ple fluids. The Belgian Commission, appointed to
investigate the nature and influence of inoculation for
pleuro-pneumonia, very justly expressed an opinion that Dr. Williams had
not proved that a specific product, distinguished by anatomical
characters, and appreciable by the microscope, existed in this disease.

The all-important question, "Is inoculation of service?" has to the
satisfaction of most been solved. The Belgian and French commissions,
the observations of Riviglio, Simond, Herring, and many others, prove
that a certain degree of preservative influence is derived by the
process of inoculation. It does not, however, arrest the progress of the
disease. It certainly diminishes to some extent--though often very
slightly so--the number of cases, and, particularly, of severe ones.
This effect has been ascribed to a derivative action, independent of any
specific influence, and, indeed, similar to that of introducing setons
in the dewlap.

In London, some dairymen have considerable faith in inoculation, though
its effect is uncertain, and the manner of its working a mystery. The
best counsel, in the premises, which can be given to the keeper of dairy
stock is, to select his own animals from healthy herds, and strictly to
avoid public markets. In many instances, a faithful observance of these
injunctions has been sufficient to prevent the invasion of this terrible
disease. [Gamgee.]

The existence of this disease in the United States was not generally
known until the year 1859, when Mr. Chenery, of Belmont, near Boston,
Massachusetts, imported several cows from Holland, which arrived in the
early part of the spring of that year. Some of the animals were sick
when they arrived, but the true nature of the disease was not at that
time suspected. Several of them were so bad that they were carried in
trucks to Mr. Chenery's barn. Some two months passed away before the
character of the disease was discovered.

Upon the facts becoming known, the citizens of Massachusetts became
panic-stricken, as the disease was rapidly spreading over that State. An
extra session of the Legislature was speedily convened, when a Joint
Special Committee was appointed, to adopt and carry out such measures as
in their judgment seemed necessary for the extirpation of this monster,
pleuro-pneumonia.

The Committee met in the Hall of the House of Representatives, Thursday,
May, 31, 1860, to receive evidence as to the contagious or infectious