342 
INTERIM REPORT ON VETERINARY INVESTIGATIONS. 
By Professor James Beaut Simonds, Veterinary Inspector of the 
Society. 
[Extracted from the c Journal of the Royal Agricultural Society .] 
I. Feeding Experiment with liar don’s Patent Feeding CaJce. 
This experiment, which may be designated No. 1, was 
undertaken in consequence of the Marquis of Exeter having 
lost a young bull, 10 months old, and also a valuable short¬ 
horn cow, under circumstances w r hich led to the impression 
that the cake supplied to them was probably the immediate 
cause of death. Both the animals had died very suddenly, 
while being fed for exhibition at the Society’s annual show. 
Three pigs, also, which partook of some of the same cake, but 
only in small quantities, died at about the same time. All 
the animals presented the same morbid appearance on a 
post-mortem examination. 
Neither a chemical nor microscopical examination led to 
the detection of anything of a poisonous nature in the speci¬ 
mens of cake examined. They were, however, of inferior 
quality, and appeared to have been greatly deteriorated by 
long keeping. 
May 6th, 1871.—A healthy young heifer, about a year old, 
was selected for the experiment, and placed by herself in a 
loose box; w 7 ater and hay, in ordinary quantities, being given 
to her, in addition to the suspected cake. 
The quantity of cake supplied was 1 lb., and the same 
amount was allowed per diem for three consecutive days. On 
the fourth and fifth days, 2 lbs. each day were given; after 
which the animal partook of 4 lbs., for four days; 6 lbs., for 
six days; and 8 lbs., for two days; making a total of 75 lbs. 
in seventeen days. 
On the evening of the fifth day of the experiment the heifer 
had an attack of indigestion, accompanied with tympany of 
the abdomen. This, however, passed off naturally, and by 
the following morning she appeared to be in her usual state 
of health. On the evening of the sixteenth day, after par¬ 
taking of 8 lbs. of cake, she exhibited symptoms of serious 
illness; but towards evening she rallied a little. On the next 
morning, however, a relapse took place, and wdthin little more 
than an hour she died. No treatment was adopted. 
The post-mortem examination, which was made as early after 
