The North Wales Times

CAMBRIAN GOSSIP. Mr. Samuel Smith, the member for Flint- shire, is described as having 'one of the most luxuriant beards in the House of Commons.' • • • Mr. Lloyd-George, M.P., who has been down with the influenza, is now convales- cent, but is still not allowed by his medical attendant to put in an appearance in the House of Commons. The hon. member con- templates a voyage to South Africa after Easter. • # » Montgomery Liberals-we refer to the boroughs not to the county-will soon be called upon to select a candidate to wrest the seat from Major Price-Jones. Mr. Owen Phillips, who came within 84 votes of cap- turing the seat at the last election will not, it is said, pursue his candidature further. 9*0 An institution resembling in its constitu- tion the Welsh eisteddvod has been formed with a view to the preservation and cultiva- tion of the music and literature of the High lands of Scotland. The first annual meeting was held at Oban, and was called Am mod Gaidhealach)- 'The Highland Court'), the name of the association being An Comunn Gaidhealach (' The Highland Association.') « • • In the absence of the clergyman, a Welsh sexton once took upon himself to officiate at the burial of a stranger who had died in the parish, and at the close gave out the follow- ing pathetic hymn Gvir dieithr o wlad bell; Tase'r Person yma, fuaset ti ddim gwell Claddwn di yma gyda'n tadau, Pan godant hwy, fe godi dithau. The people of Treorky, when next they have an hour to spare, might meet together and decide once for all how the name of th t interesting district should be spelt. The Welsh form is said to be Treorci, and the English name—which, by the way, is neither English nor Welsh is commonly spelt Treorky.' Frequently, however, we come across such variants as Treorchy' and Treorkey.' Which is the correct form ? Wales is not prolific in Militiamen. The War Office have given instructions that the 3rd and 4th Militia Battalions of the Royal Welsh Fusiliers shall be reduced in estab- lishment from eight to six companies from the first of next month. This means that the number of rank and file in each batta- lion will be reduced from 800 to 600. This step has been decided upon owing to the battalions being unable to keep up the higher strength. « It is recorded that Charles Dickens had once the privilege of hearing the late Dr. Owen Thomas preaching at a 'saslwn' in Bangor, when there were present something like 15,000 people. The great novelist con- fessed that he was spellbound with the preacher's oratory, though he did not under- stand a single word of the sermon Had Dickens lived a little longer who knows that he would not have incorporated Owen Thomas as one of his characters as a foil to the notorious Chadband I It is, we fear, unquestionably true (re- marks the Record) that Ritualism is gaining ground among the Welsh clergy. We find from reliable sources that the Eucharistic vestments are in use in 47 churches, incense in seven, altar lights in 100, the mixed cha- lice in 41, and the Eastward position adop- ted in 169. These things, together with the absence of any serious efforts at Church re- form, are gradually creating a revolution in the minds of Welsh Churchmen, who have not forgotten the promises made by the supporters of the present Government during the last election. » The South Wales correspondent of the London.Lifitsical Courier says:—' The annual meetings of the Institute of Journalists will take place this year in Cardiff, and I have no doubt the local musicians will again ren- der the Pressmen good service. I may, in- deed, take this opportunity of saying that upon many occasions from time to time South Wales vocalists and instrumentalists have cheerfully assisted to make Press banquets harmonious, and that they have ever been to the front in the cause of charity. Only last week the services of some Mer- thyr musicians were accorded at Pontsarn upon the occasion of a Press dinner, and at Aberdare a concert was given for the benefit of the Journalists' Orphan Fund.' Our American contemporary, the Welsh Drych, of Utica, assumes the role of a candid friend towards Welshmen in Wales. What,' it suggests,' if the Welsh leaders were to urge Wales to give a 'spell' to poetry and song and to dc something for itself 1 We know that to suggest this sort of thing will not be popular, but it is a truth that the Welsh of Wales and of America should take into consideration. While the Welshman pats the cow, the Englishman and the Yankee draw milk out of her. As a nation we live too much in the past and in the future but, while these must not be forgotten, we should have a great deal more to do with the present.' It would be more to the point were the Drych to state more explicity in what respect Wales is lacking. vow If Welsh deans and chapters,' writes a Welsh Churchman," were willing to be but as good Welsh patriots as the Dean and Chapter of St. Paul's, London, if they in