ON THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AMONG CATTLE. 
439 
About the beginning of this year, a disease appeared in our 
neighbourhood, proving almost invariably fatal, the symptoms 
of which I will endeavour to describe. 
The animal, for the first two days, appears dull, with slight 
cough ; the appetite slightly diminished, and rumination care- 
lessly performed ; the breathing accelerated, and the pulse of an 
oppressed character, and increased to 80. 
On the third or fourth day the breathing becomes more la- 
borious, and each expiration is accompanied with a suppressed 
groan. The pulse has risen to 90, and is of the same character ; 
the appetite and rumination begin to disappear, although in some 
beasts both continue until within a short time before death. The 
animal betrays great pain when struck upon the sides, or when 
pinched on the lower part of the throat. There does not, in the 
majority of cases, appear to be any constipation, nor are the 
bowels unduly relaxed. The secretion of urine is mostly limited, 
and is often highly coloured. 
By the seventh or eighth day the symptoms are increased in 
intensity — the expired breath appears like a volley of steam 
issuing through some confined aperture — there is a large quan- 
tity of froth about the lips, which, falling on the floor, becomes, 
as it were, condensed, and saturates the litter, rendering it need- 
ful to change it often — the pulse still increases in frequency, but 
sadly loses force, and, in some instances, is almost imperceptible. 
The extremities now become cold — the animal stands with her 
mouth open — the breath, and other excretions, emit a cadaverous 
odour, and she dies about the ninth day. Some cases are more 
acute, and terminate in less than a week. 
The appearances after death are these : — The lungs, more 
especially the right lobe, are enormously enlarged, and hepa- 
tized through their entire substance ; indeed, the solidity is so 
great, that much force is requisite to cut through them. When 
an incision is made, the external part has the appearance of 
marble, feeling quite smooth, and, as I said, solid under the 
hand. When strongly compressed in the hand, the substance 
loses its consistence and separates into granules, similar to the 
boiled liver of any animal, a reddish viscous fluid exuding there- 
from. 
The pleural membrane does not exhibit much trace of inflam- 
mation, although the thoracic cavity generally contains as much 
fluid as the enlarged lung will permit. 
In some cases the lungs are so enlarged as to fill and adapt 
themselves to the cavity of the chest, and will weigh seventy or 
seventy-five pounds. 
The bronchial tubes are filled with the same viscous Hu id. 
