The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1885-08-08 00:00:00

PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN IRELAND.

Mr. A. Grey on Tuesday evening asked the Chan-
cellor of the Duchy of Lancaster in the House of
Commons whether there had been for some time past
wide-spread prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia in Ireland,
and whether every recent outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia
in England was direGtly traceable to the importation of
Irish store cattle; whether the present practice of
giving less than the full value as compensation for the
slaughter of diseased animals encouraged the farmer
to conceal the fact of disease, and to sell the diseased
animal; whether an epidemic of pleuro-pneumonia in
the State of Illinois last year was promptly and effec-
tually suppressed by the system of purchase at full
price and slaughter; whether British graziers were
allowed to import Irish lean stock, notwithstanding
the widespread prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia in
Ireland, but were not allowed to import lean stock
from Western America, notwithstanding the im-
munity from every form of cattle disease in that
country; and whether the Privy Council would make
use of the powers conferred upon them by the third
section of the Contagious Diseases (Animals) Act,
1884, to permit the importation into this country of
store cattle from such specified parts of the United
States as might be proved to be free and exempt from
all disease.

Colonel Nolan inquired whether it was not a fact
that, with the single exception of the county of
Dublin, Ireland has been singularly free from disease
for a considerable period. (Hear, hear.)

Mr. Chaplin said it was not the case that there was
a widespread prevalence of pleuro-pneumonia in Ire-
land, and it was a. mistake also to suppose that every
recent outbreak of pleuro-pneumonia in England was
directly traceable to the importation of Irish store
cattle into England. According to the latest official
returns pleuro-pueumonia was confined to the province
of Leinster, and principally to Dublin and the neigh-
bourhood. According to the last week's return, there
were five fresh cages of outbreak, and not more than 14
animal, attacked in the whole of Ireland. It must be to
some extent a matter of opinion whether the present
scale of compensation encouraged farmers to conceal
the fact of the existence of disease. The Privy
Council had no information in proof of that fact, and
in any case the scale of compensation was prescribed
by law, and the Privy Council had no power to in-
crease it. According; to the latest accounts the disease
still' existed in Illinois and other Western States, and
he was therefore very sceptical as to the epidemic
having been effectually suppressed last year. Under
these circumstances, the Privy Council. was not pre-
pared to admit cattle into England from those States
except subiebt to slaughter and quarantine.

aF. RAVAGES OF CHOLERA IN

SPAIN.

The oflial cholera bulletin issued on Monday
reports that there were 3807 cases and 1364 deaths in
Spain the previous day. The epidemic showed a
slight increase in Alaclrid kcapital).
Writing from Marseilles on August 2nd the Times
correspondent said . Alarming reports of the sanitary
edndition of this town are beginning to appear in
some papers. The facts are really these. The daily
average morality has risen from 40 to 60 or 70, but
typhoid fever is one of the causes, especially since 1200
patients from the Pas des Landers camp have been
sent to our, hospitals. Infantile cholerine is also pre-
valent, there being 46 deaths last Wednesday alone.
As to cholera proper, it must be confessed that in the
last eig.ht days there have been some victims, but
happily very few. The week before last there were
20 choleraic deaths, and last week about 30. Yester-
day there was a slight increase owing to the intense
beat. At the Conception Hospital a special cholera
ward has been provided, but at present only one case
in three is fatal. The Board of Health and the
Hospital Commission met yesterday and arranged for
the prompt opening of the Pharo if the malady in-
creases. In the military hospitals convalescents are
discharged as speedily as possible on furlough, so as
to rejoin their families or go to healthy localities.
There is some uneasiness as to accommodating the
considerable number of sick and wounded being
brought back from Tonquin. The Portuguese Consul
died of cholera two days ago after several weeks'
illness. After the funeral the various Consuls con-
ferred and resolved, the situation not being at present
at all alarming, on asking their Governments not to
take any quarantine measures, which would be very
detrimental to trade and industry.
On August 3 the correspondent wrote :---M.
Legrand, Minister of Commerce, has arrived here
incognito, accompanied by Drs. Drouardel and Proust.
They have visited the Conception Hospital and other
institutions, and decided not to open the Pharo
unless the malady increases. They leave for Paris
this evening. Yesterday there were 12 cholera
deaths. This morning two English and four Turkish
sailors died. Although all the Consuls some days ago
notified their Governments of the existence of the
malady, foreign bound ships are still admitted into
foreign ports except in Austria, where a week's
quarantine has been imposed. Turkey is said to be
about to follow the example.

The official cholera bulletin issued in Madrid on
Tuesday morning, reports that there were 3718 cases
and 1501 deaths in Spain on the preceding day. The
returns from Teruel were, however, incomplete. The
principal feature of the day's details was the spread of
the epidemic to the northern frontier province of
Navarre, whore 209 cases and 50 deaths were reported.
A number of convicts in the prison at Cartagena,
taking advantage of the confusion caused by the
existence of over 200 cases of cholera, including several
gaolers in the establishment, have made an unsuccess-
ful attempt to escape. The authorities immediately
took measures to prevent any fresh attempt of the
kind. Some cases of cholera have also appeared in
the prison at Granada.