their official capacity were willing but to make one day in the year—and that the day of the Welsh national saint, from whom their proudest cathedral takes its name—a time when the national language of religious people might resound from their pulpits, when the grandest hymns in Chtis- tendom might re-echo through their ancient aisles, they would do more, as the suc- cess of the St. Paul's experiment proves, to win back Welsh Nonconformity to the Church than by a century devoted to the working out of the problems of the statical theology of the St. Asaph school.' Welsh Churchman's' patriotism has evidently run away with his reason. Can Welsh Noncon- formity be so easily subjugated? The women of Tonna (Neath), have of late suffered great misgivings in reference to the ordnance survey now being made in and around their locality. The movements of the military surveyors have been watched with the deepest interest; and there were a few of the women folk who unhesitatingly affirmed that the visits had some connection with the present troubles in the East. Not one of the fair sex would, however, venture to make inquiry of the visitors; and all at- tempts to induce one cf the men to do so seemed likely to fail. At length one of the latter was induced by a mixture of threats and, promises to put the fateful at vstion. Screwing up his courage, he eonfrofc««jd the mt sw^rly-looking of the suspected ones, c sundry SR^apiDn"» "¡,tJ.f, ¡ arf) *f)ll ,v military promptness and precision there was shot out the answer,' I am minding my own business.' The questioner and the ladies who urged him to clear up the mystery are still' obfuscated.' » Journalism in Patagonia, as in other countries, is not all sweets and honey. The Welsh colonists there have been pretty severely criticising the efforts of the editor of thelJrafod, the Welsh organ of theWladfa. But even the worm will turn, and in a recent issue the long-suffering editor, who has long been struggling with a difficult task, akin to the making of bricks without straw, meta- phorically tears his critics to bits, and winds up a long leader with the delightful excla mation-' Wel, cebyst y bo'ch chwi, y tacla anniolchgar a grwgnachlyd,, pa beth sydd arnoch chwi ei eisieu, os gwyddoch chwi' ('Confound you all, you grumbling ingrates. what is it that you want, if you know V)

DR. KOCH'S NEW CONSUMPTION TREATMENT. HIS DESCRIPTION OF HIS LATEST EXPERIMENTS. The Daily News Berlin correspondence forwarded on Wednesday night, the follow- ing abstract of Professor Koch's article, giv- ing particulars of his improved tuberculin, appearing in the 'Deutsche Medicinische Wochenschrift,' edited by Professor Eulen- burg:— About five years have elapsed since Dr. Koch's comsumption cure' caused so much sensation. The disappointment that fol- lowed is within the memory of everybody. Dr. Koch, however, did not himself lose faith in his discovery, and for five years he has been endeavouring to improve it. Now he brings it forward again, and although the memory of five years ago must make us sceptical, it must at any rate occur to one that a man like Dr. Koch does not expose himself without precaution to a second de- feat of the kind. And, indeed, the disco- verer expresses himself in his article with the greatest reserve. He avoids the word cure,' and confines himself to speaking of considerable improvement.' Moreover, he states that his remedy is not effective un- less used in the early stages of consumption; and it will occur to one that many cases of consumption, if diagnosed and treated at an early stage, are already cured without tuber- culin. Professor Koch begins his article with some introductory remarks on the possibil- ity of rendering men proof against tuberu- losis, and his experiments with tuberculin. Speaking of the lymph as he first introduced it, he claims for it that it proved efficacious as a means of diagnosing the disease even at so early a stage that clinical observations and physical examination were of no avail. Concerning the difficulties encountered by him in seeking a lymph which would render the human subject immune, Dr. Koch says that solutions with dead bacilli caused bad abscesses. When he filtered the fluid it had no better effect than his first tuberculin. When after several years of experiments, he came to the conviction that the bacilli in an unchanged, or, exactly speaking, in an undestroyed state, could not be absorbed, he sought for means to destroy them mechani- cally, without destroying their characteris- tic properties, as was done by dissolving them by a chemical process. In former ex- periments he had found that the bacillus contained two peculiar chemical substances, both of which were non-saturated sebacic acids. The one is soluble in diluted alco- hol, and is easily saponified by carbon- ate of soda lye, the other only in boiling alcohol or ether, and is not easily saponified. Both assume the so-called tubercle-bacillus tint, and