626 
EPIDEMIC DISEASE IN CATTLE. 
tion on the skin of the swollen parts, as if they had previously 
been rubbed with tartar emetic ointment. 
There is little or often no derangement (at least visible by effects) 
in any of the internal organs. Although the animal appears to be 
in an atonic state, there is no refusal of the food, no cessation of 
rumination or of lactation, even after one would suppose that the 
local irritation itself would affect the system. Horses also have 
been similarly affected, but with no pustules, particularly those 
that have been at grass. 
The treatment was not difficult, and in most cases succeeded 
in a few days. The oedema in the hind extremities was more 
difficult to get rid of than when in the anterior ones. The ad- 
ministration of a cathartic, and local applications of a stimu- 
lating nature, followed by tonics and liberal feeding, were found 
the best remedies. One of these cases had been entrusted to 
another practitioner. It was a cow four years old, about a 
month before calving, lame in the off hind leg or foot, with a 
puffy oedema in the heel. The owner fomented and poulticed, 
which alleviated it for a time, made the swelling less and softer, 
and as it did not, as diseases of the feet often do, interfere with her 
feeding or milking, he thought the affair of little consequence. 
The animal continued lame until she calved, when on the follow- 
ing day, on being sent out to grass, she was perceived to be much 
worse. The owner then for the first time sent for a veterinary 
surgeon to examine and treat the case. 
The person sent for was told by the owner that the animal 
was lame in the foot: but he imagined that-milk fever was at 
hand, and bled her copiously from the foot. He attended the 
cow a week after this, administered some drastic purgatives, and 
reduced her considerably in condition. 
A second veterinary surgeon was now called in, who likewise 
said that the disease was in the foot, and blistered the coronet. 
The irritation, increased by the addition of that from the blister, 
brought on considerable constitutional fever, which alarmed the 
owner, who forthwith sent for Mr. Brining, whose assistant I have 
the honour and advantage to be. 
He, accompanied by Mr. James Kirkham, visited the animal, 
and found her in a very precarious state, evidently suffering from 
some local irritation affecting sympathetically the system. Pulse 
100, and feeble. Respiration much disturbed. Extremities all 
tvarm, &c. The animal fed pretty well, ruminated, and gave a 
fair supply of milk, which she continues to do at the present time, 
three good indications that no internal organ of importance was 
affected. 
On examining the foot which had been at first suspected, and 
