714 
EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
any excuse for the apathy which has ever since been manifested 
respecting its continued existence and extensive spread ? Most 
assuredly not, but rather an argument that steps ought long 
since to have been taken to ascertain whether the disease did 
not possess other means of dissemination, besides those of an 
ordinary epizootic. 
Now that the whole case is before us, we trust that agri¬ 
culturists will agitate the question until something is done. 
No fitter subject can be brought before our Farmers’ clubs 
and Agricultural meetings, and we hope to see that resolutions 
are come to by the members, insisting on the adoption of 
legislative enactments to arrest the progress of the malady. 
Although we cannot deal with the question as has been done 
by the Australian and American governments, viaynely, 
slaughtering the affected herds and giving compensation to 
their owners, and thus annihilate the malady, simultaneous 
with the adoption of measures to guard against its ^intro¬ 
duction, we can nevertheless make it a misdemeanour, punish¬ 
able by the infliction of a fine, to knowingly expose diseased 
animals in fairs and markets, or pasture them on commons 
and wastes. 
As it is, one can scarcely visit a fair or market without 
seeing animals in all stages of the disease, exposed for sale 
with those which are healthy. If it be asked who are the 
persons that suffer the most from the disease under these 
circumstances? it will be found that it is such as are compelled 
to be making frequent purchases of stock. The breeder is 
comparatively exempt—a fact which offers a good proof of the 
risk which attends the buying of cattle at a fair or market, 
from the causes we have alluded to. Much might be written, 
and profitable too, on this subject, but we refrain for the 
present, as we are desirous of placing before our readers the 
latest intelligence respecting the disease which we have re¬ 
ceived from Australia and also from America. 
In The Age, Melbourne, August 25th, it is stated that— 
“The disease in cattle, known as pleuro-pneumonia, now 
in full progress within a few miles of Melbourne, has at¬ 
tracted much attention, and lately £1000 has been voted 
by the Legislature for compensation to the owners of de¬ 
stroyed cattle. The government have acted promptly in the 
