THE HISTORY OF VETERINARY MEDICINE. 245 



Should the pestilence, however, gain admission, the separation of 

 the sick from the healthy must be enforced by decree. Indeed, in 

 my opinion, by far the safest course is instantly to destroy the ani- 

 mal with the pole-axe, so that no infected blood may escape on the 

 ground / for, in attempting to cure the diseased animal, the veteri- 

 nary surgeon may convey the disease to healthy animals. The 

 healthy cattle must be removed from their former pastures, which 

 must be regarded as contaminated. The diseased oxen should be 

 kept in stables, to which no one is admitted except the veterinary 

 surgeon or the herdsman. The fountains and vessels used by the 

 animals should be frequently cleaned with quicklime. The clothes 

 of the shepherds should also be fumigated. The dead carcasses, from 

 which not one hair is to be removed, must be buried in deep pits ; 

 any saliva or secretions which may drop from them on the way to 

 the pit are to be carefully removed. If any cows are infected, their 

 milk is instantly to be thrown into a hole in the ground ; and the 

 severest punishment should be inflicted on those who disobey this 

 order. The passage of all rustics and dogs should be forbidden." 



That Lancisi's teachings have not been entirely neglected is 

 shown by the following letter, written to Mr. Fleming while I was 

 a student in Germany : * 



My dear Sir : I have just read your very judicious and reason- 

 able letter in the " Times," on the " Cattle-Plague," and being here 

 at Berlin, the headquarters of this outbreak, it may not be uninter- 

 esting to you to hear from me as to what I have seen. 



The whole state, we will say, is divided into thirty-six depart- 

 ments, and these again are subdivided into districts ; over each 

 of these districts is an official veterinarian, known as the " Kreis- 

 Thierarzt," or district veterinary surgeon, and the same arrange- 

 ment is carried out over the entire Empire of Germany. All these 

 men are selected for their ability, and especially for their knowledge 

 of contagious animal diseases ; in the smaller towns the " Kreis- 

 Thierarzt" is one of the men of the town, and has for society those 

 who are considered the leading men of the place. The " Departe- 

 ments-Thierarzt " is a much greater character ; he is an unusually 

 well-educated person, who must be thoroughly posted in regard to 

 the laws of the empire relative to his profession and duties, and is 

 responsible to the local state authorities, as well as to the ministry, 

 for the faithful performance of his duties ; the " Kreis-Thierarzte " 

 are responsible to those of the departments. These officers all re- 

 ceive salaries from the state, varying from fifty to four hundred 



* Published in the " Veterinary Journal," 1879. 



