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cattle which she might receive from the Baltic ports. The difficulties in the way of a direct trade of this kind are too great for it to be carried on with facility or advantage. Such cattle would have to make the port of Kiel, and be then disembarked, in order to be placed on the vessels navigating the canal which connects Kiel with the Eider, and on reaching Tonning be again re-embarked on vessels bound for England.

DENMARK, SCHLESWIG, AND HOLSTEIN.

In September last it was officially communicated to the Government by Vice-Consul Blackwell of Lubeck, that "the steppe murrain of Russia had made its way into Holstein, having passed through Poland, Prussia, and Mecklenburg." We ascertained, however, that this disease had no existence in this part of Europe since the occasion of its last general outbreak in 1813. It is also recorded that up to that time the affection had not prevailed in the duchies since 1774 to 1781, when 150,000 head of cattle are said to have perished.

Pleuro-pneumonia is rife in Holstein, particularly in the neighbourhood of Altona, where an active cattle trade is carried on. The malady is said originally to have appeared here in 1842, or nearly about the same time it was first observed in England. At the commencement of 1843, Herr Rottger, district veterinary surgeon of Altona, received orders from the Danish Government to watch the progress of the disease. No active means to limit its extension were, however, had recourse to until 1845, when the Government sent Professor Witt of Copenhagen, to investigate the matter. Professor Witt and Herr Rottger, with a surgeon and the Government veterinary surgeon of Hamburg, formed a sanitary commission of inquiry. The commission came to the conclusion that the disease was highly contagious, and recommended the Government to adopt the most stringent measures of prevention. These consist in chief of

a. Sequestration of the places where the disease is found to exist.

b. The immediate slaughter of the infected animals. c. The killing of the whole herd upon the occurrence of fresh cases.

d. The burial of the diseased cattle with their skins

on, cut in such a manner as to prevent their being surreptitiously disposed of, and the sprinkling the body over with chloride of lime.

The indemnity consists in the Government paying two-thirds of the value of the diseased animals, and the full value of the healthy, the loss to the treasury being partly provided for by the Government selling by public auction the carcases of the animals which are free from disease.

For the carrying out of these regulations, it is ordered among other things that every proprietor of cattle shall, upon the outbreak of a disease which seems to possess some unusual features, give notice to the district veterinary surgeon, or be subjected to a fine varying from fifty to a hundred thalers. The veterinary surgeon has to report the result of his examination to the police, and if it should prove that the malady is a contagious one, then the regulations are strictly enforced. The animals are valued on the part of the Government, and branded on the horns for the purpose of identity. Should no other cases occur after the diseased animals are killed, then a proprietor is prevented selling any of those which had been exposed to the contagion, and which bear the Government stamp, in a less period of time than six months, and only then with a certificate from the veterinary surgeon that they are free from disease.

The adoption of these severe measures led, it is believed, to the nearly total extinction of pleuro pneumonia in two or three years. In 1847, however, it again prevailed in Holstein, also commencing, it is said, in the neigh

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bourhood of Altona. In 1849 and 1851 other outbreaks occurred, the disease extending on the latter occasion into Schleswig and Denmark proper, but was quickly suppressed by the severity with which the law was

executed.

The outbreak from which the country is at present suffering took place in the spring of 1856. It is attributed to the circumstance of two gentlemen of Hamburg purchasing in Hungary 180 oxen, and sending them to graze on the islands and marshlands of the Elbe. The it was communicated to some cows which were sent daily disease manifested itself in these animals, and from them and was thus spread over the territory and the adjacent from the town of Hamburg to graze in the same pastures, the preventive measures previously alluded to, and which This called for the re-adoption of portions of Holstein. are still in operation in the Duchies, but modified to some considerable extent in the town and territory of Hamburg.

The almost simultaneous appearance of pleuro-pneumonia in Mecklenburg, which is said to have depended on the introduction of some cattle from Bavaria, togegether with its existence in several of the German States, led the Government to issue the following order with reference to the importation of cattle into Holstein and Lauenburg.

Copenhagen, June 18, 1856. PROCLAMATION for the DUCHIES of HOLSTEIN and LAUENBURG, in reference to the IMPORTATION of HORNED CATTLE from abroad.

