50 Rc-port of a Series of Outbreaks of Splenic Apoplexy 
tured on Holkham Marshes during the day, and again folded at 
night, when the hay diet was continued. Of this hay Mr. 
Doggett says : " The hay that the buUocks have been eating 
was grown on the four marshes surrounding the Decoy in 1878. 
All the grass was mown about the same time, and with the 
view of improving the hay, some of the first cut was mixed in 
stacking with some of the last, as is our usual practice. All my 
stock of every description have been eating it during the past 
two winters without occasioning any sickness whatever." So 
far, therefore, as refers to this part of the food, any suspicion that 
might have attached to it may be safely set aside. On the 1st of 
June one of the fifteen beasts was noticed to be lame, and was 
consequently removed from the pasture and housed. It is worthy 
of note that notwithstanding the animal in question had fed on 
the marshes for fourteen days previously, he entirely escaped the 
sickness, while all the others excepting one are said to have been 
infected. On the morning of the 10th of June (nine days later) 
one of the remaining fourteen animals was found to be ill, and 
ultimately succumbed to the disease. Four days afterwards a 
second bullock died, and some others showed signs of the dis- 
order. Ultimately all excepting one were more or less affected, 
and out of the fifteen only four survived. Between the 11th and 
14th of June, while still suffering from the disorder, some of the 
bullocks were turned into a meadow adjoining the homestead, 
where several horses were at grass. On the 18th a bay cart- 
mare was stricken with the affection, and died within four hours. 
It may be mentioned as a remarkable coincidence that the dam of 
this mare died from the same disease in 1874, while the mare in 
question, then a foal, was suckling her. As in 1874 and 1877, 
so in 1880, the primary source of infection cannot be urged 
alone as the centre from which the more general outbreak 
sprung. It will be seen from what has already been stated that 
the ground had been overrun with the first fever-stricken beasts, 
and the herbage was consequently fouled with contaminated 
excrement, thus opening up a fresh and perhaps more generally 
diffused and virulent source of infection. In what relation these 
latter facts stand to others now to be stated it is difficult to 
determine, but it is worthy of remark that whereas an interval of 
several weeks elapsed in each outbreak between the stocking of 
the marshes and the commencement of the disease, a few hours, 
or at most days, only were needed to infect and kill both beasts 
and sheep subsequently placed on the pasture. As bearing upon 
the origin of these outbreaks, it may be important to notice that 
the variation in the time of their advent from year to year 
ranged from one to three weeks. Thus in 1874 the disease 
commenced on the 12th of July; in 1877 on the 19th of June ; 
