Tin-: u x<; PL.vr;ri; or CATTLE. 115 



move, the eyes .lull. lh<' coat standing, t lie inuscl.-s of the hind quarters trembling, 

 respirat ion normal, pulse Sli, temperat nre lUVFahr. Auscultation and percussion of 

 the thorax ga\ e no evidence of pulmonarx disease. Percussion of t he al>domen denoted 

 the existence of a large quantity of IJuid. There \\ as diarrhea, the stools hcin- 

 nearly Idack in color. 



Several ot he^ farms were visited, t he owners of which had MI He red from I lie los^ of 

 cattle by the disease in (inestion. 



The description given ly one is given in general terms by all. \i/: the animal is 

 dull, the coat staring, loss of appei he, secret ion of milk diminished, in ti\e or six 

 <las sdiarrhiea sets in in a few cases ex t re mi' const ipat ion and in t w o or t hive \\ < rU> 



death. 



In the afternoon, visited the residence of Donald (Jrant. w a I'd en of New (; la scow 

 the cow had been ill live days. F.xaminat ion : Pulse and temperature normal, respi- 

 ration quiet, diarrho-a present, stools Idack. and the secretion of milk diminished. 



Monday, '2?*. Again examined 1 >esmond's cow : hut lit t !e change had taken place: 

 the temperature was elevated two-fifths of a decree. A telegram from Dr. McEach- 

 ran stat ing t hat he would arrive on the noon train was received, and further exam- 

 ination was postponed. In the afternoon, in company with him. t he chairman of the 

 hoard of agriculture, and several physicians, we proceeded to Mr. Desmond's, where 

 the same cow was examined by Dr. McKachran ; her condition remained about the 

 same. 



lilood was taken from the jugular vein and subjected to microscopic examination 

 with :>;">( diameters. Nothing was found, but afterwards, under (><)(> diameters, objects 

 (bacteria) were discovered. The animal was then killed by a blow on the head and 

 bleeding; the thoracic viscera were healthy with the except ion of a slight pleuritic 

 adhesion, the result of a former pleurisy, the brain was normal, the pleura was 

 quite pale. 



Oil opening the abdomen a large quantity of serum, estimated at more than five 

 gallons, escaped : The same pale appearance of the serous membrane was found as was 

 .seen in the pleura. The organs were removed separately and examined. The spleen 

 was firm and weighed one pound eight ounces. The liver was of average si/.e, and 

 firm. The gall-bladder was enlarged and distended with bile; a portion of the latter 

 was dark. (The butcher stated that he had seen the gall-bladder twice as large, and 

 tilled with something as black as tar and as thick as molasses.) The whole, digestive 

 tract was laid open and examined, but no trace of disease could be found. The kid- 

 neys and bladder were healthy. 



Tuesday, 26. Went to Merrigonish, eight miles from Xew Glascow, where we exam- 

 ined a cow belonging to James Grant. The animal was emaciated ; had been sick 

 several weeks. It had the same general appearance as before described. The tem- 

 perature 104. 2. Pulse not taken, as she had just been driven from the pasture. I 

 would here remark that the pulse in all the cases examined was compressible, not the 

 wiry pulse Of inflammatory diseases of serous membrane. This cow was killed in the 

 same manner as that belonging to Mr. Desmond. The brain and a portion of the, 

 spinal cord were removed and found to be healthy. The thoracic and abdominal 

 viscera were the same as in Desmond's case, except that in Grant's case the spleen 

 was eight ounces heavier, and there was about one-third less scrum in the abdomen. 



HISTORY. 



It is difficult to form an opinion of the manner in which the disease was introduced 

 into Nova Scotia. There are \ arious theories in regard to it. One of the most promi- 

 nent is "that many years ago a vessel arrived from Scotland bringing soil in ballast : 

 that the soil contained the seeds of a plant or weed, which has become thoroughly 

 mixed with the grass for many miles in extent, the eating of the weed causing tin- 

 sickness which almost invariably results in the death of the animal." The plant, as 

 seen by the roadside and in the fields, is from 12 to 20 inches in height, has a yellow 

 blossom, the leaves are tough and emit an offensive odor, and is known as "Stinking 

 Willie." The botanical name of the plant I was unable to learn. 



Contagion. The question of contagion maybe considered as an open one. The fact, as 

 stated to me, that cattle mingle together in pastures during the autumn months and are, 

 exposed dm ing the winter in barns, without an outbreak of the disease from August 

 until late in June, would seem to point to causes other than contagion. 



E. F. THAYER. 



Hon. H. F. FRENCH, 



Assistant Secretary of the Treasury. 



