6 THE DISEASES AND DISOEDERS OF THE OX. 



its centenary), in its issue of January 2, in the course of the 

 article which sums up the chief aspects of " British Agriculture 

 in 1887." 



We read that in the summer of that year swine fever (thought 

 by some to be connected with typhoid fever of man) was very 

 prevalent, while those two greatly-dreaded scourges, pleuro- 

 pneumonia of oxen, and anthrax (for the most part also afflicting 

 oxen), appeared and re-appeared from time to time. In reference 

 to contagious diseases of animals the most important event of 

 the year 1887 was, perhaps, that which occurred during the 

 Smithfield week. Representatives from all our leading societies 

 waited upon Lord John Manners. They urged that the Privy 

 Council should enforce uniform regulations with respect to these 

 matters, their contention being that not only those animals which 

 are actually afflicted with pleuro-pneumonia and anthrax, but 

 also those which have been in close proximity with animals 

 which are suffering from those maladies, should be summarily 

 slaughtered and carefully buried with antiseptic precautions. 



Now we may say here, in reference to the question of the more 

 special investigation of any given outbreak of disease, that it 

 should include, not only a most careful consideration of the 

 place where the affected animals are located, their occupation, 

 the supply of the three requisites, air, food, and water, the cha- 

 racters of the soil, of the herbage, and so forth^ as well as all 

 other details of management ; but also in addition, in all cases 

 where it may be practicable, the application of the best micro- 

 scopic methods. At any rate, it is frequently advisable to resort 

 to this mode of inquiry when we are confronted with an infec- 

 tious or contagious disease, or one suspected to be of such a 

 nature. We may here add that, as a rule, infectious maladies are 

 characterised by a rise of temperature and by the appearance of 

 an eruption, either on the surface of the skin or on one or more 

 of the mucous membranes, or in both situations. One attack of 

 an infectious or contagious disease usually confers an immunity, 

 the degree of which varies very considerably in different diseases. 

 Moreover, these diseases can be produced by introducing the 

 virus into the blood of a susceptible animal. Wherever the in- 

 fectious disease in question is met with, the particular germs are 

 to be found. Hence it is very obvious that preventive measures 

 must be directed to the destruction of the germs, or to the pre- 



