The Sun.
London, England, 1865-08-30 00:00:00

EDINBURGH,

The spread of the cattle plague in Edinburgh is
at present causing serious anxiety and alarm.
Hitherto it has been entirely confined to the dairy
cows, and to a partiCular locality—namely, the dis-
trict draining into the Water of Leith. But some
cases have also occurred in other parts of the town,
liable to epidemic disease, and there are also cases in
the rural districts to the west of the city. The
magistrates have provided a sanitarium for animals
afflicted with the disease, and also places of sepul-
ture for those dying or destroyed in consequence of
the plague. While the dairy stock, about 2,000 in
number, are thus suffering, the cowfeeders are
taking alarm, and in many cases sending their stock
for sale at a distance while the animals are yet in
health. The dairymen have resolved to raise the price
of milk from 3d. to 4d. per quart from the Ist Sep-
tember. The prices of butchers' meat remain almost
unaffected. As an instance of the infectiousness of
the disease, it is mentioned that one cow brought
from London with the 'sickness upon it, and
which, owing to suspicions as to its condition, had
changed hands several times, is believed to have
communicated the infection to 66 others.

A meeting of justices of the peace of the county
of Midlothian was held at Edinburgh on Monday,
for the purpose of taking steps in terms of the re-
cent Order in:Council, relative to cattle disease in
Scotland. The Duke of Buccleuch presided.
A report was read from the chief constable to the
effect that, after the most diligent inquiry, no cases
of the plague had been discovered in the county,
excepting in the immediate vicinity of Edinburgh,
but sanitary precautions had generally been taken.
Mr. JOHN SwAN, cattle agent, made a statement
as to the spread of the disease in Edinburgh and
neighbourhood, and mentioned that at Corstor-
phine, three miles from the town, several cows had
become infected, and the only source of infection he
could think of was the town manure, a great deal
of which was daily carted past the place. It would
be a very serious thing if in this way, or any other,
the plague was allowed to spread beyond the city ;
and, as the great cattle markets were about to be
held over the country, it was a matter of very
serious concern how they were to act. lie thought
all the animals seized should be at once buried, and
that the attempts to treat the animals only did
harm, from giving greater opportunity to spread
the disease.

Professor DICK, in answer to the Duke of Buc-
cleuch, said that 11 cows under his charge had re-
covered ; and in those cases where the disease was
taken in the early stages the animals were recover-
ing pretty rapidly. A cow which had become ill on
Friday and was promptly treated on Sunday ap-
peared quite well.

The Duke of BUCCLELICII thought it would be

rather unreasonable to kill all the cattle that were
affected. In answer to his Grace,
Professor DICK said the disease was undoubtedly
infectious, but it rather appeared to him that it
spread in an epidemic form, taking hold, like the
cholera, of particular districts. He believed a spon-
taneous case had just occurred in Aberdeenshire.
A letter was read from the clerk to the magis-
trates of the city, mentioning that attempts were
being made to pack up the carcasses of diseased cows
and send them out of the county for sale. The chief
constable was directed to trace the offenders and
communicate with neighbouring counties.