260 THE STEPPE DISEASE. 



disorder as pleuro-pneumonia. It is not seen in a latent 

 form, and cannot so readily penetrate a country unobserved. 

 Notwithstanding all this, we must not forget that annually 

 there are exposed in the Altona and in the New Islington 

 Market, Podolian and Hungarian oxen. It is true that these 

 are fattened at the distilleries of Austria and Prussia, but 

 they come from districts not very remote from those where 

 the contagious typhus has appeared within the last two 

 years. If Kussia became engaged in war with Prussia or 

 Austria, and our import trade continued as at present, I 

 think it would be impossible to avoid an importation of this 

 terrible disease. 



We must not forget that it appeared in Turkey and in the 

 Crimea during the Crimean campaign. Its outbreak then 

 was only in accordance with the circumstances under which 

 similar outbreaks occurred last century, as well as this one, 

 and similar circumstances endangering this country still 

 more may again recur. 



Symptoms. The period of incubation during which there 

 are signs of disorder, lasts from four to eight days. It may 

 be as short as twenty-four hours, and sometimes, but very 

 rarely, of nine or ten days' duration. 



The first signs consist in dulness, prostration, and a short 

 husky cough. The appetite is not lost, but is irregular; 

 rumination is also slow and irregular. The animal grinds 

 its teeth, yawns, arches its back, draws its legs together 

 under its body, and manifests tenderness of the loins. 



A fever shiver ushers 'in the third stage. The animal 

 becomes hidebound, its coat stares, there is still greater ten- 

 derness of the lumbar region. The gait is stiff, joints rigid, 

 ears and horns alternately cold and hot ; pulse frequent, hard, 

 and full ; breathing laboured, and secretions generally scanty. 

 Rumination is suspended; deglutition performed with diffi- 



