THE LATE EPIDEMIC DISEASE IN FRANCE. 
289 
cases becomes perfectly evident. Who is not constrained to ad- 
mit the principle of contagion, when in the first diseased herd 
they see that the cow which infected the others was bought at 
the fair of Balleroy, and that, before its arrival, there was no dis- 
ease of the kind in the country, nor for several leagues around ? In 
four days, the whole herd that came in contact with this cow was 
infected. The bull came in contact with fourteen cows. At the 
expiration of six days they were all diseased, notwithstanding the 
precaution taken by the owner of removing every cow the mo- 
ment she appeared to be unwell. They were conducted to the 
farm, when they were not long in communicating the disease to 
the pigs, and also to two other herds of cows. 
M. Binet, farmer at Saint-Clement, sent several cows to the 
fair of Trevieres. He brought back only one, and put it with his 
herd. It was this cow that brought the disease and communi- 
cated it to her companions ; and it must be remembered, that un- 
til this there had not been the slightest trace of infection, either 
in the commune of Saint-Clement nor in those that surround it. 
I could quote many other facts, which all confirm the opinion 
that this epizootic is contagious. 
It happened very often that several troops of oxen and of heifers 
passed the night together in the same pasture-ground. One troop, 
perhaps, was found infected ; the other was unscathed. 
In 1840, almost two hundred horned cattle, of every kind and 
of every age, were admitted into the marshes of the Cgmbes. 
The disease was apparent in some of them in a little time after 
their being put together. They remained four months together, 
and yet not a quarter of them were attacked by the malady. 
At this very period I have three herds of cattle to fatten. I 
have taken the greatest care always to put together the last that 
were bought, in order to avoid, if I could, the disease from falling 
on those that were in the best condition. A farmer came to warn 
me, that all the cows he had bought at the last fair, where I had 
bought mine, were ill. On the same day I separated one. On 
the next day I visited them : the four that had been bought to- 
gether were taken away, and the others remained later. 
The cow that I had withdrawn was put to feed with eighteen 
others of mine. It continued with them eight days in good con- 
dition, when it was perceived that it was out of spirits, and would 
not eat. It was immediately separated from the others, who con- 
tinued one week in perfect health : at the expiration of that time 
two cows were attacked. Eight hours afterwards a new case pre- 
sented itself. During one month two or three cows fell ill each 
week. This was attributable, without doubt, to chance. It was 
always on Monday or Tuesday that I remarked the first symptoms. 
vol. xvi. q q 
