LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 575 
Mr. Elam asked would not the monocalcic phosphate be con¬ 
verted into tricalcic phosphate in the presence of lime, and thus 
become insoluble; and was it not more likely that some phos¬ 
phorus paste that had been intended to kill vermin had got 
spread over the pasture, where the cattle had been feeding, and 
in this way taken by them. He would also like to know if the 
monocalcic phosphate was decomposed, and only the phosphoric 
acid found in the blood, what became of the lime ? 
Mr. Welsby said he did not mean free lime when he spoke of 
lime in a soluble condition, but a soluble salt of lime; free lime 
would cause the change Mr. Elam mentioned. The cattle had 
not been out on a pasture, but in a shippon, and only five were 
affected, while several others remained healthy. 
Mr. Whitthread said that he was familiar with the appearances 
produced by the phosphorus poisoning. In the case of these 
cattle there was nothing that lie saw that was consistent with 
poisoning by phosphorus, or phosphorous acid, and he doubted 
the probability of phosphorus, under the circumstances suggested 
by Mr. Elam, being oxidized to phosphoric acid; besides which 
then we must account for the large quantity of phosphoric acid, 
and lime and sulphuric acid, which was found in the rumen and 
abomasum. He had not carried the investigation so far as to 
answer Mr. Elam's last question, but finding all the constituents 
of a superphosphate of lime in the rumen and abomasum, he con¬ 
cluded this caused the deaths; the experiments on two goats con¬ 
firmed the opinion, and he was satisfied that he had attributed 
the deaths to the correct cause. It was reasonable to suppose 
that the calcic phosphate was decomposed before absorption, 
because he obtained monocalcic phosphate in the contents of the 
stomachs, and only phosphoric acid, probably combined with 
ammonia, in the blood. 
LANCASHIRE VETERINARY MEDICAL SOCIETY. 
The quarterly meeting of this Society was held at the Black* 
friars’ Hotel, Manchester, April 17th, 1872, the President, A. 
Lawson, Esq., in the chair. 
The following gentlemen were presentMessrs. Hopkin 
and Thomas Greaves, Manchester; W. Whittle, Worsley; 
Howell, Rochdale; J. B. Taylor, Ashton; M. Naylor, Wake¬ 
field; W. A. Cartwright, Whitchurch ; Woods, Wigan; J. Lowe 
and Dalglish, Bolton; J. Taylor, Oldham; W. Dorber, jun., 
Pendleton; and the Secretary. 
VOL. XLV. 
39 
