47^ History of Animal Plagues. 



to those of intermittent fever; the continued acceleration of the 

 pulse^ and the diminution of milk in cows; towards the fourth or 

 fifth day diarrhoea or dysentery, with symptoms of gangrene 

 or putridity, manifested by the extreme foetor of the matters 

 escaping from the eyes, nostrils, mouth, or anus; or by general 

 or partial emphysema, betraying gangrene of the cellular tissue. 

 The next most constant signs were the black blood, deficient in 

 serum; the paleness of the tongue, and sometimes its flaccidity; 

 drooping ears ; an alteration in the eyes, either in their form, 

 colour, or inflamed condition, and their tearfulness ; the twitch- 

 ings of the muscles, especially when the animals were touched ; 

 the plaintive cries; the difficulty in respiring; the corrugation of 

 the skin and its adherence to the ribs ; the harshness of the hair, 

 and a tenseness in the left lumbar region. The less constant, 

 equivocal, and variable signs were the dryness of the mouth, the 

 changes in its interior, especially about the tongue, where were 

 sometimes observed pustules the size of a pin's head and exulcer- 

 ations; tumours on different parts of the body; tension and 

 hardness of the belly; the fulness and hardness of the pulse, &c. 



Vicq-d'Azyr, seeing the difficulty of diagnosing the disease, 

 proposed inoculation as a means of discovering its existence, 

 which could be ascertained in six or eight days afterwards. But 

 in producing the malady in another animal, says Paulet, the 

 diagnosis is no clearer; we may certainly assure ourselves that it 

 is contagious and communicative, like a hundred others ; but 

 we should not forget that eight days and a healthy animal are 

 lost. M. Doazan thought that the earliest symptom was stag- 

 gering, and as soon as this was noticed he recommended prompt 

 separation. He thought the milk of infected cows altered al- 

 most before anything else was noticed. It was less white than 

 usual, and a little more salt and slightly bitter; when put on the 

 fire it did not froth up like healthy milk, but became decomposed 

 and grumous. M. Guyot, of the Veterinary College, remarked 

 that before the disease declared itself, when he passed his hand 

 into the rectum, it felt very hot, and the arteries beat stronger 

 than usual. There was no eruption on the skins or tumours 

 seen. 



Paulet remarks : ' If we compare all these symptoms with 



