The Outbreak of Cattle-Plague. 
233 
particularly those appearances of the mucous membrane of the 
mouth, which were so commonly observed in the former out- 
breaks, have been absent ; owing to this circumstance, the 
inspectors have sometimes been unable to arrive at an immediate 
decision as to the nature of the disease. It is very desirable, 
however, that in any case of doubt communication should be at 
once made by telegram to the Veterinary Department, and the 
suspected animals should be as carefully isolated as though the 
existence of cattle-plague were a matter of certainty. 
In reference to the action which has been taken by local 
authorities in districts where cattle-plague has appeared, it may 
be stated that in Essex, and also in Hull and in Lincolnshire, 
the disease appears to have been effectually arrested. 
In the metropolis the Board of Works have recently made an 
order prohibiting the movement of cattle, except bj' licence, in 
that part of the metropolis north of the Thames. The City 
authorities have passed a similar order. Introduction of store 
cattle into the metropolis has been absolutely prohibited. 
The Middlesex local authority have passed an order prohibiting 
fairs and markets and movement of cattle, except by licence, in 
the county. 
The Cattle-Plague Committee recommended that Professor 
Brown's report on the cattle-plague be sent to the local autho- 
rities throughout the country. Considering the difficulties with 
which the local authorities have to contend in dealing with the 
continued and alarming outbreaks of cattle-plague in the metro- 
polis and the county of Middlesex, it appeared to the Committee 
that the Government should itself take immediate action in the 
Home Counties, instead of leaving the necessary steps to be 
taken by the local authorities. 
The following discussion then ensued : — 
Mr. Jacob Wilson stated his opinion that agriculturists generally had no 
confidence in the ability of local authorities to cope with the danger which 
now threatened the stock-owners of the country. No doubt the local autho- 
rities as a rule endeavoured to do their duty as far as they knew how, but in 
many cases their inspectors had not sufficient knowledge to be able to pro- 
nounce decisively whether a particular case of disease was an outbreak of 
cattle-plague or not. Therefore, on the one hand, the local authorities often 
did not know what to do; and when they did know, they hesitated to do it 
at the right time ; while it was to the interest of their inspectors, who had 
their own private business to attend to, that they should do as little as 
possible. He therefore hoped that not only this Council, but the agriculturists 
of England generally, would show a united desire that the Privy Council 
should take the matter into their own hands ; and that they were quite satis- 
fied it would then be done in the right way. They were not asking the 
Privy Council to do more than they had done during the outbreak in 1865. 
By declaring Middlesex an infected district he thought the requirements of 
