AT THE LONDON FARMERS’ CLUB. 
695 
affected, they do not arrive at that state of fatness and maturity 
which they would otherwise attain ; while, on the other hand, 
though there may be great organic disease, so that the lungs on 
one side cannot perform their proper functions, still, the disease 
being rendered inert, the animal will go on getting fat. But unless 
such a condition be produced, it is in vain to attempt to get the 
animal into the right state. In the one case, you have the disease 
in a state of quiescence ; in the other, in a state of organic ope- 
ration. There is one thing which will, T think, tend greatly to the 
prevention of the disease, and that is, the placing animals where 
they will have increased warmth during the cold winter weather, 
driving them, for instance, at night into the yard ; and though, in 
such a position, they will not get so much food as they would else- 
where, yet, from not being exposed to the chilliness of the night 
air, they will thrive better during the day in an open situation, 
on a small quantity of food, than they would if they were exposed, 
and in that situation consumed a larger quantity of food in the 
night. Generally speaking, indeed, animals do not feed in the 
night; you find them then, for the most part, lying down, and not 
occupied in consuming food. We know that the saving of manure 
is a matter of the greatest consequence; but it is a question 
worthy of consideration how far it is conducive to health to have 
the manure in the centre of the homestead, with all the doors open. 
I think that if, instead of having doors opening into the yard, you 
had the paths to the stables and buildings outside, the result would 
be such as to justify the alteration. Animals which are well 
tended are in agreat degree free from the disease, and are much less 
frequently attacked with it than those which are exposed. We 
find invariably that, the more animals are exposed, the more they 
suffer from a visitation of this kind, the disease being the worst 
in low wet situations. 
Age seems to have no influence with regard to this disease, for 
you find it attacking all animals, at all periods. Some very re- 
markable instances of the effects of the disease have come under 
my observation. I will mention one very curious instance of a 
flock of sheep which I knew very well, a portion of which were 
struck in one night when a month gone with lamb. None of the 
sheep attacked cast their lambs, but at the proper period for yeaning 
they brought forth embryos, the dead portions having remained in 
the womb. The disease, like other hereditary maladies, will pass 
over one or even two generations, and shew itself in the third. It 
is in this way that the disease has progressed and is still progress- 
ing; and unless means be speedily taken to effect an alteration, it 
will, I fear, become hereditary. By care and attention, by select- 
ing animals of the best form and the healthiest character, by avoid- 
