Report on the Trade in Animals. 
217 
from disease, would be more effectual in controlling the spread 
of foot-and-mouth disease than the isolation of animals bought 
in Bristol Market, 
It is, however, quite as necessary that this should be done in 
Ireland as in England, because disease is propagated by the 
same means in both countries, and frequently animals bought in 
Ireland go direct to the English farmer without coming under 
the cognizance of a local authority, because they are not 
exposed for sale in a fair or market. Several purchasers of such 
stock have testified to the fact that they have taken foot-and- 
mouth disease with them to their English home, thus giving a 
direct negative to the oft-repeated assertion that Irish stock take 
foot-and-mouth disease in our English fairs and markets. 
Liverpool. — While at Bristol very great attention is paid to 
the cleanliness of the cattle-market and of the steamboats, 
this cannot be reported of Liverpool. There are no water- 
troughs at the usual landing-places, but the Irish cattle are 
driven, immediately after debarkation, either to the railway 
receiving-pens (where water-troughs are provided), or to the 
premises in the occupation of the consignee. The cattle-market 
is situated at West Derby, some distance from the docks : it 
is very well arranged, on a similar plan to the Dublin cattle- 
market, but is exceedingly dirty and somewhat dilapidated, with 
a rickety pavement and defective drainage. It is entirely a fat- 
stock market, otherwise it could not fail to be a great focus of 
disease. The salesmen pay a stipulated rent per annum for 
their office, and they generally occupy the same sets of pens, pay- 
ing the regulation toll per head of cattle and per score of sheep. 
This is a very good plan, and, if properly carried out, must 
simplify the duties of the market authorities. In reply to my 
inquiries as to inspection, I was informed that two veterinary 
inspectors are employed, and a number of police to assist ; and 
my informant added that the police inspect as much as the 
veterinary surgeons, because, as all the cattle would soon be 
killed, the inspection is only a matter of form. However, it 
seemed to me that a diseased animal might very possibly not be 
sold, and would in that case be sent back to the salesman's fields, 
and infect any number of dairy or store stock intended for the 
markets of Cheshire, Lancashire, and Yorkshire. Moreover, 
although there is a very good slaughter-house in the vicinity of the 
market, the authorities of West Derby will not license it ; there- 
fore it is impossible to kill diseased animals without first driving 
them to a slaughter-house along roads which may communicate 
the infection to the next lot of stock driven along them. 
Such facts as these seem to demonstrate the necessity of a 
system of supervision over cattle-dealers, however repugnant it 
