SMALL-POX OF SHEEP. 
339 
the country, and, with few exceptions, its virulence is 
unabated. Nothing short of stern legislation on the subject, 
which, practically, will have the effect of isolating animals, 
can arrest the disease and save the country from continued loss 
from this fatal malady. The time has fortunately arrived in 
which we can see the end of the supineness which has marked 
our dealings with this insidious foe during the long period 
of its existence here. The visitation of the cattle plague has 
taught us how rightly to deal with infectious diseases, and 
especially with such a one as pleuro-pneumonia. It is this 
knowledge which is now being turned to good account. 
SMALL-POX OF SHEEP. 
It will be seen by the Parliamentary intelligence published in 
another part of our Journal, that the small-pox of sheep has 
again been brought into the country’; but fortunately, owing to 
the vigilance which was exercised by the authorities,the diseased 
animals were at once detected, and every precaution was taken 
to prevent the spread of the malady. Indeed, the disease 
"svas stamped out almost as soon as it was introduced. Every 
one of the diseased sheep was killed and buried at the place 
of arrival, and all the animals which had been exposed to in¬ 
fection were slaughtered and the carcasses examined prior 
to being sent direct to the meat market. Their skins and 
all the pens and places which the animals had occupied were 
likewise cleansed and disinfected. The sheep were of the 
Saxony-merino breed, and had travelled by rail to Antwerp, 
where a moiety of them, 219, was shipped by the ‘‘Maas” 
to London, the others being sent by the “ Harwich ” to 
Harwich. Both lots belonged to the same exporter, and both 
were found to be diseased. In the one lot, two of the sheep 
were in the papular stage, and one was found in which the 
crusts had fallen. In the other three or four the animals 
exhibited different stages of the disease. 
Besides the infected and diseased animals the “Maas” had 
on board 1596 sheep, and the “ Harwich ” 132, and also 218 
pigs. It will thus be seen that the amount of risk was very 
great; and much credit is due to the government for the 
promptness and decision with which it acted in the matter. 
