8 



tlie tun, which is a meadow siirromidiDg the house, A'aryijig in 

 extent according to the number of cows kept en the farm. 

 This field is dressed with their dung, and produces the hay 

 which constitutes the food of the cattle during the winter" 

 (Baring Gould, p. 45). It is evident how easily the grass and 

 hay of this small meadow may become infested with the minute 

 ova of the innumerable Taenia harboured by the numerous 

 dogs of an Icelandic homestead. 



Hydatid Disease ix the Australasian Colonies. 

 I think that most of the intelligent public of Australia have 

 known or heard that hydatid disease is a common one in this 

 Southern Britain, but hitherto no extensive investigation into 

 the prevalence and causes of this disease has been undertaken 

 in Australia. JN'ow, as this malady is, theoretically at least, 

 perfectly preventible, and as moreover it may, I believe, be 

 practically reduced in extent, I think that the entire subject is 

 worthy of careful study and close investigation. Of course the 

 first step in any such inquiry is to ascertain as far as ]30ssible 

 the extent and local distribution of the disease; and in the 

 case of Australia, as in that of G-reat Britain, we may hope to 

 get reliable data from — 1st. The mortality returns of the 

 various colonies ; and, 2ud. The records of the hospital in each 

 province. I mentioned nw desire to the Hon. W. Morgan, 

 who was Chief Secretary of South Australia at the time I com- 

 menced this work, and he most kindly offered to use his influ- 

 ence with the Governments of the other colonies to further my 

 inquiry. I beg to offer my most cordial thanks, not only to 

 Mr. Morgan, but also to the Hon. J. C. Bray, who has also 

 greatly aided me. Through the kind influence of our two Chief 

 Secretaries, I have also received the greatest assistance from 

 Mr. Graham Berry and Sir Bryan O'Loughlen in Victoria, and 

 froni Sir Henry Parkes in Xew South AVales. Equally ready 

 and courteous help has been given by the Governments of 

 Queensland, New Zealand, and Tasmania. Not only have the 

 Governments of all the colonies given their powerful and in- 

 deed indispensable aid, but the hospital officials and public 

 registrars have ungrudgingly and carefully taken infinite 

 pains to supply the facts required. I cannot too gratefully 

 acknowledge my obligations to my fellow-workers in this 

 cause, and can only earnestl}' hope that great public good will 

 result from the publication of the facts supplied by them. I 

 shall first draw your attention to the hydatid statistics of the 

 various colonies, and then I shall endeavour to point out the 

 causes of the striking prevalence of the disease in some of 

 them. From all the colonies of Australasia replies to my 

 questions have been received, but as might have been exj^ected, 



