EDITORIAL OBSERVATIONS. 
656 
of the validity of this doctrine. Mr. Gloag conceives that he has 
had, occurring under his own immediate observation, facts which 
could lead to no other conclusion than contagion ; while we, 
reasoning from what has happened to us in our practice — and 
our medical charge, be it observed, is very similar to that of his ; 
nay, even we believe our stables are somewhat alike — cannot 
help thinking that the point of contagion is by no means yet 
satisfactorily established. Among some others we could men- 
tion, we will adduce one strong case to the contrary, and it is 
this — that a horse about eighteen years old standing in a stall 
between one twenty-three years of age and another six, escaped 
the disease, while both the latter took it ; though they were not 
removed for some days out of their respective stalls after they had 
become affected with the disease. Still, analogy, and certainly 
public, if not professional opinion, are, we believe, against us. 
Epizootics are, most of them, or are thought to be, contagious. 
The pleuro-pneumonia among cattle is said to be. The sheep- 
pox is eminently so. Nor do we mean positively to deny that 
it is so in the case before us : all we say is, that, to our mind, 
the facts hitherto brought in support of contagion have as yet 
failed to convince us of its truth. 
Spring and fall, the seasons of change from cold weather to 
hot and from hot to cold, the seasons of the greatest vicissitudes 
in the weather, the seasons of the prevalence of north-east winds 
and hot suns, the seasons, in fine, of moulting with animals, are 
the seasons of eruptions of influenza. Still, influential as any 
or all of these asserted causes may be in the production of the 
disease, do we discover in any one of them or all put together 
the actual producer or excitant of the disease? For our own 
part, we most unhesitatingly declare, we do not. We believe, 
with Mr. Gloag and others, that atmospheric causes are in 
operation; but of what nature, or to what extent, or in what 
manner they effect their agency, we profess to know nothing. 
Next, in regard to the nature or pathology of the disease. 
This, whatever it may be in essence, appears in kind and cha- 
racter to be specific — one sui generis. Mr. Gloag calls the 
blood poisoned. We should be glad to have this tested by 
transfusion. The disease shews itself to be of the adynamic 
class, hence it has has got the name of low fever , and with 
some is considered, in certain stages, to partake of the nature of 
typhoid. There is evidently a deranged, there may be an in- 
fected, state of system, under which is generated fever, which 
has more or less disposition to fasten upon — if I may be allowed 
the expression — certains organs or systems of parts in the con- 
stitution. The serous and mucous structures are the first to 
