History of Animal Plagues. 345 



and the other regulations for the keeping out and stopping the progress 

 of the infection, may be rendered more effectual, I shall here subjoin a 

 few hints relative to some defects and errors in the present plan of 

 measures which, as they now stand, may prevent its being effectual to 

 the purpose. 



' The tirst and greatest defect attending what is ordained by the 

 Government for the suppressing the contagion of the murrain, in case it 

 should be brought hither again, is the general want of due knowledge 

 for discovering the disease early on its first breaking out, or distinguish- 

 ing it with some degree of certainty in each particular beast from other 

 disorders incident to cattle. It is in vain that private persons should be 

 enjoined by the Government to destroy their cattle and magistrates to 

 compel them to it, and return them a satisfaction, provisionally tlie in- 

 fection be actually in the place, if they be wholly ignorant of any cer- 

 tain signs by which they can distinguish it. Yet this is almost univers- 

 ally the case at present, there being scarcely any but persons applying to 

 medical speculaticms, and some few others, who may remember what 

 they observed during the time of its prevailing here formerly, that are 

 in the least acquainted with the nature of the disease or its appearance. 

 Moreover, the far greatest part of those who may be desirous of acquir- 

 ing a due information in this matter are almost entirely destitute of the 

 means, as there is no method generally known of gaining any satisfac- 

 tory intelligence relating to it j and such lights as might be obtained, if 

 the means were better known, could not be procured occasionally in 

 case of an alarm in any particular quarter before the opportunity of 

 their being serviceable was over, and either the contagion, if it had been 

 really brought, was propagated too widely to admit of a suppressive 

 remedy or a needless expense incurred by the neighbourhood if any 

 other disorder of the suspected beasts had been mistaken for it. Many 

 important acts are by the late statute required to be done by the magis- 

 trates, inspectors, Sec, conditionally that they shall believe the distemper 

 to be in any suspected place, or within a certain distance of it. But on 

 what shall they ground such a belief on a subject of which they have 



which would be efficacious, yet there are several circumstances with respect to which 

 it is not hitherto ascertained by a sufficient field of experience what precise degree 

 or mode would be most effectual and best. Proper measures are therefore taking 

 for having such trials made in Holland, where a too fair opportunity is at present 

 afforded, and the result of them when they are completed will afford the means to 

 lay down liereafter with more certainty those rules and directions as to each par- 

 ticular, which may be most effectual with regard to the cure, and advantageous 

 with regard to the expense. In the mean time the generals here presented may 

 enable any person versed in medicinal subjects to give direction for the putting the 

 cattle under the due regimen if a just occasion should demand it. 



