The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-12 00:00:00

MEMORIAL TO THE HOME SECRETARY.

The Metropolitan Cattle Plague Committee, consisting of
he Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Markets' Committee of
he Corporation of London, medical officers of health in the
metropolis, the representatives of the Commissioners of
Sewers, and each of the vestries and district boards of
works,Professor Simonds, and other eminent professors and
medical 'men, together with cattle salesmen and others in-
terested in the question, have presented a memorial to Sir
George Grey, conveying to him the importance of their
being empowered to establish in such places in the metro-
politan district as they may deem desirable, sanatoriums,
where animals, in the early stages of the disease, may be
sentunder a certificate from the inspector acting in pursuance
of his Ordersin Council, and also under such supervision as
may be sanctioned by the medical officers of health in the
district in which the case may occur. The committee state
that they consider such sanatoriums should be established
for the following among other reasons, namely :—lt is con-
sidered that the Orders. in Council by compelling the de-
struction of animals on the premises in which they are first
attacked prevent any effectual attempt at cure by the
owners of such cattle, and thereby tend to propagate the
disease by keeping such animals in a very confined space.
It is also coneidered thet the present Orders in Council are
sufficient to prevent the removal of diseased cattle from the
sheds to slaughterhouses, and the sale of the carcases for
food, as the inspectors do not at present visit sheds unless
their attention is called to the fact of the disease prevailing
therein. This information is seldom given by the pro-
prietors, and is only obtained by chance. The proprietors
of course withhold giving any information to the inspec-
tors as long as possible, and in the meantime secretly
convey the animals to slaughterhouses where the least
efficient inspection prevails. But if sanatoriums were
established, and at the same time, as is proposed, a system
of compensation is organised, it would be to the interest
of the proprietors to send their cattle to such sanatoriums
upon their observing the first symptoms of the disease.
As an objection had been raised to the establishment of
such places as were proposed, on account of the danger of
removing the diseased animals, the committee had tho-
roughly examined the question, and had no doubt that
means could be provided for the conveyance of such cattle
from the places they may be in to the proposed sanatoriums
without fear of spreading the contagion. At the same time
facilities would be offered for the carrying out of the Orders
in Council respecting the destruction of the carcases of
such animals as might die, and also for thoroughly disin-
fecting and destroying the manure and offal which, under
the present arrangement, is very imperfectly carried out.
It is also considered that while the separation of the dis-
eased cattle directed by the Orders in Council may be
practicable in the country, on farms and such like
places where plenty of space is to be obtained, such a course
is not practicable in the confined cowsheds in the metro-
polis; and therefore it is absolutely necessary that a proper
place should be set aside for receiving the animals in an
early state of the disease. Should tho committee be em-
powered to carry into effect the establishment of sanato-
riums, as proposed, it would in their opinion, in conjunction
with the proposition of compensating the owners who give
information to the committee of any beast infected with the
cattle plague, have the effect of staying the progress of the
disease, and at the same time prevent the wholesale destruc-
tion of animals which may ultimately prove to be in a healthy
condition and fit for human food. As an instance of which
it has been found necessary, under the existing Orders in
Council, to slaughter a drove of forty cows from one of the
London dairies, in consequence of three or four of their
number being infected with the disease. The permission
has, we believe, been already conceded by Sir George Grey,
and the committee have promptly established sanatoriums
in various parts of the metropolis, where animals suffering
from the disease can be taken and attended to with a view
to their ultimate recovery.

lIORNSEY.
Yesterday, at the Highgate Police-court, Mr. Potter, of
the Hornsey Highway Board, informed Mr. Bodkin and
Col. Jeakes that the cattle plague had broken out atChurch-
bottem Farm, Hornsey. Mr. Farmer, the sanatory inspector,
had mentioned last week that the plague was at Highgate,
and asked for the appointment of additional inspectors, as
stated in this journal on Tuesday. Mr. Bodkin said the
matter was of public importance, and Colonel Jeakes said
promptitude was essential, and suggested the immediate
appointment of inspectors. Mr. Scarfe, the magistrate's
clerk, said a petty sessions had power to appoint inspectors,
and Mr. Allen, a veterinary surgeon at Kentish Town, who
was present, would accept an appointment. The Bench
preferred an officer in the neighbourhood. Mr. Potter, Mr.
Merry (inspector of nuisances), and Inspector O'Loghlen,
gave evidence that a farmer named Bateman had diseased
cows, and so great was the stench that, near Church-bottom
Farm, Hornsey, the inhabitants sat up all night. The
Bench at once appointed Mr: Potter inspector, and urged
upon him immediate action. Additional inspectors would
be appointed, if necessary, at a divisional sessions, and
prompt measures adopted to prevent the spreading of the
plague in the locality.

