PLEURO-ENEUMONIA IN AUSTRALIA, 
355 
fifty miles towards the Murrumbidgee, and 40,000 cattle 
would now be condemned.” Here was truly an alarming 
state of things, which the subsequent reports of the veterinary 
surgeon too fully confirmed. The matter was immediately 
brought before Parliament, and a commission was appointed 
to investigate and report upon the best course to be adopted 
in such an emergency. We had the honour to receive your 
commands to carry out, with the assistance of Mr. Veterinary- 
surgeon Pottie, the objects of this commission, and we will 
now endeavour to convey some account of the labours which 
devolved on us. 
On the morning after Mr. Garland and Mr. Pottie arrived 
at Ten Mile Creek from Sydney, they, accompanied by 
Mr. Bruce, went to the Yarra Yarra station for the purpose 
of seeing the disease in all its stages, and remarking its 
symptoms and peculiarities. The living and post-mortem 
appearances of the cattle have been fully described by 
Mr. Pottie. Let it suffice to sav that these appearances 
were but too indicative of the thorough prevalence of this 
lamentable scourge. 
The way in which the cattle were destroyed was this 
Yards were erected on the banks of a narrow gully, and some 
hundreds of cattle were driven into them at a time. These 
were again put in smaller lots in the slaughtering yard, 
which, being high, was covered over like a network on the 
top with planks, upon which men walked, and with 
pointed goads pithed the cattle. So soon as the whole 
were down, some men set about bleeding and opening them 
for the purpose of inspection. The age, brands, and state of 
disease of each beast were recorded, and the carcasses were 
then drawn into the gully by a team of bullocks, for con¬ 
sumption by fire. 
We append a return (No. 1) of the cattle slaughtered at 
Yarra Yarra, and also at Bowler’s station. The destruction 
of property at first sight may appear very great; but when 
we consider the small number of sound cattle in each case, 
and that probably with a more careful examination they would 
have been found still fewer, we must see that the sacrifice is 
not so serious after all. 
When Messrs. Garland and Bruce returned from Yarra 
Yarra to Ten Mile Creek, on the 30th November, they were 
joined by Messrs. Day and Meyer. The board was then duly 
constituted, and deliberations commenced that night, the 
results of which we had the honour to communicate to you. 
Upon that occasion our most important recommendation 
was the prohibition against the removal of stock from the 
