340 PROGRESS OP VETERINARY SCIENCE AND ART. 
and three had to be killed ; other five animals, strictly treated 
as Dupont suggested, had also to be destroyed ; facts that are 
not highly in favour of the method of treatment. 
MafFei, of Ferrara, and Lafosse, of Toulouse, speak strongly 
in favour of blistering, setons, and rowels ; and, as it is well 
known, since it was first suggested to inoculate for pleuro- 
neumonia, the beneficial (questionable) effects of the process 
have been attributed to the local suppurations induced ; 
operating as suppuration would do when brought about by the 
simple introduction of a foreign agent beneath the skin — an 
opinion which experience, both recent and remote, enables me 
to confirm. On this topic, Mr. Simonds’ report tothe Royal Agri- 
cultural Society of England is full of interest and sound senes. 
I have, lastly, to allude to that portion of the essay of Mr. 
Schmelz which more especially refers to treatment. It is 
this paper which has engaged our attention nearly at the 
commencement of this article, and with its further con- 
sideration at present I shall conclude. 
Mr. Schmeiz says that the object to be held in view, in 
the treatment of pleuro-pneumonia is to overcome the paralytic 
condition of the nervous system, and to regulate the functions 
of assimilation and secretion. This object is attained by 
the administration of astringent and stimulating medicines, 
as well as by tonics under special circumstances. Professor 
Gerlach,of Berlin, uses tannin or sulphate of copper with alum. 
These means are spoken of very favorably by Schmelz ; and 
respecting the use of iron, he says that, in the autumn of 1849, 
it rendered him very essential service, and he chooses it as a re- 
storative medicament ; and to effect resolution by absorption 
of the diseased product, he orders half an ounce of sulphate 
of iron, with a scruple of powdered digitalis, to be given twice 
in the day. The digitalis after a few days induces loss of ap- 
petite and disturbance of the nutritive functions, and then with 
the iron he administers aromatics. Schmelz ends by saying 
that the character of the disease is not always the same, and the 
methods of treatment must vary accordingly. For pleuro- 
pneumonia, much less even than for other diseases, there is 
no specific. 
The practical lesson that, I think, is taught us by the nature of 
the conflicting statements that I this day commit to the pages 
of the Veterinarian is that theories often obfuscate our powers 
of vision and perception ; though I admit that at times they 
lead to bright results, to brilliant discoveries. That matter 
of fact, and attentive study of all that is matter of fact, can 
alone tend to enlighten us. The disease we have been speak- 
ing of is one associated with extensive exudations, unmis- 
