[84] 



On the Bloody Murrain. 



In the year 1819, the Society having been informed 

 by the late John Cox^ of New Garden, Chester County, 

 that the Bloody Murrain prevailed to a considerable ex- 

 tent in that county, it was resolved to publish a request 

 to farmers to communicate the result of their observa- 

 tions on the symptoms, proojress, and treatment of the 

 disease. This was done, and the following letters were 

 in consequence sent to the Society : 



Respected Friend, 



Some time late in the autumn a drove from the state 

 of Ohio, passed through this district, out of which many 

 persons as usual supplied themselves with their stork of 

 steers for fatting. Shortly after, I heard that the bloody 

 murrain had appeared among the caitle in my neighbour- 

 hood, and that some had died. Of the purchasers abf)ve 

 mentioned, John Bailey lost five; Jesse Underwood, two ; 

 Mrs. Way and another person, one each ; they all live 

 within a short distance of London Grove Meeting House, 

 I this day called on John Bailey, the principal sufferer, 

 and received from him the following detail : Of the five 

 beasts which he lost, three were of the drove cattle and 

 died first, the other two were a large working ox, and a 

 smaller steer ; three died of the bloody murrain, and two 

 of the dry murrain; those affected v\ith bloody murrain, 

 discharged it by urine and stool in such abundance that 

 they died in little more than twelve hours after its first 

 appearance as a decided complaint, having drooped and 

 rejected food for some time before. Nothing appeared 

 on those who died of the dry murrain but hardness of the 

 dung, a difficulty, and, at length, a disability to discharge 



