WINTER SCHOOL.

Gisborne Times, Volume XXVI, Issue 2275, 21 August 1908, Page 2

WINTER SCHOOL.

VISIT TO TIL-JO FREEZING WORKS.

The session of tlio Win lor School was continued yesterday. In the morning Mr. Clark gavo a <.u;n»oiistration of cardboard pattern-making, and Mr. Grant a lecture on agriculture as applied to school instruction. in the afternoon the teachers, under the charge of Mr. Gilnith, visited tlio Gisborne iSkeepfarmerß Freezing Works, Kaiti, and were shown over the establishment. Tlie school will bo continued today, both morning and afternoon. In the evening Mr. G. de S. 'Baylies will 'lecture in Holy Trinity Schoolroom oil “Grasses for Farm Lands.” Admission will ho free, and the lecture is open to the public.

EVENING LECTURE. Holy Trinity Schoolroom was well Idled in tile evening, when Mr. J. A. Gilruth, Chief Government Veterinarian, delivered a most interesting and instructive lecture on “Microbes, as they affect animal life.”

His Worship tlio Mayor (Mr. W. J). Lysnar) occupied the chair, and ill introducing the lecturer, congratulated the management of the Winter School on having arranged for the most instructive course of lectures. He took the opportunity of expressing deep regret at the approaching departure of Mr. Gilruth from the Dominion, and felt suro he was voicing the feelings of farmers and others in stating that the country could ill afford to lose one of the ablest men. who had over been connected with the Veterinary Department. Air. Gilruth, who was received with a demonstration of applause, expressed his thanks for the kind remarks of the chairman, and said that ho was sorry to loavo the Dominion. He was, however, sure that he was leaving equally capable men behind him to carry on the work. Ho again thanked them very much for the manner in which they had received the chairman’s reference to himself. Commencing his lecture, Air. Gilnith said that before tlio question of , microbes could be considered they must consider bow the life was made up. They consisted of living organisms or cells divided into human and animal life. Each cell consisted of a mass of protoplasm', and each was interdependent. Their business was to go on and carry out their own functions and also their important duty to the whole body. After dividing this lifo into two kingdoms, they came to a certain class not either animal or vegetable, consisting of single cells. Each body contained from GOO to 700 million microbes, and after all, as a body, these were not of great importance, but some were useful and some important. A microbe was a cell, hut did not have a nucleus, and they wore classed in many ways, shapes, sizes, and forms. The lecturer proceeded to point out a number of diagrams, showing the different types of microbes, and stated that there were some so small, that the most powerful microscope in tlio world could not reveal them, but their existence was known of by the diseases they created. Some interesting statements were made by the lecturer showing the means of reproduction of the microbes, and ho stated that in 24 hours in a suitable temperature one microbe was capable of becoming 40 million microbes. Dealing with the question of adverso influences on microbes, the lecturer stated that few were killed at a freezing temperature, but that' nearly all were killed in a temperature at boiling point. Sunlight was one of tlio most potent means of destroying microbes, and that, lie held, accounted for the healthy condition of the people of the present day, who lived in much more roomy houses, which admitted more sunshine and light, ,tlian did those of their fathers It was not the microbes that did the harm or good as the case might be, hut the material which they excreta!, and which might bo poisonous to the microbe itself. “If it were not for microbes,” he contended, “we should he, elbowed off the face of the earth long ago,” and proceeded to show that if it were not lor microbes, all the dead animals and plants would remain where they fell, but, as it was, they cleared the way. proceeding, after'death, to pierce the wall of the intestine, 'get- into the blood stream, and by turning insoluble matter into soluble matter, finally make the body disappear altogether. Continuing, the lecturer showed the value of microbes in relation to tlio manuring of gardens, the dairy industry, and the manufacture of cheese.' Dealing with the harmful results of microbes, the lecturer pointed out the different actions of the microbes of anthrax, tuberculosis, malaria, tie'll fever, and sleeping sickness, and brought his address to a close by 1 jointing out the diagrams of these microbes and demonstrating tlie different manner in which each one of them attack their respective subject. The lecture was most attentively hV ened to, and at the close a heartyvote of thanks to the lecturer, proposed by Air. AI. H. St-rachan, was carried by acclamation.