EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
429 
written by the professional officer of the Veterinary Depart¬ 
ment, in which the number of cargoes of cattle from America 
among which pleuro-pneumonia had been detected was 
stated, and the remark was made that specimens of diseased 
lungs from the cattle in question had been submitted to 
several experts who had made pleuro-pneumonia a subject of 
special study. His Lordship added that since the landing of 
the cattle from the “ Ontario” several other cargoes had been 
landed, among which cases of pleuro-pneumonia had been 
detected in Liverpool and London. Any one reading the 
extract from Professor Williams’ letter would conclude that 
the letter itself was never intended for publication; at least it 
isnot couched in the terms which a scientific man is expected to 
use in expressing his dissent from the views of his confreres . 
This point, however, is a mere matter of taste, and need 
not be discussed further; what we are at present chiefly 
concerned about is the fact that one of our principal veteri¬ 
nary teachers and writers can assert in absolutely un¬ 
measured terms that a disease, which was recognised at once 
by men of—well, let us say—equal experience, did not 
exist, and that those who say it did made a “ gross mis¬ 
take.” The speaker is not, however, consistent with the 
writer, for we notice in the report of the proceedings of the 
Lancashire Veterinary Medical Association, which we pub¬ 
lished last month, that the chairman called upon Professor 
Williams for his opinion as to the disease that the American 
cattle were suffering from, said to be pleuro-pneumonia. 
Professor Williams stated that he had “seen over 100 of 
the cattle slaughtered, and examined nearly all the diseased 
ones. In a few there were lung consolidation and pleural 
exudations, and taking these lungs by themselves, one 
would he thought be justified in concluding the disease to be 
pleuro-pneumonia. In three lungs, however, there were 
certain differences from what he was in the habit of seeing in 
the lungs of cattle killed for pleuro-pneumonia in this country. 
The signs of inflammation extended far beyond the lung 
consolidation. In other cases it was found that there 
were abscesses in the lungs, and in some cavities the 
debris of broken-down lung tissue and blood clots—appear- 
