XXXV. 



belief in the efficacy of many absurd modes of treatment and ill-compounded 

 mixtures is nothing more than superstition. Thanks to the efforts of the 

 Royal Society for the Prevention' of Cruelty to Animals, many of the more 

 cruel methods of erroneous treatment are being put a stop to. In Japan, 

 and certain other countries, every patentee of an advertised medicine is 

 required to submit an analysis of its contents to the Government. If the 

 mixture is deleterious, he is not allowed to dispose of it ; whereas, if good, he 

 may proceed with his business. The Japanese have thus to a large extent 

 emancipated themselves from the thraldom of quackery. Scientific 

 education is daily becoming more appreciated, more honoured, more revered 

 throughout the world ; and as it spreads, quackery, superstition, and all 

 unfounded beliefs, must eventually sink into obhvion. 



Perhaps one of the worst of all errors, are those in accordance with 

 which it is dogmatically stated, that certain curable diseases are incurable, 

 and certain preventible maladies non-preventible. 



Many of our readers will doubtless be aware that beasts are subject to a 

 certain disease of the tongue. The true nature of this affection, which is 

 characterised by the growth of tumours of varying size on this organ, has 

 only recently been determined. The affected animals slaver profusely, and 

 lose flesh rapidly. As the tumours grow, the breath becomes fetid, the 

 emaciation becomes still greater, and the animal is unable to take any solid 

 food. This disease, termed actinomycosis, because it is caused by the 

 growth of a fungus called actinomyces in the tongue, is popularly supposed 

 to be incurable. This is a very great mistake. The malady is in almost all 

 cases curable by judicious treatment. In order to explain the symptoms 

 and treatment of this emaciating disease to our readers, we may quote our 

 remarks on this subject, recorded by us in Dr. Fleming's Veteriftary Journal^ 

 and in the Veteriitaria?!. A full exposition will doubtless be of interest to 

 most of our readers, for, although the disease is not a very common one, it 

 is capable of spreading among a whole herd of cattle, in a comparatively 

 short space of time. Moreover, it will serve to illustrate how unfortunate 

 may be the result of the notions of those, who take for granted that curable 

 diseases are not amenable to treatment. The first case to which we wish to 

 call attention is one of a two-and-a-half year old red bullock, the property of 

 a cattle dealer, who had kept and fed him on the Lincolnshire Wolds. It 

 was first noticed that the beast, which had fed badly for some time 

 previously, was slavering profusely. He would eagerly champ and chew his 

 hay and seeds, and would then throw them out of his mouth again. When 

 the animal had been ailing for about three weeks, we were called in. The 

 tongue at the time was so bad, that the aiiimal could eat no solid food. At 

 the same time there was a heifer in a similar condition, and two other 

 bullocks were also slightly affected. All had several hardened, yellow, 

 nodulated masses on their tongues. In the animal to which we were called, 

 the tongue was much enlarged ; and was very tender to the touch, and the 

 sides and back of it were studded with nodules varying in size from a marble 

 to a pigeon's ^gg. One at the back of the mouth in particular was very 