Whereas, according to official information, the pulmonary epidemic has recently shown itself again in horned cattle in several German States, the importation of horned cattle from abroad will not, until further notice, be permitted into the duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, unless satisfactory certi

ficates, issued by authority, be handed in at the same time,

stating the place from whence the cattle have been brought, and that in such place no signs of the pulmonary epidemic have appeared for more than six months, the cattle being therein described as accurately as possible.

The above is hereby made known for the information and guidance of those who receive it; and at the same time the police authorities are especially directed to see the strict observance of the above order.

Royal Ministerial Department for the Duchies of Holstein and Lauenburg, 9th June, 1856.

(Signed)

V. SCHEELE. G. HARBOU.

Pleuro-pneumonia, however, continued to prevail in Holstein, despite all measures precautionary or otherwise, which were had recourse to, and this led the Minister to issue new regulations during last year, to stay if possible its further progress. It was thereupon ordered that "all estates (farms) in which cases of pulmonary disease have occurred within the last six months, are to be closed, and no removal of cattle from such estates is to be permitted. The cattle are to remain as much as possible in the same stalls, and only to be removed to the pasture grounds of the owners, which are to be fenced round to the exclusion of all other cattle, as it is deemed necessary to remove cattle from their infected stalls to purer air.”

In July, 1856, SCHLESWIG placed the importations into her territory from Holstein under restrictions; but as these also proved to be insufficient, the Minister of this Duchy, in March of the present year, forbade the importations entirely.

In August, 1856, Denmark, by the Minister of the Interior, likewise ordered that no cattle would be permitted to enter the kingdom from Holstein, unless they were accompanied by a certificate of a veterinary surgeon, stating that they were in good health when exported, and also by the certificate of a magistrate, that the district from which they came was free from disease. And in September following proclamation was made to

a similar effect by "the Senator of the District of the Marshlands of Hamburg," a copy of which has been given above.

This succinct history of the proceedings of foreign governments enables us to trace to their probable origin those restrictive laws which have created so great solicitude in England. We could hardly have supposed that such severe measures would have had the support of scientific men, and more especially in their exclusive application to a disease, whether contagious or not, the antecedents of whose history show that it often passes from country to country as an ordinary epizootic affec

tion.

Without wishing to animadvert on the opinions of others, we hold that an equal amount of good would attend measures far less stringent; and, if this be so, then a positive injury is inflicted on the country where they are enacted. Take, as one illustration, the quantity of food which is lost to the people by the burying of animals in whose system the malady has made but little progress. We are exceedingly jealous lest any observation of ours should be supposed to give encouragement to the sale of diseased meat; but, after fifteen years' experience of pleuro-pneumonia in this country, and of the sale of the carcases of animals, the subject of it, we do not hesitate to state that the flesh is fitted for food in the early stage of the affection.

The surprise in the continuance of the system of killing and burying bovine animals becomes the greater when we see it adopted in a country where the sale of horseflesh, as an article of food, is both legalized and

encouraged by the Government. In Altona we passed by the shop of one of these horse-butchers, and saw exposed for sale part of the hind-quarters, and sundry pieces of flesh of a horse, and also the liver and kidneys of the animal. We were tempted to walk in, when we were informed by the proprietor that there were four other establishments of the same kind in the town, but

that his was "the original one." He said that so ready a sale was found for the meat that it was with great difficulty he could procure horses enough for his customers. The price ranged from about 2d. to 3d. per lb. English money, and it appeared that the meat was often bought by persons who could not be properly said to belong to the lower classes. We were invited to see the establishment, and visited the slaughter-house and stable. In the former, besides more meat, was hanging the lower part of the fore leg, with the foot of the animal last slaughtered, which had been put aside for the inspection of the police; and in the latter were standing two aged and worn-out horses waiting their turn to be

led to the stake.

These butcheries are licensed by the Government, and are under the supervision of the police. Notice has to be given before a horse can be killed, when the veterinary surgeon of the department attends and examines the animal, and, if found to be free from constitutional disease, notwithstanding it may be incapacitated for work from lameness or other defect, he certifies to that effect, and for the sake of identity brands the animal on its hoof. Within a given time the animal must be killed, and its leg and foot produced for the inspection and satisfaction of the police.

SWEDEN AND NORWAY.

We find by a perusal of official documents which have been placed at our disposal, that the fear of the introduction of pleuro-pneumonia from Holstein led the government of Sweden to interdict the importation of cattle from that duchy in August, 1856, unless accompanied by satisfactory certificates of health. The importation also of cattle from England and Scotland into Sweden was prohibited in the same month. These precautionary measures on the part of Sweden were quickly followed

by the promulgation of similar ones by the Government of Norway, being in each case evidently founded on the belief that contagion is the chief, if not the only cause of the spread of pleuro-pneumonia.

