412 
ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 
monia in the same herd, and even in the same animal at one and the 
same time. The short period which elapsed between the commencement 
of disease and the death of the animal was, in two of the cases at least, 
altogether irreconcilable with what is known in regard to the course and 
duration of pleuro-pneumonia; and this fact rendered the inquiry 
difficult and perplexing, and compelled me, while acting upon the evi¬ 
dence of blood disease present, to await the advent of positive information 
respecting contagious lung disease. 
J. Wortley Axe, Professor. 
Royal Veterinary College, April 27th, 1880. 
Mr. Duguid, of the Veterinary Department of the Privy Council, 
attended the Committee and made the following Supplementary Report 
on a subsequent visit to Mr. Lawes’ herd : 
I visited Mr. Lawes’ farm, at Rothamsted, on Tuesday, April 20th, 
in company with Mr. Edwards, Veterinary Inspector to the local 
authority, and saw two animals, which had been previously isolated, 
showing well-marked symptoms of pleuro-pneumonia. One of these 
was a cow that had been some time on the farm, the other was an Irish 
bullock purchased in December, and said to have done badly for some 
time; this animal had the disease in the chronic form. Both these were 
ordered to be slaughtered. In addition to these a cow was ordered to 
be slaughtered that showed the acute symptoms the same morning. I 
saw the lungs of two animals that had been killed, and found the 
characteristic lesions of pleuro-pneumonia. At a meeting of the 
magistrates held at St. Albans the same afternoon (April 20th) the 
question of slaughtering a number of healthy animals that had been in 
contact with the diseased was discussed, and a sub-committee appointed 
to value the stock, and, if they thought it expedient, slaughter a number 
of the healthy animals that were in condition for the butcher. I was 
present at the meeting, but have not heard what further action has been 
taken by the local authority. 
P.S.—With regard to the origin of the disease, suspicion attaches to 
the Irish bullock above referred to, and also to a cow purchased from a 
neighbourhood where the disease existed. This cow, I may add, appeared 
in perfect health when I examined her. 
Mr. Lawes had since sent the following statement: 
On Saturday last (May 1st) the Contagious Disease Committee decided 
that all the cows in the shed, and all the oxen which were in the yard 
adjoining, should be killed. The following are the statistics up to the 
present time : • 4 
Cows in building. 
Oxen in yard. 
Cows died and buried. 
Killed as diseased and buried . 
Killed as healthy, but afterwards condemned and 
buried. 
Killed and sold ...... 
Still to be killed (healthy). 
. 45 
. 19 
3 
8 
4 
16 
14 
Oxen killed and buried 
Killed and sold . 
Still to be killed (healthy) . 
