1026 PROCEEDINGS OF SECTION I. 
I cannot speak so favourably of the condition of rural Australia. 
Some writers, I find, say there are elements of encouragement in 
the existing state of things, and that it is not a vain hope to 
believe that broader hygienic ideals will yet take hold of the local 
governing authorities, and lift the sanitary position of the country 
districts to a higher level. Meanwhile, it is to be feared, the fact 
is only too patent, that in the larger number of rural communities, 
very primitive and insanitary ‘conditions prevail. In many 
instances the functions of these Local Health Authorities seem to 
be exhausted in the abatement of glaring and offensive nuisances. 
Municipal communities have been moving forward, but rural 
districts have been stationary. The hope of reaching these 
a itho-cities hes in better and wiser legislation than we have yet 
had. 
There are many agencies at work in this country, pressing 
towards a higher sanitary ideal. The mingling of health topics 
in our various systems of public education, the existence of centres 
of imstruction, established by the St. John’s Ambulance movement, 
all over the colonies, the labours of scientific associations and 
popular health societies, the dissemination of useful information 
by the Press, the organisation of several forms of charities, 
especially hospitals and trained nursing institutions, all conspire 
to create and extend a mass of simple knowledge among the 
“people that must inevitably bear practical fruit ; and let us also 
hope, that by the same means, the attention of our legislators will 
be arrested, and the necessity for the embodiment of a higher 
legislative ideal will speedily become apparent to them also. 
The influence of our hospitals should be powerful in the direction 
indicated. These institutions should certainly be able to lift the 
public mind from the rudimentary notion that the administration 
of the public health consists in something more than the removal 
of a disagreeable odour ora heap of rubbish. hey should be 
competent to teach the fact that isolation, ventilation, disinfection, 
drainage, and pure water are, anywhere and everywhere, the con- 
ditions neces:ary to secure safety from some of the most fatal 
diseases that afflict our race. The construction and practical 
working of our hospitals should illustrate every advance in 
modern. hygiene, and, doubtless, many of them do. They crystallise 
to the public the best scientific ideals, and are true object lessons 
to those whom it is our earnest desire to enlighten, 
It is not necessary for me to detail the admirable illustrations 
in this city and elsewhere in Australia of hospital architecture, 
construction, organisation and management. No doubt when the 
new Fever Hospital takes shape in Melbourne, it will be an 
exposition of the best hygienic views of the day, and Australians 
generally will be proud to model smaller structures with further 