LUBECK.

From the circumstance that her Majesty's Government, by "the Order in Council" of April 2nd, saw fit to prohibit the importation into England "of cattle, horns, hoofs, raw or wet hides or skins of cattle, which shall come from, or shall have been at any free city of place within the territories of the Lübeck," as well as other places named in the said order, it was to be expected that the so-called "steppe murrain" (rinderpest) would be found to be prevailing among the cattle at Lübeck. We were informed, however, and immediately on our arrival, that no such disease existed; and ample opportunities were afforded us of subsequently confirming the correctness of this statement. Indeed, rinderpest has never shown itself in the territory since 1813-15, when by the movement of sively here and also in most countries of the continent. troops throughout Europe it prevailed rather exten

spring of 1856, by the Senate of Lübeck, had especial The precautionary measures which were taken in the reference to pleuro-pneumonia, which disease had somewhat suddenly made its appearance in the adjoining Strelitz. Some doubt, however, was felt in this country Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburgas to whether the "steppe murrain" had not found its way thence from Prussia; and this was considerably who up to the beginning of the present year was British added to by the official reports of Mr. J. A. Blackwell,

Vice-Consul at Lübeck.

30th, 1856, Mr. Blackwell informed her Majesty's GoIn two despatches dated respectively May 17th and vernment, through the Consul-General at Hamburg, that a contagious pulmonary disease or murrain had after giving the particulars of the precautionary meabroken out among the cattle in Mecklenburgh; and sures adopted by the Lübeck authorities to prevent its entrance into their territories, he states that he had consulted several of the best German authors on the contagious maladies of cattle, and found that they made a distinction between "rinderpest and pulmonary murrain;" but he adds, "both are equally contagious and almost equally fatal, and in a sanitary point of view may in fact be regarded as identical."

Mr. Blackwell next gives, in the despatch of May 30th, an epitome of the works in question, and under the heading of the STEPPE MURRAIN, he says that it has been calculated that during the last century alone this murrain carried off 28,000,000 head of cattle in Germany; and in the whole of Europe, including Russia, but exclusive of Siberia and Tartary, upwards of 200,000,000;" and that" although the disease which burg seems to be regarded as the pulmonary murrain' has broken out among the horned cattle in Mecklenpleuro-pneumonia, "it may perhaps be the real steppe murrain, which is now raging in Poland to a fearful extent, notwithstanding the stringent measures putting a stop to it." that have been adopted by the Russian Government for

In a despatch dated September 17th, the same gentleman reports that the murrain had extended to Holstein, and that in consequence of this the regu lations of the Lübeck Government were enforced with regard to that huchy, as well as Mecklenburg. He concludes his communication by observing that, " as this highly contagious murrain has spread from the steppes of South Russia, through Poland, Prussia, and Mecklenburg to Holstein, to a district from which the English market is supplied with cattle, I must beg leave to call the attention of her Majesty's

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Government to my Report of its origin, progress, treatment, symptoms, &c., transmitted on the 30th of May last."

These statements could not fail to add to the alarm which was originally felt in this country; and when it is considered that for several months afterwards scarcely a week elapsed without intelligence reaching us that "the cattle murrain" was spreading, the surprise becomes the greater rather than otherwise, that some measures of a preventive nature were not earlier adopted by her Majesty's Government. It is true that the reports from other British consuls did not fully bear out Mr. Blackwell's statements, but still nothing satisfactory could be learned of the true nature of the malady; and up to the time of the three National Agricultural Societies determining on sending a commission to investigate the subject, the English public were left in a state of uncertainty and doubt.

In October, 1856, we find that the restrictions against the entrance of cattle into Lübeck from Mecklenburg were removed, as the disease appeared to have ceased there; but they were again enforced in February following, as the malady had reappeared, and on our arrival they were still in full operation.

The regulations which had been enforced by the Senate to guard against the introduction of contagious diseases are as follows. They have been established for several years, and are only modified from time to time, according to the places in which such diseases are known to prevail.

1. Every owner of cattle is required, in case any disease should break out among the same, which leaves no doubt of its contagious nature, to separate the diseased from the other

cattle.

