History of Animal Plagues. 501 



necessary new openings were made. The quantity of their food 

 was much diminished; they got green herbage to eat, and their 

 drink was thin gruel, sometimes nitrated. The person who 

 looked after them brushed and wisped them often. A seton of 

 hellebore or medicated tape was inserted in the dewlap. Some- 

 times an appliance was fastened in the mouth, to which a piece 

 of linen tied in a knot was fixed. This contained some stimu- 

 lating substance, such as assafoetida, in a dose of one or t\vc5 

 ounces. These simple and ready precautions sufficed to maintain 

 a great number of dairies in a good state, and kept away the con- 

 tatjion. 



'Besides these, the different precautions demanded by the 

 law were carefully enforced. The syndics of the several parishes 

 remitted to the sub-delegate a very exact account, containins; the 

 names and residences of the various parties whose cattle were 

 attacked by the epizootv, with the view of enforcing disinfectant 

 measures, and preventing fraud and deception with regard to 

 these. 



'The dung and straw were removed from these stables or 

 cow-sheds. The first was buried beneath a layer of earth as 

 deeply as possible. If the straw was only in small quantities it 

 was entirely burnt, but if there was a great deal of it, only that 

 lying uppermost was burnt. 



' The buildings were thoroughly cleansed ; every corner was 

 washed out — the walls, mangers, racks, and all woodwork were 

 scraped, and the ground was dug up to a certain depth. Every- 

 thing was freely washed, and plentiful use was made of boiling 

 water in which lime or vinegar was mixed. For the same pur- 

 pose a strong lye, made from the cinders of new wood, was em- 

 ployed ; and this was sprinkled in all the angles, holes, and most 

 out of the way corners. Brasiers full of red-hot charcoal were 

 put in these habitations, and at intervals sulphur and nitre were 

 burnt in them. The doors and windov.s were then left open, 

 and some days afterwards all the walls throughout were white- 

 washed with lime. No persons except those engaged in the dis- 

 infection were allowed to enter the stables. 



'Among the necessary measures employed, some were of a 

 purely medical character, the others belonged to the legislative 



