanian cattle, as Dr. Sprott had indicated, the 

 colony must have a great advantage, and with the use of the tubercu- 

 line test in examining all stock brought to the colony for slaughter it 

 might be kept out of our cattle and our meat. 



The vote of thanks was passed with acclamation. 



Dr. Sprott, in replying, said it was generally conceded that consump- 

 tion of the lungs was not hereditary, but tuberculosis \^as hereditary. 

 So long as a person kept strong and in good health, the bacilli of 

 tuberculosis need not be feared. As to tuberculosis in stock in Tas- 

 mania, he had stated that he had not, so far, been able to find any. 



EOUTES TO THE WEST. 



Mr. J. B. Walker, F.R.G.S., read a paper, prepared by Mr. 

 T. Stephens, M.^., F.G.S., upon "Land Routes to the Western 

 Districts, " illustrated by an enlarged map. The svriter first 

 dwelt on the natural obstacles, notwithstanding that there were 

 no savages or man - eating tigers to be encountered. Having 

 referred to past surveys and proposed railway route?, he de- 

 scribed the land routes along which tracks saould be made. He 

 first referred to the Linda track from Mole Creek. Another 

 was from Sheffield to Mount Read, a distance of only 50 miles, one 

 half of which is already covered with tracks fit for horse or foot 

 traffic. The Marlborough and Mount Atrowsmith to Mount Lyell 

 route was next referred to, and which it was claimed should be kept 

 open. Then there was the route known as "Dawson's road." It was 

 now evident that a more direct route to the Gordon was obtainable 

 south of Mount Field. Two other routes were noticed, one passing 

 the head of the Florentine Valley and striking out to Mount Lyell, 

 and the other going from the head of the Florentine Valley to the 

 Gordon. He thought a much easier way could be found south of 



