312 SCOTTISH METROPOLITAN VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
protection. This is a very important fact; for should inocula¬ 
tion ever become general in this country, the necessity for doing 
it upon our home-bred stock when purchased into dairies would 
be obviated by their being done at an early period of their life, 
when the operation, while being equally protective, is attended 
with little or no risk, and does not call for any after attention 
and treatment. 
I have nothing to say to you on the subject of diet while 
animals are under the operation. I have inoculated under all 
conditions in this respect, and find that tbe diet only requires to 
be rather below than up to the mark in quantity for the first three 
weeks, and of a nature calculated to maintain the perfect health 
and function of the stomach and bowels. The Trench commis¬ 
sion, I think, recommend a saline purgative about the eighth or 
ninth day; and to some kinds of stock I believe the medicine 
would be of great benefit. There are objections, however, to its 
employment so far as dairy cows are concerned, and I hardly 
think it would be necessary to physic in the case of grazing stock. 
If it is deemed advisable to give any opening medicine, the pur¬ 
pose will be fully and efficiently met by the occasional admixture 
in the soft food of sulphur and treacle. 
This, of course, is with the view of lessening any attendant 
fever. I have not, however, found that there ever is much, the 
thermometer rarely rising above 102 degrees. Certainly we 
observe a certain amount of dulness, with staring coat and rest¬ 
lessness for a few days, and occasionally—not always—a slight 
diminution in the secretion of milk. These conditions, however, 
are premonitory to the occurrence of the local conditions cha¬ 
racteristic of true inoculation, and should not be interfered with. 
With the decline of the process, there is always a very keen 
appetite, abundant secretion of milk, and great tendency to thrive 
well. 
And now, gentlemen, I think I have said sufficient, and have 
occupied your time long enough for one hearing. I have left a 
great deal unsaid ; much that I would like to bring before your 
notice, and some of it of the very greatest interest, both as 
regards the theory and the practice of inoculation. That must, 
however, be left for some future occasion, by which time I shall 
hope to meet some, if not all of you, as practisers of this great 
work, able to sustain me in the declaration which I here make, 
“ That in inoculation we have an agency which, if intelligently 
applied, is unfailing in arresting and preventing the course of 
pleuro-pneumonia, no matter what the conditions are under which 
it exists.” 
To some here, and to the profession at large, that, I daresay, 
will seem a bold thing for me to say. I, however, have had 
abundance of opportunity of well trying conclusions on the 
matter, and feel myself quite justified in declaring further, “ that 
so certain and absolutely protective is inoculation in its effects,” 
that I feel confident that, as its practice extends, the dread of 
