Inoculation for Pleuro- Pneumonia in Cattle. 



245 



inoculation would have been both j^/z/zZ/?/ and satisfactorily set 

 at rest. It appears, however, that such is far from being the 

 case, and the subject seems destined, for a time at least, to hold 

 its place among the questiones vexatcB. Men of equally great 

 repute in the science of medicine are to be found ranked on 

 either side, as its advocates or its opponents. 



Reserving for the present the opinions which have been 

 formed from our own experience in inoculation, we shall proceed 

 to give the conclusions of other investigators. This becomes 

 the more necessary, as in many particulars a want of agreement 

 would seem to exist even in the results themselves of the operation, 

 and hence probably the cause of the differences of opinion to 

 which we have alluded. 



First, in order of time, come two Reports from the Dutch 

 Commission, dated respectively September 21st and December 

 28th, 1852. The details of the experiments are very accurately 

 given, and occupy the greater part of both reports. It is, how- 

 ever, not necessary to quote them here, as they differ not essen- 

 tially from those to be afterwards mentioned. " The result of 

 the trial," says the Committee, " may be thus summed up :" — 



" 1st. Although inoculation in pulmonary disease is not, in every respect, 

 a harmless operation, and may produce considerable ulceration, and even 

 death, the symptoms, as a rule, are confined to the part where it is applied. 



" 2nd. To obviate, as much as possible, unfavourable consequences, it is 

 necessary to use some precaution, as well in regard to the choice of matter as 

 to the time of applying it. The season of the year — the state of the weather 

 — the healthy condition of the animal — may exercise considerable influence. 

 The autumn appears, for several reasons, to be the most fitting time. 



" 3rd. Where more violent action and dangerous symptoms in remoter 

 organs likewise appear, they may also be connected, excepting in exterior cir- 

 cumstances, with the individual condition of the animal, for which reason they 

 cannot always be avoided. 



"4th. When the violent action occurs and extends to the more vital parts, 

 affecting the whole system, its progress can as little be prevented and checked 

 as the disease in general can be cured. 



" 5th. In those 6ases where the progress has been serious and even terminated 

 in death, morbid degeneration has never been observed in the pectoral cavity 

 or in the lungs, but as yet only in the cavity of the belly. 



" 6th. Inoculation, when its effects appear as a local affection, has never 

 exercised any unfavourable influence on the general state of health or on the 

 milk. In those cases only where, on account of previous violent action, fretting 

 ulcerations appear, the animals continue to pine for a while. 



" 7th. On the procreative impulse it does not exercise any decided influence, 

 being proportionally more prevalent with inoculated than with not-inoculated 

 animals. It is, however, remarkable that it has not occurred with No. 25,* 

 although the regular period is already past. 



" 8th. The unproductive effects on Nos. 5 and 12, consequent probably on 

 abortion, cannot, as long as these two cases remain isolated, be ascribed to 



* This and all subsequent numbers named in the extract have reference to 

 animals alluded to in other parts of the Report of the Commission where the details 

 of each case are given. 



