THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



135 



or under the iinmediate superintendence of, the profes- 

 sors of the different veterinary institutions of those 

 countries in which the pest prevails. 



No definite plan of treatment can be laid down, except 

 it is that of supporting the fleeting vital powers while 

 nature is attempting to rid the system of the poison, 

 and then to endeavour to counteract the ill effects which 

 had resulted. Remedies calculated to promote this end 

 must however he selected for each particular case, and 

 also be suited to each particular stage of the malady. 



With these few observations on this part of our re- 

 port, we shall proceed to give the details in full of 

 several cases of the disease which came under our imme- 

 diate notice. 



Case 1. 



Meutiou has been made of au aged cow, which was ob- 

 serveJ, on our secciul visit to the quarantiue stations ou May 

 5th, to be out of health, the symptoms Ludicatiug that she 

 was the subject of the malady. 



Conaidering the great fatality and the usually rapid pro- 

 gress of the riuJerpest, it is somewhat surprising that its 

 victims should so freque.-itly bhow such little disturbance to 

 their health at the commeacement of ihe attack. The auimal 

 in question was a remarkable instauce of this, as well as of 

 the occasioual mild character of the disease. The chief iu- 

 dications of illness which she exhibited, when first seen, were 

 tremors of most of the voluntary muscles of the body, but 

 more especialiy those of the extremities. The triceps muscles 

 of the fore-limbs, aud the rjlulei, vasli, and triceps in particular 

 of tlie hiud-iimbs, were most affected with these trerabliiiga; 

 besides which a spasmodic jerking of their fasciculi could be 

 detected as coming on at irregular and short intervals. The 

 animal stood with her back arched and legs gathered together 

 under the body. The head was extended, ears loppe.i, and 

 coat stariug Slie was remarkably dull, and greatly indisposed 

 to move. Her appetite was impaired, but not lost, as at times 

 she would pick a little fresh grass. Rumination was tarJily 

 performed ; the action of the bowels unaffected ; the breath- 

 ing natural, and the pulse almost undisturbed. ludetd, had 

 the morning been a cold one — which it was not — nearly the 

 whole of the symptoms that she exhibited might have been 

 ascribed to an exposure to the bleak mountain air. 



Towards the after part of the day, the spasmodic coiitractious 

 of the muscies were more diffusa. The jerkiug of those situ- 

 ated at the iufero-Iateral part of the neck was very peculiar, 

 imparting a moveiiient not very dissimilar to the so-called 

 venous pulse. The skiu was rather warmer than natural, but 

 the coat was staring, as in the morning. The breatliing still 

 continued undisturbed, while a slight but " thick cough" was 

 occasionally heard. The pulse had risen to about 62. It was 

 regular in its action, but beat with somewhat diminished force. 

 There was no iiijection of the vitible mucous membranes pre- 

 sent, nor dryness of the muzzle, as seen in active febrile dis- 

 eases. The Commissioners exi^reased their decided opinion 

 that this was a true case of the peat, although an unusually 

 mild one, and they therefore gave orders that the cow should 

 be taken from the others, and placed in a separate shed, tem- 

 porarily erected with the branches of pine trees for the pur- 

 pose, 80 that we might watch its progress. 



May 6th, 7 a.m. — The symptoms upon the whole have 

 undergone but httle change since last evening. The animal 

 stdl takes a little fuoJ, but is equally as dull and dispirited. 

 She shows a disposition to drink ireely of water, and would 

 take evea more than it is desirable to give her. 



8*.!!. — No alteration of importance. 



May Tth, 6 a.m. — A change for the worse has come on dur- 

 ing the night. The prostration of strength is cnuaiderable, 

 and the animal is down, unabln to rise. Neither the pulse nor 

 the breathing has, however, undergone much change, the 

 principal being that the action of the heart is rather v.caker. 

 She refuses food. Rumination is suspended, and the bowels 

 aie rather irritable, voiding large quantities of fieces. The 

 twitching of the muscles are yet present, but mostly confined 

 to the shoulders and neck. The cough ia more frequent, and 

 a little mucous discharge also comes fro.u the nostrils. The 

 conjunctiva is uninjccted, but the eyes are somewhat intoler- 

 ant of light. The general surface of the body is chilly, as are 

 the legs, ears, and horns. 



On visiting the animals in the evening, we found that a 

 Blight diaiihcea had set in during the day ; that the pulse had 



risen to 70, and that increaging weakness was existing. There 

 were, however, but few indications that the attack would ter- 

 minate fatally, the other symptoms remaining about the same. 



