542 Proceedings. 
tuition, but he might say that arrangements were now in contemplation by which lectures 
would be carried on in connection with the College. Collegians who desired to study 
these subjects would, under the arrangements he contemplated being given effect to, be 
able to attend classes at the Museum and Library, which would be conducted by competent 
persons. He hoped these classes might be open to members of the Society, and to such of 
_ the general public as desired such a course of study. With reference to the work of the 
past year, it had been chiefly the reading of papers. This kind of work required the 
co-operation of members residing in different parts of the colony in order that the results 
might be useful. Asan instance of this he might particularly refer to the paper by Mr. 
Buchanan on “‘ Some diseases of sheep and cattle in New Zealand.” These diseases were 
prcpaanies by the development of certain minute forms of animal life, and the symptoms 
; to be studied by the different flock-owners in the colony, and the observations com- 
municated to the Society, or to some person engaged in these investigations, for the pur- — 
pose of comparing results. The progress of these diseases had been studied to a remark- 
- able degree of late. As had been stated by Mr. Travers during the discussion on one of 
these papers, there were already signs of our acquiring the means of warding off these 
ases and protecting animals from their inroads in the same way as we now—though 
very imperfectly here—protect the community from the attacks of smallpox. This im- 
portant matter was well worth the attention of all members of the Society who took an 
interest in scientific researches which had a direct bearing upon the welfare of the human 
race. With reference to smallpox, the apathy displayed as to the best means of protect- 
ing ourselves from the scourge appeared to him to be almost criminal. We were natnrally 
protected against the incursion of a vast number of diseases, but an outbreak of smallpox 
here would be disastrous. In the first place, comparatively few of the people of New 
Zealand realised the horrible nature of this disease, and vaccination is a matter in which 
only partial interest is taken. If the matter were brought more prominently before the 
public by proper means, aided by compulsory vaccination, he thought it quite possible - 
that we might get rid of the necessity for the quarantine system. We might then take 
our chance of the small number of cases which might occur in the community. There 
had been a great cry raised of late in favour of what was called animal vaccination, that 
was vaccination with lymph taken direct from the ealf, instead of with lymph taken from 
the arm of an infant. In his opinion there was a good deal of misapprehension in this 
matter. Vaccination was really sowing the seed of smallpox in the system in the same 
way that carrots or turnips were sown in a garden. These germs of disease lost power by 
tion, and the taking of lymph from the arms of unhealthy children. In both cases it was 
necessary to take great care th t th 
__ by vaccination ; and for his part he did not see any greater risk attending - 
‘Yaecination than in what was termed animal vaccination. The Government had been ra 
