Topics of the Day.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume XLVI, Issue 9, 30 August 1911, Page 44

Topics of the Day.

By Our London CurresponcfenL.

THE WHITE MAN'S SCOURGE. LONDON, July 14. THE fhial report of the Royal Corn mission on the Relations of Human and Animal Tuberculosia, issued this week, is a piece of research work that should cocne to hold a high place in the records of scientific investigation. The appointment of the Commission dates from I'JOl, so not until ten years have elapsed have the eminent scientists engaged felt theinseh es able to pronounce a definite Verili. t. The appointment of the Commission was partly the result of the famous declaration of Koch that human and bovine tub* rciilosis were not mutually communicable. That declaration—very shortly afterwards materially modified by the disting’lli.-hed scientist — condemned as useless all the health precautions then being taken against the milk of tubercu1< us cows and the flesh of tuberculous animals passing* into human (‘onsumption. Its soundness had to be exhaustively tested, and that was the work of the I’rili.-h Royal Commission, which now brings in a “ Final Report,” but with its work still confessedly incomplete. Still much has been achieved. For one thing, it has been demonstrated conelusively by experiments carefully conducted by the most eminent pathologists that Pr. Koch’s theory that bovine tu’ 'oils was not communicable to mac aus false —a conclusion generally anticipated by the medical world. Though the two varieties of bacilli typical of human and bovine disease are distinct, yet it is possible for human beings to be injected by the bovine bacilli. In the case of adults the presence of the bovine bacillus in the fatal lesions is extremely rare, but in the case of children it is common. “ A considerable amount of the tuberculosis of childhood is to be ascribed to infection with the bacilli of the bovine type transmitted to children in meals consisting largely ot the milk of the cow.” Tims, if we accept the conclusion of tho Commission -as most people will—• the recent and growing agitation for more stringent and efl’ective precautions against tuberculous milk is fully warranted. Yet it must be noted that pulmonary tuberculosis — the “consumption” best known ami most regarded by the general public—is but rarely caused by any except human bacilli. Popular concentration on this form of tuberculosis is, however, a great mistake, for the I'ommission’s investigations clearly demonstrate that the various •manifestations of the disease in children have a very important bearing indeed on the vitality of the race.

And adults are not immune. It is true that bovine tuberele is rarely the cause of death, but it not infrequently produces disease sufficient to incapacitate the infected for the ordinary duties of life. The Commission therefore concludes that the existing regulation and supervision of milk production and meat preparation must not be relaxed, but rather that there should be "enforced . . . food regulations planned to afford better security against the infection of human beings through tire medium of articles of diet derived from tuberculous animals.” In this recommendation everyone will concur. The Commission dismisses as a negligible factor the infection of man from tuberculosis in birds; holds that there is some danger from tuberculous pigs; and points to the very grave danger from bovine tuberculosis, especially as regards the milk of tuberculous cows. It is not necessary, the Commission holds, that the cow should be tuberculous in the udder for her milk to be infected. Any tuberculous cow is dangerous. The report-in-chief is followed by an interesting memorandum giving some particulars as to the methods of research ; and recording the result of someexperiments to test whether the inoculation of the human tuberculosis bacillus into oxen would render them immune from the bovine disease. The experiments were of a preliminary nature, and now sufficiently extended to enable definite conclusions to be made. But this much is recorded: — “ By the inoculation of large doses of human tubercle bacilli, as also by vaccination with small doses of living bovine tubercle bacilli, the calf can in many in,stances be enabled to resist the inoculation at a later period of a dose of bovine tubercle bacilli which otherwise would have set up in it severe and fatal tuberculosis. In certain of the animals, however, resistance in this sense was not produced. The limited scope of these preliminary experiments did not provide sufficient data on which to found any opinion as to the probable duration of any resistance that might have been produced in protected animals.” COLONIAL TROOPER’S RECORD RIDE. IA troop of King Edward’s Horse, of which the King is eolonel, has lately been doing its 'best to show that the colonial/' in London—of whom the regiment is composed—are keen on establishing riding records. A few weeks ago eleven of them—principally New Zealanders, under the command of a South African sergeant—-

