ON THE EPIZOOTIC DISEASES OF CATTLE, &c. 135 
after calving in 1841. There was a great tendency to force down 
the uterus, and it was generally from four to eight days before 
the placenta came away. In several cases it was necessary to 
remove it by manual force. It seemed to be, in his opinion and 
that of his friend Mr. Relph, a species of epidemic, and connected 
with or left on the animal by a previous epidemic. In not less than 
fifty patients, on which he was called upon to attend, and all of 
which had the epidemic, the animals were continually straining, 
as if they wanted to get rid of some foreign or irritating substance, 
and continued to void a considerable quantity of putrid matter 
for a long time. Many that were affected in this way never 
gave any milk, and others were obliged to go dry from the 
udder becoming so much affected. The disease was most sue- 
cessfully treated by bleeding and purgatives, with occasional 
sedatives*. 
We will now turn towards Westmoreland ; and, first, we have 
the excellent account of Mr. Sarginson, V.S., of Appleby, on 
the river Eden. He says the epidemic among cattle, in 1840- 
41, in the neighbourhood of Appleby, created much causeless 
fear and anxiety among graziers generally at its commence- 
ment. Many of the druggists, within twenty miles of this place, 
took advantage of the prevailing excitement, and in several of 
the provincial papers reported the disease as being one of the 
most dangerous and fatal maladies that had hitherto appeared ; 
but, at the same time, all of them boasted of their own specific. 
Many persons were thus induced to resort to foolish but innocent 
measures, both as preventives and cures, whilst others employed 
the most dangerous and destructive remedies. Mr. Sarginson 
particularly refers to one case. Twelve three-year-old calving 
heifers died within two hours after the administration of some 
unknown medicament which the owner gave to them. Within 
a short time after they were drenched they all began to be ex- 
ceedingly ill, as if they were affected with colic. Their sufferings 
were so extreme, that they were all turned out into a field, where 
they expired in the abovementioned time. 
A messenger came for him that evening, but he could not go 
until the following morning. When he arrived he examined four or 
five of them, and found the contents of the stomachs and bowels 
in a fluid state. The lining membranes of the stomachs had a 
blanched appearance, were almost dissolved, and scarcely at- 
tached to the subjacent one, with patches of inflammation on 
other parts of the digestive organs. 
He satisfied himself that they were all poisoned by the dele- 
terious drugs that were administered. 
* The Veterinarian, vol. xiv, p.332. 
