308 SCOTTISH METROPOLITAN VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
Of the gross total, I lost a fraction under 5 per cent, from 
casualty, the result of inoculation, and from failure of inoculation 
to give immunity. I would, however, ask you, gentlemen, to bear 
in mind this very important circumstance, that 5 per cent, of 
casualty is a very much lower death-rate than has been yet ob¬ 
tained ; and as my work last year was largely experimental, I am 
sensible its being so increased my average. I am fully of opinion 
that, entering this year again upon the same course, with my last 
year’s experience, I shall, if spared, be able in another year to 
report to you a still lower one. My death-rate was not in pro¬ 
portion to the individual number done in individual instances, but 
to the systemic conditions under which they were done, the mode 
of operation, the weather, &c. Hence it is that I say I have now 
a knowledge of a great deal to be avoided, which I had not last 
year. Taking the systemic conditions first, I find that it is not 
advisable to inoculate cows immediately before calving. I would 
not like to do it upon any cow that had less than eight or ten 
weeks to run; nor is it advisable to do it immediately after 
calving. At least fourteen days ought to be allowed to elapse, 
and it should only be done then if the animal has both locally 
and constitutionally recovered from parturition. 
It should not be done, but deferred, if there is the slightest 
degree of inflammatory action in any part of the body; in short, 
the animal should be, as far as we can ascertain, well in all re¬ 
spects It should not be done if we consider the animal to be 
already affected with pleuro-pneumonia; but, at the same time, 
I must tell you that I have reason to think that there is a stage 
of the disease, the very earliest, when, if inoculation is performed, 
good results may reasonably be expected to follow. I do not 
advise it, however. 
It is not advisable to inoculate in very hot weather, such as we 
experienced last July, especially if the animals are in close, con¬ 
fined, and badly ventilated byres ; and it is still less advisable to 
inoculate during the winter months, unless special arrangements 
can be made for maintaining a uniform warm temperature. It 
is not, in my opinion, advisable to inoculate with any but one 
kind of virus, and that should always be fresh and absolutely 
free from any foreign matter. During last summer I tried 
several plans, with the view of obtaining perfect results with less 
risk and inconvenience to the animal ; but I have, as the results 
of my experience, resolved not to do so any more. The very few 
animals that I have had take pleuro-pneumonia within a reason¬ 
able time after inoculation—say, after a month—have invariably 
been animals inoculated mildly ; in fact, that had not been inocu¬ 
lated at all, as compared with others. I would ask you to note 
that mild or modified inoculation is not to be depended upon, and 
should not, therefore, be practised. I am of opinion that there 
is only one mode of inoculation, and shall now describe it. 
The virus or lymph should be obtained from an animal not too 
far gone in the disorder, and from one that is in other respects 
