132 CONTAGIOUS DISEASES OF DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 



veracity ; tbey ought to emanate from the authorities of the countries 

 and be drawu up by veterinarians. 



With this bulletin they would know at each custom-house what coun- 

 tries can supply stock to international markets, and from what the 

 stock must be refused ; this international bulletin should be a check on 

 certificates of health and of origin, and should enable the officials to ap- 

 preciate their value. 



The bulletin would thus furnish the best mutual guarantee for inter- 

 national commerce, and give mutual confidence between nations carry- 

 ing on with each other a traffic in domestic animals. 



The nations will better comprehend on the basis of epizootics what 

 they generally fail to arrive at on that of politics. One stej) may per- 

 luips lead to others. 



The third resolution, adopted unanimously, reads as follows : 



Between the different states, whicli by a regular service repressive and prevent- 

 ive of epizootics are able to furnish gnarantees of a good veterinary sanitary police, 

 there should be established an agreement having for its object: 1. To notify other 

 states, with the least i)ossible delay, of the eruption of lung plague, aphthous fever, 

 sheep-pox, maladie (lit coit, glanders (or farcy), and sheep-scab. 2. To publish a pe- 

 riodic veterinary bulletin on these maladies — on their status, extension, and termina- 

 tions; which information should also be sent to the international bulletin, if judged 

 Becessary. 3. To combat these maladies by measures of sanitary police which have 

 been previously discussed and adopted as the best. 4. Not to permit the delivery of 

 animals nor of herds which are being sent in or out of the territory, except on cer. j 

 tificate of origin and of health of a guaranteed administrative value. 5. To con^^ 

 tribute to the publication of an international veterinary bulletin. 



IIE3IARKS. 



The above has been reported at considerable length because of its 

 manifest bearing on the problems which now press on the American 'a 

 people for solution. In America, as in Europe, the medical and polit- 

 ical authorities have undertaken too much of what properly pertains to'':)v 

 the veterinary profession, and, as a consequence, we have had measures 

 that aimed at repression rather than extinction of animal plagues, and^,^ 

 the administration of these and even of better measures has been madefy 

 in such an irregular and badly sustained manner that what had been 

 gained to-daj* by much efitbrt and outlay was lost on the morrow by a 

 relaxation or entire suspension of the rules. 



To have efficient legislation the best available veterinary advice 

 should be secured as to the measures to be framed in a bill, and a vet- 

 erinary authority should be intrusted to see the statute rigidlj^ and im« 

 partially administered. Place it in the hands of a mere beaurocracy 

 and this will too often, as in the past, result in its administration ia 

 what they consider the spirit — not the letter — of the law, until all its 

 valuable provisions are frittered away and lost. A knowledge of the 

 diseases is essential to a knowledge of the fundamental principles on 

 which suppressive measures must be based, and, in ignorance of tliese 



