The Sun.
London, England, 1870-07-30 00:00:00

SUPPLY.

The House went into Committee of Supply on the
vote of £73,150 being proposed for medical stores
for the navy service.—Mr. Russell-Gurney objected
to the estimate for the purpose of carrying
out the Contagious Diseases Acts, and he moved the
reducing the vote by £3,700. He remarked that although
an inquiry had been promised by the Government into the
working of the Act, steps had been taken in Southampton
as if the Government had acted upon a foregone conclu-
sion.—Mr. Childers replied that no steps had
been recently taken with respect to the extension
of the acts at Southampton, and it was not intended to
make any permanent arrangements there until the in-
quiry was concluded.—Mr. Henley remarked that the
means which had been adopted for the stifling of
discussion both in the House and elsewhere made
the public doubt the bona fides of the Government,
He wanted a positive assurance that no steps would
be taken to interfere with the operations of the acts until
Parliament had expressed an opinion on their merits.--
Mr. Childers observed that whether the acts were ex-
tended or altogether stopped, it would ap-
pear to be a foregone conclusion. So long
as the acts were in force they must be put in
operation, but he. had tried to steer a middle course. The
vote was then agreed to.
Several other orders were agreed to, and the sitting was
suspended to seven o'clock.

Short!y after the reassembling of the House, further
votes in Committee of Supply were taken.
The other orders of the day were disposed of, and the
House adjourned at 20 past two o'clock.

TIIE ORWIC a CROWN BANK. —Lady Hen-
rietta Harvey has executed a deed by which she transfers
to the creditors of the bank all her interest in her hus-
band's property. 4 bill has been filed in Chancery for
the administration of Sir Robert Harvey's estate.

DOGS AND THE DOG-DAYS.

The horrible disease that Homer speaks of in dogs, and
Aristotle discredits in men, is more talked of at this
season than any other. Whether more or less prevalent
in hot weather, it is certain that as the thermometer rises
it is more widely discussed, and although much of the
talk consists in refutations of the "popular prejudice"
that connects the frequent occurrence of hydrophobia with
the dog-days, there is room for a suspicion that the oppo-
nents of that theory do not really believe in their own
assertion, but are whistling., as boys do in grave-yards,
to keep up their courage. The truth is that, let the sta-
tistics be what they may, the public have a greater dread
of mad dogs in July and August than in any other
months. It is also the fact that the greatest number of
unequivocal cases of the disease declare themselves at
these times of the year—that is during October and No-
vember—which lead to the inference that it was incurred
at Midsummer. Common belief often turns out to be
right, while scientific arguments are not always in-
fallible; and it is quite probable that this is the case in re-
gard to the season for hydrophobia. At the quarterly meet-
ing of the Medical Board of the Eastern Dispensary, Dr.
Garrish read a lecture, which, Vesicles sustaining the
popular view on this point, contained some important
facts and advice. Dr. Garrish declared that gross errors
prevail concerning the signs of madness in the dog, and
also concerning the remedies for the bite when madness
actually exists. He says the rabid dog new• has fits, and
that epilepsy is a clear proof of the absence of rabies. A
mad dog, he also affirms, does not shun the water. "It
will stand and lap the water, with no spasm attending
the. effort to swallow, but swallowing little on account
of the invariale paralysis of the muscles about
the jaws and throat." "By this sign," Dr.
Garrish adds, " the mad dog may invariably
be detected." He strongly disapproves the use of stimu-
lants for the supposed effect of neutralising the poison of
either dogs or reptiles, and recommends instead, excision,
escharotics, and the vapour bath. Some interesting state-
ments were made by other physicians aresent at this lec-
ture. Several among them stated that they had never been
called upon to treat a case of hydrophobia; and the
apothecary of the dispensary said that while
he had frequent applications for relief on ac-
count of dog-bites he had known of no instance of
hyrdophobia resulting from them. The general
experience seemed to corroborate authentic records which
shew the proportion of cases of hydrophobia to be small
as compared with population, although it was admitted
that certain districts at given times have been peculiarly
subject to it. The number of bites a rabid dog has to
inflict for one fatal result has some analogy to the number
of bullets required to kill one individual in battle. Only
one in from twenty-one to twenty-five persons bitten by
such animals has been found to suffer from hydrophobia.
It is, nevertheless, proper to be cautious, not only at this,
but at all seasons. Children should be prevented from
playing too much with dogs, and it is wise, even with the
trustiest canine favourites, to shut them up in a cool,
shady place during the heat of the day. It 'is a merciful
act to keep dogs out of the sun in hot weather, and with
a good supply of fresh water there is very little danger
of their contracting the most horrible of all the maladies
to which they are liable.—New York Times.

