464 History of Animal Plagiies. 



the pastures of a farmer who was from home, and so infected 

 the place that the owner saw all his cows die in a short time 

 after they had been in it. It was by similar means that the 

 scourge was carried from one province to another. As a rule, 

 too much attention cannot be paid not only to cattle-dealers, 

 but also to all those who visit the diseased animals and handle 

 them. The disease passed in this way from Picardy to Cham- 

 pagne, and extended to Charleville. A farmer in this town, it 

 was said, only saved his stock by opposing a vigorous resistance 

 to the entrance of those who had been visiting at suspected 

 places. Whether this was really the case it would be diffi- 

 cult to decide ; but it is certain that, in guarding his cattle from 

 all external communication, he was the only one who escaped 

 the ravages of the malady. It is not yet decided whether, in 

 certain cases, the advantages to be derived from the visits of 

 scientific men, amateurs, and farriers, &c., are capable of coun- 

 terbalancing the dangers to be apprehended from their carrying 

 the contagion. On the one hand, it is essential to know how 

 many animals are affected, in order to treat them or to stay the 

 progress of the contagion; and on the other, it is not less essen- 

 tial to reckon on the danger of visits and infection.' ' It ought 

 to be particularly noted that this question is only applicable to a 

 disease like the present, which is recognized as very contagious, 

 very deadly, nearly always incurable, and for the suppression of 

 which we must depend but little on the resources of art. In other 

 cases, — those of diseases springing up amongst us, and whose 

 progress we can arrest by care almost as soon as they mani- 

 fest themselves, — it is the interest of the State, as well as of in- 

 dividuals, that specially educated men be directed to the infected 

 places to give prompt and convenient assistance, or to issue in- 

 structions for the guidance of the country people, and to form 

 a good sanitary police to take precautionary measures.' Some 

 excellent examples are given by Paulet, showing that, by simple 

 precautions, several parishes escaped the contagion. He adds: 

 ' They were not so fortunate in Artois, for the malady there 

 attacked successively fifty villages, so that in 1774 four-fifths of 

 the diseased cattle were lost.' 



