348 History of Animal Plagues. 



regard to the seaports, and parishes adjacent to them, of the eastern and 

 southern coasts of the island, where the danger is by far the greatest of 

 the distemper's being now conveyed to us from the shores of the op- 

 posite countries, where it rages with great violence. To obtain the 

 greatest security, it would be expedient that the printed copies ot both 

 these kinds should be actually sent to every such parish to be disposed 

 of as above advised, and the procurement of them not solely intrusted 

 to the churchwardens, by whose ignorance of the proclamations, or in- 

 advertence, it will be frequently omitted. Or at least, notices ot the 

 Orders of Council, &c., and the injunctions on the churchwardens to 

 procure them on each occasion, should be advertised in all the principal 

 newspapers, as well in town as country. In order that the whole of 

 this should be duly executed, it seems further requisite that some proper 

 officer should be appointed by the Crown to take the charge of doing 

 it on him, and to see that what is ordained may be duly complied 

 with. 



' Some measures of the kind here pointed out are indispensably 

 necessary to give us any hopes of the good etfects of the ordinances of 

 the late Acts of Parliament respecting the prevention of the murrain, 

 which can yield but little safety from it unless generally complied with. 

 For if, from want of due conformity to them, the disease should lind 

 its way into this island in any one place, and spread itself thence widely 

 to others, as may in such case quickly happen, it will not be ot the 

 least avail that the strictest observance of them has been practised in a 

 thousand others, since the dreaded mischief may as well diffuse itself, 

 with all its calamitous consequences, over the whole of our country 

 from one single original source as from any multiplicity whatever. 



' There seems to be a very material error in the regulation ordained 

 in the late Acts respecting the prevention of the removal of such cattle 

 as may possibly have been exposed to be infected by the murrain, or to 

 contract contagious matter on their skins from being near other beasts 

 seized with the disease, which error may be productive of great incon- 

 veniences if the regulations be duly observed, or raise motives in those 

 whom it concerns for not paying due obedience to the ordinance. This 

 is the too great length of time required when the infection is supposed 

 to be in the neighbourhood, for the purchasers of cattle to keep them 

 before they sell them again. Forty days is the time prescribed, and 

 when all the facts from which the determination of the proper period 

 must be deduced are duly weighed, it will appear to be at least two- 

 thirds longer than is necessary. The only reason that can be assigned 

 for the expedience of a restriction as to the time of selling cattle in these 

 cases is, that the seller may be able to give such a certificate to the 



