Supplemnt to the Tropical Jgncti/tnrist." 
[November 2, 1891. 
372 
When obtainable the fruit is eaten, especially 
by children, though it produces a peculiar 
astringency in the mouth. 
The bark of this tree, on account of its 
astringent properties, is considered by native 
medcial practitioners a good dentifrice, and is 
externally applied in cases of serpent bites. 
56. Mimusops Indica. Sin. Palu. 
The M. Indica is one of those trees which are 
found in the forests of the Island especaially in the 
warmer dry districts of the South-Est and the 
North-West. The tree grows to very large dimen- 
sions, and large quantities of a small oval fruit of. 
the size and shape of a country date are produced 
These when ripe are of a yellowish tinge, and 
contain a characteristic lacteous juice ; never- 
theless it tastes well and is consumed in the 
districts where it is obtained. The fruit of 
the M.. Indica when preserved in syrup keeps 
well for a length of time. The timber of this 
tree is used for a variety of purposes, especially 
as pjanks tor bridges, while it is also considered 
to b e suitable for railway sleeper.?. The bark 
of this tree is used in native medical practice 
in preparing a gargle for sore throat. The fruits 
produce a sweet syrup and the seeds an oil. 
W. A. D. S. 
VETERINARY SCIENCE AT THE CONGRESS 
At the late Congress of Hygiene and Demography 
several papers were contributed on the various 
parasites, external and internal, transmissible from 
man to animals and vice versa. Dr. Klein en- 
deavoured to demonstrate that various eruptions 
which he described as occurring on the udders 
of cows were liable to produce specific fevers in 
persons using the milk of these subjects. He 
also contends that he has produced experimentally 
diphtheria in the udders of cows by inoculating 
them on the shoulder with diphtlieric discharges 
taken from the throats of children. Dr. Cruick- 
shank. Professor MTadyean, Professor Walley, 
Dr. O. Ostertag of Stuggart, and others expressed 
their incredulity as to Dr. Klein's conclusions 
regarding scarlet fever, which they had never 
seen in cows, and did not belieA'e that it occurred 
in these animals ; recent German experiments 
going to show that it is impossible experi- 
mentally to produce scarlet fever in cattle by 
inoculation. 
Dr. Ostertag read a paper on the inspection 
of milk supplies. The milk from tuberculous 
and other diseased animals he would condemn, 
especially if the disease affected the iidder. 
The ensuing discussion was carried on by various 
medical officers of health and veterinarians. 
There was a general concensus of opinion that 
dairies and milk shops should be registered and 
licensed ; that milk sold to the public should be 
periodically examined by competent experts, and 
dairy cattle premises and per,sons employed in the 
business should be subject to veterinary and 
miMlical inspection. These provisions it Avas 
urg(;d should be applicable to village as well as 
city premis(;s and business. It was believed that 
Ihey might 1)0, in a great measure, authorised and 
can'ied out under the powers of the Local Sanitary 
Authority, the Contagions Diseases (Animals) Act, 
iind the Food aud Drugs Act. Dut if these did not 
already autborise siu;li supervision, they should 
forthwith be amended, 
A whole day was devoted to a discussion on 
Tuberculosis opened by Professor Sanderson, who 
pronounced the disease distinctly infective and 
identical, as it appeared in man and in cattle. 
The milk from tuberculous cows was said to be 
more likely to develope tuberculous disease in 
persons using it than was the eating of the flesh 
of tuberculous animals. Prof e.ssor Nocard thought 
that such food had special dangers for children. 
On the subject of tuberculosis. Professor 
M'Fadyean and Dr. Woodhead contributed a con- 
joint paper, in which they urged the abolition 
of private slaughter-houses and the institution 
of a general system of meat inspection, with a 
view to removing or diminishing the existing 
ri.sks of dangerous diseases being contracted 
through the consumption of unsound or diseased 
animal food. 
The Congress cannot fail to have effected much 
good in many ways, in stimulating the labours 
of those working in various dei^artments, in 
recording the progress made against disease deriv- 
able from many causes, and in indicating the 
measures to be adopted for mitigating or re- 
moving the dangers that spring from these 
causes, and for securing the health of 'both men and 
animals. 
The inspection of dairies, cattle and milk will 
no doubt form part of the duties of the Veteri- 
nary Inspectors in Ceylon, when such are appoint- 
ed. It is a common complaint among householders 
that they cannot procure j)ure cow-milk, but 
these same householders are unfortunately very 
often no judges of pure milk, the general cri- 
terion of purity among them, being the " thickness " 
of the fluid. The lactometor which some use as 
a guide to ascertain the iDurity of milk, has now 
been decided to \>e. no indicator of its nutritive 
value, imless it is known that the milk is un- 
adulterated. AVhether the milk be pure cow- 
milk, or whether l)uffaloes' milk be mixed with it 
is beyond the power of the lactometor to discover, 
but when different samples of unadulterated 
milk are to be tested, the instrument is useful 
to decide in what order they stand as regards 
nutritive value. It is a common jn-actice to adul- 
terate cows' milk with that from buffaloes as 
Avell as with cocomit " milk," so as to " thicken " 
it, and deceive credulous householders. In cases 
where the milk is pure, but happens to be from 
a cow that has lately calved, objections have been 
raised against the milk which is thought to be 
diluted, but which under natural conditions 
contains a larger proportion of water than 
it does when drawn at a later stage. Again when 
pure milk is naturally of a very thick consistency, 
suspicion is aroused that it has been adulterated 
with buffalo-milk. The fact is that house- 
holders who purchase milk are content to have 
their milk of a standard consistency whatever com- 
ponents it may be composed of, and whatever 
its nutritive value. The average milkman at 
the same time becomes demoralized when he 
finds that he has opportunity for practising de- 
ception, and thus makes no attempt to secure a 
good milk yield by judicious management and 
feeding of his cattle. 
The examination of milk and inspection of 
dairies — if those latter are not to be registered 
and licensed as recommended by the Veterinarians 
I at the Congress of Hygiene and Demography,— if 
