] 98 Report on Steppe Murrain or Rinderpest. 



seems to have been communicated bj the saliva, as it is said 

 that " when this is dropped on the grass, and sound animals are 

 immediately placed on the same pasture, they contract the dis- 

 order, and, in some bullocks, the tongue was inflamed and 

 covered with many red blisters." 



This malady was succeeded, in 1744, by one of far greater 

 importance, because attended with a far greater fatality. The 

 disease in question early attracted the attention of the Govern- 

 ment, who promptly adopted vigorous means of arresting its 

 progress. It is asserted that the malady first appeared in the 

 neighbourhood of London, whence it extended over the length 

 and breadth of the land, destroying hundreds of thousands of 

 cattle, and continuing its devastating effects with almost unmiti- 

 gated severity down to 1754-5. Its introduction here has been 

 differently accounted for ; but it is pretty generally attributed 

 to the importation, by a farmer residing at Poplar, with a view 

 of improving his breed, of two calves from Holland, in whose 

 systems the disease was incubated. Dr. Layard, in his Essay on 

 the disease, says, however, tliat an opinion prevailed that it was 

 brought over by an English tanner, who had purchased " a parcel 

 of distempered hides in Zealand very cheap, because they were 

 forbidden to be sold there, and should have been buried." It 

 seems, therefore, to have been confidently believed at the 

 time that the disease was an imported one, — a circumstance of 

 great practical importance now that we are receiving several 

 hundreds of cattle week by week from the Continent; although, 

 as this Report will hereafter show, our own investigations have 

 proved that no fear need be entertained at present of " the 

 great cattle-murrain " visiting our shores. Notwithstanding the 

 deep and painful interest which this disease excited, and the 

 efforts made by the Government of the day to stay its ravages, 

 no correct estimate can be formed of the numbers of cattle which 

 were lost to the country from its duration and extension ; but it 

 was ascertained by one of the commissioners appointed by the 

 Government that in Nottinghamshire alone 40,000 head of cattle 

 perished in six months, and in Cheshire upwards of 30,000 in 

 the same space of time. 



By a special Act of Parliament, the King in Council was em- 

 powered to issue such orders as were deemed the most effective 

 to arrest the progress of the pest. Instructions were thereupon 

 given — 



1st. For the killing of all the infected animals, and burying 

 them entire with the skins on, " slashed from head to tail," that 

 they might not be used for the purpose of the manufacturer. 



2nd. For the burning of all the hay and straw used about the 

 animals. 



