274 Ahsti^act Report of Agricultural Discussions. 



coxmty of Hereford, some animals had been buried only just below tbe 

 surface, by tlie side of a small stream, wbicb was thus made the vehicle 

 for carrying the disease from farm to farm in its downward course. 

 It was therefore absolutely necessary to pay the utmost attention to 

 the bm-ial of the animals. He also believed that the disease had been 

 communicated from one farm to another through the medium of 

 pigeons. That had been the case particularly in Yorkshire ; and as 

 pigeons were not very profitable, the best thing to do in infected 

 districts would be to get rid of such birds : indeed any birds may 

 convey it, but especially those which frequent the homestall and 

 yards. As regarded birds in general, the risk would be greater 'in 

 the breeding season when the animals were out at pastm-e. If the 

 sheep became affected, the starlings, which are in the habit of alight- 

 ing on their backs, would become a source of danger. 



Prevention and Eradication. 



With regard to the prevention of the disease, he feared that very little 

 indeed could be done unless the infected animal could be so completely 

 isolated as to prevent the matter coming from them finding its way to 

 other animals. Strict isolation, therefore, was to be advocated before 

 anything else. Much attention had been given to the use of disinfectants 

 and various medicinal agents, some having for their object the fortifying 

 of the animal's system against the influence of the morbific matter, and 

 others for the destruction of that morbific matter within the organism 

 of the animal before the disease could be said to have declared itself. 

 With regard to agents fortifying the system or rendering it secure 

 against attacks, he believed that up to the present time there was 

 no satisfactory evidence. No doubt a vast number of agents had 

 been used, and many of them greatly extolled, by persons who had 

 arrived at the conclusion that because a certain number of animals 

 did not show the disease, security had been afforded. 



Among the communications which he had received on this subject 

 was one from a gentleman in Russia, who said he had arrested the 

 plague in that country by getting the animal to drink acidulated 

 water, and that water impregnated with sulphm'ic acid was found to 

 possess qualities by means of which the disease had been arrested. 

 Well, acidulated water had been lately tried in this country, and 

 in every instance had failed. Another gentleman stated, that he had 

 used sulphuric acid in connection with sulphate of iron. This also 

 had been tried to a considerable extent at his (Professor Simonds) 

 suggestion. For, wishing to put no barrier in the way of prevention 

 or ciu-e, he had departed from the legitimate conclusions and dictates 

 of medical science in regard to this great national question. The 

 remedy had been tried in the county of Hants under various circum- 

 stances, and in every instance had failed to give the least security. 

 Sulphate of iron, and even iron itself, had been tried, and that too had 

 entirely failed. 



Again, salt had been tried to a greater extent than any other pro- 

 phylactic, and had also failed in every case to give security. Then 

 there were other agents, termed antiseptics, which were siipposed to 



