13G 



THE FARMER'S MAGAZINE. 



but nearly inaudible cough was present. The breatli was 

 sweet, and the respiration scarcely disturbed. The pulse was 

 increased to 80, and had more fulness than is usual iu these 

 cases. All desire for food had ceased; rumination was sus- 

 pended, and the bowels were m a relaxed couditiou. 



6 P M. — The siymptoms are somewhat aggravated. The 

 animal is down and is more depressed than iu the early part 

 of the day. Diarrhce* hna act iu, and some tenesmus is pre- 

 sent. The twitching of tbe muscKs is more violent and fre- 

 quent. The cough is increased, as is the discharge from the 

 nostrils; the pulse, however, remains the same. 



May 1th. — There is no great change in the general charac- 

 ter of the symptoms this morning. Tne diarrhoea is, however, 

 more copious. The pulse is weaker, but its number is not in- 

 creased. The breathing is but little altered. The cough is 

 of the same mucous character. The uasal discharge is thicker 

 aud contains shreds of lymph. The e3es are heavy. The 

 animal keeps laid a good deal, and when down appears sleepy. 

 The spasmodic contractions of the abdominal muscles, which 

 at times are considerable, give a peculiar tremor to the whole 

 body and interrupt the rhythmical action of in.spiration aud 

 expiration. Presiure on the spine augments these spasms as 

 well as those of the muscles of the neck and limbs. He refuses 

 all food, but takes a little water. 



6 P.M. — Except that the aijimal is weaker, and the aivine 

 evacuations more fluid, there is no change which needs to be 

 specially reported. 



l^Iuy 8lh. — The spasmodic twitchiugs are less diffused than 

 yesterday and not so severe. The pulse is, ou the contrary, 

 more rapid, aud so weak as to be felt with very great difficulty 

 except at the heart. The respiration is also increased, and now 

 numbers twenty-six in the minute ; it is not, however, la- 

 boured. The cough although frequent is scarcely audible; it 

 has the same mucous character. The muzzle is moist, but 

 cold, as are the extremities aud horns ; while the surface of 

 the body is yet warm. The diarrhoea has passed into dysen- 

 tery. The evacuations are now of a dirty-yellow colour, and 

 remarkably fluid ; they contain flocculi of lymph, and are 

 occasionally streaked with blood, but are not particularly 

 ofl'tusive. A sickly smell attends the patient. The eyelids 

 are drooping, and a thick jelly-like mass of a pale straw colour 

 has accumulated at the inner angle of the eyes. This is evi- 

 dently composed chiefly of fibriue ; yet the vessels of the 

 conjunctiva are not turgid with blood. The anima! has a 

 greater disposition to keep laid, and often while recumbent 

 turns the head to the side as if sufi'eriiig slight abdominal pain. 



May 9th. — The spasmodic twitchiugs and the tremors are 

 no longer to be recognised, having entirely passed away. The 

 prostration of strength is very great. The dysenteric purging 

 continues unabated iu severity. Tenesmus is present, and the 

 evacuations are now very offensive. The abdomen is much 

 pinched in. The respiration remains the same in number, and 

 is occaaioiially accompanied with a nasal blowing-like sound. 

 The discharge from both the nostrils and eyes is augmented in 

 quantity ; the eyes, however, still retain their transparency, 

 and the blood vessels are but slightly injected. The pulse is 

 not weaker than yesterday, but upon the whole a little more 

 distinct. The ears, horns, and extremities are still a little 

 warm. The animal takes a small quantity of v.'ater, and ap- 

 pears to be free from any acute pam.* 



* The Commissioners decided t)-day upon slaughtering the 

 remaining eight animals in tlie quarantine, as two or three of 

 them wer- giving indications of approaching illness. They also 

 had in view the raising of ihe cordun at an earlier date than it 

 otherwise could be, supposing the malady was allowed to taka its 

 ordinary co'irse; lor, as elsewhore staled, it has to be maintained 

 for twenty-one days after the dea'h or the killing of tlie last 

 animal. The chief object in keeping up the cordon for this ler.gth 

 of time is to prevent the possibility of a frtsh outbreak. Xo 

 newly-purchased caltle are ilierefoie allowed to come on to the 

 farm, nor is any labonrer, or other person, allowed to leave it 

 No straw or fodder of any kind is permitted <o ba removed : in 

 fact, all the details are as rigorously enforced during these three 

 wei'ks as while the disease exists. 



