bone whatever, or but very little, are sold this season professing to be made from bone. The following case is an illustration of this fact:

Composition of a sample of Superphosphate advertised as made from bone, sent by Mr. S. Browne, Brockton, near Shifnal, Salop, bought from Mr. George Dawler, Plume Works, Aston, Birmingham, at 71. per ton:

Practically this bone-superphosphate contained no bone, but was a badly made coprolite superphosphate, containing only 2 per cent. of soluble phosphate. It would be dear at 31. 3s.

per ton.

Cake is often sold as genuine linseed-cake, which is either made from inferior and undressed seed, or it is mixed with other articles. The following is a good example of one of these cases. Mr. Dudfield, of Catsley, Bewdley, forwarded a sample of cake branded "<B genuine," bought from Mr. Firmston, Stourbridge, price 107. 15s. per ton, and manufactured by Walker and Smith, of Hull. The analysis is as follows:

B

This cake was found to be made of dirty linseed, and to be mixed with earth-nut cake. A correspondence on the subject with Mr. Dudfield ensued, and the Committee think it right to that gentleman and the manufacturers to publish the last letter received from him :

"Catsley, Bewdley, April 15, 1870. "DR. VOELCKER, DEAR SIR.-I have to thank you for yours of the 13th inst., and also for other communications, but I have not to thank you for any information tending to lead me as to the relative value of the cake you analysed for me; and I beg to say that it is not my wish that any publicity should be given in this matter; or if it is, it must be on your own, or the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society's account-the parties I bought the cake from having amicably settled the matter with me, and the makers, Messrs. Walker and Smith, having accounted for the error and shown every courtesy in the matter.—I am. &c., "BENJ. DUDFIELD."

Another sample was forwarded by Mr. Hudson, of Castleacre, bought of Messrs. Marston, of King's Lynn, as genuine linseedcake, at 107. 15s., of which the analysis is as follows:

This cake was found to be mixed with earth-nut cake, and although it was by no means a bad feeding cake, it should not have been sold as genuine linseed-cake.

Other cases of adulteration have occurred, in some of which the Professor has been able to prevent loss to the purchasers; but the Committee regret to find that many farmers are unwilling to give up the names of the dealers, resting satisfied with the settlement made in their individual cases.

XXIV.-Report of the Governors of the Royal Veterinary College to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society.

THE Governors of the Royal Veterinary College would have transmitted their Report to the Council of the Royal Agricultural Society at an earlier period, but for several unforeseen circumstances, among which was the receipt by them of a communication from the Council calling attention to the terms of the alliance which has so long, and to the public so advantageously, existed between the two institutions. The governors have replied by endeavour

ing to meet the views of the Council in a manner which they trust will prove satisfactory to the members of both institutions.

The Governors have received a very able report from Professor Simonds. Almost the whole of the very valuable information which the Professor has furnished will be found incorporated in this communication.

During the past year, 1869, events have occurred which tend to prove the increasing importance to the members of the veterinary profession of a complete and practical acquaintance with the diseases of farm stock, and especially with those which, normally existing in a mitigated form, are likely to assume an epizootic character, and occasion serious loss to the farmer, although they may not be essentially malignant in their nature or destructive to life. Such, for example, is the malady commonly known as "Mouth and Foot Disease."

In accordance with the agreemeut between the Royal Agricultural Society and the College, the inculcation of correct principles in the science of veterinary medicine has been steadily adhered to. It is not possible that the most complete system of tuition in collegiate establishments should afford to the rising members of the profession the general exemplification in detail which can be obtained only through an extended practice in the country; but every facility for imparting as much knowledge of this kind as is possible, during the limited period devoted to study in the college, has been afforded to the students.

The essential sciences of anatomy, physiology, and therapeutics, as a basis of practical knowledge, have received all the attention which their importance demands; and the painstaking student, who has made himself acquainted with these principles and with the practical duties of his profession as far as the opportunities afforded him in the College will permit, leaves the institution well prepared to commence the arduous duties of his profession.

The course of lectures on the science and practice of veterinary medicine, in relation to the animals of the farm, was begun at the end of the Christmas vacation, 1868-9, and continued to the end of April, when the summer vacation ensued. In October the lectures were recommenced, and uninterruptedly delivered up to Christmas. Four lectures a week were given during the whole educational term for the year.

