EARLY METHODS OF SURVEILLANCE AND CONTROL FOR CONTAGIOUS BOVINE PLEUROPNEUMONIA

From the many existing documents on the history of contagious bovine p leuropneumonia, it is possible to describe the practical measures adop ted for disease surveillance and control from ancient times until the 19th century. Surveillance was based on diagnosis, post-mortem examina tion, animal inoculation and also on knowledge of the conditions under which infection occurred: aetiology, pathogenesis, mode of infection, susceptible species, virulent material, incubation period, etc. The h istorical facts are assembled and compared, with comments on each of t hese points. Control was based upon the application of health control measures or vaccination. A study of these two procedures makes it poss ible to compare their efficacy and to describe the principal steps in their implementation.