XIV. 



was attributable to the enfeebled constitutions of many of the 

 parents, caused by drink and other vices. 



Mr. R. Lstgleby thought the paper just read was one of the 

 most valuable that had ever been read before the Society. The 

 conclusions arrived at by Dr. Magarey fully confirmed his own 

 observations. He did not loiow whether intemperance in the 

 parents affected the question or not, but pointed out that in 

 the mining districts of Yorke's Peninsula and at Port Adelaide, 

 where the greatest mortality amongst infants prevailed, there 

 were the greatest numbers of teetotallers. (Hear, hear, and 

 " It was the drunkenness that was the cause of the teetotalism.") 

 He proposed a vote of thanks to Dr. Magarey. 



Dr. J. M. Gunsost seconded. He did not think that vice 

 and intemperance in the mother was the cause of the excess of 

 deaths of infants under one year in South Australia, for the 

 women in Victoria were quite as vicious and intemperate, and 

 yet the infant deathrate was less per 1,000. The sanitary state 

 of the city in respect to drainage could be tested by the pre- 

 valence or absence of typhus or typhoid fever, and in Adelaide 

 during the past year there had been less of this fever than for 

 some time previously. He agreed with Dr. Magarey that the 

 extreme heat and dryness of our summer days was the cause 

 of the excess of infant deaths as compared with the other 

 colonies. At first the heat had a stimulating effect, but after- 

 Avards a reaction was set up, and then it became depressing. 

 This was illustrated by the activity displayed by adults during 

 the first days of a hot period, and the lassitude experienced 

 towards the end. He alluded to the necessity for supplying 

 infants with moisture or water in the hot weather, and for 

 being more careful in regulating the clothing to the heat indi- 

 cated by the thermometer. The question suggested itself — 

 " Can we adopt any method of making the climate cooler?" 

 The influence of trees on climate was well known. The leaves 

 during the day absorbed solar heat, reducing the temperature, 

 and converting heat energy into vital energy ; leaves had also 

 a strong purifying effect upon the atmosphere, and, by exha- 

 lation, tended to produce a healthy humidity in the air. There 

 was an enormous surface in inches of leaf-surface in one of our 

 large eucalypts, and the evaporation of moisture from any 

 such surface was far greater than that which was received 

 from an equal space of atmosphere by precipitation. If 

 the Park Lands and open spaces were planted with trees, 

 shrubs, and flowers, instead of being left dry, parched, 

 and arid, as at present, not only would the space be 

 made more healthy, but the city would be rendered far more 

 attractive and agreeable to our visitors. 



Mr. Chaeles Todd suggested that breaking up the soil and 



