290 CENTRAL VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY, 
The Secretary said lie had received a letter from Mr. Fleming 
expressing his regret at being unable to attend the meeting, and 
also a letter from Professor Walley to the same effect. Professor 
Walley also regretted that, in dealing with the question of 
“ garget,” Mr. Smee had not recognised in a becoming manner 
the researches of veterinary surgeons, and likewise, that Mr. 
Power had not sought their assistance, as they might have 
given him valuable aid in his sanitary researches at Kilburn. 
Professor Axe then addressed the meeting on “ Garget in 
relation to Diphtheria.” He said it will be in the remembrance of 
this Society that at a recent meeting of the Pathological Society 
of London, a communication was read from Mr. Power by Dr. 
Buchanan on certain observed relations between diphtheria and 
milk, and that Mr. Smee also read a paper on the same occasion 
upon garget in reference to the cow. Those two papers have 
been brought to the front by our medical and sanitary journals, 
and they have been largely discussed by the daily press. The 
conclusions to which they point have the highest interest for us, 
in their sanitary as well as in their pathological connections; 
and the general importance of the questions involved commends 
itself to our most serious consideration. I may premise my 
remarks by saying that in the spring of last year, an epidemic 
of diphtheria fell somewhat heavily on certain parts of the 
districts of Hampstead and Marylebone, and that in consequence 
the Local Government Board was communicated with, and Mr. 
W. H. Power, a gentleman of the highest eminence in sanitary 
science, was deputed to inquire into the circumstances relating 
to the outbreak. It would appear from the weekly returns of 
the Begistrar General, that diphtheria prevailed to a greater or 
less extent throughout the metropolis both at the time, and before, 
and after the special outbreak referred to. In pursuing his en¬ 
quiry, Mr. Power found that the highest incidence of the malady 
was reached in the parishes of Kilburn and St. John’s Wood, 
within a circle of half a mile radius, having its centre in the 
Abbey Road. Moreover, the outlaying parts of this circle fur¬ 
nished an excess over the incidence of the disease throughout 
the metropolis generally. It was further observed that the more 
intense incidence of the affection was not only circumscribed in 
area, but that the special cause whatever it might be, was opera¬ 
tive only during a very limited time. In dealing with the personal 
relations of those first attacked in each household it was found 
that in only a few instances had there been any direct exposure 
to infection from persons having throat illness. The great pre¬ 
valence of the disease, therefore, in the circumscribed area could 
not be accounted for on the ground of personal intercourse, and 
the cause was consequently sought for elsewhere. The possible 
contamination of water was disposed of by the fact, that not only 
were the invaded houses but likewise a very large district in which 
diphtheria did not prevail, or but in a very small degree, 
supplied from the West Middlesex Company, whose water is 
