638 VETEEINAEY HYGIENE 



members there should be no dividend until the sum of 

 £5,000 accumulated, and this amount was reached in 

 twelve years. 



Compensation was limited to three-fourths of the value of 

 the animal, but after 1878, when local authorities were com- 

 pelled to compensate for pleuro-pneumonia, the Company 

 supplemented the amount paid by the local authorities, 

 so as to give full value for all animals dying or being 

 destroyed for this disease. 



Before the State came to their aid, this system of mutual 

 insurance enabled the Galloway farmers to control pleuro- 

 pneumonia, and stamp it out as it from time to time 

 occurred. 



This example of the intelligent application of mutual 

 help gives an idea of its possibilities, and points out how 

 this principle may be extended against disease and accident 

 amongst all classes of stock, and against all diseases, if 

 only the nation were sufficiently provident. If we held the 

 purse-strings, not a farthing of compensation would be 

 given from public funds for any disease in any class of 

 animal, until stock-owners generally combined for mutual 

 protection and help. 



The last question of compensation on which the Govern- 

 ment has been urged to act is that of tuberculous meat 

 seized as unfit for food. 



Experience in Germany shows that this can be provided 

 for completely among the trade, nor is an example wanting 

 in this country, and once more it is taken from Scotland. 

 At Paisley condemnation of carcases was so frequent, that 

 the persons interested, sixty-seven in number, formed 

 themselves into a mutual protection society, and by a 

 premium of threepence per head on bullocks, and sixpence 

 per head on cows, sufficient funds were rendered available, 

 to cover all loss through the condemnation of carcases for 

 tuberculosis. 



The machinery for putting the scheme of mutual Insur- 

 ance in motion, exists in the form of the numerous Agri- 

 cultural Societies scattered throughout the Kingdom. 



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