2G4 The Cattle-Pkifjue. 



preventive." On cattle not of the Steppe race, " tlie disease 

 induced, though sometimes slight, is usually nearly as severe as 

 that arising from natural infection." Much depends on the care 

 taken of the animal during the experiment, on the age and 

 quality of the virus, &c., though " no modification of the disease 

 has been observable in the inoculation with different secretions. 

 . . . Glycerine modifies and then destroys the virus, as in the 

 case of pleuro-pneumonia " — but here further experiments are 

 required. His experience contradicts that of Professor JesseN 

 relative to the insusceptibility of the produce of animals Avhich 

 have had the rinderpest. With respect to another important 

 point, Professor Rawitsch, a co-worker with Jessen, states 

 that, while old lymph is ineffectual, fresh lymph is apt to cause 

 serious loss ; and M. SekgegeW, Director of the Bondarewka 

 Institute, experimented with lymph nine and eleven months old 

 without elevating the animal heat and creating the mouth- 

 eruption, which is the test of success. Attempts have been 

 made to cultivate a virus of modified malignity, but as yet with- 

 out effect. The results of this practice in Denmark have been 

 very favourable, but in England they have discouraged its 

 adoption. Vea^ little has transpired during the present visitation 

 to give us much hope. Mr. Tollemache has spiritedly tested its 

 value, and obtained about as much comfort as from vaccination. 

 It was thought that the sheep inoculated with the virus might 

 yield a milder lymph, but it is not so. 



The danger of spreading the contagion is a great barrier to 

 inoculation being resorted to except in the immediate presence 

 of the pest. The theoretic advantages are — a milder form of 

 disease, simultaneously induced in a herd designedly fortified 

 against it. It does its work in from 8 to 10 days, and there is an 

 end of it. 



When Dr. MuKCHISON announced his conviction that vaccine 

 matter would do for cattle what it had done for the sufferer by 

 small-pox great interest was excited. If this proved true, it was 

 felt that an incalculable relief had arrived. If the vaccine virus 

 could be employed to remove the constituent of the blood which 

 is acted on by the fiercer ferment of rinderpest, we should have a 

 slight disorder rarely if ever propagating itself by contagion, 

 and in so far vaccination would prove immeasurably superior to 

 anything to be hoped from inoculation. The foundation of this 

 conviction lay in the supposed recognition of identity between 

 small-pox and rinderpest. Besides small-pox, rinderpest is 

 (saving syphilis) the only known disease which can be com- 

 municated by inoculation from the sick to the healthy, and great 

 similarity, amounting nearly to identity, was observed in the 

 pathological appearances. " The first tiling to be done is to 



