12 



Notwithstanding tliat the first attempts at inoculation were made under 

 these most iinfavourable circumstances, a very large nuijority of the stock- 

 owners in all the Colonics from the first expressed themselves strongly in 

 favour of the operation, and that majority has since gone on steadily increasing. 

 Thus, when the opinion of the stock-owners in New South Wales was asked iu 

 1837, it was found that only in six districts out of thirty-four were they 

 reported by the inspectors as " not in favour of inoculation," and in only one 

 of tl es3 six districts did the owners express themselves decidedly against 

 it. Again, in 18G9, when the opinions of the owners in the same Colony 

 who were possessed of 200 head of cattle and upwards were taken, it was 

 found that, of the owners who had inoculated their cattle (and a very large 

 majority of them did so), there were fourteen to one in favour of that 

 treatment; and since then the number of its supporters has still further 

 increased, for a good many who were then opposed to inoculation have tried 

 it with such decided success as now to believe most implicitly in its efficacy. 



From the answers received from the stock-owners, it would be gathered 

 that those who were in favour of inoculation founded, their belief in its 

 efBcacv on the following grounds : — 



1. That in almost every instance where inoculation was properly tried the 

 disease shortly disappeai'cd from the herd, in a shorter or longer period ac- 

 cording ti the size of the herd, but always before three months from the date 

 of inoculation. 



2. That wjiile the disease thus disappeared in a short time from the herds 

 which were properly inoculated, it continued in those which were not inocu- 

 lated for periods of from two to six years, according to the size of herd. 



3. That cattle which had been properly inoculated wiien sound, with a few 

 solitary exceptions, never afterwards became diseased, although they were 

 frequently mixed, and sometimes even put in the same paddock with unin- 

 Gculated cattle which were dying of the disease. 



4. That where the right sort of virus was used, and the operation properly 

 performed, and the weather not too hot, the deaths from inoculation never 

 exceeded more than 2, and seldom more than 1 per cent. 



Compulsory Inoculation. 



One of the principal objects had in view in making the inquiry as to the 

 efScacy of inoculation, to which reference has been made, was to ascertain 

 whether any measure founded on the information contained in the owners' 

 replies to this inquiry could be p:issed which would deal successfully with the 

 disease. With this object in view, the opinions of the stock-owners were, at 

 the same time, obtained as to the expediency of passing a measure into law 

 which would, either directly or indirectly, make inoculation compulsory in 

 every case where the cattle became infected, and a considerable majority of 

 them expressed themselves in favour of legislating in that direction. As, 

 however, the i-eplies in favour of legislation were not so numerous as was ex- 

 pected, and as the opinions of the highest veterinary authorities of Great 

 Britain were then opposed to the practice of inoculation, the Government of 

 New South Wales have not yet introduced any measure making inoculation 

 compulsory. There is no doubt but that the owners of cattle throughout that 

 Colony are now more inclined than they were for legislation, but no reliable 

 information has lately been received in the Colonies as to whether or not 

 there has been any change in the opinions of the veterinary authorities -iu 

 England on the subject of inoculation ; and until an assurance is received of 

 the change having occurred, there is little prospect of any action being taken 

 of the nature indicated by the Government of any of the Colonies. 



I have to apologize for the length to which my explanations have extended, 

 but I consider it necessary — and 1 trust my readers will take the same view — 



