THE LATE EPIDEMIC DISEASES AMONG HOUSES, &C. 277 
any other of my cattle. This precaution, and keeping the cow 
secluded, was the cause of its not spreading among my herd. In 
all cases near me it went through the whole herd. 
The disorder, somewhat abated, is yet said to exist in the dis- 
trict. The milk returned as the cow recovered, and she has 
done well ever since her recovery. 
We will now advert to the epidemic of 1842-3, of which we 
have received some interesting accounts from the north. The 
first is a letter from one of Professor Dick's former pupils, Mr. 
Fulton, of Wigtown. 
He says, “ About a fortnight ago I was called to a dairy of 
fifty cows; one had died a week previously, one was lying dead, 
and another died on the following day. The two last were opened. 
About two gallons of water were found in the off side of the 
chest of each of them. The lung on that side was hepatized, 
firmer than liver, and darker coloured. The pleura was detached 
by the slightest friction. Both pleuree were adherent through 
one-fourth of their extent, and large quantities of coagulable 
lymph floating in the chest or adhering to the ribs. The near 
side was not so much diseased, and contained only half the 
quantity of water. The other viscera were healthy. 
“ These animals had dropped their calves about a week after 
their being for the first time observed to be ill, and six weeks be- 
fore the usual time. In the byre six or eight were coughing oc- 
casionally, but the breathing was very little accelerated. They 
fed, drank, and ruminated, stretched themselves on rising, and had 
every other symptom of health. The pulse was somewhat op- 
pressed and the horn cold in some, with no perceptible difference 
in others. I bled those that coughed, and gave a pound each of 
Epsom salts to the whole, washing the house daily with chloride 
of lime. These animals also got emetic tartar, digitalis, and nitre ; 
and when the appetite became impaired and the pulse feeble, 
gentian, ginger, with sweet spirits of nitre ; if there was any 
tendency to premature calving, opium was given. Setons were in- 
serted in the chest and dewlap, and in some cases the sides were 
blistered. Some I bled four times; others required it only once. 
“ Every day new ones are coughing, and two more died yester- 
day ; the post-mortem appearances being the same as at first. Ten 
of them have recovered, some after premature calving, and others 
without having calved ; but they all have cough. 
“ I have now bled the whole of them, whether coughing or not, 
but still new cases are occurring. The farm is on the Carse of 
Cree, lying low, but the cow-house in every way comfortable. 
