4 RINDERPEST. 



January 6th, 1866, and at a later period over 13,000 in one week ; in 

 all, officially reported up to January 27th last, 120,740. It is believed, 

 however, that at least two hundred thousand animals infected with 

 this plague had been destroyed. Although at the last accounts, the 

 rate of mortality had decreased, still the highest proportion of recov- 

 eries was only twelve in each one hundred cases. 



In Belgium, where a vigorous system of quarantine had been insti- 

 tuted, and immediate slaughter of animals suspected to be suffering 

 with the premonitory symptoms secured ; only three hundred and six 

 cases occurred, seventeen of which died, the rest being summarily 

 disposed of by public authority. One case lately occurred at Ant- 

 werp, being traced to a smuggled cow. The market was at once 

 closed, and all egress of cattle prohibited until further orders. The 

 plague was thus successfully checked and Belgium has been free from 

 its ravages ever since. 



The disease entered France by one animal bought at Malines, and 

 was arrested by the sacrifice of forty-three head of cattle. In Novem- 

 ber last, at the Jardin d' Acclimation, it made its appearance in the 

 case of two gazelles, brought from India, which had been for three 

 days in London. It spread rapidly among other animals at the gar- 

 den, but was suppressed by the destruction of thirty-five ruminants 

 of different species. 



In Prussia, which has a long line of frontier, and is therefore greatly 

 exposed from surrounding territory, where the disease has made exten- 

 sive havoc, it has been kept at bay by the most determined action and 

 instantaneous use of the knife. 



Aberdeenshire, in Scotland, a county containing 150,000 head of 

 cattle, adopting at the start a policy different from that pursued in 

 England, has been quite exempt. It maintained a strict quarantine, 

 and authorized summary destruction of all animals infected, under a 

 system of compensation to the owners. Out of a fund of £3,000, 

 raised by private subscription, £1,400 remained unexpended. Other 

 parts of Scotland, which have neglected the precautions adopted in 

 Aberdeen, have been frightfully devastated. Ireland, under a like 

 system, principally of quarantine, established also with reference to 

 persons employed about diseased cattle, has been untouched with 

 these calamities. 



The disease appears, from these statistics, and by a general admis- 

 sion of all writers on the subject, to be not only of a fatal, but of a 

 highly infectious and contagious character. It is not only propagated 

 in animals of the bovine race from one to another, but also to all 

 classes of ruminants. The contagion is also conveyed in the clothes 