May Sth. — The twitchings of the muscles are scarcely to be 

 observed this morning, as is generally the case in the advanced 

 stages of the malady. The diarrhoea is, however, more copious, 

 but yet not alarming ; the pulse is quicker and weaker, and 

 only to be felt at the heart. The breathing has now become 

 somewhat increased, but is neither laboured nor difficult. The 

 body is cold, and the animal lies with a drooping head and 

 closed eyes, as in a state of drowsiness, refusing all food, but 

 showing the same disposition to take water. 



The Commissioners explained that they considered there was 

 no chance of the animal's ultimate recovery, although the case 

 would doubtless be a very protracted one. They also said 

 that they had decided to have her killed in theafter-part of the 

 day, if we had seen enough of the disease in its mitigated form, 

 that we might institute a post mortem examination. This 

 arrangement met with our concurrence, and especially as other 

 cases had occurred since this cow was attacked, and which we 

 were busily engaged in watching the progress of, as by it au 

 opportunity would be afforded of seeing the lesions which were 

 early produced by the malady. 



Sectio Cadaveris. — Respiratory Organs. — Mucous mem- 

 brane of the nasal cavities slightly congested, and covered in 

 patches by a small quantity of a ytliowish and somewhat viscid 

 (iischar 'e. Larynx healthy ; trachea nearly free from injec- 

 tion, but coiitnining some thin shreds of colonrless lymph lying 

 in close contact with its lining membrane. Brcncliia healthy ; 

 lungs perfectly healthy. No effusion in to the thorax. 



Circulating Organs. — Heait and its vessels healthy. Blood, 

 dark in colour and but partially coagulated ; the coagulum 

 being very soft. 



Digestive Organs. — Tongue healthy ; fauces and velum con- 

 gested; pharynx and oesophagus, healthy. Rumen healthy, 

 containing a fair amount of ingesta. Reticulum and omasum 

 likewise free from structural disease, and no harduess of the 

 contents of the omasum ( loser diirie). Slight efflorescence of 

 the mucous membrane of the abomasum in p^itches was pre- 

 sent, while nearly throughout it was likewise dotted over with 

 yellowish points, produced by effusions of lymph into its folli- 

 cles. The contents of this stomach were fluid, in which floated 

 some shreds of lymph. The duodenum, jejunum, and ileum 

 were nearly free from disease, presenting only here and there 

 a similar state of the mucous membrane to that of the ab- 

 omasum. The crecum, colon, and rectum were filled with fluid 

 fceces; but their miicous membrane was, on the whole, free 

 from change. 



Liver, healthy in substance ; the gall-ducts were, however, 

 enlarged and thickened in their coats from chronic diseasr-, 

 associated with depositions of osseous matter. The gall-blad- 

 der was filled with bile, and its mucous membrane was likewise 

 stud 'ed with effusions of lymph into its follicles analogous to 

 the abomasum. 



Pancreas and Spleen. — Healthy, 



Urinary System. — Kidneys, bladder, &e., free from disease. 



Nervous System. — Brain, spinal marrow, and their mem- 

 branes healthy in so far as their structural appearance was 

 concerned. 



Case 2. 



May 6th. — After giving our attention this morning to case 

 1, we went over to Zabrzez to inspect the cattle, which we 

 saw at M. Berl Krumholz's farm at the time of our first visit. 

 Here we found that a young bull, two years and a half old, 

 and one of the nine animals formerly referred to, as still being 

 in quarantine, was the subject of the maladv. The animal in 

 question had only been observed to be unwell early this morn- 

 ing, being twelve days subsequent to the death of the last 

 victim. The symptoms now present were spasmodic twitch- 

 ings of the muscles, more particularly of those of the neck and 

 shoulders. The spasms succeeded each other with great 

 irregularity, but numbered on the averaze about ten in the 

 minute. They were likewise accompanied with slight sbiver- 

 ings of the entire body. The skin was warm, as were also the 

 legs, horns, and ears. The back was arched and the animal 

 stood with his legs gathered under the body, but frequently 

 shifted his position as if in ptiin. His countenance, however, 

 was more animated than is generally seen, even in the early 

 stages of the malady. There was a little turgescence of the 

 vessels of the conjunctiva, but no intolerance of light. A 

 slight mucous discbarge flowed from the uostiils^ and a short, 



