184 THE CONTAGIOUS TYPHUS 



see by this fatal example that we must 

 be particularly careful not to touch an ox 

 tainted with typhus when we carry about us 



surgeon, Sudbury. On Thursday a cow, which was evi- 

 dently suffering from the disease, was brought out and 

 shot by Mr. Plumbly, who afterwards made a partial 

 post-mortem examination of the carcase. In doing so with 

 a small scalpel his shirt-sleeves became saturated with 

 blood, &c. from the animal. He returned home, and the 

 same day was attacked with sickness and acute pains in 

 the head and chest, accompanied with a soreness in the 

 bones generally. On the following day he appeared some- 

 what better, and was able to attend to his duties, but 

 became worse towards evening, and was confined to his 

 house on the following day. He considered that he was 

 merely suffering from the effects of a severe cold, and did 

 not call in medical assistance till Saturday night He 

 slept well that night, and seemed somewhat better on 

 Sunday morning. About two o'clock in the afternoon 

 he got out of his bed to have it made, when he appeared 

 comparatively strong and in good spirits ; but almost 

 immediately afterwards he was taken in what seemed to 

 be a fit, and expired in a few minutes, before the surgeon, 

 who only lived next door, could come to his assistance. 

 It was thought that death had resulted from apoplexy, 

 and a medical certificate to that effect was given. 

 Rumours, however, soon becoming current that Mr. 

 Plumbly's death was caused by the cattle plague, the 

 borough coroner (R. Ransom, Esq.) directed a post-- 

 mortem examination to be made. But, by this time, so 

 rapid was the spread of the virus through the system that 

 the body appeared perfectly plague-stricken, and by Tues- 

 day morning, when the surgeons arrived to examine it, and 



