Infectious Diseases of Animals. 
487 
On the 28th July the ' Viatka,' from Cronstadt, arrived at Deptford with 
35 Kussian cattle on board. 1'his vessel had taken 40 animals on board, but 
five of them had died during the voyage and been thrown overboard. On an 
inspection being made of the animals immediately after they were landed at 
Deptford three of them were found to be affected with cattle plague in its 
early stage, and before the slaughter of the cargo could be completed several 
others gave evidence of being affected. The diseased animals were slaughtered, 
and the carcases were destroyed by being placed in large iron digesters (which 
are provided for the purpose in the Deptford market) and submitted to a high 
temperature by the introduction of condensed steam. The offal and skins of 
all the animals were disinfected. 
On the 29th of July the ' Brigadier ' returned to Newcastle-upon-Tyne from 
Hamburg with 103 German cattle on board. The veterinary inspector on 
examining these animals detected cattle plague among them. The cargo was 
accordingly dealt with as the previous one had been. It is evident that these 
animals must have been infected when they left the port of Hamburg. 
On the 29th July the ' Gipsy Queen ' arrived at West Hartlepool from 
Hamburg with 26 German cattle on board. None of these animals were 
observed to be ill when they were first landed, but before the period of deten- 
tion had elapsed several of them gave evidence of being infected with cattle 
plague. All the cattle were .slaughtered, the carcases were disinfected and 
buried by order of the local authority under the superintendence of the vete- 
rinary inspector. It is scarcely necessary to remark that in all instances the 
vessels which brought plague-infected animals into a port were cleansed and 
disinfected under the direction of the veterinary inspector before being 
" cleared," and it appears that in every instance but one, the means which 
were adopted to prevent the communication of cattle plague to animals in this 
country were efi"ectual. 
The history of the cargo of Kussian cattle which introduced the cattle 
plague into Yorkshire may now be proceeded with. 
In July last year, the landing of animals infected with cattle plague from 
Russia at the Deptford market, led to the passing of an Order of Council pro- 
hibiting the importation of Russian animals. Before the Order came into 
force, however, several cargoes of cattle which had been shipped at Cronstadt 
were on the sea, bound to English ports. The ' Joseph Soames,' the ship in 
•which we are, most interested, left Cronstradt on July 16th with 58 cattle 
on board, and a general cargo consisting of iron, to be shipped to New York ; 
cow-hair and wool for Antwerp and Dunkirk ; hemp, wood, tow, wheat, mats, 
and bags destined for Hull, trom which port the other part of the general, 
Ciirgo was intended to be shipped to America, Belgium, and France. 
On the second day after leaving Cronstadt one of the cattle died, and was 
thrown overboard. On the fourth day another animal died, and was also 
thrown overboard. Both those animals were examined, and it was stated that 
they were found to have died I'rom choking, but subsequent events justified 
the conclusion that both of them were affected with cattle plague. On July 
25th, the vessel arrived at Hull and entered the Humber dock early in the 
morning of that day. Immediately on the arrival of the ship the customs' 
officer went on board ; information was sent to the veterinary inspector, who 
immediately attended, and, after examining the 56 cattle, reported that some 
of them were affected with cattle plague. The Order of Council referred to 
previously was then in force, and the animals consequently were not permitted 
to land. Meanwhile, the passengers, eight in number, and also the crew, went 
on shore. The ship was left in charge of a customs' officer, and information was 
immediately telegraphed to London by the veterinary inspector, who required 
instructions as to the disposal of the cattle. Directions were given to prevent 
communication with the shore, but, notwithstanding all that was done, there 
