Proceedings of the Society. ▼!!. 



He ibe nread a Leiier which hi had addressed to the Medical 

 Society of Port Louis, on the malady in the Canes, and the cir- 

 cuHoslances which may be connected with il, as well as ihe an- 

 twer of the Medical Society [hereto. The three questions, pro- 

 posed in the Secretary's Letter, and submitted to the Medical 

 Society, were resolved as follows : 



4" Question.— The oxen and other draught cattle, which are 

 fed on the chopped stumps and heads of the diseased C;mes, are 

 lh6y h6l lhftr6by Mhdercd theaoseives liable iu iue effects of 

 the malady? 



Answer. — a The Cane tops may bs given as forage without 

 » danger to the animals so long as they have not reached thelail 

 » stage of the disease. Viz : that of decomposition. » 



2"* Question.— The people, who live in the neighbourhood 

 of the infected squares, the exhalations from which extend to 

 a considerable distance, do they not also runthe risk of com- 

 promising their health, by breathing the vitiated air which sur- 

 rounds ihcm? 



Answer.— € If it be true that it can be established that theas- 

 1 mosphere. which surrounds the fields of diseased Canes, be 

 » impregnated with exhalations which may be left at a conside- 

 1 rable distance, so much so as to lead to the supposition that 

 » they are greatly corrupted, it must be admitted that the health 

 » of mankind would be affected by breathing them, s 



3"* Question.— And, by inference, may it not be asked, after 

 all, whether the matter elaborated from a plant in a state of de- 

 composition, whatever may have been the process by which 

 that matter has been extracted, can be employed v^ilhoul dan- 

 gar in the ordinary wants of life? 



An wer. — <i As to the third quSElioD inquiring whether the 

 1 matter extracted from thejuiceof plants entirely decomposed 

 » may be employed without danger in the ordinary wan's of 

 > life, your Committee supposes that the Secretary of the Society 

 1 of Arts and Sciences refers exclusively to the Sugar of the de- 



