EDITORIAL. 
101 
have carried oat the experiments so far will be gleaned by the enclosed clipping 
from the Brisbane Courier of this morning, containing a report of the proceed¬ 
ings of a demonstration yesterday, at which a number of the leading cattle- 
owners, medical gentlemen, and the Government veterinarian attended by invi¬ 
tation to witness the results of the experiments and observations of the scientists. 
A laboratory was fully equipped for the scientists, containing all the last and most 
improved appliances connected with the microscope ; sterilizers, incubators, etc., 
etc., and they were provided with as many calves as the nature of their experi¬ 
ments required. 
The results of the experiments so far may be summarized as follows: 
1st. That it has been demonstrated that inoculation is a sure preventive of 
pleuro-pneumonia. 
2d. That a minute quantity of virus, say two drops, inserted under the skin, 
behind the shoulder of a calf, will in most cases result in the death of the calf 
about the twenty-first day, and that in the cells under the skin on the inoculation 
side there will be found sufficient pure lymph to inoculate from two to three 
thousand head of cattle. 
3d. That this lymph—even to the third, fourth, or more cultivations—is 
purer and equally as virulent as lymph from an animal that had contracted the 
disease in the natural course. 
4th. That this lymph is that of the true bovine pleuro-pneumonia is proven 
by the fact that the scientists failed to impart the disease to goats, guinea pigs, 
fowls, etc., although injecting in them the same quantity of the same lymph 
which proved fatal in calves. 
5th. That all the calves inoculated behind the shoulder—whether with origi¬ 
nal virus from a case naturally contracted, or with lymph that had passed through 
calves successively to the third and fourth generation (or cultivation)—presented 
the lesions of true bovine pleura-pneumonia. 
As I notice that inoculation for pleuro-pneumonia is not in favor in America, 
will you permit me to state two facts in connection with the practice in Australia : 
1st. We have in this colony an act providing for the registration of brands 
and ear-marks on cattle, which is administered by me. Under that act I set 
apart a particular ear-mark—namely, a piece cut “ square” off the right ear—as 
an “ inoculation ear-mark ” to be used to distinguish inoculated from uninocu¬ 
lated cattle, and to be used for no other purpose under a penalty. The percent¬ 
age of deaths among cattle bearing the “ inoculation ear-mark” have been very 
trifling, while heavy among those cattle surrounding them and mixing with them 
that have not been inoculated. 
2d. As there are nearly five millions of cattle in this colony (Queensland), to 
a population of 320,000 souls, by far the larger majority of our cattle are traveled 
to the other Australian colonies and sold as stores. So great is the faith of the 
Southern graziers in the efficacy of inoculation—a faith built up on many years 
experience—that inoculated cattle will always command a price of from fifteen to 
twenty per cent, more than uninoculated ones. Thus the “inoculation ear¬ 
mark” has acquired a commercial value of from ten to fifteen shillings per head. 
P. R. Gordon, 
Chief Inspector of Stock. 
Brisbane, March 9,1889. 
