EDITORIAL. 
145 
required result,—the stamping out of the disease. There is no 
doubt that a great deal of this activity originated as a consequence 
of the attitude assumed by European governments, which result¬ 
ed in the embargoes on American cattle going abroad; perhaps 
more so than from the fear of the possibility of the disease 
spreading further west than it was known to exist. What has 
been done and what were the prospects of successful results, are 
already known , and specially for the State of New York, where 
the well-organized veterinary staff did as good work as could be 
expected from its officers. 
But prospects are sometimes doubtful, and it seems, are to be 
such, principally in our great country, where political influence 
lias so much to do. Indeed, what has taken place for the last few 
months ? The laws passed fifteen months ago have, in one case, 
been repealed, the supply of funds has been refused in another, 
and all the veterinary staffs have been discharged, and the work 
so well begun, which was so promising of good success, is now in 
the hands of the State or of the City Boards of Health, in none of 
which, as far as we know, a veterinarian occupies an official posi¬ 
tion, for that or any other purpose. 
What can now be expected ? What results can we look for ? 
Health Boards are generally complaining that their funds are 
limited, that they cannot employ experts, though they acknowl¬ 
edge their usefulness; and still our wise legislators want them to 
handle that terrible scourge witli the means now at their com¬ 
mand. 
All who are acquainted with pleuro-pneumonia, with its 
insidious character, its sometimes obscure manifestations, and the 
means necessary to check its spreading, will laugh at this last 
action of our State government, and tremble at the fearful pros¬ 
pects which threaten us, if the disease should reach our western 
districts; which, we fear, will sooner or later be no more a 
question of possibility, but a matter of fact. 
We, however, as veterinarians, cannot do much but protest. 
As veterinary surgeons, a magnificent opportunity presented 
itself, to show the usefulness of our profession, and if failure 
stares our people in the face, the veterinary profession, at least, 
