Report on Experiments in reference to Pleuro-Pneumonia. 455 
everywhere found to prevail. Prevention, by a speedy removal 
of tbe animals, did much to arrest the progress of the affection ; 
but when fully established, curative means were of little or no 
avail. With the ending of the fall of acorns the disease entirely 
and suddenly disappeared, and nothing was heard of any allied 
cases until the autumn of 1870. 
The drought of that year proved even more disastrous to the 
grass-crop than that of 1868, and what was not a little singular, 
it was accompanied by an equally prolific crop of acorns. The 
fall of the acorns was again accompanied by the same ill conse- 
(juences ; outbreak of disease rapidly succeeding outbreak, and in 
numerous instances, on the same farms as before. Fresh investi- 
gations were made, which confirmed the conclusions previously 
arrived at ; nevertheless it was determined to have recourse to 
a direct experiment for clearing up some doubtful points in the 
pathology of the affection. For this purpose a young steer and 
a sheep were selected for feeding with acorns. The fruit obtained 
Avas fully ripe — indeed more so than in many instances where 
mischief had resulted from its natural fall from the trees. For 
the first two days a very few acorns were given, so as to induce the 
animals to eat them. This end being accomplished, the steer, on 
November 14th, was supplied with a liberal quantity, Avhen he ate 
about a peck, mixed Avith a small quantity of hay-chaff. During 
the two following days he consumed not more than a peck and a 
half, also mixed with chaff : water was allowed ad libitum. On 
the fourth day, November 18th, the animal's appetite failed, and 
he could scarcely be induced to partake of food of any kind ; beyond 
this, however, there were no indications of ill health. The acorns 
were continued, and by the 20th very many of the special symp- 
toms of acorn-poisoning had developed themselves. The semi- 
conscious condition, weak pulse, pallid membranes, cold surface 
of body, torpid bowels, slow breathing, twitchings of muscles, 
and a disposition to maintain a recumbent position, were well 
marked. The thermometer registered the internal heat as ranging 
between 100 and 101 degrees, showing the entire absence of 
inflammatory action. 
Day by day the symptoms increased in severity, and by 
November 25th the characteristic symptom of acorn-poisoning — 
viz. a copious flow of colourless urine — was fully established. A 
muco-purulent discharge also flowed from the eyes and nostrils, as 
is sometimes seen in cases of cattle-plague. Some of the colour- 
less urine was collected ; its specific gravity was found to be 1'012. 
Its reaction was alkaline. A microscopic examination was made 
of the blood, which showed that the red cells had undergone 
remarkable changes ; some were stellate, others oblong or oval, 
and not a few of a square form. Others presented such a dis- 
