PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 



In the chapter on the Diseases of Dairy Stock, p. 271, 

 allusion only was made to pleuro-pneumonia as one of 

 the fatal epizootics that have from time to time decimated 

 the cattle of Europe. At the time the first editions of 

 this work appeared, no instances of this terrible scourge 

 had, to my knowledge, appeared in this country. 



During the year 1859, however, several cases occurred 

 in Massachusetts and New Jersey, which, from their symp- 

 toms both before and after death, can leave little or no 

 doubt of their being genuine pleuro-pneumonia, while at 

 the same time they add weight to the already conclusive 

 testimony that the disease is contagious or infectious in 

 its character. Whatever modification may appear in the 

 symptoms exhibited in the cases in this country, as com- 

 pared with those in England and on the continent, may 

 be readily accounted for on the ground of difference of 

 climate, treatment, <fcc. 



This dangerous and fatal disease derives its name from 

 the parts affected. The pleura is the membrane which 

 covers the lungs and lines the cavity of the chest, and 

 pneumonia the substance of the lung itself. Pleuro- 

 pneumonia is applied to the compound disease in which 

 both these parts are attacked, and which, in its early 

 stages, appears to be of an inflammatory character. The 

 lungs are found, on a post-mortem examination, to have 

 lost their light, porous consistence, and their pinkish color, 

 and to have become very dark, condensed, or consolidated, 

 tilled with lymph to such an extent as to be impervious 

 to air and incapable of expansion and contraction, indi- 

 cating, of course, that they had lost the power of vital- 

 izing the blood, when the animal must die. A large body 



(411) 



