25 



premises, aud tlie careless habit of throwing offal infected by 

 cysts aside, so that dogs might eat it. In consequence of these 

 observations I am convinced that the elaborate returns so 

 courteously supplied to me by the Victorian Government as to 

 the dogs registered in the various cities, towns, boroughs, and 

 by the Shire Councils do not represent by a vast number the 

 real number of dogs in the province. 



As regards the media of conveyance of the tapeworm 

 eggs into the body, there can be no doubt that the water 

 supply is the chief one. There is really every factor at 

 work in the South-East to spread the disease — a large 

 number of sheep, marsupials, &c., to act as "hosts" for 

 the cystic germ; a great many useless dogs which, through 

 want of knowledge of their owners, are allowed to eat the 

 offal of sheep and the viscera of kangaroo caught in the 

 chase; a great area of land, swampy in the winter, and in 

 places perennially so, but at other spots becoming dry or sandy 

 in the summer. Finally, many people are not acquainted with, 

 or too indifferent to, the danger of drinking from water-holes or 

 small swamps; aud in excuse it must be remembered that the 

 dangerous draught may be cool, clean-looking, and inviting. 

 Hence we cannot wonder that hydatids are common in man. The 

 perversity of ignorance is often astounding. An influential 

 sheep-farmer in the South-East assured me recently that he had 

 found it almost impossible to prevent station hands in his em- 

 ployment from drinking surface - water, although he had 

 thoughtfully provided an ample supply of wholesome and safe 

 drink for their use. 



Discussiox. 



Mr. GrEUXDT drew Dr. Thomas's attention to the nature of 

 the water supply on the Benara Station. It consisted of two 

 well-watered permanent creeks, and the water collected in 

 underground caves. There was always an abundant supply. 



Mr. Todd, C.M.G-., remarked that in the country townships 

 the people mainly got their water supply from tanks and wells. 

 He thought that the swamps in the South-East were far too 

 extensive to be capable of becoming infected to any appreci- 

 able extent with the ova from the tapeworm of the dog. 



Prof. Tate asked Dr. Thomas if he thought the parasite to 

 be endemic. 



Dr. Thomas, in replying, made a few remarks respecting 

 prophylactic measures. He thought that the chief of these 

 would be to increase the dog- tax, see that it was rigidly carried 

 out, and take steps to destroy all unregistered dogs. A pure 



