OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

Waikato Times, Volume XXXV, Issue 2876, 18 December 1890, Page 4

OUR SYDNEY LETTER.

O'KOM OUli OWN UOMIKSPOXJUSNT.) Svunev, December !>. l>t:. Ken's profound observation atir brilliant induction have mads: him at fh< present, moment the centre of tho attention of the eivili-ied world. lint tlv question which m> w expreises us is : Hm the observation hei u >u!!ici> -ntly [ rofoiiip: arid is the brilliuney miythin<r more thai. tliu false plifrer of im n/uls /'utim.-,, sue! us lias i>fti!M captivated the minds of men ofeeienee sinrf Iho days of Urn "pbilos opber'a stone." Can the principles which •■ire relied upon bo applied ti> othei phenomena cognisable by everybody ? In order to redeem the promise contained in my last lul'.fcr, 1 propose U> ulioiv Hint if Dr. Kooh'.s imiminit.y fron ; oouauiuptiou oun b« attained Ijy ciinpU) mollis, ucuurcliiig to Dr. Kiiiili be comuiunioiitca virulent tuberculosis, by iniiuiilution In yuiucu-pi»v. Subcei[upiit iijoi;:tl:itioii witli ii milder form of tuMilbnmen- -puisi>::eil albumen—causes in foiiiu i:aseM:innppa[\!itiill(ivi;it.ion of thfmorn deadly symptoms :iud wlieu perfoi'uiod on healthy animal.-i ri.ti'li-rs some moru deadly virus. \', liafc i.s ;;nod for the guiuoa pi;r, il. in argued, must bu ;'ood for the huiu'Ui buiiu;. Jllih/i; rather proinuLuru rejoicings. Very well, it will, I. suppose, be granted thai he. who KJiouhl diiicnver a method of raising the standard of size. and robustness, among the human family, would bo even a greater Ijuncfactoi' than lie who devises some uiistriim against consumption. Ordinary people would attempt to secure this end by hygiene, sanitation, and the careful nud reverent observance of physiologic law. But, according to Dr. Kouh, this desirable end is to he attained in a diametrically opposite mauner. If what is t;ood for guinea piy.i i.-; nood for the human race, what h yood for rats must be even better, because the latter approach it more closely in their diet and habits of life. Sovvago and gas are ;;ood for rats. Those which inhabit the aewera aro to the ordinary animal what the Grenadier Guards arc; as compared with so many diminutive Kiquiinciiti.'c. According to the "guinea pig" theory, then, if we wish to become a race, of lithe and robust giants, enjoying physical life with the zeal which is conferred by vigorous animaliky. all we have to do is to spp that a plentiful supply of seiver gas is laid on to every room ; or, better still, that every dwelling is made as nearly as possible to resemble a sewage heap. I make no charge for-revealing this simple but conclusive application of the principles of Dr. Koch, nor have 1 au ulterior eyo to increasing my income by poisoning people's bodies at a guinea a scratch ; tjueli di.jiiiteresti.'dnesf! in the cause of liuir.cinily, f may modestly remark, is in itself a truarautee of (he soundness of the discovery.

It will, of course, lie not ;il that inoculation does not enter into tin's recommendation ; but its absence strengthens the caae. The (jap between a liutnau bein<,' under ordinary conditions ami a nit under ordinary conditions, is not an ;;reat :w it would be if tliu latter were suffering, say iron! snake bite. Jiut in Hie oasa of tin; guinea pigs the reasuniii lt !J parallel witli tl.o litter case, an analogy is complacently assumed betwrcen guinea from a virulent (if liiiinrsn who are i.nl,. I"I the l.,tltu- 1i01.1.-- j>,;nl\, how much nifii,: .|(.c-'! Hie hiiraoi. Aj.;nin iutiPiil:u!o)i ,'i.: n iiif llio.'l ;>\ nun?, no ilinrt inoenl-itiou .t, an n, = tiiniu-jnt of ■ Ifiith, rarrii.M ';>■•:,l anilii;;mty uilhit. None nf Uir i/uiiioa e\(M'nnients can jiOSHibly demonstrate how loiif{ the alleged protection remains valid, nor how ninny other diseascK wen; ready to show themselves at a fitting opportunity, possibly after tin: lapse of years.

The induction founded on the experience of rats is free from all theap. olij»r:iions. if, therefor' , , tin; one is also held lo bo ilcn.'oustratw.l satisfactorily, much

more is the other irrefragably proved. I mil afraid I shall he suspected of a dos;ire to subject Dr. Koch's " brilliant discovery to a rednctio ad absurd urn. But it was ever the fate of modest merit to be misunderstood.

Speaking seriously, it seems very evident that the vivisectioubt's itch foi tampering , with these dangerous animal poisons will end in some terrible disaster such aa that, hinted at by Or Koch, when he warns off unskilled practitioners. The estimates arc slowly passing through the Assembly The Government and Hon. Members generally seem to he shirking their pledges with respect to Civil Service retrenchment. Increases arc being passed to officers who sre already too highly paid for the work tficy do. A number of superfluous officers who fii'ht aud wrangle with each other to the detriment of the public service, are being retained, and the recommendations of tin. , commission with respect to consolidation arc boiug ignored. The feverish hurry of the Government in sending a knight of the lancet post-haste to Berlin to reap the first benefit of the (as yet undisclosed) dream of the German philosopher, contrasts very qucerly with their m-gleet of the more prosaic duties so inucli nearer home.

The fasting man, M. Ibbot, has been made thn subject of an interpellation in Parliament, and Lhe Premier has promised to direct thu attention of the police to the. matter. They will have to look sharp if they mean to do any good. The fast was only to fast for 40 doys, aud to-day (Wednesday) is the IlOth. The horrors of starvation u-ill soon lose their power to harrow the feelings it" they contiuuc to be voluntarily braved for such slender inducement.

A tremendous blaze lit up t!ic city last night, Some MO.OOO rases of kerosene were stored in Messrs Gibbs Bright and Co.'a warehouse, ami the latter was discovered to lio on lire. Shortly the whole of the inflammable contents took fire also. The Humes mounted up for hundred? of feet, illuminating the whole of the scent; as if by the strongest sunlight. An immense amount of damage was done, but tliu cause of the fire, as usual, is wrapped iu myatery.. It is suggestive, however, that a few weeks ago, an unmistaUeabledeliberate incendiary attempt wasumdeto set. fire, to several" hundred cases of China oil, which was stored in a merchant's warehouse in town. The latter failed, but charred cases told the talc. Probably an adequate reward, with effective protection for infoimers, would lead to some light being obtained aa to the origin of the big conflagrations which liavj recently startled us.

Very tardily the polioe have taken action in respect to thu pugilistic exhibitions which h.ivc latterly buciuno so common. An attempt is made to defend thuia on the ground that they aro harmless displays of listie science and skill, lint this plea is vitiated by the consideration that these which draw most money, mul which therefore are becoming the most common aru " iijihts to ;i finisli. , ' That i.-i tn say one of the combatants is to bu hammered till hu can stand no more. .Such a upnctaclo feeds n mere brutal ferocity like that; with which the N-ivago and di-gou urate lioinans watched the combats to tho death of ■jrlmliiit-fiM in the nreaa. A iight to a finish, whether it is fought with gloves or without, in CM ii.i tliut :i mini is to be battered to tho very verge of human enduranci; for tho gratification of those who gloiit upon his gradually weakening powers. Men of whom one would fuiii bolievu better things attend these spectacles, and it would be more just if they and cot principals wero brought to the b;ir of justice.