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I XI. — Report on the Health of Animals of the Farm. Ey 
Professor J. B. SiMONDS, Principal of the Royal Veterinary 
College, and Consulting Veterinary Surgeon to the Society. 
It might have been supposed that the health of the animals ol 
the farm would have been greatly impaired, and that many cases 
of disease would consequently have resulted from the remark- 
able state of weather which prevailed during the past year. The 
drought of the early spring, which was continued throughout 
the summer, produced serious ill effects on vegetation, leading 
necessarily to a diminished crop of hay and roots ; and thus, 
later on in the year, the greatest difficulty was experienced 
in almost every part of the country in finding sufficient water- 
supply and pasturage for cattle. These causes were, however, 
unattended with any marked ill consequences to the animals ol 
the farm, except a serious fall in condition ; and even when in 
the autumn the drought was followed by a copious rainfall, and 
consequently a rapid growth of grass and herbage, their health 
remained unimpaired, although very opposite causes were now in 
full operation. To this circumstance is to be attributed the lact 
that fewer communications relative to disease and fewer morbid 
specimens were forwarded to the College than usual. Indeed, 
I can scarcely call to mind a time when so small a number c.xnw 
to hand as during the last six months of the year. 
Blood-poisoning . 
It was not until the month of November that any case ot 
importance had to be investigated. In this month my attention 
was called to the circumstance that several animals had died after 
a few hours' illness on a farm in Cambridgeshire. Assistant- 
Professor Axe was at once requested to visit the place, and in- 
vestigate the nature and cause of the disease. He reported that 
the herd, which was the property of Mr. John Whittam, March. 
Cambridgeshire, originally consisted of sixty-five animals, namely, 
fourteen milch-cows, forty-three heifers and steers, and eight 
calves. They were divided into six lots, and placed in open 
yards, some of which were only separated the one from tlic 
other by ordinary posts and rails. 
The disease first appeared on November 17th in a heifer, 
which had been brought from an adjacent homestead to the 
premises four days previously. This animal died after a few- 
days' illness. On the 23rd, a steer in one of the open yards 
was attacked, and died in about three hours following. On the 
second day succeeding its death a third animal became aflfected, 
VOL. XI. — S. S. , 2 A 