"a. The special symptoms of lungenseuche (pleuro-pneumonia) are a husky cough, which is increased, particularly after the cattle have been watered or moved about, less inclination for food, indifference as to chewing the cud, dulness of the hair, and its rough appearance in particular places, and fever after these symptoms have continued for some time.

"2. On the appearance of this disease, or even in cases when it is suspected to exist, the owners of cattle are required, under a penalty of a fine of 20 dollars (about £3 10s.) to give immediate notice to the chief of the police, or to the bailiff, at Travemunde, who will take the necessary steps to arrest the progress of the disease.

"S. The bringing in of cattle into the Lübeck territory from the Grand Duchies of Mecklenburg-Schwerin and Mecklenburg-Strelitz shall only be permitted when the cattle are accompanied by satisfactory certificates of their being free from disease.

"4. All veterinary surgeons are directed, in case this disease should break out within the Lübeck territory, to adopt the necessary sanitary precautions according to the instructions of the police. The directions of the veterinary surgeons are implicitly to be obeyed under penalty of heavy fines and imprisonment.

"5. Finally, all police-officers, bailiffs, and gens-d'armes are hereby directed to give notice to the respective policeoffices in case any horned cattle should be attacked with the pulmonary disease, or even in cases where it is suspected to exist.

"Given at Lübeck in the Assembly of the Senate, this 14th day of May, 1856. (Signed)

"C. TH. OVERBECK, Dr., Secretary."

Besides these measures of precaution, special instructions are issued for the guidance of veterinary surgeons when the disease has entered the territory. These are"1. That, on the appearance of pleuro-pneumonia, immediate notice should be given to the police authorities.

2. That the affected cattle are to be forthwith separated from the healthy, and removed to a distance. If they are put to grass, the meadows must be divided by good fences, and must be at the least five hundred paces distant from any in which other cattle are kept.

"3. That the persons who tend cattle are to be directed to note carefully the feeding and ruminating of the ani

mals, and, on the slightest indication of disturbed health,
to have them professionally examined.

"4. That an inspector, duly conversant with disease,
is to be specially appointed to attend the sick cattle; and
that without his permission no animal is to be returned to
those which are healthy.

"5. That all animals which die are to be buried five feet deep, and covered over with compact earth; that the burial-places are to be not less distant than eight hundred paces from any road or paths travelled by cattle, and that they are afterwards to be surrounded by a strong fence or a ditch.

"6. That the diseased cattle are only to be driven in particular roads; that the stables in which they were placed when attacked are to be carefully cleaned, and the manure to be covered over with earth.

"7. That none but medical officers are to make postmortem examinations, and these only by permission of the police authorities; and that no part of the carcase is to be taken away or used, with the exception of the skin.

"8. That for the removal of the dead animals special vehicles are to be provided; and these are to be kept in proper places, and not used for any other purpose. Persons attending upon the sick cattle, or coming in contact with them or with the dead, are not to go near healthy animals, and are to take care that all tools or utensils they may have used are properly cleaned.

"9. That no manure or fodder is to be sold from off an infected farm.

killed for food. Great vigilance must be used in respect to "10. That no animal, however slightly affected, is to be

this order.

"11. That, after the disappearance of the disease from a commune or farm for a period of eight weeks, it is to be four weeks longer the proprietor is not to sell any cattle or considered as being free from the malady; but that for other forbidden things from off the place."

It does not appear thatany law is in operation to prevent the importation into the territory from Russia or other countries, of skins, horns, hoofs, or tallow; but we were informed by M. Tollhausen, the French Consul, and who was acting also pro tem. as British Vice-Consul, that the official returns show that from 6,000 to 8,000 only of dry hides annually enter the port of Lübeck from Russia, for transit inland; while from Mecklenburg and the surrounding countries 80,000 skins are received. These are mostly either salted or fresh, and as such are too heavy for transit to a distance, besides being otherwise unfitted for such a purpose: they are, therefore, further prepared and dried in Lübeck, and then sent onwards to Belgium, Rhenish Prussia, &c., and up the Rhine even as far as Switzerland.

No exports of cattle take place from Lübeck by means of the shipping, nor are any imported in this manner from the Baltic or elsewhere, the supply which rounding duchies. Besides this, we could not ascertain is needed being sent over the frontier from the surthat any cattle have ever been shipped for England from any of the Baltic ports. The difficulties attending such a voyage, and the time it would occupy, are sufficient barriers against a trade of this description being carried on, even if no facilities existed for the transit of cattle inland.

