ON THE PREVAILING EPIDEMIC AMONG CATTLE. 465 
the last fortnight, upwards of twenty beasts of my own seized with 
the malady, I am induced to state my opinion and experience. 
“ I find the disease to be contagious only among cattle of the same 
species. Its first symptom is a drivelling from the mouth. On 
examination, the tongue and gums appear ulcerated, and the cuticle 
eventually peels off. The lips are somewhat swollen ; the eyes 
sunk; the extremities much heated ; the legs and joints inclined 
to swell; and, in a more advanced stage of the disease, the hoofs 
begin to crack, and lameness ensues. 
“ For some days the disease wears an alarming aspect, but, with 
proper care and treatment, it is rarely fatal. I have not lost one 
of my beasts. 
“ I commence my treatment by abstracting six quarts of blood. 
I then give one pound of Epsom salts and three ounces of flower 
of sulphur in two quarts of thin gruel. If this does not sufficiently 
open the bowels, I repeat the dose in twenty-four hours. I also 
give gruel plentifully, as it seems to be of the greatest consequence 
in this disease to keep the bowels well open, and there is a great 
tendency to costiveness. I also wash the mouth with vinegar and 
alum. When the feet are affected, they should be kept clean, and 
butyr of antimony and vitriol applied to the cracks or sores. 
“ There are reports in circulation, that the milk, butter, and cheese 
from these cows are unwholesome food. Judging from my own 
experience, I should say, that these reports are groundless; for, 
having set apart the milk of these cows, and fed several calves and 
pigs wholly with it, I found them in as healthy and thrifty a state 
as any I ever had. Myself and family also have invariably eaten 
of the butter and milk, and not one of us has experienced the 
slightest distaste, ill-relish, or ill-effect. 
“John Long.” 
“Whaddon.” 
ON THE PREVAILING EPIDEMIC IN CATTLE. 
By Mr, C. Skewing, V.S. Rugby. 
[We also extract the following valuable paper from “ The Farm¬ 
ers’ Magazine.” Mr. Snewing was an old correspondent of our’s. 
We will not deprive our readers of the benefit of his remarks, 
although he has chosen another medium of communicating them 
to the public.—Y.] 
“ Sir,— Perceiving that your valuable journal is one of the 
channels through which a knowledge of the prevailing epidemic 
among cattle, as manifested in different localities, is diffused, I trust 
