498 
PARLIAMENTARY REPORT ON VACCINATION. 
nary tenacity of life. Thus, although these free nematode 
worms were perfectly dried up in portions of fruit which had 
been kept for several days in a hard and even brittle state, 
they revived and resumed their wonted activity “ after soaking 
for a few hours in water.” 
At the risk of doing positive injustice to a truly large 
and complicated subject, 1 must now bring these brief and, 
I fear, somewhat desultory remarks to a close. As regards 
the taeniae, it is notorious that they are supplied with remark- 
ably thick egg-shells, and, were this not the case, it is difficult 
to understand how their enclosed and delicate six-hooked 
embryos could long survive their expulsion from the host and 
from the proglottids. How long they are able to retain their 
vitality when disposed by sewage and other means is a point 
worthy of further inquiry ; but, meanwhile, taking into con- 
sideration various data derived from indirect sources, I strongly 
suspect that Kiichenmeister was not far wrong when he sur- 
mised cf that the eggs might lie through the winter in ice and 
snow, be carried about in the water for months by the stormy 
weather of spring, and yet at the expiration of this period 
develope their brood as soon as they have arrived at a suitable 
intestine.” Into cesspools and drains, as he elsewhere says, 
“ the tapeworm of the human subject evacuate their eggs ; 
the eggs are then thrown upon grass, roots, and other vege- 
table matters, along with liquid manure, and they are swal- 
lowed by pigs, which wallow in such filth.” He might, also, 
have added that, on sewage farms, the cattle likewise must 
needs come in for their share of these measly-meat producing 
germs. 
PARLIAMENTARY REPORT ON VACCINATION. 
The Select Committee appointed to inquire into the opera- 
tion of the Vaccination Act (1867), and to report whether 
such Act should be amended, have considered the matter 
referred to them, and have agreed on the following Report : 
“ Eight sittings of your committee have been occupied in 
hearing the evidence of persons who assert that vaccination 
is useless and injurious, and who, therefore, object to its 
enforcement and encouragement by the law. 
“ After careful consideration of this evidence, and of 
medical and other evidence given in reply, your committee 
agree with the general opinion — 
“ That the cow r -pox affords, if not an absolute, yet a very 
