15 



In the early stages of the disease, Professor Koch has impHcit 

 faith ill the curative vahie of his remedy. To use his own words, 

 " Phthsis in the beghming can be cured with certainty by this 

 remedy." But in Phthisical cases where the king substance is to 

 any considerable extent destroyed, although the general condition 

 of the patient may be improved, the lost tissue of course cannot be 

 replaced. And, as a matter of fact, in some advanced stages of the 

 disease, the injections have been attended with fatal results. If, 

 however, this remedy should happily fulfil the promise claimed for 

 by its discoverer, we may truly be said to be at the beginning ot a 

 new era, such a one as the world has never known, for the same 

 principle which underlies the Koch treatment could, if true, be 

 applied to all diseases, and the bacteriologist and innoculator will 

 reign supreme. Whether this Utopian dream will ever be reali/.ed 

 is beyond my province to determine— time alone can show. In the 

 meantime, every conceivable test will, doubtless, be impartially 

 applied to the new remedy, and we may confidently hope that, in 

 the end, real benefit to mankind will accrue from the patient and 

 indefatigable labours of Professor Koch, even should the remedy 

 fall short of the brilliant results prophesied for it by his too san- 

 guine disciples. 



Dr. T. Eastes added a few remarks, and proposed a vote of thanks 

 which was seconded by Mr. Blandford and carried unanimously. 



The President and Vice-Presidents were then re-elected ; also the 

 committee with the exception of Mr. Rosling, who has left Folke- 

 stone. 



The Secretary and Assistant Secretary were then re-elected. 



Mr. Walton once more called the attention of the members to the 

 main object of the society, viz., to work out the natural history of 

 the neighbourhood. It would be advisable at each annual meeting 

 to have a list prepared of the discoveries and additions to the Fauna 

 and Flora of the district during the preceding year. 



February 10th, 1891. 



Thirty-two members were present. Mr. Walton exhibited some 

 lichens, and the curious fruit of Saifos amirariiiii. The Secretary 

 read the following paper forwarded by H. F. Kutt, Esq., 



ON TAILS. 



The subject of Tails is a wide one. In order to narrow it some- 

 what, I shall confine myself, in this paper, to the tails of vertebrate 

 animals. But it will be found necessary to include, along with 



