OF THE OX. 185 



any open sore, unless we take the utmost pre- 

 caution in order to guard against all direct 

 contact or absorption. Man, as we have said 



it was taken out of the coffin, the corpse scarcely retained 

 the semblance of a human being, the head and trunk 

 being much swollen and black in colour, the features 

 quite undistinguishable, and all the flesh converted into a 

 putrid jelly-like mass. The tissues were completely dis- 

 integrated, so that it was utterly impossible to make any 

 examination. 



An inquest was held on Tuesday afternoon, at the 

 court room, Town Hall, before the coroner, R. Hansom, 

 Esq., and a jury; Mr. Joseph Barker, chemist, being 

 chosen foreman. The mayor (S. Higgs, Esq.) and other 

 gentlemen were present during the whole of the inquiry, 

 which lasted four hours. 



The jury went and viewed the body, which lay in an 

 outhouse, but were so overcome with the fearful spectacle 

 that they were permitted by the coroner to retire to par- 

 take of stimulants before they could further proceed with 

 the inquiry. 



The first witness called was Mr. William Brown, vete- 

 rinary surgeon, and partner with the deceased, who de- 

 posed to having gone with him to Mr. RuffeU's farm at 

 Long Melford, on Thursday last, to examine several cows 

 down with the cattle plague. One was brought out and 

 shot by the deceased, who proceeded to examine the intes- 

 tines and viscera, which did not present the appearances 

 usually observable in advanced stages of the disease, 

 there being but slight ulceration of the coats of the 

 stomach and bowels. The lungs were not examined, as 

 the deceased had only a small scalpel with him. In 

 making incisions in the body the shirt-sleeves of the 



