226 
ON CHOLERA IN DOMESTICATED ANIMALS. 
was a curious fact, that before the thunder, upon Tuesday, the 
black mare and brown horse’s (two which died) pulse rose 
above 100, but after the storm their pulse again fell as low as 
70; all the rest of their pulses (the horses which were unwell) 
were affected in the same manner.” 
In all those cases in which the disease appeared in a catarrhal 
form, the situation of the stable seemed to have great influence 
in producing it; for I observed that, in farm standings especially, 
all those, where the disease prevailed most severely, sto'od in 
situations that exposed them much to the effects of the east ^ 
winds, w hich then prevailed; or, if the standings were not so 
situated, the horses most subject to the disease w^ere those, the 
nature of w'hose work most exposed them to this wdnd. I may 
also add, that, some time prior to the commencement of the dis¬ 
ease at Musselburgh, the sea had for several days been observed 
to be highly phosphorescent, or on fire,” as the natives of the 
place emphatically expressed it; all of which seemed to prove a 
peculiar state of the atmosphere. 
I may, therefore, in some measure, at least, be warranted in 
concluding, that the combination of particular circumstances 
in regard to food, habits, situation, and atmospherical influence, 
has had a large share in the production of this malady ; and I 
can farther assert that, w^hether the disease is propagated by 
contagion, or not, in the human body, in the animals which 
have come under my care, there has not been, not even during 
the period of the affection of the bowels, the smallest reason 
to suppose that it was produced by that cause. 
It is unnecessary, after the detailed account I have given ot 
these cases, that I should offer any lengthened history of the 
treatment of the disease in the lower animals: I shall only 
remark, that it consisted in bleeding, the administration of 
mild aperients combined wdth opium, together wdth a plentiful 
allow’ance of warm water or oatmeal, or starch gruel; clysters 
of soap and warm water w^ere frequently thrown up; fomentations 
of hot water were applied to the belly ; or the belly w'as alternately 
bathed with hot water, and, when dry, stimulated with oil of 
turpentine. 
In conclusion, I will only remark, that what I have stated 
has been derived entirely from observations I have made in my 
own practice; but I have no doubt many others may have no¬ 
ticed similar appearances in theirs, which may further eluci¬ 
date the subject; and I only hope that what I have stated 
tend to throw some light on the nature of a disease, which has 
filled the world with so much terror. 
