37 * 
iupplenint to the " Tropical Agriculturist." 
[November 2, 1891. 
Whenobtniuable the fruit is onten, especially 
by children, though it produces a peculin'r 
astringency in the mouth. 
The Imrk of this tree, on account of it.s 
astringent properties, is considered by native 
medcial practitioners a good dentifrice, and is 
extemiilly applied in cases of ser})ent bites, 
fib. Mimutops hulica. Sin. Pain. 
The M. Indica is one of those trees which are 
found in the forests of the Island especninlly in tho 
warmer dry ilistricts of tho South-K.st and the 
North-West. The tree grows to very large iliraen- 
sions, and largo (jnantities of n small oval fruit of 
the size and shape of a country date are jiroduccd 
Those when ripe are of a yellowish tinge, anil 
contain a characteristic lacteons jnico ; 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. Tho timber of this 
tree is used for a variety of purposes, especially 
as pjanks lor bridges, while it is also considered 
to b 0 suitable for railway sleepers. 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. a 
VETERINARY SCIENCE AT THE CONCillESS 
At tho late Congress of Hygiene and Demography 
several papers wore contributed on the various 
parasites, external and internal, transmissible from 
man to animals and vice certa. Dr. Klein en- 
deavoured to demonstrate that various eruptions 
which he described as occurring on the udders 
of cows were liable to produce speeittc fevers in 
persons using the milk of these .subjects. He 
also contends that he has i>roduced experimentally 
diphtheria in the udders of cows by inoctilatiug 
them on the shoulder with diphtheric discharges 
taken from the throats of children. Dr. Cruick- 
shnnk. Professor M'Eadycan, Professor Wallcy, 
Dr. O. Ostortngof Stuggart, and others expressed 
their incredulity ns to- Dr. Klein’s conclusions 
regarding scarlet fever, which they had never 
seen in cow's, and did not believe that it occuiTed 
in these animals ; recent German experiments 
going to show that it is impossible experi- 
mentally to produce scarlet fever in cattle by 
inoculation. 
Dr. Ostertng rend a paper on tho inspection 
of milk supplies. The milk from tuberculous 
and other diseased animals ho would condemn, 
especially if the disease affected tho udder. 
The ensuing discussion w'ns carried on by various 
medical officers of health and veterinarians. 
There was a general coucemsus of opinion that 
dairies and milk shojis should bo registered and 
licensed ; that milk sold to the imblic should be 
periodically e.xamined by competent experts, and 
dairj’ cattle premises and persons employed in the 
business sllotild bo subject to veterinary and 
medical inspection. These provisions it was 
urged should be applicable to village as well as 
city premises and business. It was believed that 
they might be, in a groat measure, authorised and 
carried out under the p<.)wersof the Local Sanitary 
Authority, the Contagions Diseases (Animals) Act, 
and the Kood and Drugs Act. But if these did not 
already authorise such supervision, they sliould 
forthwith be amended, 
A whole day was devoted to a discussion on 
Tuberculosis opened by Professor Sanderson, who 
pronounced the di.sease distinctly infective and 
identical, us it appeared in man and in cattle. 
The milk from tuberculous cows was said to bo 
more likely to develope tuberculous disease in 
persons using it t ban was the eating of tho flesh 
of tuberculous animals. Professor Nocard thought 
that Bucli food had special dangers for children. 
On the subject of tuberculosis. Professor 
M'Eadyean and Dr. W'oodhcad contributed a con- 
joint paper, in which they urged the abolition 
of private slaughter-houses and tho institntioji 
of a general system of moat inspection, wit h a 
view to removing or diminishing the existing 
risks of dangerous diseases being contracted 
through tho consumption of unsound or diseased 
animal food. 
Tho Congress cannot fail to ha\’o effected much 
good in many ways, in stimulating tho labours 
of those working in various departments, in 
recording the progress made against disease deriv- 
able from many causes, and in indicating tho 
measures to be adopted for mitigating or re- 
moving tho dangers that spring from these 
causes, and for securing the health of both raeti and 
animals. 
Tho inspection of dairies, cattle ami milk will 
no doubt form part of tho iluties of the Velori- 
nary Inspectors in Ceylon, when such are aiipoint- 
ed. It is a common complaint among householders 
that they cannot procure pure cow-milk, but 
these same housohohler.s are unfortunately very 
often no judges of pure milk, the general cri- 
terion of purity among them, being tho “ thickness ” 
of the lliiid. The lactometor which some use ns 
a guide to ascertain the purity of milk, has now 
been decided to be no indicator of its nutritive 
value, unle-SB it is known that the milk is un- 
adulterated. Whether tho milk be inire cow- 
milk, or whether buffaloes' milk be mixed w’ith it 
i.s beyond the power of the lactometor to discover, 
but when different saraides of unadulterated 
milk are to he tested, the instrument is useful 
to decide in what order they stand ns regards 
nutritive value. It is a common practice to adul- 
terate cows’ milk with that from buffaloes as 
well ns with coconut “ milk,” so as to “ thicken ” 
it, and deceive credulous householders, in cases 
where t he milk is jnire, but hajipens 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 astandard consistency wluitevercom- 
pouents it may be composed of, and whatever 
its nutritive value. Tho 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 securi' a 
good milk yield by judicious management and 
feeding of his cattle. 
Tho examination of milk and inspection of 
dairies — if these latter are not to bo registered 
and licen.sed as recommended by the Veterinarians 
at the Congress of Hygiene and Demography, — if 
