The Placer herald., 1866-05-05
The Rinderpest.

This terrible scourge holds almost undis-
puted sway among tie herds of Great Brit
ain, so far as it has progressed The latest
reports give over IA 900 cases per week, as
known 10y the government officers. 1be in
ocuation and other remedies prove inetfect,
ua. Efforts to prevent its spread have been
imperfect and weak, while the cupidty Of
some individuals, and the heedlessness and
ignorance Of others, has spread the seeds Of
the conagion far and wide There was
abundant knowledge in the country how 10
stop the disease, but the government was
afraid to act with energy, and all that has
been done is sheer triiling. In the year
1857. the Royal Agricultural Society of
England, with the Agricultural Societies Of
Scotland and Ireland and receiving. the COZ
operation of the Foreign Office of the
Government, sent Professor Simonas, Of the
Royal Veterinary, College to the Continent,
to investigate this disease The very fullest
opportunities were afforded him, and be-
made an extended and valuable report
The conclusions at which be arrived are of
especial interest 10 US now, that we, rs ma
ton, are exactly in the same condition that
England was then.
lie found the disease restricted to COM
paratively narrow limits this side Of the
Steppes Of Russia, from. whence it occasion
ally escaped in the ordinary course Of
cattle traffic into Austria, Hungary, Gallicia
and Poland, where it usually, as they say,
stamped oul"-being surrounded by
military GORDON and all traffic in cattle stop,
ped within or out from the district thus shut
up from the rest of the world. This prac.
tice is so perfectly etieclual where the dis,
ease is understood, that Mr.. Simonds regard
ed it as entirely improbable that the disease
would ever atflict the English farmer. lie
says: THAT no fear need be entertained
that this destructive pest will reach our
shores. Its present great distance from us
would Of itself afford fair amount of securi-
ty; but when we add to this, that no cattle
find their way thence to the English market;
and that in the event of the disease spread
ing from Gallicia, it would have to break
through hundreds of military cordous, one
after the other, before it could possibly
reych the western side Of the German
States; and moreover, that for wears past.
commerce has been unrestricted, with re-
gard to the Importation of skins, hides,
bones, etc, of cattle from Russia, and else.
where, all alarm, we believe, may cease with
reference 10 its introduction into the British
Isles"
This is very misunderstanding us our
great danger-and warning us not to rest
in fanced security, as did our brother farm.
ers of ng|and, until herd after herd is swept
away. 1t does not prove that this Gordon is
mol effective, but only that some carelessness
allowed the escape of diseased animals or in
some way the transit of the disease from the
| ptrio c,,,I, Il Il Al.
coast, and to England. The fact remains
hat perfect isolation Of the diseased and
infected cattle, and of all persons, animals,
and things which have been in close proxim-
ity to them, or their excretions, is perfect
security against the disease. And we want
tbs Legislatures to empower the Executives
of the different States to act with all power
and promptress, should any case occur in
this country, even to the using of the militia
american Agriculturalst.