198 CATTLE. 



and treatment of many of the maladies to which these animals are 

 subject. These epidemics, although dependent on, and produced by, 

 some atmospheric agency, required a predisposition in the animal to 

 be afflicted by the disease. 



While the blain sometimes assumes an epidemic character, there 

 can be no doubt of its being contagious, and especially under the 

 malignant form. Tiie disease is not communicated by the breath ; 

 but there must be actual contact. The beast must eat from the same 

 manger, or drink from the same trough, or be in such a situation that 

 the saliva, in which the vii-us seems to reside, shall be received on 

 some abraded or mucous surface. The malady is readily communi- 

 cated when animals graze in the same pasture. The farmer should 

 be aware of this, and should adopt every necessary precaution. This 

 is one of the maladies which may be communicated from the brute 

 to the human subject. The danger, however, so far as it can be 

 ascertained, is trifling, and easily avoided ; and a man may attend on 

 a hundred of these animals without injury : he has to take care that 

 the saliva or discharge from the mouth does not touch any sore place, or 

 lodge upon the lips ; and if he should fear that it may have come 

 into contact with any little wound or sore, he has only to apply lunar 

 caustic over the part, and there will be an end of the matter. 



The treatment of blain is very simple ; and, if adopted in an 

 early period of the disease, effectual in a great majority of cases. 

 Blain is, at first, a local malady, and the first and most important 

 means to be adopted will be of a local character. It is inBammation 

 of the membrane of the mouth, along the side of and under the tongue, 

 and characterized by tlie appearance of vesicles or bladders ; perhaps 

 pellucid at first, but becoming red or livid, as the disease advances ; 

 These vesichs must he freely lanced from end to end. There will not 

 be much immediate discharge ; the bladder was distended by a 

 substance imperfectly organized, or of such a glairy or thick nature 

 as not readily to escape. If this operation be perfoimed Avhen the 

 saliva first begins to run from the mouth, and before there is any 

 unpleasant smell or gangrenous appearance, it will usually effect a 

 perfect cure. If the mouth be examined four-and-tvventy hours after- 

 ward, the only vestige of the disease will be an incision, not looking 

 very healthy at first, but that will soon become so and heal. 



If the disease has made considerable progress, and the vesicles 

 begin to have a livid appearance, or perhaps some of them have 

 broken, and the smell is becoming very offensive, the mouth must be 

 carefully examined, and any bladders still remaining whole, or new 

 ones beginning to rise, must be deeply and efiectually lanced, and 

 the ulcers washed half-a-dozen times in the day, or ol\ener, with a 

 diluted solution of the chloride of lime (a drachm of the powder to 

 a pint of water.) By means of a syringe or piece of sponge, this 

 may be brought into contact with every part of the ulcerated surface 



