30G Seventeenth Annual Report of the 



the sale on the highway, and, as the terms of the restrictions show 

 that the authorities cannot trust in the soundness of the animals 

 shown, but, on the contrary, forbid another sale and enjoin 

 slaughter in 6 days, the whole system can only be looked on as a 

 means of spreading infection. The single infected animal which 

 was admitted to the sale had the best possible opportunity to infect 

 the highway, the ground where the sale was conducted, the animals 

 that followed over the same ground, and those with which it came 

 directly in contact. 



Again, cattle shown in the Metropolitan market, London, and 

 thereby rendered liable to slaughter, could be moved to abattoirs 

 even in adjacent counties. 



Again, foreign live stock could be moved from the landing place 

 over the highway to the nearest railway station, to be loaded and 

 shipped to their inland destination. 



Again, the inspectors of markets were enjoined to isolate and 

 condemn any animals affected with aphthous fever, but this did 

 not necessarily apply to all animals in the same market, though 

 they had presumably entered at the same gateway. 



Again, cattle, etc., in transit, found to be affected with aphthous 

 fever, were to be isolated and if necessary destroyed. The fact 

 that animals in transit were found to be diseased showed clearlv 

 that there had been no sufficient care to prevent shipment from 

 infected places, and that others similarly infected had been also 

 shipped, in which the disease was <till latent but would infallibly 

 appear soon after arrival at their destination. 



It is needless to go farther. It is almost absurd to claim that a 

 system of this kind is such a restriction of the movement of live 

 stock as would prevent the dissemination of infection, and yet 

 the experience of these European countries is seriously quoted as 

 proving that the most severe measures against movement are 

 ineffective against diffusion of foot ami mouth disease. As a 

 matter of fact, there was no real abolition of movement of live 

 stock enforced. Enforce absolute cessation of movement, not alone 

 of cattle, sheep, goats and swine, but also of all possible carriers 

 of infection and the disease would be abruptly and finally arrested. 



The absolute prohibition of movement of ruminating animals 

 and swine must lie applied rigorously and without exception to 



