152 THE EPIDEMIC AMONG CATTLE, SHEEP, AND PIGS. 
stood alongside of the eastern cattle in the fair, shewed symptoms 
of the disease also about the same time, so that, in the course of 
one week after the fair alluded to, the disease had rapidly spread, 
but still was confined to the cattle on the different farms to which 
it first was carried. 
7. Notwithstanding the utmost precaution was taken by the 
farmers to prevent this disease from spreading, by prohibiting all 
persons that had had any communication with infected places from 
visiting their farm-yards, before the latter part of the month 
(December) other places became diseased ; and in every instance 
that I know of it never ceased to spread until nearly the whole of 
the cattle, sheep, and pigs in the place were infected. 
There were three very clear cases, for the truth of which I can 
vouch, in which the disease was carried to the adjoining farms 
by their owners visiting their neighbour’s infected cattle, and 
then going immediately home, and examining their own stock to 
see if they were still free from the calamity. In one instance of 
this kind the distance of three miles existed between the farms. 
8. The foregoing statement proves the disease to be highly con- 
tagious, and at the same time I .consider it to be likewise infec- 
tious. It is one of those contagious diseases which is communi- 
cable both by contact and without it, like small-pox, the matter of 
which, when brought into direct contact with the body, will pro- 
duce small-pox ; or when suspended in the air, or coming in con- 
tact with the body, is capable of being thus produced. 
My reason for supposing it to be infectious, is in consequence of 
the great care that was taken to prevent the disease spreading ; 
yet, in spite of every precaution, whenever it entered a farm-yard, 
whether by positive contact or through the medium of the air, it 
rapidly spread, until every ox, sheep, and pig was infected. 
In no instance did I observe the horse attacked, and yet it was 
not altogether confined to quadrupeds, since I had one plain and 
palpable instance of this disease being communicated to the human 
subject. I heard of two others of a similar kind; but the case I 
allude to is sufficient for our purpose. It was that of a young 
farmer who exhibited every symptom which characterises the dis- 
ease. There were the vesicles on the alee of the nose, at the point, 
and on the sides ; at the point and dorsum of the tongue, and on 
the gum of the upper and lower jaw. There was the constant 
flow of saliva, the inability to eat or drink any thing, either hard 
or very hot, or very cold. 
This patient (for I attended him as well as his cattle) is an inti- 
mate and particular friend, and I had many opportunities of wit- 
nessing the progress of the complaint. He informed me “ that he 
was first taken ill” with what he called a cold shivering fit, 