Advantage has also been taken of the receipt at the College of specimens of morbid anatomy during the course of instruction. The specimens principally were illustrative of the changes produced in the lungs by cancerous deposit, scrofula, contagious pleuro-pneumonia and ordinary pneumonia, pyæmia, and the existence of entozoa (filaria bronchialis); in the liver by in

flammation, softening, and partial rupture; in the uterus and its appendages by ovarian dropsy and vaginal tumours; in the spleen and other organs by that remarkable and fatal affection, designated splenic apoplexy, and also by cancerous deposits; in the kidneys by calculi; in the tongue and the throat by scrofula ; in the mammary glands by abscesses, as effects of the "foot and mouth disease," and in the feet by extensive ulceration, as another sequel to this disease. Besides these specimens of morbid anatomy some very remarkable illustrations of disease of the ribs of young lambs were supplied by a veterinary surgeon in Essex. In these cases large osseous tumours existed in different parts of the ribs, mostly, however, at the upper part or near the middle. Occasionally two tumours were present, although usually one only; sometimes the ribs of both sides of the chest were affected. It was supposed at first that the enlargements had arisen from constitutional causes, and were probably the effect of scrofula; a minute examination, however, completely disproved this idea, and showed that these tumours were produced by the reparative process, in excess, after fractures which had occurred in utero, probably through some injury received by the ewes.

Some interesting cases of disease of the skin of lambs were likewise brought to the notice of the students. The disease possessed all the characteristics of the affection known as crusta lactea in the human infant.

The parts principally affected by morbid action were the face, eyelids, and ears. In some cases the sides of the neck, and even the shoulders of the animal, were ultimately attacked. Thick crusts of a dark colour covered the skin, which was also much inflamed and cracked. The young animals suffered much from local irritation and symptomatic fever, under which some of them sunk. The cases, however, were not numerous in the several flocks in which the disease appeared-not more than six or eight among 150 to 200 animals. Applications of the oxide of zinc ointment proved beneficial, but careful nursing and protection, from both hot and wet weather, were needed as adjuncts to the treatment.

Some other novel cases occurred in lambs, in which death resulted from parasites existing on the skin. The parasites in question were those commonly known as ticks (Ixodes ricimus.) These epizoa abound in most countries, and are met with both on wild and domesticated animals, firmly attached to the skin, from which they draw blood as their food. Until now they have not been found on animals in Great Britain to an extent injurious to health, much less as a cause of death. In hot countries, however, and particularly in many parts of South America, ticks

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attack animals in such vast numbers that even oxen often succumb to the continued irritating and exhaustive effects of their attacks. Specimens of the skin of lambs, thickly covered with these epizoa were sent from Kent by a veterinary surgeon who had been consulted on the case. In his communication he writes that "they' - the ticks "had attacked the sheep and lambs both on uplands and marshes, and one farmer found a large quantity of them on some colts which were at pasture near to the sheep." There are few parasites more tenacious of life than ticks; but experiments having shown that they could easily be destroyed by carbolic acid, it was recommended that a trial should be given to dipping the sheep and lambs in a diluted mixture of this agent. This treatment proved most effective in the destruction of the ticks, and thereby prevented a further loss of lambs.

Another circumstance may be mentioned in connection with these cases. Some of the fully matured or old ticks were placed in a box, chiefly for the purpose of determining the length of time they would survive without a supply of food, it being known that the young parasites will often live for many weeks under such conditions.

On examining the box shortly afterwards it was found that the ticks had deposited many brown coloured masses of a size equal to themselves, which proved to be an enormous quantity of ova, held together by a glutinous substance. The ova were subjected to artificial warmth, and in about three weeks a batch of young ticks was obtained. The young ticks were next placed on different animals, and although the greater part of them wandered from the places on which they had been deposited, and could not be found, others were seen to attach themselves to the skin and begin to feed upon its fluids. It is not improbable that these further investigations of the natural history of the tick are without a parallel in this country.

The chief event of the year in connection with cattle diseases has been the remarkable outbreak of the malady known as the "mouth and foot disease." Few parts of Great Britain have escaped, and in one instance, at least, the disease was ascertained to have been introduced into Ireland by cattle exported from England. In Ireland, however, the malady has been kept far more in check than elsewhere by sanitary regulations, as the Executive of the Government in that country was enabled to enforce the orders of Council through the medium of the constabulary.

During the first part of the year little was heard of this disease beyond the existence of it in its ordinary form in a few