Editorial. 
341 
CONVENTION OF VETERINARIANS AT CHICAGO, 
NOVEMBER 16, 17 and 18, 1885. 
This meeting of veterinarians was called to suggest to the 
National Cattle Growers’ Convention the best method of dealing 
with contagious and infectious diseases of domestic animals, and 
to assist in shaping future legislation in reference to the same. 
The results of this convention cannot be said to have been 
all that were desired. There was much time wasted in personal 
matters, criticism of existing methods, etc., etc. 
To every thinking veterinarian there can be no doubt but 
that under the existing imperfect laws, while much good has been 
accomplished, there have been sins of omission in many instances. 
To a great extent these have been unavoidable, and even were 
this not so, comments at such time and place must be considered 
as ill-timed. 
The convention was practically a unit upon the necessity of 
National legislation —as States have in almost every instance 
failed to eradicate or even control outbreaks of communicable 
diseases, without aid from the general government. It is a 
matter of great regret that a few veterinarians present advocated 
the practice of inoculation for contagious pleuro-pneumonia, and 
that others declared that so called “ recovered cases ” cannot 
communicate this disease to other cattle. Inoculation is not to 
he seriously thought of in any country where extermination is 
possible; nor can we ever expect to be rid of contagious pleuro¬ 
pneumonia so long as “recovered cases’’are allowed to mingle 
with healthy animals. These two positions have been so 
thoroughly established, so frequently proven, that it is a painful 
surprise to everyone to hear them even mentioned at this date. 
In dealing with purely exotic plagues, veterinarians who are 
influenced by such opinions are certainly not those to be trusted 
during the present crisis. 
Given the proper legislation and moneys, contagious pleuro¬ 
pneumonia can now be effectually stamped out of the United 
States. But this will never be accomplished if we inoculate, or 
preserve in our midst “ recoverd cases,” to slowly but surely 
continue the plague. 
