NORTH OF ENGLAND VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 6G5 
animals, a loss of upwards of £200 occurred to the owner by the great 
impediment to fattening, &c. In fact, he remarked, the consequences of 
such a disaster are very considerable, even without the loss of the animal, 
and it becomes a question whether, in these serious attacks by “ murrain,” 
the loss would not be less if the animal died at the outset. What is wanted 
are effective measures to put a stop to the unprincipled practice of disposing 
of stock which are known to be unsound from infectious or contagious 
diseases ; and also to prevent the farmer taking his diseased animals to 
market for the same purpose. As a rule, a farmer is afraid to let any one 
know that he has the disease among his stock, and, therefore, he keeps them 
on for some time without medical treatment, or means being adopted for 
having them slaughtered when in a condition in which no objection could 
be raised of their fitness for human consumption ; but when he thinks a 
suitable opportunity has arrived, they are sent off to market and sold. 
A man of his (Mr. Hunting’s) aquaintance sold his diseased stock in 
Newcastle Market,: a poor farmer living five miles from him purchased 
one, he kept sixteen cows, all of which took pleuro-pneumonia from the 
beast recently introduced, and he lost thirteen of the number. 
Mr. II. E. Wilkinson asked Professor Garngee whether in his opinion 
an action at common law could not, in such a case as that recorded by 
Mr. Hunting, be instituted, and damages claimed for injury inflicted, it 
being 1 well known the animals were diseased at the time of sale. 
Professor Garngee said a great deal would depend upon the nature of 
the transaction, and question of warranty; but in all cases where such 
had been instituted the termination had been successful, and he considered 
it a proper course to operate strongly against the traffic in diseased animals. 
Before he concluded, seeing that the time was rapidly fly ing, when they 
must adjourn, he begged to propose a vote of thanks to the President, 
whom he had the pleasure of having known for some considerable time, 
for whose attainments he had the greatest regard. He considered him a 
type of the best kind of country members of his profession. 
Mr. Thomas Greaves had great pleasure in seconding the proposition, 
and heartily endorsed all which had fallen from Professor Garngee. 
Mr. E. C. Drag rose to propose a vote of thanks to Mr. H. E. Wilkinson, 
for his instructive paper, and felt that it was almost impossible to thank 
him sufficiently for laying before the meeting such an array of facts in 
connection with the sale of diseased cattle and meat, &c., and he hoped to 
see societies of this nature turning their attention towards the means for 
suppressing the evil. Much might be done by a well-timed and spirited 
co-operation in this as well as other matters of interest to the profession. 
In their own (the Yorkshire) Society the subject of mal-practice and 
alleged want of skill, in which Mr. Forbes, of lleigate, Surrey, had been 
mulcted in heavy damages, had been considered at some length, and ter¬ 
minated in a resolution being passed, requesting the Hon, Sec. to write 
for further particulars of the case. Such matters were of the deepest 
importance to the profession, and he would be glad to see its members 
alive to their interests and protection. Societies of veterinary surgeons 
should take cognisance of them for mutual good. 
The Hon. Gee., Mr. G. Ar mat age, had great pleasure in according his 
support to a vote of thanks to Mr. H. E. Wilkinson, for the paper which 
he had brought forward. He felt it had been duly appreciated by all 
present; as for himself, he was glad to have the opportunity of hearing 
the subject of legislative interference, with regard to diseased cattle, so 
thoroughly gone into. That there is a great necessity for legislation there 
js no doubt; but he, for one, felt a great difficulty in thoroughly and 
effectively putting a stop to the evils which existed, and thought it a 
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