The Norfolk post. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 1865-1866, 1866-03-03

/ y
ercise every precaution, we cannot ex
pect to escape the ravages of the diseas,
next summer. 1t is highly contagious
and can be propagated in number O
| ways. Our representatives at the ma
tional capital appear to understand thei
duty, for Congress again has taken &C
ton to prevent the spread Of the rlnder
pest. The second is a decided improve
ment upon Mr.. Wentworth's bill. TIL
report OF February 10Th reads:
"Mr. James NJ. Humphrey, from tn
Committee on Commerce, reported
bill, which was passed, to prevent thu
spread of foreign disease among thu
cattle of the United States, so as to reaC
that The importation of neat cattle anC
hides is hereby prohibited, provided thai
the operation Of this act, or any par
thereof, shall he suspended as to any
foreign country, or part of foreign
country, whenever the Secretary of the
Treasury shall officially determine, and
give notice thereof that such imp0rta-
ton will not tend to the intrs duction
and spread of infectious diseases among
cattle of the United States. 1t is made
the duty of the Secretary to make all
necessary rules and regulations to carry
this law into effect, and to send copies
thereof to the proper officers of the
United States and agents in foreign
countries, as he shall Judge necessary.
The President, whenever, in his judy
ment, the importation of the cattle will
not be injurious, may, by proclamation,
declare the provisions OF this act imper-
alive, and the same imperative and OF
no effect, from and after thirty days after
the issuing of the proclamation
Persons offending against this law,
are, on conviction, subject to fine OF
five hundred dollars or imprisonment
for one year, or both, at the discretion of
the Court er.MI5.
In an article published some months
ago, we fully explained the contagious
nature OF the otfal OF cattle that had died
from the effects of rinderpest, and how
the infection spreads from country to
country, therefore it is not imperative to
60 into particulars here. 1t is only ne
cessary to remark that we can introduce
the plague into the United States as
readily by importing hides, tallow,
horns, de-, from infected districts, as we
can by importing the cattle in whose
systems the germs of the fatal disease
have been sown. For this reason, it Is
eminently proper that we should place
as much restriction upon the free trade
in hides and other offal as upon neat
cattle.
One important feature OF this bill Is
the authority given to the President to
iecide when it shall remain in force, and
when not. He Is empowered to declare
the provisions of the act imperative, and
the same in0pperative; whenever, in his
judgment, no danger il to be appre-
hended. This il wise provision, for
when Congress is not In session, periods
may intervene when the rigid enforce
ment of the law would result in positive
harm. Besides, 1t ought to convince for
eign nations, and Canada in particular,
that in prohibiting the importation OF
cattle to this country, we have no desire
to abandon every principle of free trade,
but simply to take efficient measures to
guard against the terrible ravages of a
most fearful epidemic. ..... ......
Everything relating to the cattle
plague, threatened as we are with the
disease, is of especial interest to us now
A theory has been advanced and ably
argued in England, that the rinderpest
is a species of small pOx. It Is well
known that there is similarity between
the eruptions of the two diseases, and II
the theory is correct, we may find pre-
ventive, II not a remedy, for the infec-
ton. We make an extract to the point
from an article published i'm the Lancet.
one of the best authorities in Great Bri =.
tain: a1.FU
IF the cattle plague be the small pox
four things follow: /. Cattle which
have suffered from the plague and are
convalescent, should be Incapable of ia
king small pox by incubation, or of
being successfully vaccinated. 2. Cattle
which have suffered from the cow pox,
should Unprotected from the cattle plague
3. Cattle which are vaccinated with
lymph from vaccine pustules in the hu-
man subject, or with matter taken from
human small pox pustules, should also
be protected from the cattle plague after
the first induced disease has passed
through its stages. 4. Human beings in
occulated with the matter of the cattle
show characteristic symptoms as those
of Mr.. Hancock, and capable of further
propagation" lH, $500
The correctness ofthis theory only can
be proved by experiment, and until that
is done, 1t is useless to indulge in specu-
lation upon the matter. We presume
that the test will soon be made by scien.
tific men. If it is discovered the opjn-
lou of DIR. Murchison, one of the abIest
advocates of the theory, is right, then
the rinderpest will not be looked upon
as such a terrible scourge. We will know
hCw to attack the disease, and what
means 10 adopt to prevent the contagion
spreading among the bovine Species
Country Gentleman's Magazine. lag ".