THi: KiuNDERPEST.] CATTLE, AN D TIIKI K \ A IM F/IM KS. ^iiii; ini inukbpest. 



THE CATTLE PLAGUE. 

 In the July of 1SG5, the popuhitioii of 

 liOiulon were ponorally startled by tlio ap- 

 nt<araiioe of n disease whieh was deeiiiiatiii}; 

 the eattle of the country, and of which tens of 

 thousands of tlieni had uover either heard or 

 dreamt of. In the previous month a note of 

 warning had been given, that sonio certain 

 cahaniity was about to deprive thcin, to a 

 large extent, of " the roast beef of England ;" 

 but as the aggregate nervous system of this 

 (^reat and active city is not easily disturbrdby 

 things at a distance, its inhabitants still con- 

 tinued to eat their beef, without troubling 

 themselves, in any visible way, about what was 

 to befall them by being dopx-ivcd of it. In a 

 short time, however, they heard that a species of 

 murrain, or plague, had been imported, it was 

 supposed, from Russia, and soon assumed the 

 most alarming charactoristics. This disease 

 was subsequently called the rhinderpest ; but 

 it soon became generally known throughout 

 the country as the " Cattle Plague." 



As the origin of all diseases is attributed 

 to predisposing or exciting causes, a majority 

 of evils require several agencies acting in 

 combination to produce them. There are 

 some, however, which can only be developed 

 by one invariable and specific means ; and this 

 has received the name of contagion. For 

 example, a sheep can only become scabby by 

 the influence of the scab-insect crawling, and 

 multiplying, over its body ; as a dog can 

 only become mad by the virus or rabid poison 

 of some other mad animal, inflicting a wound 

 on, or by some other means, entering its body. 

 From a knowledge of these well-established 

 facts, men of science have come to the con- 

 clusion that cattle can only be attacked with 

 the rhinderpest "as the result of direct, or 

 indirect, communication of the rhinderpest 

 poison to a healthy from an unhealthy animal." 

 General anxiety, from the dreadful strides 

 with which this malady advanced, gradually 

 rose higher and higher ; when the govern- 

 ment, also, excited by its manifest progress, 

 issued, in the latter end of September, a 

 commission from the crown, authorising certain 

 persons therein named to investigate the origin 

 and nature of the disease ; and to report upon 

 the mode of treatment best adapted for the 

 4t 



cure of the infected animals, and the regula- 

 tions proper for preventing the Kpn-ad of the 

 plague, or its future recurrence. Tlio com- 

 missioners, urged by the evident necessity of 

 tho case, lost no tinio in prosfculing their 

 inquiries ; anil having taken evidence from 

 tho most competent persons, upon whoso in- 

 formation they could rely, made their report 

 within about tho compass of a month irom tho 

 date of tho commission. This important 

 document contains tho best authenticated 

 information relative to the origin, progress, 

 and treatment of tho disease ; and is replete 

 with tho most important facts respecting it. 



According to tho commissioner.^, the 

 " plague" was first observed in this country 

 towards the close of the month of June, 1SG5. 

 About that period a couple of English cows 

 had been purchased (the actual date was Juno 

 19th) in the Metropolitan Cattle Market, by 

 a cow-keeper residing in Islington, in whose 

 sheds they were when the symptoms of tho 

 disease first attracted (on tho 27th) the 

 notice of the veterinary surgeon in charge of 

 the general stock. The same surgeon ob- 

 served similar symptoms of the disease on the 

 2Sth, in a cow which belonged to a dairyman 

 in Hackney ; and which had been purchased 

 in the same place, and on the same day. Two 

 Dutch cows, in a Lambeth shed, likewise 

 purchased in the Metropolitan Market on 

 the 19th, were attacked on the 21th, and 

 immediately afterwards the plague spread 

 through many of the London dairies. As an 

 appalling evidence of the remarkable virulence 

 of the distemper, wo may observe, that the 

 Islington cowkeeper lost her whole herd, 

 amounting to ninety-three; she also bought 

 more — lost them also ; making 107 in all. 

 An inspector, who had charge of a great 

 part of the north-east of the metropolis, stated 

 that, in his own district, more than four- 

 fifths had either died or been slaughtered; 

 and the general average, within the precincts 

 of the metropolis, was, in all probability, at 

 least as high. Very early in July it appeared 

 in Norfolk, and likewise in Suflolk and Shrop- 

 shire; then in one county after another; 

 when it was found, that the rapidity with 

 which it had diflfused its desolating breath over 

 the country, had enabled it to enter Scotland. 

 By the 11th of October it had extended to 



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