622 
REMARKS ON THE SHEEP POX. 
causes, are alike unheeded. It is taken for granted, because 
these animals did not manifest such a great degree of derange- 
ment of health that the most unsuspicious, the most ignorant, 
could see disease as they ran, that they were perfectly healthy ! 
Was there, however, no indication existing, even at this time, that 
the functions of health were disturbed — no trace visible to a criti- 
cal eye of something being wrong I Assuredly there was, had it 
been sought for. It was not the business of the salesman ; it was 
for him to sell, and he sold them : neither is it the province of the 
farmer or grazier to know the onset of general disease. So long as 
an animal appears to be in health in the ordinary acceptation of 
the word, it is as much as can be expected from him : he buys 
what appears in his judgment likely to answer his purpose ; and 
what may manifest itself afterwards, being beyond his ken, he 
cannot be blamed for not guarding against, though unfortunately 
he is the sufferer. But when the buyer seeks for assistance in his 
need from those who profess to be able to assist or relieve the dire 
effects resulting from the maladies to which all flesh is heir, some- 
thing like a fair and impartial inquiry is looked for, nay, impera- 
tively demanded ; for how otherwise can any threatened calamity 
be removed, mitigated, or arrested, unless the causes which pro- 
duce such malady be known I It is in vain to attempt to cure an 
effect unless the cause which produced it be removed, or, at all 
events, lessened in its intensity. 
Now as to the “ Downs” which were “ depastured” (query, pas- 
tured ; land is depastured, but animals are pastured) with the 
foreign animals, were these Downs in bond fide sound health ! 
or were they in that state or condition in which health is appa- 
rently not disturbed, but in reality so predisponant, that any exter- 
nal exciting cause was only wanting to bring on actual disease 1 
Here again we are left in the dark : it is taken for granted that the 
Downs were in perfect health, and that the merinos or Spanish (!) 
sheep were the sole introducers of this new (1) malady. 
The experiments which have been instituted prove but a well- 
established fact, that the matter of a pustular disease will produce 
a similar disease in another individual, when such matter is inserted 
into the system by inoculation ; and, further, that an eruptive fever 
is capable of being communicated by contact. In this there is 
nothing new ; it is a fact that must have been known from time 
immemorial. 
I shall not anticipate the conclusion of the promised completion 
of the observations : I did and do still hope to see a little like an 
extended inquiry instituted upon a broad basis, before any thing is 
positively stated to be “ new,” needlessly to alarm those who 
have already suffered but too severely by false views and erro- 