keep this tint after being treated with diluted nitric acid and with alcohol. These sebacic acids form, as the microscopic picture of the dyed bacillus shows, a con- nected layer in its body. They protect the bacillus against attacks from the outside, and render resorption difficult. The object, therefore, was to destroy this integument. All the first experiments failed. Only when well-dried cultures were taken, and worked about for a long time in an agate mortar, without any admixture, one could see that the bacilli decreased in number, and that finally only a few remained. In order to remove these, Dr. Koch diluted the sub- stance thus obtained Iwith distilled' water, and worked it about by means of a very powerful centrifugal machine, which made four thousand revolutions in a minute. The fluid was in about half -an hour divided into a whitish opalescent, but quite transparent upper layer, which contained no more bacilli, and a muddy sediment sticking fast to the bottom. The latter was dried again, then worked in the mortar, and by the machine, and was divided as before. This manipula- tion was continued till finally nothing re- mained but a series of completely clear fluids. This experiment was the basis of Dr. Koch's further work. At first he convinced himself by experiments on animals, and later on on human beings, that the prepara- tions so gained were-all completely resorb- able,' and never caused abscesses. It was further shown that though the first fluid differed considerably from the others, these were all alike. Dr. Koch called the upper layer Tuberculino,' abbreviated T. 0,' and the bottom layer T. R' (tuberculin remain- der). Treated with glycerine, T. R. showed that it chiefly contained the ingredients in- soluble in glycerine, whilst T. O. contained those soluble in it. This was confirmed by experiments on animals and men. T. O. is very much like the ordinary tuberculin or tubercle-antitoxin, but it causes no absces- ses. The T. R., however, hds a decidedly immunising' effect. It certainly alscf causes some reaction if too large a dose is given, but its effect is quite independent of these reactions. Whilst in using ordinary tuber- ctilin or tubercle-antitoxin, or T. O., reac- tion must be purposely provoked in order to obtain healing effects, Dr. Koch in using T. R. endeavours to avoid such reaction. For this purpose he tried, by gradually in- creasing the doses, which were made to fol- low each other as quickly as the patient's condition allowed, to make him insuscepti- ble to the effects of a larger dose—that is to sty, render him immune against T.R, and against the tubercle bacilli themselves. If a man can be rendered proof against T. R. he is proof against the bacillus itself. Pro- fessor Koch adds that he made such numer- ous experiments with T. R. that no doubt can exist about the correctness of his state- ment. The treatment is very simple. Injections "are made as with the tuberculin, on the back with a syringe. The fluid contains in one cubic centimetre eight milligrammes of solid, find by dilution with salt solution the proper dose is obtained. One five-bundrqfltn of a milligram is given first. This is such a small: dose that only very rarely reaction sets in. When this is the. case it must be still meredl- i luted. The injections are made about every second day, and the dose is increased so slowly that increase of the temperature above half a degree is avoided. The rising of th« temperature, if caused by the injec- tionsj must have completely dissappeared befoie resuming the injections, As a rnie, the dove tip. to SO ] • I* • AM'I if no' fwrt:GTi ceptible he ceases to inject, or only does so after longer pauses. He has gained the impression that complete immu- nity is attained about two or three weeks after the application of large doses. The cure of tuberculous guinea-pigs, the disease taking a very rapid course with them, suc- ceed only if the treatment is begun early. This is the same with human patients, The preparation has been applied by Dr. Koch in a great number of suitable cases, especially of lupus, and he Las achieved without exception an improvement far greater than that gained with tubercle-anti- toxin. I say improvement,' says Dr. Koch, though many of the cases may be regarded as cured, in the ordinary sense of the word, but I think it permature to use the word cure before a sufficient time has passed with out a relapse.' Dr. Koch emphasises the fact that in none of the numerous cases he trea- ted with T. O. were evil after effects ob- served. The patients felt well, they steadily increased in weight, and what was especially striking, their temperature did not show the well-known variations in consumptive pa- tients The Professor says he does not ven- -ture to regard his lymph as the best possible. He intimates that experiments are being made with a new serum which may prove still more efficacious, but he is convinced that the preparation of the