Report of Veterinary Commitie6. 
Ixix 
cattle, which had been exposed to 
the risk of infection, were slaugh- 
tered, 356 of these were in England 
and 182 in Scotland. 
There were during the four weeks 
fourteen cattle slaughtered which 
were suspected of being affected 
with pleuro-pneumonia, but which 
were found, on post-mortem ex- 
amination, to be free from that 
disease. 
For the corresponding period of 
last year, there were forty-one 
fresh outbreaks, in which 176 
diseased and 804 healthy cattle 
were slaughtered by the local au- 
thorities. 
The following Table shows the 
number of outbreaks of this disease, 
with the number of animals killed 
between September 1, 1890, when 
the Pleuro-pneumonia Act came into 
operation, and the 23rd of May 
last, as compared with the corre- 
sponding period for the years 1889- 
90:— 
1890-91 1889-90 
Outbreaks . . . .217 263 
Diseased cattle slaughtered 834 1,192 
Healthy cattle in contact 
slaughtered . . . 8,012 ' 4,083 
Anthrax. — During the four weeks 
fourteen outbreaks of anthrax were 
reported in Great Britain, in the 
counties of Berks, Bucks, Essex, 
Kent, Lancaster, Leicester, Lincoln 
(Kesteven), Lincoln (Lindsey), 
Northumberland, Suffolk, York (W. 
R.), Aberdeen, and Midlothian. In 
these outbreaks sixty-five animals 
were attacked, nine of which were 
killed, forty-one died, five recov- 
ered, and thirteen remained alive 
diseased when the last return was 
made up. 
Smine fever. — This disease con- 
tinues to increase in Great Britain. 
There were 688 fresh outbreaks 
reported in the four weeks, as 
compared with 568 in the pre- 
ceding four weeks ; 4,038 swine 
were attacked, 2,004, or less than 
half these diseased pigs were killed, 
1,587 died, 226 recovered, and 744 
remained alive diseased when the 
return was made up. 
phate of copper, which would not 
reach the fungus within. The fun- 
gus ascended with the growing stalk 
of the potato, and would not pro- 
bably come into contact with any 
sulphate of copper dressing that had 
been applied. This, of course, would 
not affect the oospores or " rest " 
spores in or on the ground. The idea 
had not been entertained by the 
Sub-Committee because it seemed to 
be contrary to scientific opinion. 
The Sub-Committee would, however, 
carefully consider Mr. Howard's re- 
marks, and if it were possible to 
make any addition to their experi- 
ments they would do so, though he 
feared that it was now too late. 
The President asked whether the 
dressing of the potato in the same 
way as wheat or barley, with such a 
strong mixture, would affect the fruc- 
tifying qualities of the root itself. 
Mr. Whitehead replied that there 
would not be the least danger, even 
if the potato were a cut-seed and not 
a whole-seed potato. Such a treat- 
ment would be likely to be more 
effectual in the case of cut-seed 
than whole-seed ; but he questioned 
whether it would be efficacious at 
all, because a potato-tuber was an 
altogether different thing to a seed 
of corn, be.sides which, the fungi that 
attacked the two kinds of crop were 
quite distinct. 
Veterinary. 
Sib John Thoeold (Chairman) 
stated that Mr. Cope (for Professor 
Brown) had presented the following 
report : and that a Parliamentary 
Return, showing the number of out- 
breaks of swine fever during the 
past three years had been laid upon 
the table : — 
Pleuro-pneiimionia. — During the 
four weeks ended May 23, twenty- 
three outbreaks of this disease were 
dealt with by the Board of Agri- 
culture in seven counties in England 
• and two in Scotland, viz., Kent, 
• Lancaster, Middlesex, Northamp- 
ton, Northumberland, York (N.Pv.), 
York, (W.R.), Aberdeen, and Mid- 
lothian. In these counties ninety 
cattle affected with the disease 
were slaughtered, sixty-six in Eng- 
land and twenty-four in Scotland ; 
in addition to these 538 healthy 
' In addition to the 8,012 healthy contact 
cattle slaughtered in 1890-91, 153 cattle sus- 
pected of being affected with the disease were 
also slaughtered, but were found to be free 
from it, although affected with other diseases. 