Young stock, however, to the amount, it is said, of 50,000 a year, pass through the territory of Lübeck, from Holstein into Mecklenburg, for the supply of the dairies and farms.

These facts cannot fail to be of importance for legislation, if hereafter it should unfortunately be the case that the rinderpest should extend thus far westward, and in a direction from which foreign cattle are shipped for England.

MECKLENBURG-SCHWERIN AND

STRELITZ.

MECKLENBURG

It was from these Duchies that some of the earliest accounts reached England respecting "the murrain,"

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the appearance of which promptly led the Senate of
Lubeck to interdict the passage of cattle into its
territory, unless accompanied with a certificate of
their being in a perfect state of health, and
created also much anxiety as to whether the malady
might not soon extend to our own country.
alarm, however, seems to have arisen out of the circum-
stance that pleuro-pneumonia, which had occasionally
of late years affected the cattle in Mecklenburg, in
common with other continental states, showed itself
somewhat suddenly in March, 1856, at the village of
Great Görnon, near to Steinberg. Its outbreak is attri-
buted to the introduction of some cattle from Bavaria;
and it appears that the "court cattle which were in the
same stable" were subsequently attacked. After the
death of several, the remainder of the animals were
killed, and buried entire.

This summary proceeding appears to have arrested the disease in that particular village; but cases are said to have occurred in other parts of the Duchies. The interdict which was laid on the estate of Great Görnon concerning the "export, import, and transit of cattle, immediately on the outbreak of the disease," was not, however, removed until Oct. 1st of the same year, after which time free intercourse was allowed.

On this fact being officially communicated to the authorities at Lübeck, and also that the whole of Mecklenburg was free from the disease, the Senate removed the restrictions which had been placed in the way of cattle entering their territory; but, as has been observed in that part of this report which specially refers to Lübeck, these were again enforced in February of the present year, in consequence of the re-appearance of the disease in the Duchies of Mecklenburg.

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On the 24th of December, 1856, the Commissioners of our Customs published an order with regard to a more rigid examination by the Inspectors of Foreign Cattle, with special reference to a contagious disease called 'murrain,' which has recently broken out amongst the horned cattle of Mecklenburg." Count Bulow, Minister to the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, complained of this order to Lord Blomfield, her Majesty's Ambassador to the Court of Prussia, and requested that the attention of the Home Government might be directed to it; and Lord Blomfield thereupon sent a despatch to the Earl of Clarendon, to the following effect:

"murrain" being only the affection known as pleuro-
pneumonia.
SAXONY.

This kingdom is perfectly free from rinderpest, and has been so for many years. Scarcely any apprehensions are entertained that the disease would reach the country, even if it were to encroach very much more upon the Prussian frontiers of Russia and Poland, or prevail to a far greater extent than it has recently done in Silesia, as the severity with which the preventive laws of those countries is carried out is viewed as affording all the security which is required.

and

Eczema epizootica has been somewhat rife of late, many cases are still to be met with. Pleuro-pneumonia has only existed in a sporadic form in Saxony and Central Germany, and has, therefore, not excited so much of the public attention here as elsewhere. The laws in force with reference to cattle diseases are almost identical with those which have already been made mention of in this report.

The investigations in Saxony completed our inspection of the chief course of the river Elbe, and showed that all the countries through which it flows were entirely free from the rinderpest, a result equally as satisfactory as that which had previously been ascertained with reference to the Weser.

PRUSSIA

Finding that the rinderpest had no existence in the countries we had already passed through, we proceeded to Berlin with a view of going to Konigsburg, and thence into Courland, as, according to the information we were at present in possession of, it was here that the malady was prevailing to some considerable extent.

Arriving at Berlin, we first called on the professors of the Veterinary School, who, by virtue of their appointments under Government, are always put in possession of the latest information with regard to the existence and extent of contagious diseases among domesticated animals. From them we learned that the entire district we had proposed to visit was now perfectly free from the pest. and that, if it existed anywhere in Prussia, it would probably be found in the neighbourhood of Breslau, in the province of Silesia. They further also informed us that there was but little chance of our being able to study the nature and symptons of the pest in any part of the Prussian dominions, from the summary proceedings which are invariably had recourse to, for its immediate extirpation, and that for the purpose of seeing the malady in its different stages, we should have to go

empire, where the laws are somewhat less stringent, and not so rigorously enforced as in Prussia. We ascertained also that in all probability, in the event of our succeeding in obtaining an entrance within the Prussian military cordon, we should not be allowed to repass it in a less period than three weeks, and even then we should most likely have to leave the clothes we had worn behind us, besides having ourselves to undergo a disinfecting process.

