PREVENTION OF TLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 179 



" Uli, That sliould it happen to be, as Dr Willems pretends, 

 a prophylactic, for which there seems, however, to he no valid 

 ground, proofs are wanting of the inoculative qualities existing 

 in the serum exuded from the lungs, and, therefore, its employ- 

 ment can be of no benefit." 



The Belgian Commission, which had been continuing its inves- 

 tigations, issued its fifth report in 1858, which was adopted at 

 their sitting of the 3rd April of that year. Of the members pre- 

 sent there were MM. Thiemesse, chairman, Delwart, Gaudy, 

 Verhezeu, and Crocq, secretary and reporter. Having carefully 

 examined and analysed the investigations and conclusions of 

 previous commissions instituted in Belgium as well as in other 

 countries, and also of the experiments of the present committee, 

 they arrived at the following conclusions : — 



" 1st, The inoculation, well performed, is an operation unat- 

 tended with bad consequences. The accidents resulting from it 

 are in very small proportion, wdien the operation is performed 

 in proper season. 



"'Iml, In Belgium pleuro-pneumonia has reached its decline. 

 The fact anniliilates the value of the cases in which its cessation 

 was attributed to the inoculation. 



" ?)rd, In Friesland the inoculation does not appear s':)fficient 

 to stop the progress of the epizootic. 



" 4dh, In numerous cases pleuro-pneumonia manifested itself 

 more than fifteen days after inoculation, and sometimes even 

 later. 



" ^th, The local phenomena of the inoculation, and of those 

 of pleuro-pneumonia, may develop simultaneously with equal 

 intensity. 



" Wh, Inoculation does not constitute a sure preservative 

 against pleuro-pneumonia of cattle. 



" 1th, Inoculation has perhaps the property to diminish the 

 frequency of cases of pleuro-pneumonia, and to retard the epoch 

 of its invasion. 



" Sth, Eevulsives appear to possess the same property." 



In 1861 there was publishecl a blue-book,* giving some very 

 important particulars with reference to pleuro-pneumonia in 

 Holland. It is a somewhat lengthy document, and, therefore, 

 brief references and observations must suffice here. The report 

 alludes to the results of the institution of preventive measures 

 as: — 



a. For checking the disease: 1. Laws or ordinances; 2. At- 

 tempts at cure. 



h. Inoculation as a mean of preventing infection. 



c. Insurance as a means of diminishing individual loss. 



* Eeports by Her Majesty's Secretaries of Embassy and Legatiou, 1861. 



