4SG KEPOET ON THE TRANSIT OF STOCK. 



have carried with thern the seeds of disease, and thus spread the 

 mischief tenfold. The chief objection against it would be the 

 trouble involved ; but it should be borne in mind that, without 

 some trouble to all owners of stock, it is idle to expect any im- 

 provement of any value ; and as stockowners are principally 

 interested, it may be well worth their consideration how much 

 trouble might uot be well spent on any system that would in- 

 crease the security of their property from contact with disease. 

 And as these certificates could be scheduled and printed, leaving ■ 

 only the special particulars of each case to be written, which 

 could scarcely occupy more than one minute, the only labour 

 required would be the inspection, and without this no measure 

 can be of any use ; and we suggest inspection by two farmers in 

 preference to a paid district inspector, because their declaration 

 would be more valuable as regards some points, and if less so- 

 in others, it would be done gratuitously, being simply a neigh- 

 bourly office, which farmers may very reasonably be asked to do- 

 for each other. 



The second division of the subject, viz., disease engendered 

 during transit, is more difficult of direct proof than the former, 

 inasmuch as the evidence is more difficult to reach, and in itself 

 only circumstantial at best — whereas the other cases admit of di- 

 rect proof ; and, therefore, while actions at law to recover against 

 the first-named evil are frequent enough, scarcely anything is 

 ever attempted in the latter, notwithstanding the frequent occur- 

 rence of cases where the evidence seems almost conclusive. 

 The chief want that is felt in regard to this matter is a series of 

 statistics, showing the state of health of the animal when placed 

 in the conveyance, when taken out of it, and also after the elapse 

 of a period sufficient to develop any disease that might have been 

 therein contracted, carried over a considerable period of time, 

 and including a large number of animals. From such statistics- 

 alone, carefully prepared and fully noting all the incidents, can 

 safe general conclusions be deduced. Judging, however, in the 

 absence of statistics, by individual experience alone, there seems 

 to be little doubt that disease is very frequently contracted 

 during transit, either by infection from the conveyance itself, 

 acquired in carrying stock that are actually under disease, or 

 induced by the privation to which the animals are subjected. 

 For the former of these, the best remedy appears to be such a 

 system of inspection, and provision of a bill of health, before 

 stock can be moved at all, as has been already suggested, and to 

 a careful disinfection of every public conveyance between the 

 carrying of each lot of stock. The latter is now done by the 

 railway companies, by whitewashing the inside of their trucks, 

 and scattering a little chloride of lime over them, and a similar 

 rule ought to be applied to every public conveyance for stock- 



