501 
l£xtrart0* 
Observations on Chronic Pleuro-Pneumonia, which 
FREQUENTLY ATTACKS THE CaTTLE IN THE ArRON DISSE- 
MENT OF AvESNES. 
By M. Lecoq, Assistant-Professor at the Veterinary School of Lyons. 
There are few districts in the arrondissement of Avesnes 
where more cattle are fattened than in that of Soire-le>Chateau. 
The farmers being unable to obtain a^sufhcient number of cattle 
in the district, are obliged to purchase the greater part of them 
from other provinces ; and they procure a great many for grazing 
from Franche Comt6. The cattle of this country are very hand¬ 
some ; their form is compact; they fatten rapidly; and they are 
a kind of cattle from which the grazier would derive most advan¬ 
tage, were it not that certain diseases absorb, by the loss of 
some of the animals, the profits of the rest of the herd. Amongst 
the diseases that most frequently attack the cattle which are 
brought from the north, there is one very prevalent in some years, 
and which is the more^ to be dreaded, as it is generally incurable ; 
and the slaughter of the animal, before that he is perceptibly 
wasted, is the only means by which the farmer can avoid losing 
the whole value of the beast. This disease is chronic pleuro¬ 
pneumonia. I shall first describe the symptoms, and then en¬ 
deavour to discover the causes of this malady, and also notice 
the lesions which are perceptible on the post-mortem examina¬ 
tion of the animals, and discuss the mode of treatment made 
use of to combat it. 
Symptoms .—The symptoms are scarcely recognizable at first, 
and the beast is frequently ill a long time, without its being per¬ 
ceived : he fattens kindly, but when he is slaughtered the owner 
is often astonished to find scarcely half of the lung capable of 
discharging its function. When, however, the ox has not strength 
of constitution thus to resist the ravages of disease, the first 
symptom that is observed is diminution and irregularity of appe¬ 
tite. Soon afterwards a frequent and dry cough is heard, which 
becomes feeble and painful as the disease proceeds. The dorso- 
lumbar portion of the spine becomes tender; the animal flinches 
when that part is pressed upon, and utters a peculiar groan or 
grunt, which the graziers regard as a decisive sign of the pre¬ 
sence of the malady. 
Soon after this the movements of the flanks become irregular 
and accelerated ; the act of respiration is accompanied by a kind 
VOL. VI. 3t 
