436 
Report of the Governors of 
in some of the countries of Europe. The ordinary measures of 
precaution adopted here may, however, be regarded as being 
sufficiently protective, except when the disease is very widely 
spread. 
Passing- from foreign to home diseases of a contagious nature 
it has to be stated that scab in sheep has been exceedingly preva- 
lent during the year. This disease is essentially parasitic in its 
nature, the analogue, in fact, of itch in the human subject. It is 
not difficult of cure, and many of the popular remedies are often 
sufficient for the purpose. These, however, often fail of effecting 
a cure, as will even the best-chosen remedies, for want of sufficient 
care in their application. Each sheep in turn should be well 
examined, and the agent applied to every spot where the disease 
is found to exist. In all places, indeed, where "scabs" are met 
with, they must be well broken up by the fingers before the 
agent is used, otherwise neither the acari nor their ova will be 
destroyed. 
Many seizures of sheep affected with scab have been made by 
inspectors acting under the provisions of the Contagious Diseases 
(Animals) Act, the provisions of which seem well adapted to 
keep in check all contagious diseases of cattle, sheep, and pigs. 
Much, however, depends on the practical application of the 
measure by the Local Authority ; and hitherto there has not been 
that uniformity of action which is necessary to secure success. 
Persons totally unfit to act as inspectors have been appointed in 
numerous instances. This is a subject well worth the attention 
of the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society, upon national 
grounds. None but thoroughly educated veterinary surgeons 
should hold office as inspectors, and even with respect to such 
persons their acquirements with regard to the laws which govern 
the spread of each infectious or contagious malady should be 
ascertained prior to their receiving the appointment. With 
a view to limit the number of inspectors, each county should 
also be divided into districts or departments, and an approved 
inspector appointed for each. 
The number of pupils who entered the college during the past 
vear was seventy-one, being an increase of six on the number 
admitted in the previous year. Seventy candidates presented 
themselves for examination by the Court of the Royal College 
of Veterinary Surgeons, and of these fifty were admitted members 
of the incorporated profession. All the candidates for admission 
as pupils of the Royal Veterinary College were, according to 
the regulations of the Institution, submitted to a matriculation 
examination as to their educational acfjuirements before being 
admitted to the curriculum of the College. This preliminary 
test, which was established five years since, has been so fruitful 
