INOCULATION FOR PLE URO-PNEUMONIA. 
97 
This request was supported in these terms, by the honor- 
able MM. the Counts of Renesse and Rodenbach, whose 
devotion to agriculture is known through all the country : 
M. de Renesse. — “ M. Willems of Hasselt, to whom we 
owe the happy invention of inoculation for exudative Pleuro- 
pneumonia of bovine animals, has thought proper to address 
the Chamber, that he may claim its intervention with the 
Government, so that he may know 7 the result of the opposed 
experiments, and which he has requested at different times 
in order to show the efficacy of his preservative means. 
“ In other countries, the experiments, which have been 
made, appear to be favorable to this great discovery, which 
is of such importance to agricultural industry. However, it 
seems that in Belgium, the country where this discovery 
was made, the commission nominated for this purpose by 
the ministerial decree of April 3rd, 1852, remains perfectly 
inactive, having done nothing for a year, in spite of the 
demands of Dr. Willems. 
“ I have the honour then of proposing to the Chamber, 
to order this request to be sent to the Commission of 
petitions, with the demand for a report before the discussion 
of the budget of the interior.” 
M. Rodenbach. — es I support with all my heart that 
which the honorable speaker who preceded me has just 
said. This question, which is of the highest importance, 
appears to have been neglected ; for the Government had 
promised a report, and we hear nothing further of it. 
cc However, as the honorable speaker who preceded me 
has said, the discovery of Dr. Willems has had the greatest 
success in France, Holland, and Belgium, and without doubt, 
in order perhaps to justify the proverb, that it is difficult to 
be 4 a prophet in one’s own country,’ the Belgian Govern- 
ment has at present taken no decided part in the matter. 
I support the proposition of M. Renesse.’’ 
The Chamber decided that the request of M. Willems, 
should be sent to the Commission of petitions, and that it 
should be made the subject of a report before the discussion 
of the budget of the Interior . — Parliamentary Annals, Belgium . 
[We shall watch wdth much interest this application of 
Dr. Willems to the Chamber of Representatives. We have 
no wish to prejudge the case, but w T e think it as well to direct 
attention to the circumstance, that Dr. Willems has not only 
cautiously avoided the mention in his letter of any facts 
which tell against inoculation, but speaks of 1 all Foreign 
Countries’ having by their commissions favorably received 
his 4 invention,’ as a preventive of Pleuro- pneumonia, and 
xxviii. 13 
