Commissioner of Agriculture 323 



ture of the vesicles healing usually sets in and proceeds rapidly, 

 so that the discharge of infection is less from that time on. From 

 the eighth day the healing has been in the main accomplished, 

 and from that date the danger is greatest from the feet. It would 

 appear, therefore, that before discovery, condemnation and 

 appraisement, the most dangerous diffusion of infection from the 

 lesions has passed, and very commonly a day or two more passes 

 before trenches can be dug to receive the carcasses. Sometimes, 

 it is true, the disease is discovered the one day and the subjects 

 of it killed and buried the next, but that is the exception rather 

 than the rule. On the other hand, in a considerable herd all are 

 rarely attacked simultaneously, the delay being largely depend- 

 ent on the rigid confinement of each animal to its stall, and thus 

 we find the victims in all stages of the disease, and some which 

 have as yet escaped infection altogether. The slaughter of a con- 

 siderable herd of stalled cattle, therefore, lessens the production 

 of infecting material by the removal of a number of individuals 

 that have not yet reached the stage in which the infecting virus 

 is given off. 



The facts remain, however, that before condemnation of the 

 herd the premises are always very thoroughly infected, what is 

 added later is by no means so great as it is usually made to appear, 

 and from that time on, a rigid quarantine will safely shut up 

 the poison already present, and that which may yet be produced. 

 Everything depends on the perfection of the quarantine. By 

 following a system which secures the hearty approval and 

 cooperation of the owner, this quarantine can be applied so much 

 earlier, and maintained so much more faithfully, that it will 

 more than counterbalance the peril of escape of infection pro- 

 duced at a later date than that on which the animals would have 

 been put underground and the premises disinfected. 



MARE ACCURATE CENSUS OF SUSCEPTIBLE ANIMALS IN THE 



DISTRICT 



This is essential in all animal plagues and is much more 

 important when compulsory slaughter is omitted. There are 

 always persons who from sentiment, profit or sheer inherent dis- 

 position to defy constituted authority, will conceal disease, smug- 



