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same day, and m 3 other pairs there was an interval of 5 or 6 days between 
“ °"f et ° f t , le attack m . the two animals, i.e., one had infected the other 
2d thTdL be °PP ort “ s m a cattle shed for fouling of beds and fodd e ; 
th ^ dl ssemmauon, when the sheds are flushed, of discharges from a 
diseased animat, it is open to question whether the disease is conveyed at all 
alr ° r Whether 11 iS n0t aKva >' S —> ed by th'e e Infe«ive 
?°° d deal ° f ; he “"fusion that arises in the comparison of the 
eifects of serum inoculation, etc., is due to differences of opinion as to what 
constitutes effective ‘-contact.” F Ii£U 
infe-Hnn 0r h et i Cally ‘‘ Conta f ts ” g e animals which have been exposed to 
nfe.tion but experience shows that even of a herd where the exposure to 
infeed '' ht - v , of * nfectlon has been considerable only a few animals are 
infected, tnough these may subsequently infect the entire herd, and in 
other instances where apparently there has been exposure to infection of 
susceptible animals none of them are attacked. 
In considering the value of serum, as we know that it has no effect in 
preventmg the occurrence of disease in animals already infected, I take as 
®, teSt 01 c ffectlv ? contact the occurrence of cases of Rinderpest in a herd 
thin 10 days of injection, i.e., 7 days for incubation and 3 days for the 
obnous symptoms to become apparent. Where routine temperatures are 
taken I should shorten this period to 8 days. ‘ 
carrvinf that al ! 4 di f cha . r ges of a diseased animal are capable of 
hhS dlSeaS f and ‘hat the virus is not retained in the discharges or 
d ot the animal for long The question of the length of time that a 
shed or pasture will remain infected is of practical importance. Experiments 
wiLi the virus, t n vitno, are not conclusive, as the natural conditions differ. 
1 nougn no direct experiments were made it was considered better, in cases 
o certain groups of cattle doubtfully contacts, to send them to the Institute 
in preference to sending them to the quarantine station where infection was 
a most certain. No cases developed amongst these groups, though in one 
sh“ds thfiYA 'k 6re ® ra over the same ground and occupying the same 
si eds that had been used for cattle with Rinderpest a month previously, so 
• ’a L e ' en l n‘ de! i natl ! raI conditions it appears that in this country the virus 
is destroyed in less than one month. 
On theoretical grounds it is certain that the disease can be conveyed bv 
man directly conveymg on his clothes, person or utensils, in fodder or in 
bedding tne discnarges of a diseased animal to a healthy one. I believe from 
what 1 have seen of the carelessness of natives that the disease is often 
cornered in this manner from one animal to another of the same herd. 
.yen in taking temperatures there is difficulty in preventing this mode of 
infection. Although for short distances this is probably a fertile source of 
infection there was no instance in these outbreaks in which it appeared 
probable that the disease had been carried by man to any considerable 
distance, or teat any other cause but the transfer of cattle was the origin of 
any outbreak. ° 
„ * Ir \ F ? R ? lnf orms me, however, that in a previous epidemic a Malay 
catde witch bomor after charming a diseased herd conveyed the infection 
transfe^offfiatt 1 e° ^ ^ hSrd ’ ^ that CaSe there had certainl y been no 
7 ne class °f animals dangerous as carriers of the disease is important, 
e -mow that mild attacks are fertile sources of infection, the more so that 
