THE LATE EPIDEMIC DISEASE IN f'RANCE. 325 
tendinous or bony portions, of a blackish colour, and exhaling 
a rotten offensive smell. The four hoofs of the hind feet were 
affected in the same manner as those of the front feet, although 
in a less degree. This cow, which for several days could not 
rise, remained without shelter in the field, exposed to the ardent 
sun. I advised its master to kill it for salting. 
In the second cow, the fall of the interdigital integument, as 
well as that of the transversal ligament, only happened in the 
two hind feet and one of the front. The fourth remained per- 
fectly sound. She seemed to suffer much less pain than the 
others, and, also, from time to time, she stood up to feed, and 
then, perhaps, she suddenly fell. 
The round internal ligaments of the extensor muscles gave 
way, at their insertion, in six of the diseased hoofs, leaving open 
the articulation of the first phalangian with the second. In all 
of them there was a discharge of synovia. 
Although this cow ate all the grass that was cut for it, she 
visibly lost flesh, and her master despaired of her ; but as she 
was too poor to be put to any useful purpose, they continued to 
feed and look after her. 
At the end of ninety-two days the three internal articulations 
of the hoofs were cicatrised. The three external ones appeared 
also to promise the same result, forming themselves into small 
purulent reservoirs. At this period the articulations yielded no 
more synovia ; but this fluid was replaced by a white matter, 
which made its way across one or several fistulse that seemed 
for a moment to cicatrise. The old reservoir, however, opened 
afresh, or, when it was closed, other fistulse appeared. 
Notwithstanding all these untoward circumstances, the two 
hind feet, at length, cicatrised, and there remained only one 
fistula on the fore foot ; and there it remains to the present 
day. This cow is at pasture : she feeds well ; but her legs 
tremble under her when she is standing, and she walks on her 
heels with difficulty. 
The spina ventosa exists in all the phalanges, according as 
they have been more or less affected. The hoofs extend when 
the animal walks, and they often cross and strike each other. 
The third cow was brought to the stable and put on a good 
litter. The eschars of the four feet, formed by the skin and the 
transversal ligament, were taken away before the proper time of 
their fall. The wounds cicatrised very quickly, without any 
unnatural appearance. This cow ate well ,* nevertheless she 
grew thin. At length she ceased to rise. A yellowish colour was 
perceived in the places where the skin was thinnest and without 
VOL. xvi. x x 
