MILK SICKNESS, OR TREMBLES. 411 



every section of country where none of the small rhus can be found, 

 there can be none of the trembles found. 



2. It does universally exist where there is an abundance of the 

 smaller rhus. 



3. It never occurs until vegetation comes forth in the spring. 



4. Where it prevails most, the rhus is in its greatest luxuriance. 



5. After the heavy frosts kill all vegetation, the disease subsides. 



6. It is a well known fact, that cultivation kills the poison oak — 

 entirely destroys it. ^ 



7. It is equally as well established, that animals kept within a 

 well cultivated enclosure are perfectl}' exempt from the disease. 



8. Almost every observant and intelligent individual who has been 

 raised amidst the disease, has come to the conclusion, that the rhus 

 toxicodendron is the cause of milk sickness. 



9. That it is distinguished from the radicans, or common poison 

 vine, by its diflferent number of* leaves — also, by its acridness of 

 cbaractei-. 



10. A certain locality produces the disease, find it where you may, 

 such as flat, heavy timber-land, interspersed with hazle and other 

 underbrush, which is quite productive of the rhus. 



11. Tlie seldom appearance of the disease on hilly, dry ground, is 

 in consequence of such a place not being congenial to the' productio i 

 of that plant, so that what little does exist, is not so apt to produce 

 the disease, in consequence of its unhealthy growth." 



" As to the pathology of this disease I know but little. I have 

 treated quite a number of cases, but have never been favored with a 

 post mortem examination ; consequently, I have had no other means 

 of ascertaining morbid appearances than that of judging from symp- 

 toms : the mere external developments of the internal condition. We 

 are told, however, that in animals which die of this disease, the mani- 

 folds, or mesentery, is in a hard, dry condition, and, in many cases, 

 perfectly black ; and that all the folds which lie enclosed in the 

 bowels, and are in close contact with them, are frequently in such a 

 brittle condition, that they can be readily broken, particularly those 

 that envelope the stomach ; and that traces of inflammatory action 

 can be frequently discovered the whole length of the intestinal canal ; 

 but the greater amount, those that have left the deepest marks, are 

 to be seen in and around the stomach and duodenum. 



" If this should be a true condition of the morbid appearances of 

 the animal, which we are satisfied it is, we may reasonab y expect 

 that the same results are to be seen in the human subject." So far, 

 however, as my opinion goes, I believe that the poison, when taken 

 into the stomach, produces inflammation of that organ, particularly 

 confined to the raucous coat ; that inflammation continuing, thickens 

 the mucous lining to such an extent that it closes, in proportion to 

 its severity, the passage from th? stomach to the bowels I am 

 18* 



