242 Report of the Animals Division. [july, 



material is derived from a foreign country." An analysis of 

 the reports gives some support to the view that the origin of the 

 outbreak may in many cases be due to infection conveyed in 

 the manner suggested. In fully a third of the cases enquired 

 into it has been found that some kind of artificial feeding stuff 

 had been given to the diseased animal up to the time of death, 

 and in some of them the circumstantial evidence appears to be 

 sufficiently strong to warrant the conclusion that infection was 

 induced by this means. It is undoubtedly the case that large 

 quantities of the materials used in connection with the manu- 

 facture of cake for feeding stock are imported from countries 

 where anthrax is rife, and there must, it is thought, be an 

 element of risk in the use of the manufactured article. In 

 like manner it is possible that the infective material may also 

 be occasionally introduced through the medium of bone 

 manures. 



Another interesting point to which reference is made is the 

 great difficulty which arises in connection with the preven- 

 tion of the spread of contagious abortion in a herd of cows. 

 This is due to the fact that as a general rule it is not until 

 a number of animals have already aborted, and many have 

 already become infected, that it occurs to the mind of the owner 

 that it may possibly be due to contagion. Abortion may arise 

 from so many causes that the ordinary cow-keeper is apt to 

 regard the loss of one or two calves from premature birth 

 as inevitable, and he therefore includes it among the ordinary 

 risks connected with his trade. In fact, it may be said that 

 even the most enlightened farmer would hardly be disposed to 

 regard his first case of abortion as being due to contagion, and 

 at once commence to treat his whole herd according to the 

 instructions laid down in the Board's leaflet. (No. 108.) 



