DcrMPRIESSHIRE AND GALLOWAT A CENTURY AGO. 71 



production and chemical constituents of milk, and then shewed 

 how it might become a medium for disseminating- disease, 

 particularly tuberculosis, typhoid, diarrhoea, scarlet fever, diph- 

 theria, and pointed out circumstances under which such dangers 

 were likely to arise. He received a cordial vote of thanks. 



17th March, 1S99. 



Mr James Barboue, Vice-President, in the Chair. 



Donations and Exchanges. — Papers from the U.S. Department 

 of Agriculture on Life Zones and Crop Zones ; the Geographical 

 Distribution of Cereals, and Cuckoos and Shrikes in their relation 

 to Agriculture ; the Transactions of Wisconsin Academy. 



Exhibits. — Pebbles from Brazil ; Tiles from the Old Summer 

 Palace, Pekin ; Indian Pebbles, Moss Agates, Devonshire Madre- 

 pore, Copper and Gold Ore from Rosario, and Russian Malachite, 

 &c., by Mr Hope Bell of Morringtou. 



Communication. 



The Aloral and Social Conditions of Diunfriesshire and Galloivay a 

 Century Ago. By Mrs BltoWN, Barukin of Craigs. 



This is a subject which in such a paper as the present one it 

 is only possible to treat very superficially, mainly by means of a 

 few illustrative incidents. Neither must the definition, a century 

 ago, be taken too rigidly. Many of the conditions of that particu- 

 lar period were those existing at a much earlier date, and lasting 

 far enough into the present century to be actually Avithin the 

 memory of people still living, at that extremely advanced age not 

 infrequently met with in this part of Scotland. 



That the moral tone of Galloway and Dumfriesshire at the 

 period in question was deplorably low is abundantly proved by 

 the abuses and scandals which, at least in rural districts, were 

 complacently tolerated in connection with religious ordinances, 

 even with the lives and conduct of many of the clergy themselves. 



