VARIOUS HYGIENIC ASPECTS OF AUSTRALIAN LIFE. 503 



deleterious living germs, there are few pathogenic micro-organisms 

 that do not meet death in the kettle. I have found as much 

 satisfaction when thirsty in tlie bush by drinking boiled water 

 mixed with preserved milk as by taking tea. The Paraguay tea 

 grows to the lieight of twenty feet in the Botanic Gardens of 

 Brisbane. 



Reverting to the more important subject, the spread of typhoid 

 fever, can we narrow down the incjuiry so as to apprehend more 

 correctly tlie working of the contagion of typhoid and so discover 

 the neglt^cted sanitary precautions ? In the present state of 

 our knowledge few will be disposed to deny tliat the essential 

 element of ty})hoid is a contagious virus, and that the emana- 

 tions from the spontaneous decomposition of organic matter, 

 whatever else they give rise to, will not produce this special entity, 

 bacillus, micrococcus, or whatever in the long run it may prove 

 to be of typhoid fever, the addition of the evacuation of typhoid 

 patients to some forms of decomposing organic matter may 

 possible infect them and the typhoid microbe may there grow 

 and multiply. This we assume to be the case, but more evidence 

 is necessarv to prove it. If such were so, how is it that in the 

 low-lying parts of towns where fever cases have resided in the 

 past, where the soil is rich in organic debris and moist from the 

 continuous irrigation of slop-water, that we do not find more 

 cases of fever? If we collect the statistics of such a scattered 

 place as Brisbane, we shall find rather that typhoid is more 

 frequent on the tops of dry ridges far away from the valley of 

 drainage. Children re-admitted to schools after recovery from 

 typhoid at times distribute the disease ; of the truth of this 

 statement I have good evidence. 



Our rising Colonial Universities give us good ground for hope that 

 advancement in Medical and Sanitary Science may be reasonably 

 expected. The excellent medical work done at the University of 

 Melbourne calls for our warmest admiration, and the perfecting 

 of the class-rooms and laboratories is now being proceeded with 

 regardless of expense. The extent to which Adelaide has developed 

 medical teaching at its University astonislied me much, and I felt 

 as if it would be a great pleasure to stop a session to listen to the 

 information to be gained from Dr. Stirling, Professor Watson, 

 and the hospital surgeon. A great advantage Adelaide possesses 

 as ascientitic school is the proximity of the Botanical and Zoological 

 Gardens, the Hospital, the Museum, and Literaiy Institute, with 

 each other. The absence of confusion created by great mercantile 

 affairs will also act favourably on mental culture. The late M. 

 Miklouho-Maclay, in his wanderings selected Sydney as the most 

 suitable spot in Australia for the erection of a Zoological Station, 

 and we all know of his etforts in this direction at Watson Bay, but 

 with all his labours how premature was found the time for carrying 

 out the noble idea. Still, one cannot doubt that the judgment 



