editorial observations. 
197 
and-mouth disease, and, notwithstanding winter voyages, 
very few diseased animals were landed in this country from 
that port. In January of last year the affection spread ex¬ 
tensively round Hamburgh, and, precisely as we expected, 
large numbers of diseased animals were shipped to England. 
All through the most favorable weather of spring, summer, 
and early autumn, cattle, sheep, and pigs suffering from the 
disease were landed by hundreds. Now that the disease has 
declined in Hamburgh, although the same ships are used, 
the voyages are less expeditiously performed, and more losses 
are incurred from injury consequent on rough weather, very 
few cases of foot-and-mouth disease are detected. 
Precisely the same thing has been noticed with regard to 
Ireland. While that country remained free from foot-and- 
mouth disease cattle, sheep, and pigs were brought to the 
country with less attention to their comfort than has been 
recently given, and yet nothing was heard of foot-and-mouth 
disease ; pleuro-pneumonia and Irish stock became almost 
convertible terms, but in regard to the other disease Irish stock 
were for some time held innocent, until in 1869, and again 
in 1871, we sent diseased cattle there. In May, 1871, cen¬ 
tres of infection were established, from which the malady 
spread so quickly that by the end of the year it was known 
to prevail in every one of the counties in Ireland, while 
hundreds of Irish cattle landed in this country carried the 
infection far and wide. 
Recently, Irish pigs suffering from foot-and-mouth disease 
have been landed at Bristol, in such a condition that no 
doubt could be entertained as to the existence of the affection 
when they were shipped in Ireland, and yet, in the face of 
this evidence, it is suggested that foot-and-mouth complaint 
does not exist in Ireland, and that it must consequently be 
produced by the foul air of the holds in which the animals are 
confined; and this theory is by some persons accepted in 
total disregard of another fact, that animals on deck are as 
commonly the subjects of the disease as those which are 
placed below. 
Whatever may be the origin of infectious diseases, there 
