Report on the Trade in Animals. 
191 
These county returns show a remarkable numerical increase 
in the actual number of animals attacked in 1872 over those 
attacked in 1871 ; but the proportion of deaths and slaughtered 
animals to those attacked does not vary much from 1^ per cent. 
These returns are given on the authority of the chief constables in 
each case, and therefore possess an official value ; and they show 
undeniably the increased extension of the disease to which I have 
alluded. Another return, of unofficial origin, is equally interesting 
as indicating the increased virulence of the disease in a particular 
district. This statement has been published by Mr. Duckham, 
editor of the ' Hereford Herd Book,' and is the result of an 
effort made by the Hereford Chamber of Agriculture to ascertain 
the amount of the loss sustained by the county in 1872 by foot- 
and-mouth disease. The Chamber distributed 3500 circulars 
amongst the stock-owners of the county, and, at the date of Mr. 
Duckham's publication, replies had been received from two- 
thirds of them, showing that during last year as many as 27,061 
cattle, or 40 per cent, of the total number in the county, had 
been attacked, and that 1473 of these, or nearly 5^ per cent., 
had died. The number of sheep and lambs attacked had been 
79,399, and of pigs 5576, or a proportion of 26 per cent. ; and 
the deaths in these classes had been 1127 and 1219 respec- 
tively. The ascertained number of animals attacked in this 
county last year was, therefore, 112,036, and the total number 
of deaths 3819, or a proportion of 3 4 per cent. 
It seems unnecessary to pursue further the question of the in- 
creased virulence of the disease during the year 1872, as a pro- 
longed discussion might lead to the erroneous inference that the 
■damage done by the foot-and-mouth disease ends with the proved 
number of deaths that result from its attacks. On the contrary, as 
the deaths occur chiefly amongst young stock, too weak to resist 
the effect of the onslaught on the vital powers, they do not in 
any way represent the loss of condition in feeding stock that ulti- 
mately recover, not unfrequently including the loss of a season's 
4{eep, or the loss of progeny in the case of breeding animals. The 
loss from cows casting their calves, and by the death of calves of 
cows which have been attacked, is one of the most serious features 
of the disease as affecting our supply of store stock, as it dis- 
courages farmers from keeping breeding stock. Indeed, the actual 
loss to the country in meat cannot be estimated without returns 
showing the age and sex of the animals attacked, and, in the case 
of cows, whether they are in calf, and cast their calves, or not. 
Those who are not acquainted with the extent of the losses 
recently brought upon stock-owners by foot-and-mouth disease 
will probably consider that they have been already overstated ; 
but 1 feel that the catalogue of evils would be very imperfect 
