EPIZOOTIC APHTHA. 267 



Writers in the Veterinarian for 1841, notice the pre- 

 valence of the disease abroad, and in a very interesting com- 

 munication by Mr Holmes, of Thirsk, reference is made to in- 

 formation of the spread of the disease through Hungary, 

 Bohemia, Prussia, Holland, Belgium, France, "and then to 

 England/' " I believe," said Mr Holmes, "the disease shewed 

 itself with a greater degree of virulence in Holland than in 

 any other country." It also seems to have passed over from 

 France hither, by means of the Channel intercourse, into the 

 southern counties, and so along by the western districts, 

 until every district has been more or less visited. 



As to the spread of the disease through the Bristol 

 market, I can quote the statement of another able veter- 

 inarian, Mr Lepper, of Aylesbury. Writing in January, 

 1841, he says, "I am of opinion that it is a contagious 

 disease, although it may be difficult for me to give the why 

 and the wherefore. I have attended cattle with the disease, 

 the property of fifty- two persons; out of which number 

 about fifteen or twenty positively affirm, that they brought 

 disease to their stock by purchasing heifers, many of which 

 were bought at the fairs; at Leighton Buzzard, in Bedford- 

 shire, and at Winslow, in Buckinghamshire. Nearly the 

 whole of the beasts that were purchased at Bristol fair, in 

 the month of April last, either came home with the disease 

 on them, or fell ill with it, in a very few days after their 



being safe in the possession of their new owners." 



" Twelve or fourteen persons out of the fifty-two, admit the 

 probability of their cattle having travelled on the road after 

 diseased animals." 



As usual many causes have been assigned for the disease, 

 but the most careful investigation into the history of all out- 

 breaks in Great Britain indicates, as the foregoing references 

 show, that the malady is invariably introduced here, and 



