Swirie Fever y Johne's Disease. 
205 
Regarding tlie question whether the increased prevalence 
of the disease during the last two years is partly due' to a 
changed attitude on the part of pig owners, it may be 
observed that unless the regulations are of such a kind as to 
commend themselves to the majority of owners, stamping-out 
is impossible. The voluntary co-operation of the owner is 
essential, because concealment of swine fever is comparatively 
easy, and the danger of discovery when the law is contravened 
is not great. It is therefore easy to understand that less liberal 
terms in dealing with owners, and especially the practice of 
refusing to slaughter out and compelisate, may have led to 
more frequent concealment of disease, and thus have power- 
fully contributed to the recent spread of swine fever. To 
counteract this, concealment ought to be made unprofitable by 
imposing a serious penalty when it is discovered. 
JoHNE’s Disease. 
In the previous Annual Report, attention was called to the 
existence of this disease in Great Britain, and the experience 
of the past year shows that it is, unfortunately, comparatively 
common. Apparently, it has hitherto been generally con- 
founded with tuberculosis and parasitic gastritis, but as it is 
easy to diagnose post-mortem, there will be no excuse for such 
mistakes in the future. There can be little doubt that the 
great majority of cases of chronic fatal diarrhoea in cattle are 
of this nature. During the past year a case of apparent 
recovery was observed, but in all the other instances that have 
come under notice the course of the disease was from bad to 
Avorse. The exceptional case was a yearling Avhich, along with 
a cow on the same farm, developed symptoms of the disease 
in the autumn of 190G. Both animals were brought to the 
College, and soon afterwards the cow was killed and the 
disease verified at the post-mortem examination. The yearling, 
although not medicinally treated, gradually ceased to scour, 
and gained a little in condition. It was killed six months 
after admission, and the post-mortem ex, aination showed 
that the intestine was normal in appearance, Avhile none of the 
characteristic bacilli could be detected with the microscope. 
The fact remains, however, that when the disease has 
advanced so far as to cause decided symptoms (the chief of 
which are diarrhcea and wasting) the case may be considered 
hopeless, and the wisest course is to have the animal destroyed 
as a source of danger to others. 
The most important new fact regarding the disease which 
has' come to liglit during tliq past year is that it is not, as 
•had previously been supposed, absolutely peculiar to cattle. 
During the • year recourse was had to the Laboratory for 
