186 
ON PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 
of the Egyptians, none but an infidel will deny, and that at various 
times such judgments were inflicted by his almighty power as a 
punishment for the sins of men, who can doubt? Listen to the 
question put by the Prophet Jeremiah, — “ How long shall the land 
mourn, and the herbs of every field wither for the wickedness of 
them that dwell therein ? The beasts are consumed and the birds, 
because they said, He shall not see our last end.” The same 
Almighty Being “ that made the earth by his power, and esta- 
blished the world by his wisdom,” still reigns. Of Him it is said, 
“ When he uttereth his voice, there is a multitude of waters in 
the heavens, and he causeth the vapours to ascend from the ends 
of the earth ; he maketh lightnings, with rain, and bringeth forth 
the wind out of his treasures.” He works by certain means, and 
by his power certain effects are produced. 
You can often bear testimony to this fact. How often does it 
not happen that your orchards are nipped in the bud and your 
crops struck with blight in one nigh t’£ blast? If, therefore, the 
wind is charged with something so destructive to vegetable life, 
is it not fair to suppose that it is at times equally destructive to 
animal life ? Taking this view of the subject, it is m)^ opinion 
that pleuro-pneumonia is the effect of the inhalation of a poison 
conveyed by atmospheric agency. 
If this be true, you may inquire, what is the first effect pro- 
duced ? To this inquiry I must beg your most serious consider- 
ation ; for, however much some may differ as to the cause, those 
who have observed this disease will agree with me, that the effect 
produced is always the same. For a long time this was entirely 
overlooked, and in fact is often still, until too late. Many a cow 
has been destroyed, supposed to have been only seized with the 
affection a few hours, when the post-mortem appearances have 
shewn that this germ of the disease has been in existence for 
weeks, perhaps for months. The first symptom of infection is a ' 
cough or hoose, at first slight, but, according to climate and cir- 
cumstances, rapidly increasing until the disease has advanced to 
its second stage. Your servant-man comes some morning, and 
says, “ Master, Primrose is not well — she looks starving — she has 
not given so much milk as usual, and she hooses a bit.” You 
hasten to your cow-house for the first time, to discover a case of 
pleuro-pneumonia. Question your man a little closer, and he will 
tell you, “ I have perceived her hoose a bit for some time; they 
all hoose a little, but you know cows will hoose, sir : but she 
never failed in her milk before this morning.” Such is, in fact, 
the first intimation you have received that you have an infected 
flock. Kill the animal if you like, and you will be persuaded by 
the disorganization of one lung, sometimes both, spreading from 
