PLEUROPNEUMONIA. 
839 
Legislation in reference to Pleuropneumonia. 
When pleuropneumonia first appeared in this country, its 
contagious nature was not clearly established, and for several 
years no attempt was made by the legislature in England to 
check its progress. The first Pleuropneumonia Act was 
passed in Melbourne in 186 1, and was entitled “ An Act to 
prevent the further spread of the disease in Cattle, called 
Pleuropneumonia.” 
In section 1 of the Act “the Governor in Council is em- 
powered to appoint three persons as Commissioners to carry 
into effect the provisions of this Act.” 
Section 4 gives remarkable powers to the Commissioners, 
who, “ on receiving information, in writing, from the owner 
of or occupier of land that the disease, cattle pleuropneu- 
monia, is believed to exist in any cattle, may enter upon any 
land where such cattle may be, and examine the same, and if 
the Commission shall deem it proper, they may cause to be 
slaughtered for examination by some qualified veterinary sur- 
geon one or more of such cattle wherever the same shall be 
found ; and if, in the judgment of the Commissioners, the 
disease shall exist in such cattle, they may order such number 
of them as they think proper to be forthwith destroyed, and 
may make such other order in relation to all or any such 
cattle and the carcases thereof, with a view to prevent the 
spreading of the disease, as to the Commissioners may seem 
proper.” 
In section 5 it is ordered that “ one commissioner, or any 
justice, on receiving information, in writing, that any cattle 
are diseased, or have recently been exposed to the disease, 
may order such cattle to be detained at or removed to the 
nearest convenient place, and the commissioner may then 
examine such cattle and cause one or more of them to be 
slaughtered, and if, in the judgment of the commissioner, the 
disease shall exist in such cattle, he may order the remaining 
cattle, or any such number of them as may be thought 
proper, to be forthwith destroyed, or may make such other 
order as aforesaid.” 
The Governor is empowered, by section 10 of the Act, to 
declare premises “infected, and prevent the movement of 
cattle out of declared districts.” Offenders against the pro- 
visions of the Act subject themselves to a penalty not ex- 
ceeding fifty pounds, or imprisonment in default. 
In England no Act relating to the disease was passed until 
1869, when the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act came 
into operation. By this measure pleuropneumonia was in- 
cluded among infectious and contagious diseases. The pro- 
