SECRETARY'S REPORT. ^ 41 



ill the United Kingdom. He lias a knowledge of all that has 

 been done in the past and all that is doing at present ; and 

 his opinions seem to be in perfect accordance with the legislation 

 of the Commonwealth. President Simonds said : — 



" He considered the term pleuro-imeumonia a misnomer. The name 

 of a disease should always oorres{)ond with its nature. Pleuro- 

 ))neumouia signifies inflammation of the pleura and the substance of the 

 lungs ; the disease itself was really not of an inflammatory character. 

 On the (juestion of its contagiousness, we had but too strong evidence 

 that it was contagious, and, unhappily for the country, this fact had 

 too much been lost sight of. In fact this disease was an epizootic. 

 In August, 1842, just previous to the alteration of the tariff, the disease 

 came to us. It was then new to us, but it was not a new disease 

 in foreign fbuntries. It had raged throughout the continents of Europe, 

 Asia, and Africa ; but until the last few years it had not appeared 

 in America or Australia. Recently, it had appeared on those continents 

 also ; and its arrival there could be traced to contagioui Many 

 diseases were disseminated both ways. The morbific matter entered 

 the system, and when seated there poisonous exhalations were given 

 off. This was the case in smallpox : after the disease had reached 

 a certain stage, pustules were formed, and each pustule contained the 

 same morbific matter as was originally inhaled. It was not the case 

 that all animals exposed were infected, any more than it was with man. 

 There must be a susceptibility as well as a cause. Some constitutions 

 would resist more than others, just as men were differently affected by 

 strong drink. This opened the way to speak of secondary causes, and 

 how farmers might help nature to resist the disease. Animals were 

 rendered susceptible by over-crowding. Hence, in the London dairies 

 the disease was more rife than any where else. Damp and wet yards 

 were also to be avoided, and keeping cattle in places where much muck 

 was fermenting, especially if animal matter was present. There were 

 some pastures which in dry weather were unexceptionable ; the same 

 pastures in autumn, when exposed to fogs and damp, would engender it. 

 To use plain language, we must have our wits about us. 



The malady itself: it was not an inflammatory, but a local and specific 

 one. The moi'bific matter enters into the blood by respiration, and then 

 concentrates itself in the lungs. This affection was in many respects 

 very peculiar. It is an eminently ^a^aZ disease. We were often twitted 

 with our inability to stop its ravages, while cases were reported in Avhich 

 some ignorant cow-leech had treated it successfully. In explanation, 

 we might say that it is not every farmer who is able to recognize the 

 presence of the disease in its early stages — indeed, A-'v were not easily 