British Association for the Advancement

of Science.

BIRMINGHAM, Monday.

In Section A this morning Mr. GI AumEnread the report
of the Balloon Committee. The business suggested for Mr.
Glaisher at the meeting last year was to examine the elec-
trical condition of the air, to verify the law of the decrease
of temperature, especially in winter, and to take observa-
tions at night. In the first no progress had been made ;
but with regard to night ascents a miner's Davy lamp, of
superior construction, has been furnished by Mr. Watson,
of Newcastle, under the direction of Mr. E. Potter, of
Tynemouth. As this lamp has been taken up by day in
the gas of the balloon with perfect safety, it is reasonably
believed that observations at night may be read on the
instruments with safety. The importance of these ascents
will be seen when it is understood that high mountains are
not climbed after nightfall, and that few atmospheric ob-
servations at high altitudes have hitherto been made after
dark. It is therefore quite intended to make the night
ascents. Three winter ascents have been made from Wool-
wich, all tending to confirm the previous conclusions of the
scientific aeronaut, that the decrease of temperature on leav-
ing the earth is not the same in winter as in summer. These
ascents also proved the constancy of the south-west wind
in the winter months. Magnetic observations of a valuable
character were likewise taken, as well as successful experi-
ments with the spectreoscope and with a thermometer.
Following up this subject, Mr. F. W. BREARE gave some
remarks upon aerial navigation, and suggested the organis-
ing of a company, and the payment of subscriptions, for
carrying out investigations and observations upon the
practicability of making balloons navigable.
Mr: WELDON proposed a fish-shaped balloon, divided into

vertical cell; as being a form capable of being propelled
horizontally through the air.
The economists and statisticians gave their full attention
to the subject of cotton and machinery, a paper on these
matters being introduced by Mr. David Morris.
Lord STANLEY, the president, said it would have been
better for all parties if there could have been an absolute
guarantee at the commencement of war that no cotton
would come in from America for six years, because in that
case purchasers would have turned their attention to the
cultivation of cotton in those countries where it could and
would be produced. His lordship did not anticipate that
the supply of agricultural labour would be materially di-
minished by increased demand for hands in the cotton fac-
tories.

