274 
REPORT ON THE CATTLE PLAGUE. 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg- 
Strelitz. 
It was from these Duchies that some of the earliest 
accounts reached England respecting “ the murrain,” the 
appearance of which promptly led the Senate of Liibeck to 
interdict the passage of cattle into its territory, unless accom- 
panied with a certificate of their being in a perfect state of 
health, and created also much anxiety as to whether the 
malady might not soon extend to our own country. The 
alarm, however, seems to have arisen out of the circumstance 
that pleuro-pneumonia, which had occasionally of late years 
affected the cattle in Mecklenburg, in common with other 
continental states, showed itself somewhat suddenly in March, 
1836, at the village of Great Goruon, near to Sternberg. Its 
outbreak is attributed to the introduction of some cattle from 
Bavaria; and it appears that the “ court cattle which were 
in the same stable” were subsequently attacked. After the 
death of several, the remainder of the animals were killed, 
and buried entire. 
This .summary proceeding appears to have arrested the 
disease in that particular village ; but cases are said to have 
occurred in other parts of the Duchies. The interdict which 
was laid on the estate of Great Goruon concerning the 
‘ tf export, import, and transit of cattle, immediately on the 
outbreak of the disease,” was not, however, removed until 
October 1 st of the same year, after which time free inter- 
course was allowed. 
On this fact being officially communicated to the autho- 
rities at Liibeck, and also that the whole of Mecklenburg 
was free from the disease, the Senate removed the restric- 
tions which had been placed in the way of cattle entering 
its territory ; but, as has been stated in that part of this 
report which specially refers to Liibeck, these were again 
enforced in February of the present year, in consequence of 
the reappearance of the disease in the Duchies of Meck- 
lenburg. 
On the 24th of December, 1856, the Commissioners of 
our Customs published an order with regard to a more rigid 
examination by the Inspectors of Foreign Cattle, “ with spe- 
cial reference to a contagious disease called 6 murrain/ which 
has recently broken out amongst the horned cattle of Meck- 
lenburg.” Count Billow, Minister to the Grand Duke of 
Mecklenburg-Schwerin, complained of this order to Lord 
Blomfield, her Majesty's Ambassador to the Court of Prussia, 
