VETERINARY JURISPRUDENCE. 
897 
full amount claimed. In this case, however, the defendant had 
been before another tribunal for striking this cow, and his Honour 
inferred that it was because he denied the fact of striking that the 
magistrates took such a serious view of the case. He had no doubt 
the cow was injured by the blow which she received, and the only 
way, in his mind, to reconcile the case was this : She was struck, 
but not so seriously as the plaintiff seemed to think. He was not 
led to the conclusion that defendant struck the cow very violently. 
Had he done so there would, he thought, have been some abrasions 
of the skin and other indications apparent. He thought defendant 
struck the animal merely to teach her, as he said, not to go there 
again. He thought that under the circumstances he would be doing 
justice if he gave plaintiff a verdict for 15/.; but inasmuch as the 
defendant had given evidence which he was bound to believe to be 
untrue, he thought that plaintiff was entitled to have the full costs 
upon the higher scale (25/.). 
PROSECUTIONS UNDER THE CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 
(ANIMALS) ACT. 
Foot and Mouth Disease. 
At the County Petty Sessions, Bridgewater, on September 29, 
John Crocker, yeoman, of Ilchester, was summoned for unlawful 
removal of two cows. On September 2 the animals were infected 
with the foot and mouth disease in a field called Gant’s Barton, 
where Superintendent Jeffs saw them. The defendant was served 
with the usual notice. A week afterwards the cows had been re- 
moved to Middle Ham, about a quarter of a mile distant, where 
there were thirty-five other animals. The two beasts first affected 
had nearly recovered, but many of the others had become infected. 
Police-constable Sparks stated that he served a copy of the usual 
declaration on the defendant. Thomas Wilkins , herdsman, said 
defendant had given him instructions to take precautions to prevent 
the spread of the disease by keeping the infected animals apart 
from all others, and by not allowing the person who fed them to 
get along with other animals. In reply to the magistrate’s clerk, 
Wilkins intimated that he considered it probable the animals got 
over a low stile (about two feet high), as soon as they were strong 
enough, into the adjoining drove, which terminated at Middle Ham. 
Several witnesses were called to prove that the beasts could escape 
from Gant’s Barton into the drove and thence to Middle Ham. 
Defendant was fined 51. and costs. He gave notice of appeal. — 
Times. 
At Shaftesbury Petty Sessions, October 4th, William Herridge, 
farmer, of Kington Magna, appeared to a summons for keeping a 
