THE PRESENT EPIDEMIC AMONG CATTLE. 187 
of these cases, blisters to the chest were applied with good effect. 
In one instance, two calving cows were attacked at the same 
time, and in the same degree, both in good condition. We bled 
the one with most flesh, and not the other, as an experiment. 
The one that was bled had the disease most severely, and was 
the longest time in recovering. In cases of cattle in good con- 
dition, venesection to a small amount, two or three quarts, seems 
neither to hasten nor retard the cure. We have seen many that 
have been bled, and have done well ; but we have not found it ne- 
cessary, as other means have perfectly succeeded without it ; and 
we are decidedly of opinion that large or frequent bleeding is in- 
jurious. The fever attending the disease is of the eruptive kind, 
and nature relieves herself of the poison by these eruptions in the 
mouth, feet, &c. There were several cases accompanied and fol- 
lowed by diarrhoea, which were easily subdued with opiates. 
12. — From three days to ten generally ; but in extensive and 
deep ulcerations of the feet, longer. In some cases the lameness 
continues for weeks. We attended some milch cows last August, 
whose feet were very bad. They were in a low irrigated meadow, 
and we have always found that in such a situation the disease is 
more obstinate and difficult to overcome. The higher and dryer 
the ground the better for the animak These cows had their feet 
ulcerated all round the coronet. We happened to see them to- 
day. We found they were still lame, and they will be so until 
they have thrown off every portion of the old separated hoof. We 
have always dressed the mouth with astringent lotion, and the 
feet with ung. petrol, and sap. mollis, for a few days, and then 
applied a weak solution of cup. sulph. to the feet, increasing the 
strength as required. The same was done to the horns. 
13 and 14. — Nearly all the cattle (all in many or most parishes) 
in the neighbourhood have been affected. We cannot tell the 
number we have attended and prescribed for ; we believe it would 
be considerably underrated at 1500. It is altogether a conjec- 
ture. We think we have not been without some patients above 
one or two weeks since March last. We do not imagine that 
one has died fairly and exclusively from the epidemic, and that 
had been well treated from the first. We have known a few die 
from starvation, caused by gross neglect. 
We attended a cow that fell two days before of the disease. 
Her mouth and feet ulcerated. The feet had been well dressed 
and well dried with muriate of antimony. She calved the next 
day, and, when we saw her, was down, and had all the symp- 
toms of puerperal fever and distemper. We have no doubt that 
the caustic applied to the feet did the mischief. She died. Some 
few have had abscesses formed in the knees, humeral muscles. 
