50 DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE. 



biued with wnnu water injections, than by any other phm. When the 

 exndation in tlie hmj;' tissne is not checked, and in all cases where it has 

 advanced too far to admit of beinj;- checked by capillary astringents, it 

 is, as a rnle, desirable to leave aniinals entirely to nature. 



The observation of many hundred cases for the past fifteen years has 

 convinced me that, left entirely to themselves, when the malady has 

 fairly developed, a considerable proportion of the cattle affected in one 

 lung recover, whereas nearly all those affected on both sides die. The 

 many methods of treatment recommended have not seemed to increase 

 the usual average number of cases of one-sided pluero-pueumonia which 

 generally recover. 



It is extremely diliicult to ascertain the conditions under which a 

 small or a great mortality may be anticipated. This may be gleaned 

 from the observations of the French commission. They found some 

 animals which apparently resisted the disease. These Avere doubtless 

 latent cases, as they afterwards resisted contagion. If this be admitted, 

 the mortality amounted to thirty per cent, of the animals affected, and 

 this mortality is infinitely less than that observed frequently under cir- 

 cumstances which would appear most favorable to the health of cattle 

 and their resistance to disease. 



It.has been seen that as far back as 1769 fumigations were recom- 

 mended for the treatment of pleuro-pneumouia. Of late years carbolic 

 acid has been strongly recommended for this purpose, and may prove 

 beneficial. Its internal administration failed many years ago, when , under 

 the name of creosote — for much of our foreign creosote is carbolic acid — it 

 was used esiiuecially by a distinguished English veterinarian, Mr. Charles 

 Hunting, of Feme Houses, near Durham. The employment of anti- 

 septics comes properly under the head of preventive measures, which 

 are considered in a subsequent section of this report. 



Notwithstanding the many authorities in favor of blisters, setons, 

 rowels, and even the hot iron, I must assert, from carefid observation, 

 that in the acute stages of the disease they invariably aggravate the 

 malady and sometimes kill. There are instances which indicate the 

 contrary, for w^hen examining cases in Pennsylvania I was told by a 

 farmer that his cattle were dying, and he called in a professional man 

 who blistered severely and cured several. They would probably have 

 recovered if left to nature, though it is possible that in some cases 

 counter-iiTitants may be useful. The diificulty is to choose those cases ; 

 and, as a rule, I am satisfied that any but the mildest stimulants applied 

 to the skin irritate and do harm. 



It is higlily imi)ortant that any medicines given to cattle with this 

 disease should be given carefully, to avoid choking. Farmers are often 

 very rough in giving drenches to cattle. They should go up to the off 

 shoulder of the animal, pass the left hand in the angle of the mouth 

 on th(; left side, draw the head around gently, without unduly elevating 

 it, and pour the diaught out of a small horn in moderate quantities. 



