84 BOARD OF AGRICULTURE. 



The right lung adhered to the four anterior ribs, i)ut showed 

 no disease. Tiie left lung contained one yellow caseous mass 

 as large as the fist, and a large number of smaller ones which 

 occupied the greater part of the posterior lobe. 



The oxen that were supposed to have given the disease to 

 Olmstead's herd were never ill, but the post mortem examina- 

 tion shows they were very much diseased. These, with quite a 

 number more killed in Mr. Chenery's herd, show that animals 

 may have quite extensive local disease, without any general 

 symptoms of ill-health, as many persons have the measles and 

 smallpox without losing their appetites, or being otherwise indis- 

 posed. But the local trouble in pleuro-pneumonia is internal, 

 and would be perhaps overlooked. Hence any action based 

 upon the apparent good health of an animal in a sick herd, 

 might become very dangerous to the interests of the Common- 

 wealth. And we will add here that very important facts have 

 been ascertained, by killing from time to time, animals belong- 

 ing to the Chenery herd. The cattle attacked usually die in 

 two or three weeks, or begin to improve where recovery is to 

 take place. 



THE TREATMENT. 



Of course, if the disease is contagious, as we think it is, no 

 one will expect to cut it short. "We do not talk of curing a 

 case of smallpox or measles. But most physicians think they 

 can do much to make their patients comfortable, to prevent 

 various complications, and thus contribute to the safety of 

 many. So in this disease, every thing that can be done to 

 soothe the feelings of the animals, to sustain their strength, to 

 remove costiveness, or to prevent diarrhoea, will do much to 

 lessen the average fatality. But if the function of both lungs 

 is destroyed by induration, there is of course no chance for 

 recovery. 



When one side of the chest is sound and the other so filled 

 with serum that the function of one lung is suspended, and that 

 of the other essentially interfered with, the animal could, in all 

 probability, be saved, if the fluid could be withdrawn by a 

 judicious practitioner. We here beg to protest against indis- 

 criminate medication. It is much saftcr to trust to nature 

 than to uncertain remedies. 



