ON AN APHTHOUS AFFECTION AMONG CATTLE. 115 
tacked only animals bred together, and subjected to the same 
regimen I Lastly, why, as they all fared alike, should they not all 
be affected alike 1 
M. Fabre, of Geneva, only admits of contagion from actual con- 
tact with diseased animals. He confesses that there is no proof 
that it can be effected by aeriform emanations, or the vapours 
that escape from the cutaneous surface. 
Perhaps the aphthous diseases observed by M. Fabre were at- 
tended with certain peculiar characteristics — certain epiphenomena, 
such as were remarked by M. Levigny in France, and M** in the 
epizootic that prevailed in Berlin in 1835. The first of these 
gentlemen has described actual vaccine pustules ; and the second, 
eruptions of pseudo-cow-pox (falsche pocken ). Tn all future epi- 
zootics it will be most important to examine whether, in some 
cases, they may not be complicated with, or have put on the cha- 
racter of pseudo vaccine , or vaccinoide, which will then explain the 
contagious properties. 
In the course of the apthous affection that we observed, we 
did not meet with a single doubtful case. All plainly evinced non- 
contagion. 
We will now proceed to report some of the principal ones: 
Case I. — M. Erkman, butcher, at St. Avoid, had a cow, two 
oxen, and a horse, in one small stable. One ox and the cow were 
very seriously attacked ; the other animals remained perfectly 
healthy. They all fed out of the same manger. 
Case II. — M. Altmayer had milch cows, draught cattle, and 
oxen for fattening, all in one large stable. Some of them were at- 
tacked, but no sign of contagion was manifested, although all the 
animals were in conditions that would pre-dispose them to have 
contracted it if it had existed. 
Case III. — M. Altmayer, who is without dispute one of the 
greatest agriculturists of the Moselle, and who is, moreover, a 
judicious observer and a man that has devoted himself to the im- 
provement of cattle, has twice observed this epizootic among his 
oxen and pigs, and is convinced of its non-contagiousness. He 
never takes any precautions with regard to the healthy animals, 
and most of them have escaped the disease. 
Case IV. — This is a very remarkable one. It did not come 
under our own observation, but was communicated to us by M. 
Altmayer, who is fully entitled to the confidence of our readers. 
A sow, that was just about to litter, was violently attacked with 
aphthous fever. Its sufferings were so great that it could hardly 
move, and, in consequence of this, three of the little pigs were 
smothered. The others remained with the mother throughout the 
proper period, without contracting any disease. 
