The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-12 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUESDAY EVENING, SEPTEMBER 12, 1865.

The Cattle Disease.

MEETING AT THE MANSION-HOUSE.

Yesterday afternoon a meeting of the Compensation
Company was held at the Mansion-house, Mr. Gibbins in
the chair. The following members were present :—Dr.
Stiff, Mr. H. Haines, Mr. Rudkin, Mr. Burkett, Mr.
Heeps, &c.
Dr. Sian. said he believed all sorts of applications would
come before the committee unless they defined the class of
persons to whom compensation would be given.
The CHAIRMAN said cowkeepers should give informa-
tion as soon as possible of the existing symptoms of dis-
ease in their sheds, and a competent person would be ap-
pointed to go and ascertain if the animals were afflicted
with the cattle plague ; and, if so, to arrange as to the
price which the committee would give for them. After the
purchase of the animals they would be sent to the sana-
torium for treatment.

Dr. STIFF wished to know if the principle adopted by
the committee would apply to unlicensed cowkeepers.
The CHAIRMAN replied all cowkeepers were included.
Mr. RUDRIN said a lot of private cowsheds had been
winked at by the inspectors.

Dr. STIFF said it was important to know if those who
had cows for sale would be entitled to compensation.
The CuArnmis said every man, whether he had 5 or 50
cows, would be entitled to compensation, provided ho gave
notice of the existence of disease in his shed.
Dr. STIFF thought the owners of fancy cattle should
receive compensation.

The CHAIRMAN said the committee should enlarge the
principle with which they started, namely, to give com-
pensation to all parties giving information of the disease.
Mr. HAINES thought the first thing to be done was to
provide carts or ambulances for conveying plague-stricken
cattle. There was a large number of carts in the metro-
polis for conveying wounded cattle, and the committee
might hire them.

Mr. RUDKIN said they should first appoint two compe-
tent veterinarysurgeons, whose duty would be to go about
and report the existence of disease in the sheds and deter-
mine the price of the animals which would become the
property of the committee. Ile would suggest to have
an advertisement put immediately in the papers for two
such inapootoro, and th©y ab...ild al.o a averti.o for +l,O
carts as proposed by Mr. Haines.
Mr. HRErs asked if it would be desirable to wait until
they got notice of disease. He knew a case in which an
infected cow was kept in the shed from Tuesday till
Thursday.

Mr. RuDEIN said they should not give compensation to
any except those who gave information of the disease at
the earliest stage.
After some conversation Mr. RtDKIN proposed the
appointment of two veterinary surgeons to act as inspec-
tors under the committee.

Mr. HEEDS seconded the motion, and it was unani-
mously adopted.

The CHAIRMAN suggested the advisability of investing
he inspectors with the power of a Government inspector.
- _ _ _ _

If an official were divested of this authority he would not
have the power of allowing the diseased animals to go
through the streets.

Mr. RIIDKIN said no opposition would be offered to the
driving of the cattle through the streets. It had been dono
in Scotland, and he believed the Government inspectors
would be only too glad to alllow them to do it.
It was then agreed that the committee should advertise
for cattle carts, and the business concluded.

