VALUE OF VETERINARY SCIENCE. 225 



not sink to the bottom of a pail of water, as a solid lung 

 would, and they would draw more water than a healthy 

 lung. They looked redder and the little tubes were filled 

 with mucus, showing that there was some inflammation 

 there. 



Question. Would not the symptoms be, to an unprac- 

 tised e3e, identical with the symptoms of pleuro-pneumonia ? 



Dr. Peters. Yes, sir, they might be, to the unpractised 

 eye. The symptoms of a cow in the last stages of tubercu- 

 losis might be the same. 



Question. The pneumonia would not be contagious, as 

 I understand it ? 



Dr. Peters. I think that the form of pneumonia which 

 prevailed las^ summer was contagious from the way it acted. 

 If it was not contagious, it was all due to the same cause. 

 It prevailed among a good many cattle over certain sections 

 of country up in southwest New Hampshire, and across the 

 river, up through Rutland, Vermont. I believe the Vermont 

 Commissioners took action up there and killed and paid for 

 some of the animals ; but there was no need of it. 



Question. Can you give us any light upon abortion in 

 cows ? I have been troubled with it this season myself and 

 in some seasons previously. 



Dr. Peters. I have not a great deal of light to shed on 

 it, yet I am in hopes to be able some day to prepare a special 

 paper upon it. 



Question. Is that contagious? 



Dr. Peters. Yes, I think it is. 



Question. What would j^ou do if you had thirty cows 

 and one aborted? 



Dr. Peters. I w^ould isolate her just as quick as I could ; 

 put her in another barn and disinfect the place where she 

 stood. 



Question. How long would you keep her isolated? 



Dr. Peters. Oh, four to six months. 



Question. Is a cow that has aborted likely to do so 

 another year ? 



Dr. Peters. They seem to vary in different herds. In 

 some herds you will find that they only abort once and then 

 recover and you do not have any more trouble with them. 