tubercle cultures cannot be brought to greater perfection. He concludes with the words :—' Whatever may be done with tubercle cultures can be done with these.' Interesting is Dr. Koch's reference to the great danger of his experiments. The cul- tures used for the preparation of the T. O. must be as fresh as possible, and an investi- gator must not forget that it is the most virulent living tubercle bacilli which he has to deal with, and that they are worked upon in a dried state, so that dust cannot be avoided. I do not,' he says, think the danger connected with these experiments to be little, and I must confess that I often had the feeling as if I were dealing with ex- plosives.' A chemical factory at Hochst, which pro- duces Behring's diphtheria serum, is now selling the new tuberculin.

WELSH INTERMEDIATE SCHOOLS AND THE QUEEN'S REIGN. At a meeting of the Llandudno County Schools Governing Body on Friday evening, Mr. Allanson Picton (chairman) presiding, some discussion took place with reference to erecting new buildings in celebration of the Queen's reign. Mr. Owen Owen, M.A., of the Welsh Cen- tral Board, who had been inspecting the schools during the day, said there were too many intermediate schools, like that at Llandudno, in temporary premises, and it was very desirable to see new buildings erected throughout the land. The present year was to be an historic one in the country, and he could not see any better way of cele- brating the sixtieth year of the Queen's reign than by commencing to build schools where temporary premises were at present utilised. This remark applied especially to Wales. Of course he was not aware of what was really desired by the people of Llan- dudno, but it was generally felt that the sooner permanent buildings were erected in every district the sooner they would be en- tering upon a straight course which would no doubt crown the schools with success (hear, hear). Mr. J. Owen said there was a great deal of misapprehension as to the quality of the work done in the intermediate schools, many Llandudno people regarding them as no better than higher grade elementary schools. A word from Mr. Owen would do much to correct that erroneous idea. Mr. O. Owen replied that his examination of the Denbighshire schools last year led him to form a very high opinion as to the standard attained. It was very unfair to estimate the future of a system which was at present in its infancy. He predicted that no better work would be done outside the Universities. The Chairman, alluding to the local sug- gestions for celebrating the Queen's reign, said that the Prince of Wales had expressed an opinion most emphatically in favour of works of public utility. He (the chairman) entirely approved of the erection of inter- mediate schools in that town, but was afraid the weakness of nature would tend more in the direction of a recreation ground. Mr. J. Owen: I think the district nurse fund will be more dangerous. The Chairman I thought the county was taking that up. The Rector: But they think of having a local nurse here. The Chairman: We have one already at Penmaenmawr. Mr. Darbishire: And so have we at Llan- fairfechan. Every respectable place has one (laughter). It transpired that about R860 more were required to build, and the Rector observed that this would not be subscribed in connec- tion with the celebration unless Conway and Penmaenmawr joined in. Mr. J. Owen said that was what should be done- Mr. Darbishire: The Queen has been allowed to amass a considerable fortune during her sixty years' reign. I think it should be suggested that Her Majesty dis- tribute some of that fortune. The Prince of Wales might induce her to distribute some in Wales. This would be a precedent that would give great satisfaction to the Qteen's subjects. The Chairman (asked if the Carnarvon- shire schemes was to be modified, so that more money could be given to building funds. Mr. O. Owen replied that Carnarvonshire, being the first county to start the schools, the contributions from local taxation were not so large as in counties where a start was made at a later period. Mr. Darbishire said that at Bethesda Lord Penrhyngave a site; Mr. Assheton Smith, at Llanberis; and he believed Lord Denbigh at Flint. The Chairman: These precedents should be mentioned to Lord Mostyn. The Rector moved That the Local Go- verning Body earnestly hoped that the pro- ject of erecting permanent buildings for the Llandudno County Schools as a fitting me- morial of a reign which has been made specially glorious by the spread of educa- tion, would find, favour with the Local Jubi- lee Celebration Committee.' Mr. Darbisbire seconded, and it was car- ried. | "T^l* T On the motien of Mr. Elias Jones it was further resolved that the clerk (Mr. J. J. Marks) write to Lord Mostyn conveying the earnest desire of the Committee that his Lordship will assist them by either giving a site or selling one at the lowest price pos- sible.

