Infectious Diseases of Animals. 
501 
divided into small lots, in order that tlie occurrence of a single case of the 
disease at a distance may not absolutely necessitate the destruction of a larger 
number of animals than necessary. 
Isolation of sick animals directly that any signs of illness, no matter of what 
kind, are detected, is an obvious precaution which should never be neglected ; 
and an efficient method of disinfection should be constantly used for the 
persons, instruments, and fodder, and, indeed, all other substances employed 
about diseased animals. Before fresh stock is introduced into infected pre- 
mises a complete jirocess of disinfection should be carried out. Everything 
which is capable of being thoroughly washed should be so treated in the first 
instance, and some antiseptic agent, such as chloride of lime, chloralum, car- 
bolic acid, or sulphurous acid, should be afterwards applied. Pastures should 
be left vacant as long as may be convenient. If the fields be well top-dressed 
with quicklime on the expiration of twenty-eight days after the extinction of 
the disease, experience has proved that stock can be introduced without risk 
of infection. Promptness in detecting an outbreak of cattle-plague, and 
applying the necessary measures of suppression, is an important element of 
success. When any delay occurs in the discovery of the nature of the disease 
it is very likely to happen that persons, led by curiosity, will make visits to 
the herd among which the novel malady has appeared. It has been repeatedly 
proved that the infection may be easily carried on the hands or clothes to a 
considerable distance; so that by the time the disease is stamped out in one 
place it may have already appeared in another. Of the indirect conveyance of 
the virus of cattle-plague to healthy animals by persons or animals there can 
be no reasonable doubt. Instances of the appearance of the disease in isolated 
positions where only such means of communication existed have been suf- 
ficiently numerous to establish the fact. 
The Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act provides that the owners of pre- 
mises on which cattle-plague lias appeared may prevent persons from passing 
into his premises; the local authority has power to order that dogs shall be 
kept from roaming, or to insist on their destruction, if the regulations are not 
complied with ; and it is most important that, in localities where cattle-plague 
exists, the utmost care should be used in carrying out all the directions which 
have for their object the perfect isolation of diseased or infected animals, and 
the prevention of the extension of the malady by agencies which may carry 
the virus in various indirect ways to points far distant from the centres of 
infection. 
Eespecting the communication of the infection of cattle-plague from animals 
which were on board the 'Joseph Soames' on 27th July to animals in the 
cattle market on 29th July, it has been admitted that the evidence is not per- 
fectly conclusive. Nor was it anticipated that the inquiry would lead to the 
discovery of the precise channel through which the virus was conveyed. 
The facts however, placed in the order of their discovery, seem to point to 
one conclusion. 
First, on 25th, 26th, and 27th July, a number of Eussian cattle affected 
with plague stood on board a vessel which was lying in the Humber dock a 
short distance from the quay wall, about 200 paces from the cattle market, 
where fat stock are sold every Monday. 
On 29th July, about thirty hours after the diseased Eussian beasts were 
slaughtered and removed from the ship, two lots of English cattle were boiight 
in the market by persons who took them into the two districts of Patrington 
and Bridlington, in both of which places cattle-plague subsequently appeared 
on the premises to which the animals were taken. 
The only other theory which has been advanced to explain the origin of 
cattle-plague in Yorkshire, refers the outbreak to the carcases which were 
waslied ashore at various parts of the Lincolnshire and Norfolk coast. But 
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