242 Report on an Outbreak of Splenic Apoplexy near Chelmsford. 
severely attacked that it was deemed advisable to have them 
killed. Up to this time the disease had confined itself to the 
feeding-stock, but, on the morning of March 4th, a young cow 
in-calf was found dead from the same causes. On the morning of 
the 6th, I found two cows in-calf ill. One had been bled on the 
previous day, and was progressing favourably, so much so that 
the usual symptoms of the malady — the shivering and twitching 
of the muscles, &c. — were very slight, although the owner stated 
they were well-marked when she was first observed ill. The 
other cow presented all the symptoms of a well-marked case of 
the disease — the accelerated and somewhat laboured breathing ; 
the decided shivering and constant twitching of the superficial 
muscles ; the bright, prominent, staring, and bloodshot appear- 
ance of the eyes : temperature 104° Fahr. This cow had been 
bled on the morning of my visit, in addition to which I recom- 
mended a dose of purgative medicine, but held out no hopes 
of recovery. I was afterwards informed by the owner that she 
died the same night. 
It had been suggested by some one that probably the cause of 
the disease would be found in the water-supply. I inquired into 
this, but came to the conclusion that it was not so. The farm- 
buildings, which I found in very good condition as regards 
paving, drainage, and ventilation, are separated by a wide road- 
way into two blocks, in both of which the disease had appeared, 
but the water-supply of each block was from different sources. 
In the sheds where the cattle were first affected the water used 
was collected as rain-water on the roofs of the buildings, 
stored in a deep concrete tank, and pumped up as required. 
On the other side, the water was taken from a large pond, and 
was a mixture of spring-water with the rainfall on some grass- 
land near the homestead. The water in both cases was tolerably 
clear ; and although it contained a good deal of organic matter, 
and even some moving organisms, I consider it of much better 
quality than what is often supplied to animals. I noticed parti- 
cularly that it could not be contaminated by drainage from the 
cattle-sheds and boxes. 
The whole of the stock were in excellent condition, were 
being fed on cut mangolds with chaff, and were receiving daily 
2 lbs. of good cake, besides 5 lbs. of meal, composed of ground 
maize, lentils, and the broken particles dressed out of Indian 
wheat. By this feeding the animals were brought into that 
plethoric condition so favourable to the development of blood- 
diseases of this class ; and the fall of the atmospheric temperature, 
acting on the surface of the body, proved to some extent an exciting 
cause, or, I may say, rather determined the date of the attack. 
The means of prevention recommended was to change the 
