THE ESSEX FIELD CLUB.
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they got no specific disease. He had recently been engaged in trying the effect
of light upon the Bacterium of Anthrax ; he found that light was fatal to it. He
also found that by holding the Bacteria for about eight hours within two 2 feet of
an electric arc lamp they were killed.
Professor Meldola asked whether light was fatal to Bacteria which were in
clusters.
Dr. Downes said the light was only fatal to those to which the light could get.
Of course those in the centre of the mass would be protected by those on the
outside.
Mr. A. J. Furbank exhibited a drawing of the Arms of the new Borough of
Chelmsford, and described the same fully (see the "History of the Incorporation
of Chelmsford " above referred to).
Mr. Durrant exhibited many engravings of notable places near Chelmsford,
including Newland Hall, Roxwell, said to have been a residence of Henry VIII.
He also alluded to a tradition that the adjoining village of Springfield was the
original "Deserted Village," of Goldsmith.
Mr. John Gibbs produced and presented to the Mayor the rules of the "Chelms-
ford Natural History and Philosophical Society," which existed before the "Essex
and Chelmsford Museum" was formed.
The Mayor (Mr. Chancellor) made some further remarks upon the Roman Villa
alluded to during the afternoon's proceedings, and gave many biographical details
of the Mildmay family, extracted from his forthcoming book, the "Ancient
Sepulchral Monuments of Essex."
Remarks on the vicissitudes of many of the old families in Essex were made by
the President and Mr. Walter Crouch.
Mr. Miller Christy exhibited photographs of pure and cross-bred buffaloes as
now living in America. The animals were being exterminated, and whereas a few
years ago there were millions, there were now only 1,200 or 1,500 existing in their
wild state. They have been exterminated by human agency, and for the sake of
their hide, as many as five million hides having passed over one railway in one
year. The buffaloes were easily crossed with domesticated cattle.3
A discussion on this subject was carried on by Prof. Meldola, the President, Mr.
W. White, and Mr. John Gibbs.
Mr. Reginald W. Christy read a paper entitled "Notes on the Geology of the
District around Chelmsford, with a List of the Mollusca from the Alluvium
of Roxwell, Essex" (see post), illustrating his statements by specimens and
maps.
Mr. W. H. Dalton, F.G.S., made some remarks on the subject, a report of
which is appended to Mr. Christy's paper as printed (see post).
The President proposed votes of thanks to the "Conductors" of the the meeting,
particularly Mr. Durrant and Mr. Chancellor, and to the readers of the papers.
Professor Meldola, in seconding the votes of thanks, said that the meeting had
been an experiment, and he thought a very successful one. They must never lose
sight of the fact that the Club was the Essex Field Club, and the more widely they
spread their Meetings over the County, and the more pains they took to stir up an
interest in scientific and archaeological matters among the dwellers in Essex,
the better would they fulfil the objects of the Society and justify the adoption
of their comprehensive title.
3Mr. Christy has entered fully into this important subject in recent papers in the "Field."