226 PLEURO-PNEUMONIA, OR EPIDEMIC AMONG CATTLE. 
condition, and being convinced of the incurable nature of the dis- 
ease, had her sold to a flesher without delay; and eight days after, 
her neighbour in the stall exhibiting symptoms of the same ma- 
lady, gave ample proof that I had got not only a fatal but a most 
contagious disease, and that disease is pleuro-pneunomia. 
On consulting the “ Treatise on Cattle,” by the Society for the 
Diffusion of Useful Knowledge, I found it strongly recommended as 
a good preventive in cases of diseases of a contagious nature, to 
bleed and physic the sound animals, which I immediately did ; 
but, notwithstanding, I have lost ten, seven of which have been 
buried, not having been in condition to kill. Now, Sir, to give all 
the information in my power regarding a remedy for the disease, I 
have to state that, in five out of the ten cases I did every thing 
that was suggested to me from books on the subject, and from 
practical veterinarians ; and am sorry to say that in all of them I 
was unsuccessful, and am of opinion that, after the disease is fairly 
established, it is incurable. I bled, blistered, physicked, setoned, 
and rowelled; and, although fora short time they all had their 
effects, these have hitherto all failed to effect a cure, and the dis- 
ease has, from four to eight days after its apparent commencement, 
ended in death. But, notwithstanding that my feeble endeavours 
have failed, there is no reason for despairing of a remedy : some one 
may be more fortunate than I have been ; and I hope whoever suc- 
ceeds will make it known. If my experience can be turned to any 
account in the way of prevention, I may mention that the very 
first symptom of the disease is looseness — that, while all the beasts 
are on the same keep, one 'will be observed uncommonly loose, 
which will continue for two or three days, and be very black ; then 
he will get bound very rapidly, and his hair will begin to become 
very dry and erect ; the animal will cease licking himself, pre- 
ferring to lie down; and, if in the fields, separate himself from the 
rest of the herd whilst grazing, but eating very little himself. In 
winter time, although supplied with turnips, he prefers feeding off 
a little straw, and will continue to chew the cud after he has 
entirely left off eating: his belly, which has hitherto been nearly 
as full and healthy looking as usual, will now begin to collapse ; 
his head will be somewhat extended, but his eyes, beyond assum- 
ing a more than usual brightness, have nothing very remarkable 
about them. About a week after the looseness has appeared, he 
will be troubled with a low and not very frequent cough, which, 
though almost inaudible, will irritate his chest, causing it to rise as 
if with pain, and, if you observe that cough more than once, in all 
probability your chest will rise in a like manner; you will next 
observe a grunt in his breathing, especially when lying, a catch 
in every expiration, which will soon become constant even while 
