ROYAL AGRICULTURAL SOCIETY OF ENGLAND. 
489 
I venture, therefore, to urge upon the Society the importance of 
continuing these experiments so as to bring them to a complete and 
decisive result. In order to this, further outlay in the purchase and 
keep of animals and other expenses will be necessary, which will involve 
the renewal of the grant for the ensuing six months. 
Dr. Greenfield’s chief difficulty had been to obtain early information 
of the outbreaks of splenic apoplexy and quarter-evil. 
With reference to the resolution of the Council at the last meeting 
concerning an investigation into fluke disease, Professor Simonds had 
reported as follows : 
Having in my capacity as Consulting Veterinary Surgeon been re¬ 
quested to consider the terms of this resolution, and advise the Committee 
in reference thereto, I submit that such inquiry should be undertaken, 
and that a commission should be appointed for the purpose. 
1. It is desirable that an approximate estimate of the extent of the 
loss which has taken place chiefly among cattle and sheep should be 
formed. 
2. That an explanation of the circumstances of the disease having 
prevailed to the greatest extent in the Midland, South, and South- 
Western Counties, and been comparatively of little importance in the 
Northern division of the kingdom, and in Scotland should be given. 
3. That correct information may be widely distributed as to the best 
means to be adopted to prevent the fluke epizootic, more especially in 
seasons of the greatest danger, such as that of 1879, and for the treat¬ 
ment of infected animals, with a view to arrest the progress of the 
malady. 
4. That fresh investigations be made into the life-history of the fluke, 
doubts having been expressed by agriculturists and others of the correct¬ 
ness of the description given of the method of its development and 
entrance into the bodies of animals. 
5. That the statements in particular of sheep becoming affected in 
some water-meadows and not in others in the same district and at the 
same period of the year, be tested by direct experiment. 
6. That investigations and experiments be also made to determine 
whether embryos of flukes cannot be conveyed by other means, especially 
by the bay cut from wet and low-lying meadows, as well as by the feed¬ 
ing of animals the on grass or partaking of the water in such situations. 
The Committee recommended that, under head No. 3, a paper should 
be written for the Journal on the practical treatment of the disease and 
the conditions under which it is developed ; and under head No. 4, that 
Professor Rolleston should be asked to write a report on the life-history 
and development of the fluke, and to make local inquiries into the 
subject. The Committee applied for a grant to be placed at their dis¬ 
posal to enable them to carry out these investigations. 
Mr. Dent stated that the Journal Committee had considered the report 
of the Veterinary Committee, and proposed to invite Professor Rolleston 
to undertake the scientific portion of the inquiry into the nature of the 
fluke disease, and a competent gentleman to investigate and report upon 
the recent outbreak, and the best practical measures that have been or 
may be carried out for its prevention and cure. With respect to the 
practical portion of the inquiry, it was thought that the gentleman 
selected should himself go into the districts which were particularly 
affected, and also, if he considered it necessary, into the districts only 
partially affected. From the reports already sent to the Secretary, it 
was evident that any well-informed person would have no difficulty in 
finding out much valuable information. Then there was the question 