MEMORIAL TO THE HOME SECRETARY.
The Metropolitan Cattle Plague Committeb, consistingof
Le Right Hon. the Lord Mayor, the Markets' Committee of
the Corporation of London, medical officers of health in the
metropolis, the representatives of the Commissioners of
Sewer; and each of the vestries and district boards of
works,Professor Simonds, and other eminent professors and
medical men, together with cattle salesmen and others in-
terested in the question, have presented a memorial to Sir
George Grey, conveying to him the importance of their
being empowered to establish in such places in the metro-
politan district as they may deem desirable, sanatorium;
where animals, in the early stages of the disease, may be
sentunder a certificate from the inspector acting in pursuance
of his Ordersin Council, and also under such supervision as
may be sanctioned by the medical officers of health in the
district in which the case may occur. The committee state
that they consider such sanatoriums should be established
for the following among other reason; namely :—lt is con-
sidered that the Orders in Council by compelling the de-
struction of animals on the premises in which they are first
attacked prevent any effectual attempt at cure by the
owners of such cattle, and thereby tend to propagate the
disease by keeping such animals in a very confined space.
It is also considered thet the present Orders in Council are
sufficient to prevent the removal of diseased cattle from the
sheds to slaughterhouses, and the sale of the carcases for
food, as the inspectors do not at present visit sheds unless
their attention is called to the fact of the disease prevailing
therein. This information is seldom given by the pro-
prietors, and is only obtained by charm). The proprietors
of course withhold giving any information to tho ingrpe-
tors as long as possible, and in the meantime secretly
convey the animals to slaughterhouses where the least
efficient inspection prevails. But if sanatoriums were
established, and at the same time, as is proposed, a system
of compensation is organised, it would be to the interest
of the proprietors to send their cattle to such sanatoriums
upon their observing the first symptoms of the disease.
As an objection had been raised to the establishment of
such places as were proposed, on account of the danger of
removing the diseased animals, the committee had tho-
roughly examined the question, and had no doubt that
means could be provided for the conveyance of such cattle
from the places they may be in to the proposed sanatoriums
without fear of spreading the contagion. At the same time
facilities would be offered for the carrying out of the Orders
in Council respecting the destruction of the carcases of
such animals as might die, and also for thoroughly disin-
fecting and destroying the manure and offal which, under
the present arrangement, is very imperfectly carried out.
It is also considered that while the separation of the dis-
eased cattle directed by the Orders in Council may be
practicable in the country, on farms and such like
places where plenty of space is to be obtained, such a course
is not practicable in the confined cowsheds in the metro-
polis ; and therefore it is absolutely necessary that a proper
place should be set aside for receiving the animals in an
early state of the disease. Should the committee be em-
powered to carry into effect the establishment of sanato-
riums, as proposed, it would in their opinion, in conjunction
with the proposition of compensating the owners who give
information to the committee of any beast infected with the
cattle plague, have the effect of staying the progress of the
disease, and at the same time prevent the wholesale destruc-
tion of animals which may ultimately prove to be in a healthy
condition and fit for human food. As an instance of which
it has been found necessary, under the existing Orders in
Council, to slaughter a drove of forty cows from one of the
London dairies, in consequence of three or four of their
number being infected with the disease. The permission
has, we believe, been already conceded by Sir George Grey,
and the committee have promptly established sanatoriums
in various parts of the metropolis, where animals suffering
from the disease can be taken and attended to with a view
to their ultimate recovery.

HORNSBY.
Yesterday, at the Highgate Police-court, Mr. Potter, of
the Hornsey Highway Board, informed Mr. Bodkin and
Col. Jeakes that the cattle plague had broken out atChurch-
bottom Farm, Hornsey. Mr. Farmer, the sanatory inspector,
had mentioned last week that the plague was at Highgate,
and asked for the appointment of additional inspectors, as
stated in this journal on Tuesday. Mr. Bodkin said the
matter was of public importance, and Colonel Jeakes said
promptitude was essential, and suggested the immediate
appointment of inspectors. Mr. Scarfe, the magistrate's
clerk, said a petty sessions had power to appoint inspector;
and Mr. Allen, a veterinary surgeon at Kentish Town, who
was present, would accept an appointment. The Bench
preferred an officer in the neighbourhood. Mr. Potter, Mr.
Merry (inspector of nuisances), and Inspector O'Loghlen,
gave evidence that a farmer named Bateman had diseased
cows, and so great was the stench that, near Church-bottom
Farm, Hornsey, the inhabitants sat up all night. The
Bench at once appointed Mr: Potter inspector, and urged
upon him immediate action. Additional inspectors would
be appointed, if necessary, at a divisional sessions, and
prompt measures adopted to prevent the spreading of the
plague in the locality.

British Association for the Advancement

of Science.

BIRMINGHAM, Monday.
In Section A this morning Mr. GLAisnenread the report
of the Balloon Committee. The business suggested for Mr.
Glaisher at the meeting last year was to examine the elec-
trical condition of the air, to verify the law of the decrease
of temperature, especially in winter, and to take observa-
tions at night. In the first no progress had been made ;
but with regard to night ascents a miner's Davy lamp, of
superior construction, has been furnished by Mr. Watson,
of Newcastle, under the direction of Mr. E. Potter, of
Tynemouth. As this lamp has been taken up by day in
the gas of the balloon with perfect safety, it is reasonably
believed that observations at night may be read on the
instruments with safety. The importance of these ascents
will be seen when it is understood that high mountains are
not climbed after nightfall, and that few atmospheric ob-
servations at high altitudes have hitherto been made after
dark. It is therefore quite intended to make the night
ascents. Three winter ascents have been made from Wool-
wich, all tending to confirm the previous conclusions of the
scientific aeronaut, that the decrease of temperature on leav-
ing the earth is not the same in winter as in summer. These
ascents also proved the constancy of the south-west wind
e
in the winter months. Magnetic observations of a valuable
characteren
stuhcecrmessofmuleteexrp. eri-
mFollowing up this subject, Mr. F. W. BREARE gave some
remarks upon aerial navigation, and suggested the organis-
ing of a company, and the payment of subscriptions, for
carrying out investigations and observations upon the
practicability of making balloons
navigable.
Air, WELDON proposed a fish-shaped balloon, divided into