ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 223 
recent investigations of the Professor of Cattle Pathology, 
that whole flocks will be sacrificed to its ravages. Little can 
now be done to prevent these losses, the malady being one 
which has had its origin in the entrance of entozoa into 
the organism of the sheep during the preceding summer 
months. In their more perfect form, these entozoa are known 
by the name of flukes/* and are found to be inhabiting the 
gall-ducts of the liver, where they not only produce functional 
derangements of the organ, but early lay the foundation for 
irremediable structural changes. The study of the natural 
history of these creatures opens up the only chance of pre¬ 
venting their attacks, and thus to save the lives of our sheep ; 
and it is gratifying to find that investigations of this kind 
have long since been undertaken by the Professor of Cattle 
Pathology, and which are satisfactorily progressing. With 
reference to pleuro-pneumonia, the Governors would observe 
that several circumstances have shown during the past year, 
in a most remarkable manner, that the main cause of the 
spread of this disease is contagion. Such is its introduction 
into the United States, and also into Australia; the out¬ 
break depending in the former country on the importation of 
some cattle from Holland, and in the latter on a similar 
importation from England. Within the past week it has 
also come to the knowledge of the Governors that the malady 
has been carried into Norway by some Ayrshire cows sent 
from Scotland. Facts of this kind are of the first importance, 
as indicating the means which should be adopted to limit its 
extension. Preventive measures are alone to be relied on, as 
the fatality attending the disease can be scarcely said to be 
diminished since it first made its appearance in this country, 
nor is it to be hoped that science can do more than she has 
already done in devising means of its cure. In conclusion, 
the Governors would again convey to the Council their fixed 
resolve to do everything within their power to render the 
science of Veterinary Medicine of increasing value to the 
agricultural community.—(Signed) J. W. Bosanquet, Trea¬ 
surer of the Roval Veterinary College, Jan. 12, 1861. 
ROT IN SHEEP. 
The following report from the Veterinary Professor of his 
professional visit to Bridgerule, in Devonshire, was also read 
atthe meeting of the Royal Agricultural Society : 
<<r On the 14th Dec., i 860 , in accordance with instructions 
received from the Council, I visited the parish of Bridgerule, 
North Devon, for the purpose of investigating a fatal malady 
existing among the sheep in that and adjoining parishes. 
The application came from the Rev. S. Kingdon, the 
