564 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



The history of glanders legislation is unsatisfactory, for 

 which the Government cannot be held wholly responsible, 

 as it is only within comparatively recent years that the 

 pernicious doctrine of spontaneous generation has been 

 weeded out of the profession. Logically it would be an 

 impossibility for a Government to attempt the eradication 

 of a disease which might arise spontaneously at any time ! 



But certainly within the last fifteen years, there is no 

 reason why better measures should not have been devised 

 to meet a disease which appears to be steadily on the 

 increase. 



Fortunately the previous blots in legislation of regarding 

 glanders and farcy as distinct diseases no longer exist. 

 The law now accepts the veterinary opinion of a century 

 old that the diseases are identical, and thus paves the way 

 towards eradication, but the weak spot in the machinery is 

 permissive legislation. It is local authorities by whom 

 regulations ' may ' be made to control movements of animals, 

 or who ' may ' make such regulations for cleansing and dis- 

 infecting as they shall deem fit, or ' may, if they think fit,' 

 cause a glandered animal to be destroyed ; and finally, give 

 compensation out of the local rates of such sum as they 

 shall ' think expedient.' 



It is indeed no wonder that such legislation has led for 

 some years past to the active criticism of the profession* 

 which recognises the futility of attempting to deal with a 

 disease like glanders without central control, or by depend- 

 ing entirely on permissive legislation, and the varying 

 intelligence of a score of local authorities. Mr. Hunting is 

 right in insisting on this being an Central' and not a local 

 question. 



Compensation. — The vexed question of compensation we 

 approach with great diffidence. Glanders cannot either in 

 its destructive effects or the rapidity of its spread, for one 

 moment compare with such diseases as cattle plague, foot 



* The name of Mr. W. Hunting, F.R.C.V.S., should be inseparably 

 connected with the suppression of glanders, as completely as is that of 

 Gamgee's with the eradication of cattle plague. 



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