50 M. ADRIEN LOIR. LARGE DEATH RATE AMONG AUSTRALIAN 



about, they would doubtless devise some simple expedient for 

 burning the remains, without incurring the risk of bush-fires. It 

 is certain that as soon as vaccination becomes generally adopted 

 the number of cases of Cumberland Disease will diminish year by 

 year, as is the case in those European countries in which it has 

 become customary. By burning the bodies, the actual causes of 

 contagion of Cumberland Disease, for animals and of malignant 

 pustules in man would be diminished, and this remark applies 

 not only to Cumberland Disease, but to all contagious diseases of 

 stock in general. 



At the present time, moreover, it is not only of the gravest 

 importance to arrest the effects of contagious diseases in stock in 

 order that the number of flocks and herds and the pastoral wealth 

 of the country may be increased, but more especially, in view of 

 the great impetus recently given to the meat-export trade. Is it 

 not, therefore, to the best interests of the Colonies to adopt every 

 possible precaution to prevent European Bacteriologists from 

 finding in Australian meat, microbes or remains of microbes in 

 large quantities, a discovery to which the utmost publicity would 

 be given by those interested in stopping the importation of foreign 

 meat 1 To avoid this every effort must be made, in addition to 

 the existing law prohibiting the use of the flesh of diseased animals 

 for food, to reduce the number of cases of disease in stock from 

 year to year, and it would be well if every Australian stock-owner 

 would bear in mind that the importation of hog's flesh from 

 America has been interdicted in Europe for many years past. 



Discussion. 

 Mr. Moore — Speaking from an experience of thirty-five years, 

 and again more recently, the first case was noticed at Fullagar's, 

 on the Parramatta Road, in a saddle-back paddock, on one side 

 of which the animals died and on the other none. In conjunc- 

 tion with a botanist the plants were noticed, and identified. 

 Having read Pasteur's investigations the cause was now quite 

 clear. Again at Cassillis (Busby's Station) the sheep were dying 



