106 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



of its diffusion as they pass under our 

 notice. 



The mooted question of determining whether 

 the cattle typhus was originally imported from 

 abroad, or whether it broke out spontaneously 

 in England, has been, and still is, a subject of 

 dubious debate amongst some professional 

 men, amongst the leading writers of the public 

 journals, and also amongst agriculturists and 

 farmers.* 



And, in truth, the propagation of the dis- 

 temper is occasionally witnessed under con- 

 ditions so singular and striking, that it seems 

 to warrant and supply arguments for every 

 conceivable opinion. 



When the disease was recognised and iden- 

 tified for the first time on the 24th of June, 

 1865, public opinion ascribed its appearance 

 to contagion arising from some diseased cows 

 imported from Finland, and which, after being 

 exposed in the Islington Market on the 19th, 

 were sold and removed to the cowsheds of a 

 breeder or dairy-man. 



We may observe that, on hearing the intel- 

 ligence of this sudden invasion, the public 

 * See Notes B, C, D, E. 



