58 



brought to some delicate portion of our animal tissue, say the 

 throat, or some part of our mucous membrane, and finding 

 there congenial elements — congenial in a chemical sense — 

 organic changes are set up. We may take alcoholic fermen- 

 tation as an illustration of what occurs. When yeast, in its^ 

 active condition, is placed in contact with sugar in solution, 

 what is called a biological reactioti occurs. A re-arrangement 

 of its atoms sets in, first decomposition, then re-composition ; 

 for what we call fermentation is nothing more than this 

 chemical change. New organisms not only form but multiply 

 endlessly in succession. What occurs during this process I 

 take as a typical example ; what the organism of the yeast 

 plant does to sugar or honey in solution, organic germs do to 

 the human system under given conditions. To an unhealthy 

 subject, presenting favourable conditions for chemical change, 

 these germs are not in themselves poison, but become poison '^ 

 and by that I mean that they effect organic pJterations which 

 constitute disease. A family at Brighton or Sorell, or Evandale 

 drink these germs in stagnant water, consisting of animal or 

 vegetable decomposition. Sometimes it is easy, as I have 

 found it to be, to trace the spread of fever with the breeding- 

 ground of these germs. It was easy to do so at Battery Point 

 before the recent rains came to carry off the decomposing 

 refuse in the open drains. And it is no available objection 

 when you point to families who suffer, though they live 

 furthest from the foul drain or the loathsome stream from 

 which the tea is drunk. If you did not drink the water charged 

 with these death-carrying germs, the cow did, and you drank 

 her milk, and while the vigorous members of your family 

 resisted the infection, the germs found a convenient soil in the 

 unhealthy or the delicate on which to grow and multiply. 

 Disease differs according to the character of the germ, be it 

 typhoid, diphtheretic, or scarlet fever. The iufectant in each 

 case is some organic matter which comes in contact with a 

 suitable soil, and at once sets up chemical organic changes in 

 the warm animal laboratory which we call disease. Now I 

 say that the object of the physician is to cure, the object of the 

 Sanitary Reformer is to prevent it. 



You will remember that a few years ago a terrible and 

 destructive outbreak of typhoid fever took place in England. 

 It was traced to the infected water supply of a dairy farm in 

 Buckinghamshire. A bill has just, I observe, been brought 

 before the House of Lords which deals primarily with cattle 

 disease. I am glad to see also provisions in that bill- -the 

 Duke of Eichmond's — for the better regulation of dairies. It 

 concerns all w^ho are interested in the health of children (and 

 who are not ?) to see that the quality of this, the most im- 



