Report on the Health of Animals of the Farm. 271 
first cases occurred at Stratford and Bow, in August of 1839, 
and at no very great distance from some of the docks. This fact 
has given rise to the theory that the infecting material was pro- 
bably conveyed hither by merchandise, or by ship-stores — that 
is, animals which had been taken on board as food-supplies for 
the crew. On a ship coming into dock with surplus animals of 
this kind, they would, at that time, on being debarked, bo cither 
sold for immediate slaughter on the spot, or kept within the 
area of the docks for embarkation when required. Given that 
a diseased ox or cow, sheep or pig, had been thus brought into 
dock, and it is easy enough to understand how such an infectious 
malady as foot-and-mouth disease might be spread from a centre 
of this kind and gain a firm footing in the country. 
Be this as it may, the disease soon reached the London dairies, 
and very shortly afterwards was observed among the animals in 
Old Smithfield market. Cases of the malady occurred very 
early in different parts of the country, and it is a singular fact 
that the first report of such cases came from the county of 
Norfolk in the month of November, 1839. How foot-and-mouth 
disease reached that county was not ascertained, for at that time 
no special investigation was made, it not being known to those 
who were called to the animals that an infectious cattle-disease 
had reached our shores. 
In the year 1839, I was residing at Twickenham, Middlesex, 
and was partly engaged in agricultural pursuits. Soon I heard 
of a " new disease " having broken out at a farm at Laleham, and 
professional zeal induced me to visit the place to learn more of 
the matter. Here I confronted foot-and-mouth disease for the 
first time, and at once satisfied myself that I had to deal with 
a contagious malady. The history of the outbreak was simple 
enough. Two calves, not more than seven or eight days old, 
had been bought in Smithfield Market, and taken to the farm as 
" sucklers." Each had come from an infected London dairy, and 
were themselves diseased, although not known to be so by the 
purchaser. They were placed on two cows, and three days after- 
wards these cows were found to be ill. Alarmed at this, the 
owner separated these cows from his other stock, notwithstanding 
which the disease spread, although its rapidity of so doing was 
somewhat checked. Other outbreaks soon followed on this, and 
almost, without exception, they all depended on the purchase of 
calves in Smithfield Market. 
On one of my visits to an infected herd, I was induced to 
saturate a small lock of hay with the saliva which was flowing 
freely from the mouth of a diseased cow, and carry it back to 
my place. Here I selected a cow for experiment, and having 
previously had her isolated and well secured, I placed the lock 
