M. PASTEUR AND THE RABBITS

Ashburton Guardian, Volume VII, Issue 1752, 28 January 1888, Page 3

M. PASTEUR AND THE RABBITS

Mr O. Langtree, m a letter to hl» brother, the permanent head of the Mines Department m Victoria, has forwarded some notes of the result of a reoent interview between himself and M. Pasteur, the eminent French chemist, on the subject of rabbit destruction m Australia. Mr Langtree states that M. Pa* tour undoubtedly takes a very greit iuterost m. the question, which he has evidently studied wen 8 , hts experiments extending over a period of years. He proposes to make farther trials of his uew mothod of rabbit destruction, although he declares himself already aatisfiod that the remedy he has proposed for the extermination of the pest will prove to be the best that oan be devised, M. Pasteur expressed his Intention of sending a supply of the microbes of ohfoken cholera to eaob af the Australian Governments, with instructions how to oultlvate them. Great care is neoessary to insure satisfactory results, and M. Pasteur thinks it will be wise to send a man speofally for the porpoee of cultivating the microbes. Mr Langtree suggests that on receipt of he microbes a careful trial should be made of M. Pasteur's proposed remedy. The distinguished soientist assured him there was no noed to fear, under the Australian son, the disease might prove dangerous to sheep, but he is of opinion that it ivould destroy hares, and might possibly prove fatal to opposumt. A rabbit would only live from eighteen to twenty-four hours after contracting the disease. It would not ba neoessary to distribute the miorobes more than onoe on any rabbit feeding ground. M, Pasteur is of opinion that the heat of the inn m these oolonies would not kill the miorobes, but hh chief assistant, Dr Rons, believes otherwise. Mr Langtree's letter will ba for warded to Mr R. Brook, the offioer m charge of the administration of the Rabbit Suppression Aot.