100 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



water, and arsenic acid, before the health 

 of these animals is satisfactory, then the 

 cattle breeders make their sordid calcula- 

 tions, and select the heads of cattle intended 

 for sale. 



With animals, as with man, health is but 

 relative, not absolute; the healthiest in ap- 

 pearance often bearing within its frame the fatal 

 principle of no distant death. Fatness not 

 being by any means a sure sign of vital 

 strength, many of these cumbersome beasts, 

 though seemingly in good and sound con- 

 dition, contain in their systems, in various 

 stages of incubation, the tainted leaven of con- 

 tagious affections, such as peripneumonia, or 

 even the typhus itself. 



But, regardless of this liability, their sale 

 and migration are resolved upon at length. 

 Hitherto these harmless creatures have lived 

 in the most perfect stillness and retirement. 

 Their calm, monotonous life has been as re- 

 gular as the course of time ; never by a single 

 pulsation have their hearts exceeded the 

 wonted number per minute ; they are all gifted 

 with a nervous sensibility of which the vulgar 

 have no notion. Some favoured few have 



