116 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



This state of things was met by legislative enactments 

 with view to arrest the progress of the disease, and hap- 

 pily they proved of essential service in so doing. Uy the 

 expiration of the third year from the outbreak, scarcely 

 an instance of the disease could be met with in any part ot 

 the country, and this notwithstanding tens of thousands 

 of animals were, to our own knowledge, affected in the 

 year succeeding its introduction. From the time of its 

 subsidence in 1850 until now, we have been perfectly 

 exempt from cases of small-pox. 



This short historical account of epizootic affections of 

 cattle, in this country, brings us down to the present 

 period, and to the especial subject of this report. 



It was during the latter part of the past year that the 

 public mind became much excited by frequent and 

 almost continuous reports that a malady of a most 

 fatal description had shown itself among the cattle on 

 the Continent, and that it was rapidly extending towards 

 those countries whence we received our chief importa- 

 tions. In the early part of the present year the subject 

 assumed so much practical importance that the atten- 

 tion of Parliament was directed to it on two or three 

 different occasions. Her Majesty's Government, it was 

 found, had early given instructions for our Consuls 

 abroad to collect all the information they possibly could 

 in their several localities, and transmit the particulars 

 of their inquiries without delay to the Minister of 

 Foreign Affairs. These despatches were from time to 

 time forwarded by Lord Clarendon to the Council of 

 the Royal Agricultural Society, who also bad from the 

 beginning taken the liveliest interest in the matter, and 

 who lost no opportunity of placing the latest informa- 

 tion before the country through the weekly publication 

 of their proceedings. The official documents, however, 

 in no way tended to allay public apprehensions, but 

 rather, on the contrary, to increase them, as it was dis- 

 tinctly stated that the " murrain" was rapidly making 

 its way westward from the countries where it had been 

 first observed, and that it would ere long be introduced 

 here unless the greatest caution was exercised in regu- 

 lating our supply of foreign cattle ; and that even then 

 it was more than probable the disease would come in, 

 it being said that it could be carried from place to place 

 by skins, hoofs, or horns, or indeed anything which had 

 been exposed to the infection by being brought near to 

 the diseased animals. 



Notwithstanding the great amount of information 

 which was supplied by our Consuls, but very little of a 

 satisfactory kind could be obtained with reference to the 

 true pathology of the disease. The Council of the 

 Royal Agricultural Society therefore felt that under 

 such circumstances as these some more decisive step 

 should be taken ; and this opinion found a ready 

 response in the other two national Agricultural Societies 

 of Scotland and Ireland. At this juncture a communi- 

 cation was received from the Royal Agricultural 

 Improvement Society of Ireland, suggesting "that it 

 would be desirable for the three agricultural societies 

 of the United Kingdom to join in the common object 

 of despatching abroad a special veterinary inspector, 

 for the purpose of ascertaining the exact nature of the 

 contagious typhus." 



At a meeting of the Council, held on the 1st of 

 April, some further communications were read from 

 Mr. Hall Maxwell, C.B., Secretary of the Highland and 

 Agricultural Society of Scotland, and from Captain 

 Croker, Secretary of the Royal Agricultural Improve- 

 ment Society of Ireland, expressing their willingness to 

 concur with the Royal Agricultural Society in making 

 arrangements for despatching a veterinary inspector to 

 the districts abroad where the cattle murrain was at pre- 

 sent raging. The Council thereupon agreed to the fol- 

 lowing resolution : — 



" That it is expedient to send a competent veterinary pro- 

 fessor to examine into the nature of the cattle murrain on the 

 Continent. That the Society gladly accepts tl>e co-operation 

 of the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland and the 

 Royal Agricultural Improvemeut Society of Ireland in this 

 step. The Society ventures to recommend that Professor 

 Siuioiiils, of the Royf.l Veterinary College, be conimissioued 

 to this task. That he be empowered to take with him a 

 German veterinary surgeon, established in Lcndon, quite com- 

 petent for the business, and who would smooth the ciitiiculties 

 of the German lau^uaj;e. It is supposed that about three 

 weeks would be required for a satisfactory examination. That 

 the Highland and Agricultural Society of Scotland be informed 

 that the Royal Agricultural Improvement Society of Ireland 

 propose to share the expense of this mission with the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England ; and that they be asked to 

 join in the same manner." 



It is scarcely necessary to say that the national 

 societies of Scotland and Ireland most readily consented 

 to the [iroposition contained in this resolution ; and on 

 the Government being informed of the step about to be 

 taken. Lord Clarendon kindly forwarded the subjoined 

 letter of introduction to the British Consuls to me, 

 through the Secretary of the Society, accompanied 

 with the following communication : — 



"Foreign Office, April 4, 1857. 

 "Sir, — I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to acknow- 

 ledge the receipt of your letter of the 2nd instant, acquainting 

 his Lordship with the intention of the Council of the Royal 

 Agricultural Society of England, in coujuuctioa with the 

 Societies of Scotland and Ireland, to send Professor Simonds 

 to those districts abroad where the disease among cattle is at 

 present raging ; and I am to enclose a letter which has been 

 addressed, by Lord Clarendon's direction, to the liritish con- 

 sular agents in Northern and Central Europe, instructing 

 them to afford to Professor Simonds all the assistance in their 

 power iu carrying out the objects of his mission. 

 " I am, sir, 

 " Your most obedient, humble servant, 

 "James Hudson, Esq." "E. Hammond. 



(Enclosure.) 



"Foreign Office, April 4, 1837. 

 " Sir, — I am directed by the Earl of Clarendon to acquaint 

 you that the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society of this 

 country have notified to his lordship their intention, in con- 

 junction with the Agricultural Societies of Scotland and Ire- 

 laud, to send a veterinary professor to the districts abroad 

 where the disease among cattle is at present raging, and that 

 the Committee have selected Professor Simonds for this ser- 

 vice. I am, therefore, to instruct you, in the event of Profes- 

 sor Simonds visiting any part of your district in the course of 

 his mission, to show him every attention, and to afford him all 

 the assistance in your power in carrying out the objects of 

 the societies by whom he has been appointed — I am, sir, 



" Your most obedient humble servant, 

 "E. Hammond 

 " To the British Consular Agents in Northern 

 and Central Europe." 



The first step, according to my instructions, being to 

 secure the services of a veterinary surgeon familiar with 

 the German language, I at once called on Mr. Wm. 

 Ernes, M.R.C.V.S., a gentleman eminently fitted for 

 the task ; and who, besides being a native of Belgium, 

 had had the great advantage of travelling almost through- 

 out Europe, thus becoming practically acquainted with 

 most of the foreign languages. Mr. Ernes had also re- 

 ceived an English medical education, and his tastes were 

 in full accordance with the objects of the mission. 



Having secured his co-operation, we left London for 

 Belgium on the morning of April 9th, and arrived the 

 same evening at Ghent. 



We deemed it expedient to ascertain, with as little de- 

 lay as possible, the health of the cattle in those countries 

 whence we were receiving our daily supplies, and also 