I'll tell you what I think I'd better do,' said the disgusted playwright. As you gay, I haven't been very succesufvl in suiting the cha- racters t» the actors. But the comedy I have in contemplation Will give every one of them ft i rote exactly adapted to, hi i, What will you call it ?' inquired the mana. •v&er, of StieW

[If anyreaderwlioisin a difficulty with reference >3 to his garden, will write directly to the ad- dress given beneath, his queries will be an- swered, free of charge, and by return of post -EDITORI. THE VEGETABLE GARDEN. The hoe must be kept at work early and late to destroy weeds and to keep the surface soil open. The thinning out of seedlings of one kind and another is a most important matter, and it must not be neglected on any account. It may I become necessary to supply water during dry weather this month, but a beginning should not be made until it is really required. Asparagus beds should be cleaned and freed from weeds and rubbish afc once; and if new ones are needed, no time must be lost in getting the plants into the ground. It is best to use strong roots in preference to seeds in small gardens, as the crop will be secured so much sooner. A top-dressing of two or three inches of rich dung » may be given to established beds. Globe arti- choke suckers can now be deeply planted three feet apart in rows four feet asunder, the ground being well trodden down round each plant. They will want a mulsh of good manure after being removed, and water musb be liberally supplied during dry weather. Continue to make sowings of early brocoli in fresh, sweet and well-dug soils, using one ounce of seed to four square yards, in shallow drills ten inches apart. Cover with about half-inch of fine soil, and net the seed-beds as a protection from small birds. This precaution should be adopted in the case of all small seeds. Select a light, rich bed, and sow the main crops of Brussels sprouts in shal- low drills twelve inches asunder. Prick out seedlings from earlier sowings from the frames into open beds of well-manured soil directly they have made half a dozen leaves. They will then be ready to transplant to their permanent quarters in June or July. It is most essential to avoid crowding. The main supply of carrot seeds should be got in at once in drills from eight to twelve inches apart, according to the size of the variety. Select deeply-worked, rich soils, free from recent manuring, and cover the seeds with about .inch of fine earth. As soon as possible weed the crop, and thin out the seedlings to several inches apart. During show- ery weather thin out a second time, finally leaving the roots to mature at from four to twelve inches asunder in the rows, according to the vigour of the variety. The young carrots from the second thinning make a delicate dish. Make successional sowings of the larger and smaller cabbages, the former to turn in during autumn, and the latter for filling up odd corners in the garden." An ounce of seed is sufficient for a bed of eight square yards, and it should be covered .inch deep. Never permit the plants to become crowded or drawn in the seed-beds, m but plant them out as soon as possible, choos- ing showery weather if practicable. It is well to dip each root into a puddle, composed of soot, lime, clay, and water. When rain cannot be waited for, draw shallow drills, soak them with water over night, and immediately mulch them with short manure. Plant out cauliflowers at every opportunity, and protect them from frost with inverted pots. Be very c., reful to prick out seedlings early, or they will form button- like heads only. Make small and frequent sow- ings of spinach in drills an inch deep and a foot asunder, using an ounce of &eed to a bed of five square yards; and thin out the plants early to six, and finally to twelve inches apart in the rows. Hoe lightly between the rows to keep down weeds, and shade from the sun if neces- sary. One of the most wholesome and delicious of winter salads is the much neglected chicory. Sow the seeds now in drills from ten to twelve inches apart, and thin out the seedlings until they stand from eight to nine inches asunder in the rows. Water if necessary. Make succes- sional sowings of turnip seed in shallow drills