BUSINESS DEPRESSION IN CALIFORNIA.
All accounts, both from private and public sources,
indicate a state of extreme depression in business matters
in the Pacific States. Real estate in San Francisco is
" dead," mining stocks are in little demand, retail and
wholesale business is very dull, and there seems no money
floating in the community. Every one " feels poor,"
and for the first time since the foundation of the State
there is talk of economy, and the need is felt of retrench-
ing every branch of expenditure. The great cause of this
unfortunate dullness of trade is, as is well
known, the Pacific Railroad, which was dreamed of and
hoped for as the great blessing of the State. There has
been no great panic, or financial disaster, or important
failure of crops, or dearth of precious metals in the mines.
The great basis of prosperity and financial wealth—the
agricultural interest—remains substantially untouched.
The simple fact is that California is now brought near the
Eastern States, and all who carry on the ex-
changes of the country must compete with
the retailers or wholesale dealers of other sections.
Hitherto they have enjoyed a " protective tariff,"
laid by nature in separations by mountains
and deserts of three thousand miles. Now, free commu-
nication is opened, and the commission-merchant of Chi-
cago, or the dry-goods dealer of St. Louis, or even the
jeweller of New York, sends his wares right to Virginia,
City, or Stockton, or San Francisco, and beats his Cali-
fornian competitor out of the field. It is an unpleasant
position just now for the business community of California
with their "free and easy " ways, but it is a healthy one.
We can look with no pleasure on such extravagance as
that which has prevailed in the Pacific State. The reck-
less habit of the people has not been favourable to
the cultivation of the best types of character. Nothing
is so wholesome for a community as the exercise of self-
denial and a reasonable habit of economy. Until now
money has been thrown about in California as if it were
pebbles. What was easily won was easily lost. Neither
children nor men were trained to save. And where
legitimate industry did not bring fortune, the old
gambling habit was renewed in speculation in
the mines. It thus came about that every branch of
industry was carried on extravagantly. The farm-
ing of the State, which ought to produce an untold
mine of wealth to the people for centuries to come, is
wearing out the richest lands ever granted to the hand of
man. It will not be very many years before the finest
farming lands in California will be no better than the
worn-out fields of Virginia. Had it not been for the in-
troduction into California of the most economical race of
labourers and producers in the world—the Chinese—the
Statewould have been ruined byits extrava,gance.Thepresent
change will come on the heated brains of the people like a
cold douche, and will be exceedingly wholesome. Each
man will begin to count the cost of his undertakings.
He will be forced to do as ordinary mortals in other
countries, and watch where his leakages in household ex-
penses are. Servants' wages must come down. People of
small incomes will wear fewer silks and less jewellery.
Half dollars will no longer be treated as ten cent. pieces.
And, as all articles of consumption will become cheaper,
each producer and dealer will be indirectly benefited. The
Pacific Road must soon cheapen labour. The wheat crop
of California will always be in demand in Europe, and
this year, apparently, more than ever. New markets
will be opened for its fruits in the Centre of our continent,
Trade will spring up again, and the present depression be
in the end a healthful experience for the whole commu-
nity.—New York Times.