ON GANGRENOUS PERIPNEUMONY IN CATTLE. 853 
which it is observed ; and it spreads from that stable to the 
neighbouring dairies, respecting neither age nor sex. 
Symptoms. —The animal loses its appetite—the secretion of 
milk is suspended—the muzzle is dry, and the coat is rough. 
Rumination is suspended—the temperature of the body is irre¬ 
gular, the ears and horns being alternately hot and cold—the 
excrement is either exceedingly hard, or it is perfectly fluid, 
and sometimes exhibiting streaks of blood—the dorso-lumbar 
portion of the spine, and the shoulders and the sides are tender. 
There is cough, frequent, dry, deep, and coming in fits— 
the respiration is short, accelerated, and laborious—and the 
breath is hot, and charged with more than usual vapour. On 
having recourse to auscultation, there is a peculiar sound resem¬ 
bling the crushing of paper. There is a discharge of mucous 
more or less abundant from the nostrils—an adhesive spume 
runs from the mouth—the pulse is quick, small, concentrated, 
and sometimes irregular—there is occasional moaning, and the 
animal is generally lying down. All these symptoms rapidly 
and fearfully increase. 
Post-mortem Appearances. —The ravages of the disease arc 
exclusively confined to the chest. The thorax generally con¬ 
tains two or three gallons of a thick yellow serous fluid, in which 
are numerous albuminous flocculi. The pleurae are lined with 
false membranes of a yellow-green colour, thick and spongy— 
cysts are formed of a similar false membrane, containing fluid 
of the same character, and adhering either to the ribs or the 
lungs. The lungs are enlarged—apparently decomposed, and 
very easily torn—their tissue, which varies from a deep red to a 
black colour, is marbled, hepatized, much increased in weight, 
and retaining very few portions in which the air-vessels can 
be traced. The bronchi are closed by a white spumy mucus, 
or often by false membranes moulded to their varying capa¬ 
city, or with packets or filaments of a firm yellow fibrous sub¬ 
stance. If death has rapidly ensued—and it often does between 
the second and fourth day—the lungs are engorged with thick 
black blood, and the disease may truly be described as pulmonary 
apoplexy. 
Causes. —Independent of what is peculiar to various epizootics 
and epidemics, and which will unfortunately remain, and per¬ 
haps always, unknown, contagion is the way in which this 
fearful disease is propagated. Next to this must be reckoned 
the numerous errors which often occur in the management of 
the mountain cattle. During the winter, these animals are 
crowded together in low stables, backed against the rock to their 
very top? without any other o[)eniiig than the door and a few 
