Rejwrt on Sieppe Murrain or Rinderpest. 263 



Case IV. 



On the evening of May 9th information was brought to the 

 Commissioners that a fresh outbreak of the malady had occurred 

 in the village of Kamienica. On hearing this we were almost 

 immediately on the spot, and found that a cow, one of five of the 

 herd, was fast sinking from the disease. It was evident that she 

 had been ill for at least two or three days, but had not been 

 reported. The Commissioners expressed much dissatisfaction at 

 this, and immediately took possession of all the animals, and 

 sent them off the premises into quarantine. The key of the stable 

 in which the cow had been standing was delivered over to the 

 custody of the military, and the cordon established. We may 

 here repeat, that if the proprietor conceals the fact of the 

 appearance of the pest among his cattle, or has been in any way 

 instrumental in bringing it among them when it prevails in the 

 locality, the entire loss which he may sustain falls upon himself, 

 the Government refusing to make any allowance even for those 

 that are ordered to be killed by their officers. This course was, 

 therefore, the one adopted. 



The most marked symptoms shown by the animal in question 

 were — a profuse dysenteric purging ; indistinct pulse ; rapid 

 breathing; surface of body and limbs cold, eyes sunk in their orbits, 

 discharge of mucus mingled with lymph from the eyes and 

 nostrils ; staggering gait ; and great prostration of strength. In- 

 deed on the way to the quarantine station she fell twice, although 

 the distance was not more than three hundred yards. It was 

 also with much difficulty that she was made to rise. In this 

 condition she lingered on for about eight hours, when death put 

 an end to her sufferings. 



The principal lesions met with in making the post-mortem 

 examination were — ulcerations at the root of tongue and ex- 

 tensive turgescence of all the surrounding vessels ; tonsils 

 loaded with effused lymph, and also all the follicles of the 

 fauces and contiguous parts ; large shreds of lymph existed in 

 the windpipe and bronchial tubes. The heart was pale and 

 flaccid. The abomasum was not so much affected as in other 

 cases Ave have quoted, nor was any portion of either the small 

 or large intestines. Where diseased, the lesions of these viscera 

 were precisely similar to those already described. The mucous 

 membrane of the gall-bladder was extensively diseased, but the 

 ducts of the liver were free from deposits of lymph. Excess of 

 fluid existed in the ventricles of the brain and also in the spinal 

 sheath. All the organs which have not been specially named in 

 this case were free from structural change. 



T 2 



