340 History of Animal Plagues. 



'It is found that various vegetable substances containina: the astringent 

 gums, and bitter juices, which possess the property of tanning leather, 

 have the quality of bracing the fibres in the living animal, assisting to 

 the due tone of the nerves, and thence checking the putrescence u'hich 

 would otherwise prevail in consequence of a certain degree of weakness. 



'The Peruvian bark is the principal simple of this kind which has 

 been hitherto used, and experience has not yet evinced any other to be 

 in all respects an equal substitute for it. The efficacy of this drug in 

 intermitting fevers has been long known, and, more lately, its utility in 

 some contagious disorders, and all others where the weakness and re- 

 laxation of the fibres aggravate the effects, is equally ascertained. Nor 

 are there wanting sufficient trials, as was above intimated, to show that, 

 what might be well presumed from analogy, holds good in observation 

 on facts, as to its availing in like manner in the murrain, though it has 

 never, as far as appears from any reports made to the public, been used 

 with those advantages as to the collateral circumstances which would 

 most have contributed to render it effectual. 



'There is, nevertheless, a great obstacle to the giving the Peruvian 

 bark alone to the cattle in such quantities as might be requisite in the 

 murrain. This is the high price of it, which would render the admin- 

 istering it, for the time and in the quantities necessary, a considerable 

 expense j and it is absolutely requisite to the using any remedies in this 

 disease with benefit to the proprietors of the cattle, that their cost on 

 the whole should be moderate. It has, therefore, with great reason, 

 been thought expedient to spare a part of the bark, and substitute for 

 such part some other cheaper simple more allied to it in its properties. 

 The white willow bark has been selected by some for this purpose, and 

 has, indeed, the tanning property in a considerable degree ; but there are 

 other simples which have that in a still greater, and also possess at the 

 same time additional qualities which materially conduce to the invigor- 

 ating effects. The tormentil root is peculiarly adapted to this intention, 

 as it has not only the due astringency, but the warming and cordial 

 properties of bitters and aromatics, whence it may check the profuse 

 diarrhoea, which, when it comes in the early period of the disease, so 

 frequently carries off the beasts by exhausting their strength before 

 nature can perfect a mature crisis. This simple may, moreover, be 

 easily obtained even at the slightest expense, being one of the most 

 common and general of the herbs which grow wild in these parts of 

 Europe. It may therefore be well substituted for at least one-half of 

 the bark where no early purging comes on, and for three-parts in four 

 where it does, as the quantity of it may then be increased with advan- 

 tage. It may be proper, likewise, to add a proportion of some warm 



