The Country Gentleman s Magazine 



219 



^ke lekriuErian. 



THE PREVENTION OF THE CATTLE PLAGUE. 



DR BOULEY, an eminent physiologist 

 and veterinarian, Avho has given 

 special attention to the cattle plague, has 

 lately made a very important report to the 

 Academy of Sciences of Paris, of the pro- 

 ceedings of the International Sanitary Con- 

 vention, held March 16 of the present year, 

 at Vienna. This has for its special object 

 the determination of the best methods of 

 preventing the cattle plague, and the taking 

 into consideration the question of establish- 

 ing proper sanitary regulations in regard to 

 the cattle traffic between the countries re- 

 presented in the convention. Delegates 

 from eleven states were present at the con- 

 vention, namely, Germany, Austro-Hungary, 

 Belgium, France, Great Britain, Italy, the 

 Roumanian Principalities, Russia, Servia, 

 Switzerland, and Turkey. 



The delegates included in their number 

 some of the best veterinarians of their re- 

 spective countries, as also various officers 

 specially charged with the enforcement of 

 sanitary regulations. There was but little 

 contrariety of opinion as to the exotic nature 

 of the disease (at least in regard to Western 

 and Central Europe) and as to its mode of 

 propagation. It was Avell established in the 

 convention that, outside of Russia, it never 

 develops spontaneously upon any race of 

 cattle, not even that of the Steppes ; and 

 consequently that, whenever it shews itself 

 outside of its native home, it may be consi- 

 dered as imported. 



It is also well established that, even after 

 it has continued for a longer or shorter time 

 in any given country, it is only transmitted 

 by contagion, and that it always becomes 

 extinct when the conditions favourable to its 

 propagation cease to exist. 



It was considered expedient by the con- 



vention to leave Russia entirely out of the 

 sanitary agreement, and not to permit the ex- 

 portation of its cattle except upon certain well 

 established guarantees. 



As to the general question of absolutely 

 preventing the importation of cattle from 

 Russia, it was found very easy so far as Ger- 

 many was concerned ; but very difficult for 

 Austria or Hungary, owing to the great extent 

 of the coterminous boundaries of the two 

 countries, and the dependence of Austria upon 

 Russia for this source of food. It was, there- 

 fore, recommended that a careful supervision 

 should be exercised, and that cattle, after 

 crossing the frontier, should be subjected to 

 quarantine of ten days before resuming their 

 journey. 



The question being thus settled in regard 

 to the importation of animals from Russia 

 into Austria, the next point that came up for 

 consideration was the nature of the conditions 

 that the several Governments should impose 

 upon themselves toward doing their share to 

 prevent the introduction or spread of the 

 disease ; and the measures concluded on as 

 most essential were — first, the immediate 

 slaughtering of all animals that had come in 

 contact with the plague, as also of those 

 which might be considered as under suspicion 

 of having the disease, in consequence of the 

 influences to which they had been exposed, 

 this being accompanied by a proper compen- 

 sation to the owners ; secondly, the burial of 

 the dead bodies of all animals affected with 

 the plague, without attempting to utiUze them 

 in any way whatever ; thirdly, the utilization 

 of the flesh of sound animals killed under 

 suspicion, but proved after death to have 

 been healthy, this to be permitted only under 

 special conditions rigorously determined ; 

 fourthly, the destruction of the germs of the 



