354 
PLEUROPNEUMONIA IN AUSTRALIA. 
that the work of destruction was going on, and the mingling 
of the cattle with those on Mr. Bowler's station quickly 
brought the latter into the same condition. The disease was 
now general throughout these two herds; and the Govern¬ 
ment, under the impression that it was still confined to them, 
and might yet be extirpated, determined on the total de¬ 
struction and consumption by fire of the whole of the cattle 
on those stations, promising, at the same time, a certain com¬ 
pensation. A very large colonial interest was at stake, and 
the measure, under the circumstances, was perfectly jus¬ 
tifiable. Had it been successful—and it was impossible to 
foresee, with what was then known of the disease, that it 
would not—the service rendered to the country would have 
been incalculable. Unfortunately it was a work of greater 
labour and of more difficulty than was anticipated. It was 
also an unfortunate circumstance that the disease should have 
first appeared in those two herds, as many of the cattle^ in 
each had recently been obtained from other runs, to which 
they would, of course, be disposed to return. A portion of 
Messrs. M'Laurin’s cattle, as we have already mentioned, 
were brought from the Mitta Mitta River, and some from 
another station belonging to them on the Edward River. 
Part of Mr. Bowler’s herd had been purchased from Messrs. 
White and other gentlemen on “The Levels,” in the Lachlan 
district. Towards each of these places it was found that the 
cattle were straying back, and mixing with other cattle on 
their w r ay—sometimes one or two remaining in a herd, while 
others would persevere in their journey towards their old 
runs. These cattle were followed, and as many of them as 
could be found were destroyed; but, without a doubt, the in¬ 
fection w 7 as disseminated by them as they went along. 
Mr. Bruce, finding that no precautions which he could 
take—no power which he could exercise—prevented the 
disease from making its appearance on adjoining runs, sought 
the assistance of two practical gentlemen in the neighbourhood 
to aid him by their experience and advice in forming a line 
of demarcation between infected and uninfected lands. Our 
colleagues, Messrs. Day and Meyer, were nominated, and 
their appointments confirmed by the Government on the 13th 
November. These gentlemen, in conjunction with Mr. Bruce, 
immediately set about examining the herds in the neighbour¬ 
hood of Ten Mile Creek, and on the 21st November sent the 
following telegram to your department :—“ Being alarmed by 
the extent of pleuro-pneumonia on the west and south-west side 
of Tiarra Yarra, we separated and tried the country in other 
directions. We have traced the disease from the Murray, 
