77 8 MIDLAND COUNTIES VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
as thrown into thoracic cavity, for the true transmitting element. 
They must also have more definite ideas as to what constitutes an 
infected herd. A lot of animals with the disease in incubation, 
although literally an infected herd, do not constitute an infected 
herd in the sense that they are able to communicate their approaching 
malady to others. The recent experiments in Norfolk are wanting in 
the precision I have pointed out. 
Viewing the disease as a sub-acute inflammation of the lungs and 
pleuree accompanied by systemic inflammatory fever, frequently 
inducing collapse and death from dyspnoea, typhoid symptoms 
and diarrhoea, I should divide my treatment into [two phases — 
firstly, attacking the thoracic affection by counter-irritants, 
sedatives, and diuretics, and the constitutional fever by diaphoretics 
and saline febrifuge laxatives, followed, if not accompanied, by restor- 
atives. Avoid purging, gently relax the bowels, do not push depletives 
or sedatives to any extent, otherwise you will only increase the 
exudation of fluid into the lung tissue, or the pleural sacs. Indeed 
I have often seen a purgative in twenty-four hours completely 
hepatize a lung that would otherwise have remained permeable to 
the atmosphere for days. Still increase of temperature in the 
animal body cannot be so soon lowered by any agents as by saline, 
sedative, and laxative medicines, nevertheless be very careful not to 
reduce the vital energies too much. I have sometimes thought that 
a little simple alterative tonic treatment without either purgatives, 
sedatives, or counter-irritants the best plan we can pursue. 
But, gentlemen, I have no special remedy to recommend to you 
for this specific malady, and you will often find the butcher to the 
farmer the most paying prescription you can write for him. If my 
pathology is correct your principles will teach you what to do and 
what to avoid. The rest of the herd, especially if they are store 
animals, out of which the diseased one has come, should have a 
large share of your attention ; examine them carefully one by one, 
auscultate each side of every animal’s chest, and in all probability 
you will come upon the one that is sowing the seeds of this direful 
malady among its fellows. If in your auscultations you perceive 
any cats’ purr, any cavernous leathery friction sounds, or any of 
those discordant tones whose harshness or metallic tinkling is 
indicative of pre-existing disease, or any point in the chest where 
there is an absence of sound, mark the subject of them as a past 
victim, and a future snare ; separate it and all those who are known 
to be its most intimate associates, isolate the affected animal, and 
divide its associates and companions into small lots, watch them 
carefully, auscultate them, and if you like use setons, alternative 
medicines, or give them Professor Gamgee’s iron powders, &c. 
But above all watch them, auscultate them, and if you find in 
any animal a trace of disease and on further examination find it a 
case of contagious pleuro-pneumonia in ever so mild a form, keep 
it separate, if the patient recovers for at least three months from 
any other bovine animal. 
Gentlemen, in reviewing the few remarks I have made, I cannot 
