210 Report on the Health of Animals of the Farm. 
pneumonia, and the periodical inspection to which all are 
subjected, will render Irish cattle a much safer purchase when 
this new law has been for some time in operation. 
Sheep Scab. — This disease has prevailed rather extensively 
during the past year. The large number of the cases returned 
is, however, no doubt chiefly attributable to the fact that in 
February an Order in Council was issued, enacting that where 
sheep-scab existed inspectors were to make a return with full 
particulars to the Local Authority and also to. the Privy Council, 
such return to be given monthly so long as the disease existed 
in the district. 
This periodical inspection of diseased flocks will probably 
soon lead to a marked diminution in the number of outbreaks, 
by preventing the movement of diseased animals, which is the 
principal, I may say the only, cause of its spread. Although 
this disease proves very troublesome and annoying, often entail- 
ing great loss by the falling-off of the wool, and the impoverished 
condition produced in the animals affected, it differs very mate- 
rially from most other contagious diseases in being in its 
nature capable of being radically cured, provided that the means 
used are efficient, and are applied in such a way as to lead to 
the destruction of the parasites by which the affection is caused. 
The disease has prevailed chiefly in Dorset, Northumberland, 
Worcester, East Riding of Yorkshire, Durham, Cumberland, 
Brecon (chiefly hill districts), Cardigan, Oxford, and Berks. 
Typhoid Fever in Pigs. — In 1875 many reports of outbreaks, 
some of a very extensive character, of this disease reached the 
Institution. During the past year, if the losses in particular 
outbreaks have not been quite so great, the number of localities 
in which the disease has existed is larger. 
Among the piggeries in the suburbs of London it is frequently 
to be seen ; but, in addition to these, I have had specimens 
sent me from Berks, Essex, Kent, Wales, and also from Aber- 
deen, where, as far as I can learn, it had appeared, or at least 
had been recognised, for the first time. 
It would be, indeed, extremely difficult to obtain anything 
approaching correct statistics of the number of animals affected 
with this disease, not only on account of the little interest taken 
in diseases of the pig generally, but also from the fact that this 
particular disease has been confused with others ; and thus 
carcasses of pigs sent as specimens of typhoid fever, when 
examined, have been found to have died from other acute 
affections. 
That this disease is often spread by the sale and movement 
of infected animals, there can be little doubt, for I have found 
some difficulty in obtaining healthy animals for experimental 
