THE MURRAIN.

Colonist, Volume III, Issue 264, 1 May 1860, Page 3

THE MURRAIN.

(From the Maitland Mercury.)

Our Scone correspondent reports that the Murrain or Cumberland disease, is committing sad havoc in this town and district, and the loss has fallen upon some who are little able to bear it.

We cannot help calling attention to the fact that some persons are in the habit of merely half consuming the carcases, leaving the remainder to fester and poison the air, and fbr the birds to feed upon and convey disease far and wide. We made inquiry, and find that the. Police Act does not extend outside the town, so that, should the parties become known who are in the habit of thus disposing of the diseased carcases, the police have no power to interfere upon private property?-. Such appears to be the law. It certainly calls loudly for the interference of some authority to compel parties to totally consume the carcases, and not merely light a fire, and then leave them to be the channels of future disease in other cattle. We should have thought that the preservation of human life would have suggested itself to any thinking mind, and been the impelling motive to see that no vestige was left of any diseased carcase. At present the smell arising from the remains ot half-consumed beasts is almost intolerable.

But we are led to believe that while we call it the Cumberland disease we are misnaming it; for it appears/ from the information we have been favoured with, that there are some places in the same paddock where cattle will- feed and thrive, and in other places in the same paddock where they feed and die; therefore it must be some kind of rancorous herb which is destroying the cattle. Then again in the mountains we do not hear of any deaths; indeed many ascribe the saying of their cattle to the speedy removal from all low and swampy places to high positions. We hope that all concerned will endeavour to find out the real cause, so that a remedy may be adopted to stay such fearful losses as have fallen upon many in this district.