42 CATTLE DISEASES 



in place of private slaughter-houses, but they considered that 

 the Commission failed to deal satisfactorily with the funda- 

 mental question of compensation, and this affected the 

 recommendations as a whole and made them unworkable. 



In their Report, adopted by the Council on 31st January, 

 the Cattle Diseases Committee again dealt with Tuberculosis^ 

 and referred to a meeting of the newly formed " National 

 Association for the Prevention of Consumption " at Marl- 

 borough House, on 20th December, 1898. The Committee 

 said that 



" They note with satisfaction that the Association recognises 

 the impracticability of stamping out Tuberculosis in cattle by 

 immediate slaughter of all diseased animals, and that the method 

 proposed to be adopted is that of instructing public opinion and 

 stimulating public interest rather than the advocacy of measures 

 of compulsion. On this point the Prime Minister was reported as 

 follows : 



" ' It would considerably prejudice the spread of sound 

 opinion if any attempt were made to procure or ensure the 

 sanitary condition by any action of central or local authority. 

 It must be taught ; it cannot be enforced. I am afraid if 

 you attempted to enforce the use of tuberculin, which has 

 been referred to, you would find among the farmers many 

 conscientious objectors who would object to the operation 

 of your law.' 



" With this view of the case your Committee emphatically 

 agree, and they would recommend the Council to offer the strongest 

 opposition to any attempts that might be made to enforce the 

 compulsory inoculation of cattle with tuberculin, and the con- 

 sequent compulsory slaughter of re-acting animals, unless com- 

 bined with a satisfactory scheme of compensation for animals 

 seized in the public interest." 



The third paragraph of this Report, and the debate 

 upon it, was the first reference to the prolonged effort made 

 by the Chambers to obtain general legislation for the control 

 of the production and distribution of milk. The necessity 

 of a general Act was demonstrated by the attempts made by 

 Leeds and other boroughs to obtain special powers under their 

 private Acts to control their milk supplies. On 28th February 

 the following resolution was passed with only two or three 

 dissentients : 



" That this Council considers that any measure for dealing 

 with the important and national question of tuberculosis should 



