COUNTRY LIFE
PnorEsrs against the slaughtering of animals which catch foot and mouth disease are again being heard in the land ; and they have, of course, some justification. The disease is curable. A very small proportion of the sufferers die of the malady and in regard to valuable pure-bred stock it would certainly be economically sound to cure instead of killing. On the other hand, if our most Draconian method were surrendered the disease, here as all over the Continent, would become endemic ; and economically the loss would be very much larger than at present, for the disease and its after-effects last a long time, during which the animal is a burden. The argument which has always prevailed with agricultural authorities is that our insular position enables us to keep a clean bill of health, in com- parison with any European country. One correspondent alleges that the progeny of cows that have been through the disease are immune. Is there any warrant for this claim? If these were immune races could perhaps be bred.
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