Cattle Plague during the month of July, 1872. 
371 
<lock, but did not detect any symptoms of disease in any of the 
cattle. They remained on board until about about 5 A.M. (Mon- 
day), when they were landed and carefully examined, again 
without disease being detected. They were seen again at noon 
on Monday, and then also they gave no indications of ill-health. 
At 6 P.M. they were finally examined by the Inspector and passed ; 
but, coming from a scheduled country, they were prevented 
leaving the defined part of the port alive. On Tuesday morning 
two or three of the animals were noticed to be unwell, and one 
in particular to present symptoms of cattle-plague. Under these 
circumstances their owners commenced the slaughter at once, 
and the Inspector telegraphed to Newcastle for the Inspector at 
that port to come to Hartlepool. At the time of the arrival of 
the telegram I was engaged at Newcastle with the Inspector in 
examining German cattle from Hamburg, among which one 
decided case of plague existed. After making arrangements at 
Newcastle to prevent a spread of the disease from that centre, 
we left for Hartlepool, and arrived so as to examine the animals 
about 5 P.M. The disease was found to be making fearful and 
rapid progress, there being no less than seven or eight then affected 
with cattle-plague. Measures were promptly taken to prevent 
any of the slaughtered animals, skins, offal, or other material, 
leaving the place, and the local authority was communicated with. 
The slaughtering was at once stopped, and the men and their 
clothes dealt with in a way to prevent, if possible, any mischief 
resulting. The place was also put in charge of the police, until 
a meeting of magistrates could be held in the morning. At this 
meeting it was determined to bury the whole lot — an exami- 
nation of the viscera of some of those slaughtered giving indi- 
cations of the existence of disease. One of the cattle-plague 
animals died in the night, 10 were killed diseased, and 15 
slaughtered as healthy — 26. All were removed by water to 
the burial-place — an isolated spot contiguous to some new docks 
which are being constructed — and there properly disposed of. 
This, as well as the landing-place and that part of the dock 
from which they were taken, were cleansed and disinfected, and 
declared an " infected place," in accordance with the provisions 
of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act. 
Case 7. This also was a second importation of the disease, and 
has already been alluded to as occurring at Newcastle. The 
animals, which numbered 103, were all German cattle, brought 
from Hamburg. They were landed at about 7 A.M., July 29th 
(Monday), at which time they all appeared to be in a healthy 
state, as was the case, with one exception — a heifer — that appeared 
more than usually dull and dispirited, when seen by the Inspector 
after the twelve hours' detention. Under these circumstances the 
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