"BUSH SICKNESS."

Auckland Star, Volume LXVI, Issue 22, 26 January 1935, Page 6

"BUSH SICKNESS."

CHEMISTS' DISCUSSION.

COPPER AS A PREVENTIVE

While iron was necessary to health, evidence was accumulating to show that copper also was essential, said Dr. J. C. Andrews, of Auckland, in a paper on " Copper in Mammalian Tissue," read at the joint annual conference, in Hamilton, of New Zealand section of the Institute of Chemistry (Great Britain) and Xpw Zealand Institute of Chemistry.

Pr. Andrews detailed the results of analysis made by him over a period of some years. After a discussion of various methods for determining the email amounts of copper which are normally present in the flesh of animals and humans, especially the liver, he discussed the importance of copper, with special reference to anaemia in -humans and "bush sickness" in cattle. It would appear that iron by itself was not sufficient to prevent the development of anaemia and "bush sickness," which were similar types of diseases, but that topper was also necessary to make the iron available. In the past "bush-sick" lands 'had 'iVeen dressed with iron compounds, but he suggested that it would pay to investigate the use of copper compounds.

Dr. Annett, in the course of a discussion, said that he knew of a number of farmers who were in the habit of drenching their calves with sulphate of copper for the purpose of killing parasites, but the results were much better than could be expected from the mere destruction of the worms, and there was no doubt that the copper played some other part.

Mr. R. E. Grimmett, of the Department of Agriculture, also spoke, stating that the results of analysis made by him showed that there were often Rood supplies of copper in "bush sick" land. The. trouble was that no one had yet been able to define exactly the cause of "bush sickness." Tanning of Leather. Mr. P. White, leather research chemist, in- speaking on the importance of chemical control in the leather industry. gave a resume of modern chemical research in the tanning of leather, and showed how the influence of the analytical chemist was gradually being felt in the tannery and fcllmongery. Mr. G. A. Laurence, chairman of the New Zealand section of the Institute of Chemistry, delivered his presidential address, and following this Mr. S. Irwin Crookes read the address of the president of the New Zealand Institute of Chemistry (Professor Denliam), who was unable to be present.