"Berlin, January 23, 1857. "MY LORD,—I have the honour to inclose to your lordship herewith a copy of a communication which I have received from Count Bulow, Minister of his Royal High-into Austro-Poland, or some other part of the Austrian ness the Grand Duke of Mecklenburg-Schwerin, requesting me to draw the attention of her Majesty's Government to the injurious effects which the publication of the Custom House order, published in London the 24th December, 1856, respecting the importation of cattle, alleged to be diseased, from the Mecklenburg States, is likely to have on the commerce of the country. Count Bulow states that the cattle murrain," alluded to in this order as now existing in Mecklenburg, has only manifested itself twice, for a short period, during the years 1855, 1856; and that in each case measures of such a stringent nature were taken as effectually arrested the spreading of the disease, insomuch that since the 1st of October last all the measures of precaution that were in force for its prevention have been suspended by the official order to this effect, a copy of which Count Bulow has transmitted to me, and which, in original and translation, I have the honour to forward herewith to your lordship. "I have, &c., "BLOMFIELD."

(Signed)

From this and all the additional information which we

have collected, it would appear that there was very little cause for danger to be apprehended, and none in so far as our country was concerned, from the state of the health of the cattle of Mecklenburg, the so-called

Under these circumstances we sought an interview with Lord Augustus Loftus, her Majesty's Chargé d'Affaires, in the absence of Lord Blomfield, minister at Berlin, with a view of obtaining from the Government of Prussia the latest particulars with regard to the location of the malady, and that amount of assistance and protection which we needed for the fulfilment of our mission.

This interview was at once granted, and we were most courteously received by his lordship, who manifested the liveliest interest in the question, and also expressed his willingness to do all he could in furtherance of our object. His lordship explained at some length his views as to the absolute necessity of keeping up of a

strict surveillance over all articles of commerce which were likely to carry the materies morbi of the cattle pest, and of the danger which would be incurred in the event of its extension, by allowing the importations to go on from the great ports of the Weser and the Elbe; facts which have already been alluded to in the former part of this report. Lord Loftus also dwelt on the amount of danger which might probably arise from the free importation of bones from Russia and the Baltic ports, and instanced a case where an outbreak of the malady was believed to have depended on the conveyance of the bones of an animal dying with the affection into a stable in which other cattle were placed.

His lordship requested that I would write to him, stating the object of our inquiry and the requirements we needed from the Government. He also promised that he would put himself in immediate communication with Baron Manteuffel, and would likewise write to his Excellency Sir Hamilton Seymour, her Majesty's ambassador at the Court of Vienna, to procure for us letters of introduction and recommendation to the authorities in the Cracow division of Galicia, in the event of its being found necessary to go thus far to complete our inquiry.

A letter containing his lordship's suggestions was thereupon forwarded to him, and to this I had the honour of receiving the following reply with the subjoined enclosure:

"Berlin, April 23, 1857.

"SIR,-I beg to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of

this date.

"I enclose to you herewith copy of a letter I have addressed to Baron Manteuffel, requesting H. E. to give you a letter of recommendation for the proper authorities at Breslau; and I shall not fail to forward to you without delay H. E.'s reply.

"I shall likewise request Sir H. Seymour to procure for you a similar introduction to the authorities at Cracow, and shall further beg him to forward the reply to your address, "Poste restante à Cracovie.' "I have, &c.,

"AUGUSTUS LOFTUS. 'Professor Simonds, Hotel Victoria, Berlin."

(Enclosure.)

"Berlin, ce 23 Avril, 1857. "MONSIEUR LE BARON,-Le Professor Simonds, Membre du College Royal Vétérinaire à Londres, vient d'arriver à Berlin, étant chargé d'étudier sur les lieux la nature et le traitement de l'épizootie qui s'est manifestés en plusieurs endroits sur la frontière de la Prusse et de l'Autriche. Se rendant Samedi prochain dans ce bût à Breslau, et désirant acquérir la protection et l'assistance des autorités Prussiennes, il s'est addressé à moi, me priant de solliciter de V. E. une lettre de recommandation pour S. E. Monsieur le Président Supérieur de la Province de Silésie.

