76 THE LUNG PLAGUE OF CATTLE. 



When cattle are to be shipped the iron pillar is let down, so that 

 its lower end is received into a grooved iron block fixed to the upper 

 surface of the lower deck, and into this it is firmly bolted. Then strong 

 wooden bars are inserted in grooves on the different sides of the iron 

 posts and firmly secured by bolts, so as to form the ends and sides of 

 the stalls. In this way the greatest strength is secured at a moderate 

 outlay, and the ship once fitted up in this way can be easily and speedily 

 prepared for any kind of cargo without the further employment of skilled 

 labor. 



3. TOO MANY CATTLE IN ONE STALL. 



With such an arrangement as that just described there can be no 

 great hardship in supplying a stall for each animal and reducing the 

 dangers of the ocean voyage in this respect to a minimum. The bulky 

 clumsiness of the fat ox, as above remarked, demands that we should 

 surround him with every possible safeguard in this respect. 



4. SHIPPING CATTLE ON THE UPPER (SPAR) DECK. 



This again is prohibited by the Cattle Lloyds and by most of the un- 

 derwriters. Indeed, if we consider the great danger of the destruction 

 of the stalls and the loss of cattle in case a storm is encountered there 

 can be no question as to the impropriety of such shipments. In fair 

 weather it must be acknowledged that such cargoes do well, being sur- 

 rounded by the best of air, and easily kept clean and attended to, but 

 when really bad weather sets in their case is a desperate one. It would 

 be well if shipping cattle on the upper or spar deck could be altogether 

 abandoned. 



LACK OF VENTILATION. 



In view of the protection of our export cattle, not against lung plague 

 itself, but against the suspicion of that disease, this is one of the most 

 important points that can claim our attention. From what has been 

 written above (see a Lung plague not generated de novo by impure 

 air," page 28) it will be seen that there need be no apprehension what- 

 ever of the generation of the contagious pleuro-pneimionia or lung 

 plague, because of the confined air on board ship, provided the ship and 

 cattle have been started clear of all germs of the disease derived from a 

 pre-existing case. But that rebreathed and impure air is capable of 

 generating a congestion or inflammation of the lungs, which might by 

 some be confounded with the lung plague, is a truth too notorious to be 

 denied. 



RAPID SUFFOCATION. 



In consequence of rapid suffocation from the reduction of oxygen and 

 the accumulation of carbonic acid in the air, the arrest of circulation 

 first occurs in the lungs, the heart continuing to beat for a short time 

 longer, and it appears to be the difficulty of once more starting the cir- 

 culation in the capillary blood-vessels of the lungs that proves the great 

 obstacle to resuscitation. After death the lungs are found to be gorged 

 with bloDd, black and heavy, and the same is true of the right side of 

 the heart and the whole venous system. The gorged lungs may create 

 suspicions of a rapidly-fatal type of lung plague. 



RAPID EFFCTS OF BREATHING IMPURE AIR. 



When large numbers of men or animals are crowded together ia a 

 small space with insufficient access of air the above results take place 



