Inoculation for Plcuro-P nciimonia in Cattle. 251 



assistance of Mr. E. Denison, M.P., and through the liberality 

 of Mr. Paget, of Ruddington Grange, near Nottingham, that 

 the Society was enabled to make arrangements for testing the 

 efficacy of inoculation." 



On our first visit to Ruddington, Mr. Paget kindly placed 

 at our disposal any number of animals we might select for the 

 experiment of inoculation ; and this notwithstanding he was in 

 full possession of our opinion as to the serious ill consequences 

 which might attend the operation, as well as,, our doubts of its 

 ultimately proving of any value as a prophylactic. From the 

 history given, it appears that Pleuro-pneumonia, which had 

 prevailed more or less in the neighbourhood of Nottingham 

 since 1843, first showed itself in Mr. Paget's herd in August, 

 1849. The attack was very virulent, and between this time and 

 Christmas of the following year it carried off no less than seventy 

 animals. In 1851 thirty fell a sacrifice to the disease, and from 

 January, 1852, to the end of November, when the experiments 

 were commenced, thirty-two more animals were destroyed by it. 

 We have thus a total loss of 132 animals from August, 1849, 

 to November, 1852, inclusive ; a period of little more than 

 3i years. From the changing state of the herd, the ratio of 

 deaths to the number kept cannot now be ascertained, but it 

 will be seen that the losses may be described as being ruinous 

 in amount. 



Mr. Paget milks upon the average sixty cows for the supply of 

 the town of Nottingham ; besides which, he buys in from time to 

 time a number of animals to fatten, and also to supply the place 

 of those which have been sacrificed to this and other diseases, 

 so that he has from 90 to 100 head of cattle usually on his 

 premises. It is necessary to state that the amount of Toss is 

 partly guarded against by feeding the animals liberally, and by 

 having them killed as soon as they give the slightest indication 

 of being affected with Pleuro-pneumonia, — experience having 

 shown the inutility of medical treatment. 



The rate of progress of the disease has not been uniform, as 

 it appears that several weeks have passed without any cases, and 

 then somewhat unexpectedly a fresh outbreak has taken place. 

 These repeated attacks have not been traced to any satisfactory 

 cause, but the more recent losses would seem to be connected 

 with the sudden appearance of the affection known as Epizootic 

 Eczema among the cows, in August, 1852. This disease pro- 

 duced a great fall in the condition of the animals, thereby 

 rendering them more susceptible to the general causes of Pleuro- 

 pneumonia. For some time prior to this date not more than one 

 milking-cow in a month was affected; but since then, occa- 

 sionally, as many as two in a week have succumbed to the 