"J'ai donc eu recours à l'obligéance si souvent éprouvée de

V. E., cu la priant de vouloir bien recommander le Professeur Simonds soit à la haute protection du Président Supérieur ou à la bienveillance des autorités compétentes de cette province. "Je dois avertir V. E. que le Professeur compte quitter Berlin pour cette province Samedi prochain.

"Je profite de cette occasion, &c.,
(Signé) AUGUSTUS Loftus.

"A. S. E. la Baron de Manteuffel."

His Excellency Baron Manteuffel most readily complied with the request thus made, and in the eveningof the same day Lord Loftus wrote as follows:

"Berlin, April 23, 1857. "SIR,-Baron Manteuffel has told me that he will forward, or cause to be forwarded, though M. de Raumer, a letter of recommendation for you to the Upper President of the province of Silesia, so that on your arrival at Breslau you may at once announce yourselves to Baron Schleinitz.

"I enclose herewith the despatch for Mr. Ward, her Majesty's Consul-General at Leipzic, to whom I likewise enclose for you a letter of introduction. I am, Sir, &c.

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Being now furnished with all the necessary letters of recommendation, we made our way as quickly as possible into Silesia; and arriving at Breslau, at once reported ourselves to Baron Schleinitz, by whom we were also most courteously received, and who had already prepared for our use a written account of the progress which the disease had made in the spring of the present year in his province.

The Baron met us by somewhat facetiously remarking, "that fortunately for Prussia, but perhaps very unfortunately for us, who had travelled so far to study the nature of rinderpest, it had no existence just now in Silesia." He traced, however, upon the map the different places where it had recently prevailed near to the Polish frontier, and which he himself had visited. He likewise related several remarkable instances of the highly infectious nature of the disease, and of its conveyance from place to place by indirect means of contagion. The following is a translation of the report alluded to :

Report of the Disease which prevailed among the Horned Cattle in the Province of Silesia during the months of March and April, 1857.

"The rinderpest, which in the present year has visited the province of Silesia, has, with one exception, in which the precise manner that the infection was carried to the premises could not be satisfactorily ascertained, been clearly traced to the introduction of two herds of cattle from Galicia, of the Podolian or Hungarian breed, numbering respectively 44 and 37. These beasts were purchased by different landowners, and were brought to their several estates in an apparently healthy condition. Some of the animals have remained in health, as, for example, those which were taken to L. Guttentag, in the circle of Lublinitz, and to Blazeiowitz, in the circle of Tost-Gleiwitz, but others of them became the subjects of the disease,

"

" THE GOVERNMENT DISTRICTS OF BRESLAU.

Eight oxen were brought to the domain or estate of Furstenau, circle of Neumarkt, and were put into a stable with some other cattle. In a few days the eight oxen fell ill, and, on the disease being recognized as the rinderpest, they were immediately slaughtered. They had, however, already infected the others, and, on several becoming diseased, the whole herd, consisting of twenty-one animals, was likewise slaughtered. On the same estate there were eighty cows, but these were living in other sheds, and did not come in contact with the diseased animals; and, moreover in the same village there are upwards of one hundred cattle-owners, but the whole of the cattle were preserved by the summary measures had recourse to. The sanitary cordon drawn around the estate was removed twelve days since; three weeks having elapsed since the last case, and everything used about the animals being disinfected.

"THE GOVERNMENT DISTRICT OF OPPELN.

"1. Twenty oxen were brought to the estate of Schweieben, in the circle of Tost Gleiwitz, and on their arrival they were distributed to the different stations (farms) of the estate. The disease also broke out among these animals, and, as they sickened, they were removed to a station where only sheep were kept, and here slaughtered. A military cordon was also drawn around the place. Notwithstanding this precaution, the disease spread thus

"a. In Schweieben one ox was attacked, and he, with another with which he was standing, was immediately killed. The further progress of the disease was at once arrested, although there were 120 head of other cattle on the estate,

and in the village also about a hundred cattle-owners.

"b. Station Radum.-An ox which showed premonitory symptoms was immediately killed, together with another that he was standing next to, and no other cases have occurred.

"c. Station Wischnitz.-The appearance of the rinderpest at this station is very remarkable. It appears that either four or six of the Podolian oxen were sent here, and remained for a few days. These animals gave no evidence of being affected; but twen'y days after their departure, one animal of a herd of

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