244 CONTAGIOUS LUNG FEVER OF CATTLE. 



are worse than useless. As a rule, the malady baffles the skill of the 

 most learned veterinary practitioners, frequently attaining its greatest 

 mortality where most they have, combated it. 



Nevertheless, as there may be circumstances under which partial re- 

 lief might be aflbrded by timely remedial agents, it is deemed expedi- 

 ent to give in this place the treatment which, in general, has been found 

 most efiicacious. 



The coui'se most obviously to be pursued, when the slightest sj^Tuptom 

 of the disease is observed, or where the slightest cause for suspicion ex- 

 ists, is to apply the thermometer, to separate at once every suspected 

 animal from the rest, to use disinfectants, to adopt a low diet, and to 

 watch carefully for further developments. The weight of testimony is 

 against bleeding. If constipation is detected it should be removed 

 by a moderate dose of salts. Slight diarrhoea need not be checked; 

 but when violent use a mixture of gallic acid (or its equivalent) and 

 gruel, one-half ounce of the former to one-half pint of the latter; or else, 

 one-half ounce powdered alum to one quart of milk. Sometimes there 

 is considerable swelling or bloating of the stomach, which may be re- 

 moved by carbonate of ammonia — one ounce in a moderate quantity of 

 gruel, repeated if necessary. To lower the temperature and ease the 

 breathing give acid sulphite of soda, one ounce, twice a day. In an ad- 

 vanced stage of the disease administer one or two ounces of whiskey or 

 of oil of turpentine every three or four hours. If no relief is observed 

 emi)loy copious warm- water injections, and give two or three times a 

 day an ounce of carbonate of aiomonia in a quart of linseed-tea. Al- 

 though out of place in the acute stage of the disease, blisters, setons, 

 rowels, and cauterization may be applied in some cases to advantage 

 after the fever has abated. Several prepamtions of carbolic acid have 

 been tried with more or less success. Perhaps the best is — 



Pure carbolic acid, 1 drachm; 

 Water, 1 pint; 



given at a dose, three times a day. 



Convalescence begun, restoration to health will be hastened by giving 

 a teaspoonful of sulphate of kon in the food at each meal. The herd 

 itself from which the sick have been removed should be placed, as a 

 l)0ssib]y preventive measure, on daily doses of the same preparation, 

 (sulphate of iron,) aUoving about half a drachm to a drachm j;er capita^ 

 mixed with an equal amount of coriander seeds, given in meal or bran, 

 the better to disguise the iron. 



A i)ost-mortem examination of the chest generally reveals layers of 

 yellowish, friable, false membrane (covering-skin) stretching across and 

 around the sack containing the heart. With them is found a yellowish, 

 clotted fluid, highly charged with albumen and shreds of sohd deposit. 

 Diseased portions of one or both lungs are found adhering to the mem- 

 brane of the ribs and diaphragm, from which there is more or less difti- 

 culty in detaching them. The membrane covering the lung, usually 

 smooth and glistening, is rough and mottled with a number oi' more or 

 less marked pimples or warts. 



The fluid around one or both lungs varies from a few ounces to sev- 

 eral gallons. At times it is tolerably clear Avhen warm, and gelatinizes 

 on cooling; at others it is dillicidt to separate it from the shreds of 

 lymph and false membranes in which it is held. Pas-cells often abound 

 in it, and it assumes in some cases the character of pus, from which an 

 intolerable stench sometimes proceeds. 



On removing the lungs tlie essential aj)pearances of the disease in aU 



