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On the Diseases of Sheep^ and the similarity in their 

 Nature with the prevalent Complaints of Mankind^ by 

 Dr. Petrikin. 



Read November 12,1811. 



Belmont^ October 7, 1811. 



Dear Sir^ 



My friend Dr. Rush, having been so obliging as 

 to communicate to me a letter (to him) from Dr. Da- 

 vid Petrikin of Danville^ in Northumberland county, 

 Pennsylvania, containing some information apparent- 

 ly important, on a subject which, in this country, is 

 most lamentably neglected — to wit — the diseases of 

 domestic animals ; I extract a part of that letter (dated 

 1st Sept. 1811) for the information of the society. 

 Any thing relative to veterinary subjects is desirable, 

 in our present dearth of information ; but this seems 

 peculiarly worthy of attention ; though I have before 

 observed very strong facts proving the similarity of 

 diseases in horses, cattle^ and other animals, with those 

 afflicting the human species ; originating in like, or the 

 same causes ; and requiring similar treatment. — Whe- 

 ther the symptoms or exact description of the maladies 

 existing at the same time, and in the same place, both 

 in men and the brute creation, are alike, I will not de- 

 termine. — But I have repeatedly observed diseases ap- 

 pearing to me to originate in the same causes, and ex- 

 isting at the same time, in the same place, in our do- 

 mestic animals and the human species. No doubt 

 this has been observed by others more competent to 



