REPORT ON THE CATTLE PLAGUE. 
275 
and requested that the attention of the Home Government 
might be directed to it; and Lord Blomtield thereupon sent 
a despatch to the Earl of Clarendon, to the following effect : 
Berlin, January 23, 1857. 
“My Lord, — I have the honour to inclose to your lordship herewith a 
copy of a communication which I have received from Count Biilow, Minis- 
ter of his Royal Highness the* 1 Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, re- 
questing me to draw the attention of her Majesty’s Government to the 
injurious effects w r hich the publication of the Custom-House order, pub- 
lished in London the 24th December, 1856, respecting the importation of 
cattle, alleged to be diseased, from the Mecklenburg States, is likely to have 
on the commerce of the country. Count Biilow states that ‘the cattle 
murrain,’ alluded to in this order as now existing in Mecklenburg, has only 
manifested itself twice, for a short period, during the years 1855, 1856; 
and that in each case measures of such a stringent nature were taken as 
effectually arrested the spreading of the disease, insomuch that since the 
1st of October last all the measures of precaution that were in force for its 
prevention have been suspended by the official order to this effect, a copy of 
which Count Biilow has transmitted to me, and which, in original and trans- 
lation, I have the honour to forward herewith to your lordship. 
“ I have, &c., 
“ (Signed) Blomfield.” 
From this and all the additional information which we 
have collected, it would appear that there was very little 
cause for danger to be apprehended, and none in so far as 
our country was concerned, from the state of the health of 
the cattle of Mecklenburg, the so-called i( murrain” being 
only the affection known as pleuro-pneumonia. 
Saxony. 
This kingdom is perfectly free from rinderpest, and has 
been so for many years. Scarcely any apprehensions are 
entertained that the disease would reach Saxony, even if 
it were to encroach very much more upon the Prussian fron- 
tiers of Russia and Poland, or prevail to a far greater extent 
than it has recently done in Silesia, as the severity with 
which the preventive laws of those countries is carried out, 
is viewed as affording all the security which is required. 
Eczema epizootica has been somewhat rife of late, and 
many cases are still to be met with. Pleuro-pneumonia has 
only existed in a sporadic form in Saxony as also in Central 
Germany, and has, therefore, not excited so much of the public 
attention there as elsewhere. The laws in force with refer- 
ence to cattle-diseases are almost identical with those which 
have already been made mention of in this report. 
The investigations in Saxony completed our inspection of 
