Report on the Royal Veterinary College. 169 



the animal : the cause of the vertigo, however, is patent, but 

 that of the other disease is still hidden. Many practical agri- 

 culturists assert that the disease is hereditary, and, if once intro- 

 duced into a flock, can never be eradicated except by the destruc- 

 tion of the whole flock ; they also hold the opinion that the 

 disease occasionally passes by the immediate offspring, but 

 shows itself in the second or third generation. These facts and 

 opinions prove the necessity of further research ; but this cannot 

 be carried on successfully without the co-operation of flock- 

 masters, since a long-continued series of experiments and obser- 

 vations may be requisite ; the Governors therefore would be glad 

 to invite, through the intervention of the Council, the attention 

 of sheep-owners to this subject, in the hope that some may be 

 found who will afford the requisite facilities for investigation. 



Among the animals which afforded most valuable informa- 

 tion for the pupils, mention may also be made of a cow affected 

 with scrofula. The animal was only three years of age, and the 

 disease had evidently been inherited from her parents. The 

 Governors are informed that a few years ago this disease was by 

 no means unfrequent among even the purest bred cattle which 

 were exhibited at the Society's Shows ; but that, owing to the 

 inspection conducted by their Professors, and the disqualifica- 

 tion of the infected animals, few instances of the disease now 

 occur. 



A bull also, which died in the infirmary, afforded the students 

 the opportunity of seeing an original case of abscess in the liver, 

 in which nature made an effort to discharge the pus through the 

 medium of the lungs ; the progress of the disease, and the imme- 

 diate cause of the death of the animal, were thus practically 

 illustrated. 



Another instructive case was that of a cow affected with a 

 large abscess in the chest, associated with the absorption of a 

 considerable portion of the bones of the sternum. 

 ' In a practical as well as a medical point of view cases such 

 as are here mentioned are of great importance in the education 

 of the student, as they not only afford the Professor an oppor- 

 tunity of making clinical remarks upon their nature and conse- 

 quences, but also upon the modifications and the progress of 

 disease in different animals. 



During the year a large number of the members of the Society 

 have sought advice from the College on various subjects con- 

 nected with the health of their cattle, sheep, and pigs ; such 

 advice has been promptly rendered and acknowledged in most 

 instances, as having been of great value. Investigations also 

 have been made by Professor Simonds on various farms, which 



