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Hawke's Bay Times, Volume IX, Issue 454, 18 February 1867, Page 3

Etiology op Contagious Diseases.— An interesting contribution to the etiology of contagious diseases has recently been made by M. A. Chaveau, who has for some time been occupied with the question whether Jenner’s original vaccine virus, the natural horse-pox, usually known as grease, ever developes itself spontaneously, or in other words, ever originates in any other cause but contagion. M. A. Chaveau has has just communicated the result of some experiments to the French Academy, which he considers authorise the conclusion that the vaccine of the horse in one simple disease, always identical with itself, but presenting in its development two distinct modifications according as it arises naturally or spontaneously or artificially, that is inoculated. The natural disease shows itself by a general pustular eruption, yet oftentimes almost exclusively confined either to the naso-labial region, or to that of the heels. The artificial or innoculated disease exhibits itself under two forms a local and general. The common and well known local form consists in a pustular eruption, appearing exclusively in the region innoculated, yet nevertheless exercising on the general economy an influence winch renders the skin, trom the lifth day after the innoculation, insusceptible oi again taking the virus. Thegeueral form of innoculated small pox (unknown prior to the expenmeuts of M. A. Chaveau) is identical with the natural, aud lias a period of incubauon of never less than eight days. To develop the general form ot horse-pox it is necessary tfiat the vims enter the economy by another channel without passing tfirough the membrane which constitutes tfio anatomical seat ul tfie vaccine eruption—or, in other words, the skin. Tnis law appears to be general, and to admit of no exception in tfis soliuungula : to which M. CUaveau’s experiments have been hitherto confined. Thus the general form may be induced, first, by injecting the vaccine directly into tfie lymphatics; second, by performing the same opeiatiou with the blood-vessels; third, by introducing the virus indirectly into the cirulattou by any absorbing surface except the external skin. Whether the vaccine virus owes its peculiar action to real beings, or lower microscopic forms of germinal living matter more analogous in their action to torula ceils, Al. Chaveau considers at present an open question. — Loudon .Review,

d übies and Damages.—There is a point constantly m dispute Detween judges aud jurymen which ought al ouee ana lor ever to oe set at rest. VVhen a jury are agreed mat an injury has been done to a plaintiff so infinitesimal in amount as to constitute no injury at all. it often occurs tuat they are willing to find a verdict lor the plaintiff. provided tfiat it benefits him noltllug, ana indicts as little loss as possible on me detcuuant. A verdict of a farthing or oi .Os. damages is under such circumstances usually proposed; but tfiea arises the question as to what amount of damages will carry witu them the costs *f the action. lu order to carry out their intention of dividing the expenses of litigation as uearly as may be between piaintifi and de icudaut, the jury ought to Enow this ; but as jurymen are selected oy chance, and not at ail for their legal knowledge of experience, they very often do not Enow aud tnorclore sppij to the judge for inl'ormat.ou on that pomu Generally the judge replies that wun the amount of costs tue jury have nothing to do, that it ought uot to affect their verdict, and that they must decide on the amount of damages they award in iguurauco of that material point, dm occasionally judges are more reasonable. .Lately, icr instance, in the cese iff Athill v. an at an, tried at .Norwich before Lord Chief J ustice Erie, the jury, alter considering their verdict for au hour aud a hall, returned into Court and asked JtLis fjprdship what amount of damages would carry costs. Lord Chief Justice Erie at

once informed them that 40s. would do so,

. -F““ *—-j““y fouuw plaintiff, damages one farthing. Had they in their ignorance assessed the damages at j 40s. the difference to the defendant might very possibly have been a couple of hum jdred pounds. Any juryman before he enters the box may readily inform himself on this point j it is difficult therefore to ima* gine why so many Judges refuse to enlighten juries when they ask for the information after they have been sworn.—Pall Mall Gazette.

A Mobbible Tale.— The number of benefit societies is now large, and their objects are exceedingly various. Some provide against seasons of affliction, others &«mxlilotor relief tO dcoOlatb Widows* aud many have for their object the granting of pecuniary assistance to those who have been bereaved. All this is very commendable, but it is sometimes the case that things pure in themselves are grossly misused and turned to bad purposes. We have just been informed of a melancholy distance of this, and it is of such a revolting nature as to be beyond the sphere of credibility but for the unquestionably reliable source of our information. It seems that several of the denizens of the lower parts of Newcastle are members of the societies which allow so much money on the occasion of the death of any of their children, and our informant assures us that he has known cases of etill-bom infants having, immediately after birth, been placed on a shovel over a strong fire in order that some cronies might see the 1 limbs contract under the influence of the heat, aud by stating that they seen the i children move be the means of obtaining for the parents the allowance mads by the society which they happen to be connected. ' This sometimes leads to an appeal to me--1 dical gentlemen as well as registrars of deaths. —Northern Express. This Day, at noon, Mr John Stuart will ’ sell, by public auction, at the Auction Booms, Eastern Spit, II bales wool, more [ or less damaged by salt water. , We understand that Mr and Mrs W. H. , Newton, assisted by Mr Kemp and several well-known amateurs, will, during theprei sent week, give an entertainment for the . benefit of the widow and children of the , late Mr Peet. We sincerely trust that we , shall not bo disappointed in the hope we entertain of seeing a bumper house on the ! occasion.