ON THE EPIZOOTIC DISEASES OE CATTLE, &C. 217 
ACCOUNT OF THE EPIDEMIC IN 1842-3. 
By Mr. Holmes, of Think. 
March 18, 1843. 
Having already furnished you with an account of the epidemic 
that prevailed in this part of the country in the year 184 L, and in 
consequence of so many practitioners having also sent you detailed 
accounts of the same as they came under their notice, but little 
now remains for me to do, except to give you a description of the 
disease which is now sadly devastating the country. 
After 1841 had passed, practitioners as well as farmers hoped 
that the succeeding year, 1S42, would in a measure be exempt 
from this noxious plague, as the spring set in so favourably; nor 
was there any thing apparently to discourage such a hope until 
August came, and field stock, in general, seemed in condition, 
and, to outward appearance, to have thriven well with their sum- 
mer’s graze, especially such as had been previously reduced, but 
had seemingly fully recovered. Soon, however, from the heat of 
the weather and their improved condition, many that had, to all 
appearance, been accounted perfectly healthy and sound, again 
shewed symptoms of the presence of this farmer’s foe, although 
under a different modification ; and here I may observe, that the 
cattle which came again under my notice were for the most part 
Irish ones of 1841; for I scarcely was ever called upon to attend 
an English or a Scotch cow or ox. 
The symptoms which first appeared were a sadly languishing 
look, attended by extreme disinclination to motion ; little or 
no heaving, but a heavy deep moan was heard every time the 
affected animal respired. He would generally separate himself 
from the others, and wander to some unfrequented and retired 
place ; and there, unless disturbed, he would remain quite de- 
jected and solitary, as if he were an outcast. To use a com- 
parison, I could not compare him in that state to any thing 
better than to the Mosaic proscription of leprous persons. 
As the malady increased, or the symptoms became more deve- 
loped, the respiration of the animal was so difficult as almost to 
amount to suffocation. At this stage the poor creature seemed 
so heavily burdened as to be utterly heedless as to where its head 
should be thrusted, apparently unconscious of coming into con- 
tact with any thing, until death at last relieved it of its pro- 
tracted sufferings. 
From the very first attack considerable disgust was shewn to 
every kind of food, as well as to drink. I have known some to 
