MEETINGS OF SOCIETIES. 19I 



animals would be diminished, and this remark applied not only to 

 " Cumberland disease," but generally to all contagious diseases of stock. 

 In view of the great impetus recently given to the meat export trade, it 

 was most desirable that every possible precaution should be adopted in 

 order to prevent European bacteriologists from finding in meat imported 

 from Australia microbes or remains of microbes in large quantities. 

 Stockowners would do well to bear in mind the fact that the import of 

 hogflesh from America had been interdicted by many countries in 

 Europe for several years past. 



Mr. Charles Moore expressed his sense of the value of the paper. 

 He was quite sure that Mons. Loir was right in his conclusions. It 

 was no use burying the dead animals ; they must be burned to prevent 

 infection. 



Professor Anderson Stuart considered that the thanks of the 

 pastoralists were due to the author of the paper, and thought that the 

 suggestion of Mons. Loir, that the pastoralists should take precautions 

 to prevent the export of any infected carcases, was an excellent one. 

 If any of the microbes were found in Europe in meat received from 

 Australia the fact would be sure to be made the most of by interested 

 parties, and it would prove to be the death-knell to the trade. 



Dr. MacLaurin pointed out that the law already provided for the 

 dealing with persons who sold diseased meat. He fancied that exporters 

 would see that it would be not only wicked but foolish to send such 

 meat to market. If thsy exported it they did so in contravention of 

 the law. 



2. Professor Anderson Stuart exhibited an apparatus for the demon- 

 stration of sound waves or waves of condensation and reflection. The 

 instrument, to which he had not yet given a name, showed the movements 

 of pellets of ivory, which repi'esented particles of air as they oscillated 

 to and fro. The first idea which led him to construct the apparatus 

 was obtained from the oscillation of the legs of the centipede, which 

 moved in a double wave — as seen from above, in waves of condensation 

 and rarefaction ; as seen from the side, in vertical waves. The instru- 

 ment was described as accurately representing the to-and-fro movement 

 of the particles of air. The sound wave, as it were, could therefore be 

 seen progressing from one end of the instrument to the other. 



3. Professor Dixon demonstrated to members the working of Love- 

 bond's tintometer, which is specially useful in examining malt, flour, 

 sugar, beers, and wines. Its purpose is to " dissect " the colours of the 

 objects examined, and to determine what their value is. 



ROYAL SOCIETY OF VICTORIA. 

 Melbourne, June 11th, 1891. — E. J. White, Esq , in the chair. 



Mr. E. F. J. Love read the report of the Gravity Survey Committee 

 appointed in November last. The committee had, in accordance with 