from 12 to 15 inches apart, and in gardens where the turnip fly is troublesome place some stimulating manure in the drills. Thin out with a hoe directly the rough leaves appear, and finally single out the seedlings by hand until they are from four to nine inches apart, accor- ding to the vigour of the variety. If this pro- cess of singling be effected at two operations the thinnings may be utilised in the kitchen- Give an occasional heavy watering during dry weather, and keep the beds free from weeds. Second-early peas may be sown for succession. Directly the seedlings are visible dust them over lightly with lime and soot mixed, as a pro tection from slugs; and thin them to about two inches apart when they are two or three inches high. During periods of drought, water must be liberally supplied either in shallow drills drawn about nine inches from the rows, or in the trough made by slightly earthing up the stems. Pinch out the tops of robust, growing kinds when they are showing bloom freely. A mulch of leaves, short grass, or half decayed manure is of the greatest benefit during hot weather. Systematic gathering of the pods di- rectly they are fit for use is most important, as the ripening of a few seeds imposes a heavy tax on the plants. Onions should now be sown for winter use in firm, deeply-worked, and well pulverised soils, preferably rich loams. If only light land be available, it must be firmly trod- den down at seed time. Select a day when the surface soil is almost dry, and sow in drills from 6 to 12 inches asunder, using one ounce of seed to 3 square yards. Cover with about half inch of fine soil, tread lightly over the drills, touch the surface with a rake, and firm the bed down all over with the back of a spade, provided the soil be dry. Hoe between the rows directly the seedlings are visible, and thin out the first time with a narrow hoe. Further thinnings will pro- vide delicate salading material, the plants be- ing finally singled out to distances of from 4 to 6 inches apart. Water is seldom required. though a soaking of weak liquid manure is per- missible during long continued drought. Keep down weeds by using a small hoe regularly be- tween the rows. Broadcast the seed of a silver- skinned pickling variety on rather poor soil? and do not thin the bulbs out at all. Make extensive sowings of quick-growing lettuces in light, rich, loamy soils, about 9 inches under the surface of which a good layer of fresh nis, nure ha3 been placed. It is best to drill the seeds an inch deep in rows a foot apart, one ounce of seed being sufficient for four square yards. Thin out early to prevent crowding, eventually leaving the plants some 12 inches apart. Sow parsley seed in shallow drills 12 inches asunder, and thin out the seedlings two or three times to 6 inches apart, transplanting the thinnings into good ground. When the foliage becomes coarse, cut it off close to the ground. Bow herbs at enee on sunny southern borders in drills, and see that each plant h& £ sufficient room forperfeet development. Celery seed may be sown no-A on a bed of rotten ma- nure in a warm corner, and the plants frOW, seed pans must be pricked out into beds of de- cayed manure in frames or sheltered nooks. E. KEMP TooooOD, F.R.H.S., pro Toogood and Sons, The Royal Seed Establishment, Southampton.

Miss Wrigley, who, with her brothers,rece» ly presented the town of Bury with worth nearly £ 100,000, died on Wednesday night.

One WAY 05?. Uoikg IT. There is a good story of «n Irishman who. no* long ago was employed as a fireman. One there was a big Waze, and when the engloo, with the firemen arrived, it was discovered. a man was the roef and ia great A ladder war quickly placed against the w*1'' and Patrick was sent up, armed with a Unfortunately, the ladder was too short, Pat foand himself about two yardsfrolot t roof. However, our hero was noi to be be» Throwing the peor fellow en the roof the r»P^ he BhoatedP 1 Now, then, you get this your neck, we'll have you down in ft The man did as he was bid, and assooa ftfl saw that the noese was tight, fee gave tug that the unfortuaate man was brou&.g down precipitately, 4 There,' cried P*- triumph,4 didn't On say Oi'd have ye dow» ,p jifty f Pat is is"w looking for tnekher