THE MURRAIN AMONG CATTLE. 
113 
pneumonia was still prevailing with great violence, and varied 
with the weather. It existed at present to a great extent in East 
Lothian, as well as in Aberdeenshire, and throughout the north. 
He was informed yesterday, by one of his pupils, who is in prac- 
tice at Maybole, in Ayrshire, that there has only been occasionally 
a solitary case for fifteen miles round during the last twelve months. 
He considered its origin and propagation to be atmospherical, and 
attributable to influences to which man and the lower animals were 
equally exposed ; in illustration of which the Professor referred to 
the existing epidemic in the form of influenza, under which he 
himself was evidently labouring, and in consequence of which the 
public schools have been partially closed. The disease consisted 
of active inflammation of the lungs, and in the pleura which covers 
them and lines the chest. It was attended with great danger, par- 
ticularly when the pleura was principally affected ; and such cases 
generally were fatal, unless the proper remedy was immediately 
applied; because, when that membrane is attacked by inflamma- 
tion, being what is called a serous membrane, it very rapidly pro- 
ceeds to pour out serum and lymph between the lungs and ribs ; 
the chest fills with water, and the animal sinks and dies rapidly. 
Man, and all the domesticated animals, are liable to the disease, 
although they may not be equally affected at the same time. 
Horses, as well as dogs, during the present epizootic, have been 
less affected than cattle. The disease is not, generally speaking, 
so fatal in horses as in cattle, because horses, being under continual 
notice, were better attended to ; the symptoms were at once noticed, 
and they were seldom lost. The same would be the case with 
cattle, if properly looked after ; but too little attention is paid by 
the breeders and rearers of cattle to the health and comfort of their 
stocks and the symptoms of their diseases ; they, at the same time, 
are not so much under the immediate observation of their owners. 
Indeed, the early symptoms very readily escape notice, because 
they are obscure. To illustrate the treatment required, the Pro- 
fessor referred to a case in Lanarkshire, where he had been called 
on for advice ; his instructions to the smith or farrier on the pro- 
perty were, that he should bleed whenever he observed any cough 
or alteration in the milk or feeding ; clean out the bowels by laxa- 
tive medicine — say 1 lb. of Epsom salts, nitre, tartrate of anti- 
mony in large and repeated doses ; repetition of bleeding ; blister- 
ing the sides, and even firing, if necessary. After the inflamma- 
tory action has been subdued, tonics should be administered. By 
following this course the smith has acquired a local celebrity. It 
was stfficiently simple if adopted at an early stage of the disease ; 
but if the disease has made a certain progress, no reasonable hope 
of success can be entertained . — Mark Lane Express . 
VOL. XXI. 
Q 
