178 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



But we may, perhaps, already set it down 

 approximately from 50,000 to 00,000 head 

 of cattle for England and Scotland, until we 

 have obtained more precise statistical informa- 

 tion on this significant point of inquiry. 



That would represent, however, a very con- 

 siderable capital ; for if we compute the loss 

 of each animal at the average sum of 1 5/. only, 

 the sacrifice already incurred would not be less 

 than from 750,000/. to 900,000/. This sacri- 

 fice in money might possibly have proved the 

 be all and the end all ; and at this point we 

 might, perhaps, have arrested the contagion, 

 had we all been able to act advisedly and har- 

 moniously together, in the name and for the 

 interest of the public, from the first appearance 

 of the disease. But this calculation of, let us 

 say, 900,000/., is made on the supposition that 

 each cattle owner had been willing to abide 

 by his own loss ; whereas, unfortunately, many 

 of them have striven to shift it on others, and 

 large numbers of the sick and tainted beasts 

 having been sold and consumed, a proportionate 

 sum thus recovered by those avaricious men 

 must be of course deducted from this estimate. 

 Deducted, indeed ! Considering the conse- 



