ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY. 
357 
this case were very remarkable, and afforded matter for deep 
reflection on the part of the physiologist, as well as the pa- 
thologist. The attack was somewhat sudden, so much so 
as to lead to the belief that the animal had sustained an 
injury of the skull, but this was entirely disproved by the 
post-mortem examination. The change in the structure of the 
brain was found to depend upon a scrofulous diathesis, and 
it raised the question as to how much of the disease was due 
to hereditary influence. It is matter of importance to the 
breeders of cattle to know that scrofula has of late years been 
considerably on the increase among what may be otherwise 
designated the better breeds of animals. 
6i Inspections. — The visits into the country by the vete- 
rinary inspector, on the authority of the Council, have not 
been very numerous this year, and the governors would be 
glad to see that the arrangement which has been made with 
regard to the inspection of diseased cattle on the premises of 
agriculturists was likewise in more general use, for they 
believe much good would result therefrom, not only in 
arresting the progress of disease, but in investigating the 
causes, with a view' to their removal, on which it was found 
to depend. At the country meeting of the society at Salis- 
bury the inspector was in attendance, and the governors were 
much gratified to find by his report that fewer cases of here- 
ditary defects and diseases were existing among the animals 
there brought together than at any former meeting of 
the society. By far the most important investigation of the 
year which has been made by the inspector is that of the 
nature and character of the continental disease of cattle, 
known by the name of the steppe murrain, rinderpest, &c., 
and which excited so deep an interest in the minds of the 
whole community, for fear of its introduction into this 
country. It has not only been shown by him that the 
rumours of its having extended from the steppes of Southern 
Russia, which may be regarded as the home of the pest, to 
those countries whence foreign cattle are exported for the 
supply of our meat markets, were groundless, but that there 
is scarcely a probability of its reaching this country. Besides 
this important result of his mission to the Continent, the 
public are likewise now made familiar with the natural laws 
w hich govern the spread of the malady, as w T ell as with those 
preventive measures which continental governments have 
found most effectual in checking its progress. Nor w r ould the 
governors omit to state, as a matter of congratulation to the 
society, that the investigations which w r ere made by the in- 
spector, in daily w r atching the affected animals, noting the 
