268 
THE TROPICAL AGRICULTURIST. 
[Oct. 1, 1898. 
him the money subscribed by the public. The plan- 
ter and the shareholder are the people whom the shoe 
is pinching — the middlemen are in velvet slippers 
still. Economy is wanted all down the line which 
only begins at the plantation gate, and extends 
through carrier companies, directors, agents, bro- 
kers, exchange banks, and wharfingers right away lo 
Mincing Lane. A trades union or alliance of planters 
and shareholders is the tonic the Indian tea industry 
requires to pull it round. 
♦ 
POULTRY FARMS. 
The subject of poultry breediiifj on an exten- 
sive scale is just now oecnpyinf» the attention >jf 
many Durbanites who think there is money in 
tlie business. Me.';si-.-i. Munf,'er iiivl Aarons have 
started a fanu at Malvern, anci it has been 
fitted up with patent incubators capable of turning 
out 1,000 chickens per mantli. IncubaLois h;ive 
also been erected at Umgoiii, in connection w ith 
the Queen's Bridj^e Hotel, for tluck-breediny. — 
Natal Mercuri/, Aug. 12. 
AN INDUSTRY OF t^UININE. 
Professor Koch has published a severe indictment 
of quinine, iu which he urges, that the extent lo 
which the alkaloid is used in tropical and malarial 
countries not only doo-j not effect the object for 
which it is taken, but is open to a far graver charge. 
According to the eminent piofessor quinine ia given 
in such excessive doses iu the treatment of malarial 
fever that in many caies the more dangerous black- 
water fever is induced. One of the causes which is 
no doubt responsible for the consumption of such 
enormous quantities of tlu alkaloid is the immense 
cheapening in piice which has taken place iu recent 
years. Residents in tropical countries are accustomed 
not only to take the drug in largo do?e3 intermittently, 
but also regularly, with the object of impregnating 
the system and rendering it proof against malaria. 
Many persons who have lived in the tropics aver 
that quinine does not effect the object of rendering 
the consumer immune against m^ilarial fever, and 
that its excessive use tends to debilitate the system 
and cause the fever, when it does attack the subject, 
to be far more dangerous. It is also said that autipyrin 
«nd antifebrin have similar effects. In support of 
this theory it is stated tho.t the mortality in certain 
portions of West Africa is increasing, in spite of the 
fact that conditions of life are rapidly improving. 
"Whether there is any ground for this b?lief in the 
injury caused by the continued consumption of quinine 
we do not know, but there is no doubt that the 
use of it has increased enormously of recent years, 
this being partly dne, leaving out of the question 
the present price of the drug, to the fact thit it is 
now presented in such palatable forms as sugar-coated 
tablets. It is asserted, too, that women are unable 
to take quinine to the extent that men do, and that, 
therefore, the mortality of women on the West Coast 
of Africa is much less in proportion to that of 
males. It must, however, be borne in mind, in this 
connection, that European women at any rate, in 
such regions as we are now dsaliug with, are not 
exposed to such trying circumstances as are men. 
In ordinary cases of fever on the West Coast of 
Africa doses of 70 grains or more in 1i hours are 
said to be by no means uncommon. Professor Koch 
also advances the argument that cases of black-water 
fever occur almo.=t exclusively among white men, 
and the disease only exceptionally attacks women 
and natives. This be ascribes to the fact that the 
consumption o£ quinine is far greater among the 
European male population than among any other 
class of the community. Professor Koch concludes 
his article by saying that the treatment of black- 
water fever with quinine must cease, and that malarial 
patients, who have had one attack of black-water 
fever, ninst have quinine given them with extreme 
caution, and it is far better to give some other 
renjedy inste^d. These are weighty words comiDK 
from a man like Dr. Koch, and we are waitinft with 
considerable interest to hear what croiDont Hutbo- 
rities will have to say in favour of a drug like quiniue, 
the reputation of which has been so long established, 
and which reputation we cannot think will be swept 
aside without some very strong arguments being ad- 
vanced in opposition to tbobe we have Bummariaed 
above.— a/id Colonial Ih-ugiji»t, Aug. 19. 
QUININE IN SOUTHERN INDIA. 
The report on the administration of the Govern- 
ment cinchona department durin" 1897 98 is very 
satisfactory and shows that the amount of quinine 
distribute! durin*.' the year was the lii^liei-l uu 
record and exceeded the previous year's ixsues by 
428 lb. The sales of (juiniiie packetx by \nMMi 
a<,'eiicy continued to eliow an inereaiM;, havin{( 
amounted to 65Si lb, against (iiS lb. in 1K96-97. 
On the other hand, 8ale« by the Revenue <Hlic«r* 
necessarily showed a further decrease. The ile- 
mand of the Oovernment medical depots for 
tebrifuge fell considerably. The total leceipts 
and charges amounted to R98,4fi-1 and R9j,:*)0, 
respectively agiin.st R 147,310 and R82.549 in 1896- 
97. The fall in receipts was mainly due to tlie 
fact that the price of quinine supplied Ut Uo- 
verumcnr medical dcitots was reduced from R18 
in I8% !)7 to Rll in the year under review. From 
the balance sheet it appears tliaC the profit ju the 
year's working amounted to R32,8.V2 15 10. Mr. 
Standen, the Director has richly deserved the 
thanks of the Government for his eflicieiit work- 
ing of the plantations and factoiy during the 
year.— J/, ,'itaiidard. 
THE SEYCHELLES. 
One writing enthusiastically in a contemporary 
on the various advantages and delights «f the 
Seychelles, especially as a recruiliuj; place lor worn 
Anglo-Indians who have not the time or money 
to run home, says that apart from their attractive- 
ness as a health resort the Seychelles afford a 
very fair opening for an energetic man with a little 
capital. It is claimed for this little British colony 
that it offers advantages for a young man with a 
thousand pounds to spare not to be found elsewhere. 
Some planters from Behar who recently visited 
Mahe were so favourably iiiipres.scd with itn 
possibilities that they have decided to give up 
indigo planting and try their fortunes in the For- 
tunate Isles. — M. Times, Sejit. 4- 
NORTH BORNEO ITEMS. 
There is a strong feeling in British North Borneo 
that a large amount of trade will soon take place 
between that Colony and the Philippines, now that 
an up-to-date Power has the control. Previously 
squeezes of the same character as exists in China 
handicapped commerce. There will now be a 
doing away with discriminative duties and res- 
trictions, and there will be the opening of 
new ports. 
The Bakow Company exported lately 22 cases 
of Catch. This is now one of the most flourishing 
industries in Sandakan. 
A sale of Pearls took place at Marudu Bay by 
auction and §2,563 were realised, one pearl fetched 
$150. A survey of the banks is likely to be made 
so as to regulate the fishing. A new bank has iaa) 
been discovered. 
