CATTLE PLAGUE. 



1r f^ 

 00 



Total number of diseased animals reported since the com- 

 mencement of the disease — 



The disease continued to spread, and to commit great havoc, 

 until an Order in Council was issued, making it compulsory to 

 slaughter and bury all animals affected with the plague, as well 

 as those which had been in contact with them. 



The beneficial effects of this order were soon made apparent, 

 the number of animals attacked gradually falling off unti] the 

 disease was finally stamped out. It is true that every now and 

 then outbreaks occurred at various places, without any trace of 

 contagion or infection being discovered, leading people to think 

 that the plague was a sporadic, non-contagious disease ; and even 

 to this day some believe that it was never imported here at all, 

 and but for the most determined action of the Government, 

 supported by the opinions of veterinary surgeons, all legislative 

 restrictions upon the cattle traffic would have been removed. 



Had the restrictions upon cattle traffic been removed, we 

 should again have felt the effects of another visitation of the 

 plague in 1872, for in July and August of that year the disease 

 was brought to Deptford, Hull, and Leith, and but for the 

 prompt action of the authorities, the affected animals would 

 have conveyed the disease all over the country. As it was, the 

 plague did appear at Patrington on the 10th, and at Yaj^ham on 

 the 19th of August. The origin of the outbreak was as follows : — 

 A vessel, the " Joseph Soames," arrived in Hull on the 2oth 

 July, from Cronstadt, with fifty-eight oxen on board. Two, it is 

 stated, had died on the voyage, and in consequence of informa- 

 tion the cattle were examined by Professors Simonds and Brown, 

 who found eighteen of them infected with the ^^lague. On the 



