258 Report on Stejype Murrain or Rinderpest. 



Tlie discharge from both the nostrils and eyes is augmented in 

 quantity ; the eyes, however, still retain their transparency and. 

 the blood-vessels are but slightly injected. The pulse is not 

 weaker than yesterday, but upon the whole a little more dis- 

 tinct. The ears, horns, and extremities are still a little warm. 

 The animal takes a small quantity of water, and appears to be 

 free from any acute pain.* 



* The Commissioners decided to-day upon slaughtering the remaining eight ani- 

 mals in the quarantine, as two or three of them were giving indications of approach- 

 ing illness. They also had in view the raising of the cordon at an earlier date 

 than it otherwise could be, supposing the malady was allowed to take its ordinary 

 course ; for, as elsewhere stated, it has to be maintained for twenty-one days after 

 the death or the killing of the last animal. The chief object in keeping up the 

 cordon for this length of time is to prevent the possibility of a fresh outbreak. 

 No newly-purchased cattle are therefore allowed to come unto the farm, nor is 

 any labourer, or other person, allowed to leave it. No straw or fodder of any 

 kind is permitted to be removed ; in fact, all the details are as rigorously enforced 

 during these three weeks as while the disease exists. 



The resolve of the Commissioners afforded us the opportunity of witnessing the 

 form of valuing the cattle for skmjhterituj on the part of Government, their real 

 value being greater than the estimated one. For this purpose a jury of three 

 persons was summoned, consisting of the Burgomaster of the village and two other 

 inhabitants conversant with the worth of cattle. They were not, however, allowed 

 to come within 200 paces of the line of the cordon. The non-medical commis- 

 sioner, M. Kucki, took his seat at a table placed on the line, and being furnished 

 with writing materials, noted every particular of the transaction. The cattle 

 were then brought one by one to within a short distance of the Commissioner, to 

 be inspected by the jury, who asked a great variety of questions relating to their 

 age, breed, and use for feeding, milking, or working purposes ; which being satis- 

 factorily answered, they made their award. 



The first, a young heifer, was valued at about, in English money 



The second, also a heifer, , , , , 



The third, a milking cow, , , , , 



The fourth, a young steer, , , , , 



The fifth, an older steer, , , , , 



The sixth, a young bull, , , , , 



The seventh and eighth, two heifers, , , , , 



Total 36 4 



The skins of the animals were next valued at 8s. each for the larger ones, and 

 6s. the smaller, which sums we were informed would be deducted from the gross 

 amount ; the proprietor being allowed to dispose of them as he thought fit after they 

 had undergone a disinfecting process, under the immediate superintendence of the 

 Commissioners. This part of the ceremony being ended, the animals were led 

 away to be slaughtered and buried, when the jury were permitted to approach the 

 table to sign their award. One only of the three could write, namely, the Burgo- 

 master, and he received authority to sign for the others. The appearance of these 

 men was certainly picturesque, if not very prepossessing. They were very 

 scantily clad, having on scarcely any clothes except a long coat made of a coarse 

 and thick woollen material of a dirty-white colour, and reaching to below their 

 knees. The Burgomaster differed but little from his compeers, excepting that 

 he wore a leather girdle, furnished with a pocket, around his waist, in which he 

 carried his money, and of which, little as it was, he appeared very proud. Their 

 legs were enveloped in pieces of linen tied on with string, and their feet were 

 protected by roughly-made sandals, having very thin leather soles, being apparently 

 of their own manufacturing. 