Mr. EDWARD VIVIAN, M.A., in a paper " On the Admis-
sion of Illegitimate Children into Workhouses as a Means
of Preventing Infanticide," suggested, first, that discre-
tionary power should be given to guardians to admit those
children without the mother, the costs to be paid by one or
both parents ; and secondly, that it should be the duty of
relieving officers to do their utmost to find out the fathers
of the children and obtain orders of affiliation, so that the
expense, might not fall exclusively on the mother or on
the union. This system, he thought, was intermediato
between foundling hospitals, with their temptations to im-
morality, and the cruelties which were practised by paid
nurses. With reference to recent cases, he had ascertained
that the woman Winsor was not, as had been represented,
a specimen of an industrious man's wife, but was the
keeper of a brothel, of which her own daughters were in-
mates. Harris, although she had an illegitimate child, had
so far recovered her character as to be received into do-
mestic service.
In reply to Lord STANLEY, who inquired whether, in all
cases, the mothers of illegitimate children should be
allowed to send in their children while the mothers of legi-
timate children could only be received in some cases,
Mr. VIVIAN said the discretionary power should be
strictly exercised.
In the course of discussion a medical gentleman gave
it as the opinion of a considerable portion of his pro-
fession that there should be a change in social
views with respect to the disgrace of illegitimacy.
Public opinion, he said, should be more in accordance
with physiological laws. The offence in these cases was
really less than that of less excusable crimes. He believed
the system proposed by Mr. Vivian would add to the
amount of illegitimacy. Another medical gentleman
present declined to endorse the social. views of this gentle-
man as those of his profession.
Mr. WILLIAM WILSON said the real question was as to
whether or not this country was over-populated, and
hence life not so valuable as in more thinly-populated
lands. If this were the case, a system of nursery emigra-
tion for the children of those parents who did not acknow-
ledge them to countries where they would be more useful
and more happy might be considered.
The DEPUTY-CORONER of BATH spoke on the legal view
of infanticide, coinciding with the dictum of Mr. Justice
Willes.
Sir JOHN BOWRING spoke in terms of strong condemna-
tion of the receptacles for the bodies of toothless children
in China, and of the legal protection given to mothers who
murdered their offspring. He had often seen dogs devour-
ing the bodies of children in China. And yet in all the
large cities there were orphan asylums.
Lord STANLEY said it was a question as to whether there
had really been an increase of the crime of infanticide, or
whether, owing to several recent cases, this was not one
of those periodical panics which, like garotting, sprang up
at intervals amongst the community. There had been in-
stances where the facilities afforded by burial clubs had
tended to increase this. He condemned foundling hospi-
tals, and remarked that, in the present state of the law, a
punishment of two years' imprisonment could be given for
concealment of birth.
There was also a discussion in this section on patents
and copyright, on a paper by Professor Rogers. It was
maintained during the debate that nearly all the manufac-
turers in Birmingham, if polled, would be found in favour
of laws on these questions.
The Geographical Section presented a very strong
paper, and attracted a large meeting. North Polar expe-
ditions first came under notice, Mr. C. R. Markham advo-
cating the Smith's Sound route, and Admiral E. Ommaney
the Spitzbergen route.
Admiral BELCHER supported the latter course, remark-
ing that for 22 years nothing new of any note had been
discovered in the Polar Regions.
The PRESIDENT observed that it was probably in conse-
quence of the difference of opinion that the Government
declined to do anything at present.
Mr. T. WRIGHT, in discoursing on the true assignation
of the bronze weapons, &c., supposed to indicate a bronze
age in northern and western Europe, held that the division
of prehistoric time into stone, bronze, and iron ages, was
contradicted by archreological science.
Sir J. LUBBOCK defended the views contained in his book
on the subject, and pointed out data to show that there was
clearly a period when bronze was used almost to the exclu-
sion of iron. No doubt when a Koman found a bronze
sword he would prize it highly, and retain it as long as he
could; and he thought it was an argument against Mr.
Wright himself to show that a few bronze implements were
found in the iron age. All else that had been advanced
might be referred to the period of transition from bronze to
iron

Mr. EVANS supported the conclusions of the hon. baronet.
Mr. BURKE advocated the importance of the services
rendered by the northern archaeologists.
The name of Mr. Edward Whymper, the survivor of the
accident on the Matterhorn, appeared on the list as the
reader of a paper onAlpine subjects, but the paper was de-
ferred until to-morrow. It was privately rumoured that
Mr. Whymper was shaken by a railway accident on his
way to Birmingham yesterday.
Mr. F. BUCXLAND gave the zoologists a dissertation on
the culture of the oyster. The substances to which the
young spat wore inclined to attach themselves were pre-
ferred in nearly the following order—the shell of a live
()Ater, the shell of a dead oyster, shells of the mussel,
the periwinkle, whelks; and clams, pieces of crockery,
glass, tiles, tobacco pipes, iron, and wood. They accu-
mulated in largo groups, of which the elder oysters were
the centre. It was important that the clutches of shells
should be kept clean, and free from mud and weeds. He
did not think facines were so attractive to the oyster
as they were said by the French to be. At present there
was great danger that the oyster beds of Britain would be
depleted, and that in a short time the oyster would be re-
garded as a curiosity, instead of being an ordinary market-
able commodity.
Dr. Grnn submitted to physiologists a refutation of the
view recently propounded, that the food comes into contact
with the vocal cords in deglutition. •
Professor ROLLESTON read a paper on certain points in
the anatomy of two animals from the Mammoth Cave
Kentucky. One was a little fish, from which the abdominal
fin was absent, and the other a small crustacean, so pel-
lucid that the brain could be seen—a phenomenOn which,
as the professor humorously observed, if it occurred in
man would save the necessity for competitive examina-
tions.

The geologists were engaged nearly all day in discussing
features of Staffordshire.
The chemists were engaged on abstruse subjects, and
were up early.
After the rising of the section; at three o'clock in the
afternoon, the mayor gave a banquet in the Town Hall to
about 300 members of the Association.
It has been decided that the Association will hold its
meeting for 1866 at Nottingham.