THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 45 



not always heal so readily as it would in some other parts of the 

 body. The fact is, the tail is a very useful, yet active member 

 of the body, and it is this very activity that I complain of, for it 

 is unfavorable to the healing of the parts. Every one knows, 

 also, that in crowded hospitals, in filthy, unventilated dungeons 

 and stables, even simple wounds often acquire a malignancy^ 

 which very much retards the healing process. Then again, 

 very few persons (in this country) understand the modus oper- 

 andi of inoculation ; as it is now practised in New York, viz., 

 by making an incision, there is little hopes of any benefit to the 

 animal, profit to the owner, nor, under the circumstances, will 

 the operation ever become popular. 



To those persons who wish to try the experiment of inocu- 

 lation, I offer the following suggestions : — 



1st. The animal to be experimented upon should be placed 

 in a clean comfortable location, separated from the infected 

 animals. 



2d. The virus should be collected from the nasal cavities 

 of a living, yet affected animal, at a period when the disease 

 has about attained its height, as the saying is. The exudation 

 may be obtained after an act of coughing, or it may be gath 

 ered or scraped from the nasal membrane, by means of a 

 teaspoon; but, probably, the matter expelled in the act ot 

 coughing, will answer the purpose best. This, as soon as col- 

 lected, should be placed in a ground stopped bottle, ready 

 for use. 



3d. The virus may be inserted at the inside of the fore 

 arm, three or four inches below the point of the elbow ; then 

 make a slight puncture with a common lancet, then dip the 

 same into the virus (contained in the bottle), and thoroughly 

 smear the orifice and insinuate some under the epidermis ; the 

 very smallest particle, properly introduced, will sufiice ; a sin- 

 gle germ or cell is all we require to " leaven the whole loaf." 



PNEUMATOSIS OR WINDY DISTENSIONS. 



The states of various tissues and organs of the body, known 

 as windy distention, — emphysema, — are of such common oc- 



