ON THE INFLAMMATORY FEVER OF CATTLE. lf>9 
ition ; that it occurs most frequently in the latter part of the 
iring, and, occasionally in the autumn, when the grass is must 
ixuriant and nutritive ; that it occurs most of all in cattle which 
re undergoing the process of fattening, and which have some- 
hat too suddenly been removed from scanty pasturage and low 
:eding, to profusion of herbage, and that of a nutritious and sti- 
mlating kind. 
Three vears ago I was sent for to the neighbourhood of W are- 
am. A gentleman had, three months before, purchased a dairy 
f Suffolk cows. They came safely home in the early part of the 
iring, and were immediately liberally fed on Swedish turnips; 
id were afterwards turned on exceedingly rich pasturage. Be- 
>re the expiration of the third month, ten or twelve of them had 
ied of inflammatory fever. 
I have known it to be caused by the driving of fat beasts in the 
eginning of the summer, and that not any very great distance, 
r with much hurry. Occasionally it appears later in the year, 
ud particularly in stall-fed cattle; but only when the process of 
ittening has been too much hurried. That which in the horse 
r ould produce pneumonia, pleurisy, or inflammation of the feet, 
om the predisposition of those parts to take on inflammatory 
ction, in cattle produces general inflammatory fever. Any thing 
hich tends to excite increased vascular action may be reckoned 
s a cause. 
The French writers speak of cattle who are kept in low and 
atery meadows, abounding with ranunculuses and rushes, and 
ther plants possessing acrid and irritating properties, as being 
ubject to this disease. I have no knowledge of this. Except in 
:ie earliest part of the spring, before the plants have acquired their 
roper character and smell, instinct will guide the beast to the 
roper selection of his food ; but appetite, not restrained by reason, 
. ill too often tempt him to exceed the proper quantity; and an 
xcess of that w hich is in itself bland and wholesome will pro- 
uce an unnatural and dangerous state of excitement. Cattle 
?d in too luxuriant pastures are notoriously subject to this ma- 
ldy; but it is from the excess of healthy stimulus, and not from 
he ingestion of acrid and poisonous substances. 
Treatment. —The very name of the disease, inflammatory 
ever, will indicate the mode of treatment. The first and most 
mportant step is, copious depletion. Let from eight to twelve or 
iiurteeen pounds of blood be subtracted, and the bleeding repeated 
n three or four hours, if there be not evident amendment. If the 
lisease so rapidly runs its course, it must not be trifled with. A 
•old and persevering use of depletory measures can give the only 
ational hope of success. 