rode from London to Chelmsford and back in full equipment. They carried with them fodder for the horses, rations for the men, rifles and ammunition. They cover 74 miles in 13J riding hours, and finished with every horse and man fresh. This performance, carried out the whole way on Macadam roads, is all the more creditable because the average weight each horse bore was fifteen stone. For road-riding this constitutes a record for the British Territorial Force, if not for the Regular Army, but it will not go long unchallenged 'by one or other of the county Yeomanry corps. A composite troop of King Edward’s Horse will leave Enfield to-morrow morning on a similar expedition, when it is proposed to reach Roehford, Essex, during the night. All equipment and rations will be carried as before, and the men will sleep by their picketed horses. This ride is a bolder venture than the previous one, as the distance to be covered is about eighty-eight miles, while the time allowed is very little more than before. The turn-out will include men from Australia. Canada, South Africa, Jamaica, and New Zealand. WHO SAID “ GENERAL ELECTION ” ? There is strange talk at present in political circles, and a rumour is going the rounds to the effect that ere Christmas the Old Country will be once more in the throes of a General Election. It is hard to say upon what grounds Dame Rumour is allowing her tongue to wag, but that there is something in what she is saying seems to be dearly indicated by the fact that a few days ago a certain financial firm made enquiries as to the premium the underwriters at Lloyds would require on a policy against the writ for a General Election being issued on or before December 31st. The quotation was, It is said, 20 guineas per cent! This is a very stiff rate, and shows that the Lloyds’ underwriters, at any rate, are not disposed to ignore as idle gossip the whispers about grave Cabinet dissensions which are floating about the outer political ring. It is affirmed by some that Mr. John Burns is the thistle in the Cabinet bed; by others that Mr. Asquith has gone just as far as he cures to do along Mr. Lloyd George’s “.Socialist highway.” Other quidnuncs declare that Winston Churchill is kicking over the traces, and that many of his recent doings as Home Secretary have not been at all to the liking of his colleagues. In fine, if one could believe half one hears concerning the present Ministry, it is a case of every Minister’s hand against the rest of the Cabinet. In all probability there are internal dissensions in a Ministry which contains more than a fair share of masterful men, and possibly a couple of masterlesa men, but it is hard to believe that things have reached such a pitch that barely six months after being returned to office Mr. Asquith is finding it impossible to

carry on the business of the To the ordinary business man, a thin) election in the space practically of two years seems an utter absurdity. It if not at all likely to produce any material difference in -the constitution of the House of Commons; indeed, if reeent by. elections go to show anything they show that public opinion in political affaire has undergone no perceptible change during the past six months. To the general body of business men the prospect of another appeal to the electorate at an early date is highly distasteful. They cannot see the necessity nor the use of sueh an appeal, which would, most people hold, leave the parties in the House of Commons “as you were” th all intents and purposes. Still the fact remains that it you want to insure against the writ for a General Election being issued before December 31st, Lloyds’ underwriters will not at the present time write you a policy under 20 guineas per cent. THE DECLINE OF THE WHITE MAN. The decay of the Anglo-Saxon race is foreshadowed in a remarkable book published this week by Mr. A. C. Fifield, It is called "Racial Decay.” The volume is, to all intents and purposes, an unofficial international Blue Book, with facts and figures drawn from world sources. Its author is Mr. Octavius Charles Beale, of Sydney, and the book is an extension of the work he began as a Royal Commissioner in Australia. It is a terrible indictment of the childless marriage, and the tendency—in almost every country except Germany, Japan, and Russia— to limit families. Mr. Beale has ransacked the statistics of all civilised nations for his purpose, and the result is a fat quarto volume of nearly 450 pages. The outstanding fact in the book is the alarming decline of the birthrate in Great Britain, the Australian States, and France. Here rapid racial decay has set in. Among all the nations Germany is the least affected. “The actual German birthrate pet thousand,” says Mr. Beale, "has not fallen away, but has merely fluctuated. “The similarity between France and England in their downward development is very close. Only the racial decadence is more rapid in the ease- of England.” The birth difference between England ami France was 10 per LOGO in ISiti. It became narrowed in half a lifetime to about six and a-half per 1000. Ths actual reproduction of England has fallen away by 10,000 per million inhabitants. In other words 330,000 children are lost annually in the army of the unborn. She will soon lose, Mr. Beale declares, 500,000 children a year. A rude awakening awaits the nation. The AngloSaxon race is failing everywhere, and in Australasia, in spite of all advantages, is in galloping decline. Japan and Russia are both in the ascendant. They show as progressiva nations overflowing with vitality anil youth, as compared with New South Wales, New Zealand, and Victoria, stricken with sterility and decline. Every two years Russia adds to her numbers more than the sum of the entire population of Australia and AeiV Zealand. As for London: “Walk through tho West End,” Mr. Beale says. "You will observe thousands of fine houses to let. They were occupied fifteen or twenty years ago by well-to-do families: t :,, y are not wanted now. Tho day \ -J arrived when a married couple is ti-cd in England a family.” Among tho books from ’ , ” author quotes is the “Anicri..”’ ■ published a few years ago. ' - tracts given are, Mr. Beale 1 peculiarly applicable to England '■> One great reason for the decree-o ' family is that women wish 'hj 1 pendenee that conies from th r 1 occupation and income. They li:i’- •' •' bitions above housework. In l>! y ‘ ’ succeed in business they must give . motherhood. ■. Even the idle woman does not in® motherhood. Where women 11 ' . limited leisure and liberty—there .- children are found. . „ The fashionable woman •* would rather have a dog than ni Tho working woman sacrifices luu to work. Idle women will not- > children because they are too bu-i ■ their numerous amusements an love-affairs with other men.