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under the Metropolis Local Management Act, August 7th, 1802, Section 70, or any
subsequent Act, your Board have power to vote money for such a purpose; but if so,
they would suggest that they should exercise that power, and grant the cost of the
water which they consider necessary to prevent the risk of contagion at the troughs,
at any rate during such period as they shall be of opinion that glanders is increasing
in the Metropolis. I am, however, to state that the Committee of the Association
still hold very strongly to the belief alluded to in my letter of the 9th ult., that the
disease is not really on the increase, but that the exercise of the enormous powers for
its detection and suppression conferred upon the Metropolitan Board of "Works and
their inspectors by 41 and 42 Vict. cap. 74, is simply bringing into prominence an
evil, which before that Act came into full force, in January, 1879, existed almost
outside the reach of the law, and therefore comparatively unnoticed, and the
Committee feel assured that a continued and still more vigorous exercise of those
powers must result in not a glanderel horse being found in the streets of London, and
then the public drinking troughs cannot be contaminated.
I am, Sir,
Your obedient Servant,
(Signed) JOHN LEE,
General Manager and Secretary.
memorandum on the alleged danger arising from slandered horses
drinking at the public cattle troughs.
1. 41 & 42 Vic. cap. 74.—This Act was passed on August lGth, 1878, and came
into full force in January, 1879 ; it repeals a similar one passed about ten years ago,
prior to which no serious attempt had been made to discover glanders. Under this
Act, and the Orders of Council proceeding therefrom, provision is made for the
prosecution by the police and the local author ties of persons concealing, exposing,
selling, or using horses suffering from glanders or farcy.
The Metropolitan Board of Works is appointed the "local authority" for the
administration of this Act in the Metropolis, and its inspectors are appointed all over
London. Any person having a glandered animal is bound now to report it to the
police, and they must report it to the local authority (the Metropolitan Board of
Works) or its inspectors (Sec. 31.)