134 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



the vaginal mucous membrane, which confirmed 

 his diagnosis. The owner of this cow, never- 

 theless, still discredited the diseased state of the 

 heast ; so to convince him, she was driven off at 

 once to the slaughter-house to be struck down ; 

 but, unfortunately, three or four others filled 

 the required area, so that the poor cow was 

 forced to witness the execution of her fellow- 

 creatures before being killed herself. The look 

 and posture of this cow, her excited yet terri- 

 fied glance as she surveyed this scene of car- 

 nage, was one of those pictures which no 

 pencil could draw ; and although we acknow- 

 ledge that man possesses an incontestable right 

 to apply to his own use the dead or live matter 

 of animals for his food and sustenance, we 

 could not help feeling for the poor victim, 

 slipping over the blood, and thus scenting 

 death before receiving the stroke. 



We are not excessively sensitive ; we have 

 seen a hundred horses bleeding from the inci- 

 sions made by veterinary pupils, and scores of 

 oxen slaughtered ; we ourselves have practised 

 numerous experiments on animals ; but the 

 affecting sight of that animal witnessing the 

 slaughter of others, and waiting her turn to 



