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The Country Gentleman's Magazine 



cows are, and have always been, most 

 subject to pleuro-pneumonia, and when 

 attacked are of least value, the restric- 

 tions offering no safety, but enacting penal- 

 ties, in addition to the losses, paralyz- 

 ing every effort and endangering every 

 attempt at the occupation, however profitable. 

 Thus not only does the existing state of the 

 laws regulating the cattle trade lead to the 

 loss of 2,000,000 annually of the actual 

 production, but to the check of an increasing 

 supply, which would amount to. a still greater 

 value. A recent Order in Council has ap- 

 peared which aims at a most important 

 object, the prevention of the increase of scab 

 in sheep ; but it is like most of the Council 

 Orders on these subjects — wanting in all the 

 elements which could render it operative. 

 Like its predecessors, its infringement is 

 penal in the sum of ^20. I will quote the 

 chief passages : — " No sheep affected with 

 scab shall be removed unless at least five 

 days before such removal a remedy shall have 

 been applied." I would ask what constitutes 

 this remedy, or what is a remedy? The 

 party accused may call anything a remedy, 

 and is he to be convicted because he did not 

 use some particular remedy of which he was 

 wholly ignorant ? I need hardly say the 

 Order may contain useful advice, and may 

 be a useful check, but its penal part 

 will be found wholly inoperative. I 

 have long felt the magnitude of the subject 

 and its importance to the country, and, in a 

 deep anxiety to arrive at the best solution of 

 this manifest difficulty, I have come to the 

 conclusion that there must be such restric- 

 tions as will aim at the prevention of the 

 spread of contagious and infectious disease 

 amongst cattle, but that those restrictions 

 must be carried out under a well-regulated 

 and duly-qualified authority, to give effect to 

 the administration of such laws as may be 



necessary, and at the same time possessing 

 full professional knowledge and skill, with a 

 proper judgment of disease to enable a defi- 

 nition of what is and what is not fit for 

 human food, and having a capability of 

 treating disease in all animals, with a view 

 to recovery. Such an institution would, in 

 my opinion, give great confidence to stock- 

 owners, and not only save losses, but largely 

 promote the increase of production — the 

 only means by which the price of meat can 

 be lessened, and, whilst lessening the price 

 to consumers, would still afford to the 

 owners of stock more real profit than is now 

 enjoyed, consequent upon the losses sus- 

 tained. I believe the only means by which 

 this object can be effectively carried out 

 would be the creating of an institution in some 

 degree resembhng the medical charities, and 

 the appointment to districts or poor-law 

 unions of a requisite number of well- 

 qualified veterinary surgeons, whose duty 

 it would be to see that the Orders 

 in Council to prevent the spread of disease 

 were carried out, to certify on inspection such 

 animals as, though diseased, were not affected 

 to the injury of meat for food, and also to di- 

 rect such treatment as would tend to the 

 recovery of those not slaughtered. I believe 

 a fixed salary, with a small fixed fee for each 

 attendance, would be the best mode of remu- 

 neration, the salaries being chargeable to one 

 general account, and levied with rates. This 

 mode of action, with a central depot or dis- 

 pensary where the best medicines and ap- 

 pliances could be had at first cost, would 

 be of great value. I have not the least 

 doubt that it could be carried into full 

 operation at a cost of less than one 

 penny in the pound, while in unions like 

 Dutlin, with large valuations and small 

 area, less than half the sum would be suffi- 

 cient. 



