74 PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS 
of Amoy, in 1876-7. Dr. John Mullen, of Fortitude Valley, 
found the first case known here of chyluria in 1873, the late Dr. 
Thomas Rowland, observing the disease in Ipswich about the 
same time. I have a letter of his on the subject, dated 5th Dec- 
ember, 1874. The parent worm was discovered in Brisbane in 
in December, 1876. Now that we have water from the reservoir 
at Enoggera and our tanks covered with metal gauze screens, 
wells and underground tanks being closed, we may expect the 
disease to diminish, especially if all doubtful water is boiled 
or properly filtered. Hydatid disease in the western country 
shows no sign of increase, though occasional cases occur. Only 
a few days ago I removed about half-a-pint of hydatid cysts from 
the back of a patient who had apparantly contracted the disease 
about sixteen years ago. This disease is much more common in 
the interior parts of the southern colonies, and would soon 
become a thing of the past if children were taught the danger of 
drinking pool-water to which dogs have access, for these animals 
are well known to transport the embryo hydatids to such places, 
having obtained them whilst feeding on the lungs and other 
organs of uncooked sheep, which are often infested with these 
parasites. An uncooked hydatid in the intestines of a dog leads 
to the development of a small tape worm. These tape worms 
live in the intestines for years, giving off eggs in the excreta of 
the dog. Eggs swallowed by a human being or sheep grow into 
hydatids. 
Wells if kept properly covered should yield water safe to 
drink. Pure water is the most important thing produced by 
sanitary legislation, but our Health Act passed last session of 
Parliament did nothing to this end. Water is, of all com- 
modities in this arid country, what should be guarded as a 
precious treasure ; yet we see by some old Act, stillin force, that 
slaughter houses must be built within 60 feet of the bank of 
creek. The clause reads thus :— 