The iPBOlve of the Commission' rs afforded us the opportunity of 

 witnessing the form O' valuing the cattle for slaughtering on the 

 part of Goveriiment, their real value be ng greater than the esti- 

 mated One. For liiis purpose a jury of three persons was sum- 

 moned, consisting of the Burgomaster of the village and two 

 other inhabitants conv.rsmt with the worth of cuttle. They 

 were not, however, allowed to come wit lin 2 paces of the line 

 of the cordon. The non-medical Comruibsioner, M. Kucki, took 

 his seat on a table placed on the line, and being furnished with 



May \Wh. — The symptoms are somewhat diminished lu 

 severity this morning, leaiiug to the hope that the animal 

 may possibly rally. The dysenteric purging is less iu quan- 

 tity, aiid the evacuations also are less frequent. The breathing 

 is more tranqud, and the cough more audible. The pulse has 

 sunk to 70, and has an increased tone. Each rising of the 

 artery is accompanied with a peculiar jerking action. The 

 discharge from the nostrils and eyes has not undergone any 

 material change. The extremities and surface of the body 

 are warmer, aud the auimal is evideutly freer from suffering. 

 He lies less ; takes freely of water, and shows a little disposi- 

 tion to pick some fresh green clover, a handful of which we 

 gathered for him. 



Alay llfZi. —Scarcely so well to-day. Some blood is occa- 

 sionally passed with the alvins evacuations. These are still 

 fluid, have a fetid smcl', are cf a pale colour, and contain 

 numerous shreds of lymph. The abdomen is more pinched in. 

 The pulse is rather quicker, as is the breathing, the expirations 

 being at times accompanied with a slight grunt. The dis- 

 charge from the eyes and nostrils is less, but the cough is 

 more frequent. He has, however, eaten a little clover and 

 drank some water, and stood up at intervals for a loi-gtr time 

 than before. 



This change in the symptoms made ua most desirous of 

 watching the case to its close, but the c 'mmissioncrs ordered 

 that the animal should be killed forthwith, as they saw no hope 

 of recovery, and were anxious to remove the cordon, there 

 being no cattle left ou the premises, except the Steppe oxen, 

 mentioned as having some weeks since recovered from the 

 pest. 



Post-mortem Examinalion. — On removing the skin, the 

 muscles were fouud of their usual colour and integrity, and 

 the areolar tissue throughout was free from congestion. Com- 

 mencing the examination of the internal organs at the nostrils, 

 the Schueiderlan mernbrai;e was o'.served to be much coii- 

 gested, more particularly that portion of it which is continued 

 into the posterior naves, where it was extensively ulcerated. 

 Thit ulceration could be traced from thence to the free edges 

 of the velum palati. Iu places it was concealed by a thick 

 layer of lymph, which adhered with tolerable firmness to the 

 membrane beneath. The larynx, trachea, and bronchi were 

 free from disease, as were also the lungs. The heart was 

 healthy. It contained within its ventricles a small quantity 

 cf blood, which was partially coufjulated ; the coagulum being 

 very soft. 



The tougue was healthy, as was also the pharynx; but the 

 ducts of the tonsils were filled with effused lymph, the sur- 



writing materials, noted every particular of the transaction. The 

 c;itt'e were then brought one by one to within a short distance of 

 the Commissioner, to be inspected by thejury, whoaskei a great 

 variety of questions relating to their age, breed, and use for feed- 

 ing, milking, or working purposes; which being satisfactorily 

 answered, they made their award. 



£ s. d. 

 The first, a young heifer, wa's valued at about, in ) . ,> n. 



English money ) 

 The second, also a heifer do. 4 



The third, a milking cow do. 7 



The fdurth, a young steer do. 3 



The tilth, an older steer do. 4 18 



I'lie sixth, a young bull do. 4 



The seventh and tighlh, two heifers do. 8 16 



Tot !l £A6 4 



The skins of the animals were next valued at 8s. each for the 

 larger ones, and 6s. the smaller, which sums, we weie inf.jrmed, 

 would be deducted from the gross amount, the proprietor being 

 allowed to dispose of iheni us he thought fit, after they had 

 undergone a 'Hsinfecting process, under tlie immediate sup'erin- 

 tendence of the Commissioners. This part of the ceremony being 

 ended, the aninuls were led away to be slaughtered and buried, 

 when thejury were permitted to approach the table to sign their 

 award. One only of the three could write, namely, the Burgo- 

 master, and he leceived authority to sign for the others. The 

 appearance of these men was certainly picturesque, if not very 

 prepossessing. They were very scantily clad, havmg on scarcly 

 any clothes except a long coat made of a coarse and thick woollen 

 material of a dirty-white colour, and reaching to below their 

 knees. The Burgomaster diflered hut little from his compeers, 

 excepting that he wore a leathern girdle, furnished with a pocket, 

 around his waist, in which he carried his money, and of which, 

 little as it was, he appeared very proud. Their legs were en- 

 veloped in pieces of linen tied on with string, and their feet were 

 protected by roughly-made sandals, having very thin leather 

 siles, being apparently of their own manufacturing. 



