ON THE MEDICINAL AGENCY OF NITRE. 275 
larged, particularly the large lobe, but sound : the gall-bladder 
was enormously distended ; and, I might add, the lungs were free 
from lesion, excepting one portion, which had become hepatized ; 
but this alteration of structure had nothing to do with the present 
affair. 
Remarks . — Had timely treatment been employed, this cow 
might have been saved ; but beginning, as I told her owner, in 
the eighth hour, seemed to me perfectly useless, when the acid 
drink had done its deadly work — had done all that it was capa- 
ble of doing, as shewn by the train of mortal symptoms. Yet 
I am particularly anxious now to direct the attention of my bre- 
thren to its curious effects upon the body. I admit there was 
nothing more discovered than might be naturally expected in the 
rumen, liver, &c., but its effects upon the air-passages are the most 
extraordinary and striking. It may be thought by some, that, in 
drenching the cow with the vinegar, some passed into the 
trachea, and thereby produced this morbid change ; but such an 
occurrence never took place, as the master and servants were by 
at the time, and no unpleasantness or uneasiness were manifested 
by the beast. How, then, to account for this effect upon the air- 
passages, in my opinion resembling croup, only in a more ex- 
tended degree, and pervading their whole extent, instead of the 
upper part, I leave for more learned personages than myself to 
explain, and to them also I leave it for a term. 
ON THE MEDICINAL AGENCY OF NITRE. 
By Mr. Cijpiss, of Diss. 
To the Editor of “ The Veterinarian.” 
Sir, — I read with much pleasure Mr. Morton’s experiment 
and observations on the medicinal properties of nitre ; and I 
waited for your May number, hoping that you would have made 
some remarks in answer to his questions : as you have not, I 
feel myself called upon to do so; but before proceeding, I will 
just notice his commencing sentence of “ I am glad to see 
Mr. Cupiss among the contributors to your Journal. From him 
the profession has a right to expect much ; nor will it, I feel 
assured, be disappointed. His experiments on poisonous sub- 
stances will doubtless set at rest many conflicting statements, 
and fill up an hiatus which has long existed.” Now this, I am 
sorry to say, is not applicable to me, though it very appropri- 
ately rebounds upon himself ; for in him exists the inclination, 
the ability, and the opportunity, to promote the knowledge of 
