366 Report of tJie Governors of the Royal Veterinary College. 
before the Council in the Annual Reports of the Governors, 
and, but for the circumstance that the disease has been more than 
usually severe, and far wider spread, all mention of it might 
have been omitted from this Report. Early in 1871 the malady 
began to seriously increase, and since then it has prevailed with 
more or less virulence in every part of Great Britain and 
Ireland. 
The importation and free movement of Irish store cattle 
throughout the country have greatly contributed to the malignancy 
as well as to the spread of foot-and-mouth disease. 
Cattle fairs and markets are the great centres of infection, 
especially those for the sale of store stock, and these, as is well 
known, are largely supplied from Ireland. The foot-and-mouth 
disease may, unfortunately, be considered as naturalized, for since 
its first appearance, in 1839, it has never been completely absent 
from the country. Like other epizootic affections, it assumes a 
more serious form in some years than in others, and many of these 
periodic outbreaks have occurred comparatively recently both 
here and on the Continent. 
Doubtless, during the past year, animals have been imported 
from many parts of Europe, which, on arrival, were found to be 
suffering from the disease. These, however, have been dealt with 
at the several ports in a manner to prevent much, if any, mischief 
directly resulting from their importation. It should ever be 
borne in mind, in estimating the amount of injury likely to arise 
from such an event, that there exists, independently of it, all the 
conditions within this country necessary for the periodical increase 
of foot-and-mouth disease. 
The Governors abstain from adding to the length of this Report 
by alluding to other diseases of cattle, or by making mention of 
special investigations which have been conducted at the College 
by their present Principal at the instance of the Society. Some 
of these have been already reported, and also published in the 
Society's Journal ; others are being carried out, and will, when 
completed, be also reported to the Council. The more recent 
arrangements which have been made between the two Institutions 
have among other things resulted in the substitution of quarterly 
reports, for those which had hitherto been annual. 
This greater frequency of intercommunication, the Governors 
are encouraged to hope, may cement more closely the science and 
practice of Veterinary Medicine with the science and practice of 
Agriculture. 
C. N. Newdegate, Chairman. 
