The Cattlc-Flarjuc. 259 



announced as a neutraliser of the virus of rinderpest ; but, if it 

 turns out to be of use, it will rather be as a prophylactic. What 

 is known in Edinburgh and Leith as Mr. Baxter's treatment 

 appears to have been successful. At the commencement of the 

 attack solid food was proscribed, and sawdust substituted for 

 straw ; a laxative was then given, followed by sweetened ale and 

 whiskey every two hours. Subsequently 10 drops of tincture of 

 belladonna was administered every three hours, and for eight days 

 the sufferer was sustained with fluid aliment. Then Peruvian 

 bark and carbonate of ammonia were employed to complete 

 recoverv. I do not remember to have met with any record of 

 any series of experiments made in hot-air baths. Cold water to 

 drink and hot air to breathe will eliminate blood-poisons by 

 perspirations, produce a crisis as a fever, while hot air of high 

 temperature, 240^, kills vermin, their eggs, and all animal poisons, 

 pestilential germs included. This being the case, something 

 might be expected from the Turkish bath. The Hydropathic 

 pack and wet sheet have created some stir. Mr. David Christy, 

 of Patching Hall, Colchester, affords me the most satisfactory 

 evidence concerning this treatment. He says : — 



" I had altogether 22 cows on this farm that had the complaint,"; 15 have 

 recovered aiid are doing well — a result which appears quite exceptional in these 

 parts. When the disease came into the neighbourhood I commenced and 

 continued sponging the mouths and nostrils with vinegar every morning. 

 The first two treated by my veterinary with sulphate of iron had died. The 

 next I treated with stimulants, and poured large quantities of cold water over 

 it every day : it recovered. At this period I administered arsenicum daily to 

 the whole herd. As they became alfected they had arsenicum, belladonna, 

 bryonia, phosphorus, and were packed in wet sheets, with several dry wool 

 sheets over, twice a day, for one and a half to two hours each time. The 

 disease was six weeks with me, which I attribute to my care in isolating the 

 diseased, and in the nse of chloride of lime. At my other farm I lost 16, and 

 not one recovered ; but 1 had not then tried the remedies here described. 

 I think it took a more virulent form there than here." 



The vapour bath, as recommended by a Russian authority, was 

 thoroughly tried by Air. Sweetland, of Hendon. A chamber was 

 prepared, with floor rising to one end. The animal stood with 

 his head at the upper end in the neighbourhood of a supply of 

 fresh air. The unmedicated vapour of boiling Avater kept the 

 temperature up to 120^, and to the animals themselves this was 

 increased by a covering of three blankets, through which the per- 

 spiration poured. The duration of each bath was half an hour : 

 some animals were bathed three times, but out of the eight cases 

 tried no cure resulted. The symptoms were modified and appe- 

 tite was induced after the bath ; but no good permanent results 

 followed. The EdinbueGH COMMITTEE used this bath with suc- 

 cess, and with it administered separately doses of oil of turpentine, 

 infusion of coffee, carbonate of ammonia. Professor Dembexski 



s 2 



