PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESS. 145 
Victoria: A kind of paralysis was noticeable in a small 
percentage of the mice in May, 1917. 
South Australia: Skin disease was in evidence at many 
places most of the year, but apparently had no appreciable 
effect in decreasing the number of mice. Cold weather and 
wet weather appear to have been the principal influences 
leading to a diminution of numbers. 
(10) Disease in Man, e.g., Ringworm, Sores, attributed to 
the Mice or the Damaged Grain, etc. 
Victoria: In isolated cases, men handling wheat infested 
by mice contracted an itching on the arms similar to ring- 
worm. The diagnoses of impetigo contagiosa, scabies and 
favus had apparently been applied to the sores. 
South Australia: A few men (relatively) contracted skin 
disease from mice, apparently through carelessness in not 
using disinfectants on cuts, ete. Apparently none of the 
skin troubles were serious, and were cured without diffi- 
culty. 
(11) Suggested Cause of the Increase, Seasonal, etc. 
The Secretary to the Victorian Wheat Commission offers 
no suggestion as to the cause of the increase. 
Similarly in South Australia no information was obtain- 
able except that the mice had appeared almost simultane- 
ously in most parts over an area of 600 to 700 miles square, 
both in and distant from agricultural areas. 
Personal Information—Mr. J. B. Clarke, late of the 
Victorian Wheat Commission, has very kindly supplied me 
with the following account of the pest in that State. He 
Says :— 
‘*One of the main features which tended to make the 
plague so bad during the last season was the fact that im- 
mense stacks of old wheat were held at country stations in 
1915-16. During the spring of 1916 it was noticed that 
J—May 1, 1918. 
