Mr. Bruce, who, in rising to move the second reading of the “Cattle Diseases Prevention Bill,” and “Cattle Importation Bill,” said that the subject had been considered with that care and attention due to its importance. As far as could be ascer- tained, there were in the United Kingdom nearly 8,000,000 head of cattle thus distributed : — In England there was something over 3,500,000 ; in Ireland something over 3,250,000; and in Scotland about 1,000,000. The total number of sheep was about 40,000,000, and the total number of pigs 4,300,000. The aggre- gate value of that property, reckoning the cattle as worth £10 per head, the sheep at £1 each, and the pigs also at £1, was no less than £121,800,000. These dgures indicated the magnitude and importance of the interests involved in this question. Disease among cattle has broken out with peculiar virulence during the last twenty years. In 1844, the first insurance office for cattle was founded, when it was estimated that premiums of from 3 to 3^ per cent, would cover the risks of loss. Several insurance offices were started, but although the premiums were increased from three gradually up to seven per cent. , and although after a time the insurance offices refused to admit Irish cattle, as being more afflicted with disease than other cattle, the largest offices came to a stand. In 1861, Mr. M'Minn (superintendent for Scotland INTRODUCTION. 19 of the Agricultural Cattle Insurance Company, one of the most important of these establishments) published statistical tables which showed that in the six years from 1855 to 1860 inclusive, the average annual mortality among 30,000 cattle insured was 1,474, or nearly five per cent., their average value being taken at £11 9s. 8d. a head. That was in Scotland. Applying these figures to the United Kingdom, the average loss from disease in six years would be 2,225,000 head, or 375,000 head a year. The total value of the loss for the six years was £26,000,000, or £4,320,000 per annum. The annual death rate for sheep was estimated at 4 per cent., or in value £1,600,000 a year. lu re- gard to pigs, the estimated loss in Ireland was 10 per cent. ; in England and Scotland it was much less ; the total value of the loss of pigs in the United Kingdom averaging £1,200,000 a year. The aggregate annual value of the cattle, sheep, aud pigs lost by disease in the United Kingdom was, therefore, £6,120,000. The most fatal of those diseases was pleuro-pneumonia, from which at least half the cattle died. In 1848 the annual report of the Agricultural Insurance Company said that in some districts thousands wore carried off by this disease. So great indeed were its i-avages, that nearly three-fourths of the losses for which claims were made on the company were the results of that incurable malady. It appeared to be generallj admitted that at least one half of the cattle died of this disease. With respect to the causes of this disease doctors differed among themselves. Some said it was contagious, others that it was not contagious, but propagated by epidemic. It was not for him to decide, but he believed the preponderance of argument was in favour of its being contagious. It might also occfision- ally arise spontaneously in some districts ; but facts, he thought, proved that it was contagious. This disease, however it arose, was no doubt propagated in transmission of cattle by ship from foreign countries.

AI-modernized reading of the original text

Mr. Bruce, who, in rising to move the second reading of the “Cattle Diseases Prevention Bill,” and “Cattle Importation Bill,” said that the subject had been considered with that care and attention due to its importance. As far as could be ascertained, there were in the United Kingdom nearly 8,000,000 head of cattle thus distributed : — In England there was something over 3,500,000 ; in Ireland something over 3,250,000; and in Scotland about 1,000,000. The total number of sheep was about 40,000,000, and the total number of pigs 4,300,000. The aggregate value of that property, reckoning the cattle as worth £10 per head, the sheep at £1 each, and the pigs also at £1, was no less than £121,800,000. These figures indicated the magnitude and importance of the interests involved in this question. Disease among cattle has broken out with peculiar virulence during the last twenty years. In 1844, the first insurance office for cattle was founded, when it was estimated that premiums of from 3 to 3^ per cent, would cover the risks of loss. Several insurance offices were started, but although the premiums were increased from three gradually up to seven per cent. , and although after a time the insurance offices refused to admit Irish cattle, as being more afflicted with disease than other cattle, the largest offices came to a stand. In 1861, Mr. M'Minn (superintendent for Scotland of the Agricultural Cattle Insurance Company, one of the most important of these establishments) published statistical tables which showed that in the six years from 1855 to 1860 inclusive, the average annual mortality among 30,000 cattle insured was 1,474, or nearly five per cent., their average value being taken at £11 9s. 8d. a head. That was in Scotland. Applying these figures to the United Kingdom, the average loss from disease in six years would be 2,225,000 head, or 375,000 head a year. The total value of the loss for the six years was £26,000,000, or £4,320,000 per annum. The annual death rate for sheep was estimated at 4 per cent., or in value £1,600,000 a year. lu regard to pigs, the estimated loss in Ireland was 10 per cent. ; in England and Scotland it was much less ; the total value of the loss of pigs in the United Kingdom averaging £1,200,000 a year. The aggregate annual value of the cattle, sheep, aud pigs lost by disease in the United Kingdom was, therefore, £6,120,000. The most fatal of those diseases was pleuro-pneumonia, from which at least half the cattle died. In 1848 the annual report of the Agricultural Insurance Company said that in some districts thousands wore carried off by this disease. So great indeed were its ravages, that nearly three-fourths of the losses for which claims were made on the company were the results of that incurable malady. It appeared to be generallj admitted that at least one half of the cattle died of this disease. With respect to the causes of this disease doctors differed among themselves. Some said it was contagious, others that it was not contagious, but propagated by epidemic. It was not for him to decide, but he believed the preponderance of argument was in favour of its being contagious. It might also occasionally arise spontaneously in some districts ; but facts, he thought, proved that it was contagious. This disease, however it arose, was no doubt propagated in transmission of cattle by ship from foreign countries.

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