766 
Analysis of Continental Journals. 
By W. Ernes, M.B.C.V.S., London. 
Recueil de Medecine Veterinaire. 
REPORT OF A COMMISSION APPOINTED BY THE IMPERIAL 
GOVERNMENT TO INQUIRE INTO THE MALADY COM¬ 
MONLY CALLED MAL DE MOMTAGNE. 
The commission consisted of one doctor in medicine, 
three veterinary professors, among whom were MM. Bouley 
and Chauveau, and two veterinary surgeons, and the rest civi¬ 
lians,—a somewhat different arrangement in regard to the 
number of the members of our profession to that of the 
Royal Commission on the cattle plague. 
It appears, from records of previous researches, and 
various documents examined by the commission, that this 
malady has prevailed from time immemorial at various epochs 
amongst the cattle which are depastured on the mountains 
between Allanche and Marcenat (Cantal), and on the 
mountains of Puy-de-D6me which are in that vicinity. 
M. Marcet, who studied this malady in 1856, believes the 
cause to be in the quality of the vegetation on these moun¬ 
tains. He estimates the yearly losses on an average at 850 
head, and describes the symptoms as follows : It frequently 
happens that without the least sign of illness the animal is 
attacked, falls in the pasture on the mountain, dies in a few 
minutes in violent convulsions; nevertheless, in most cases, 
though the course of the malady is always very rapid there is 
time to observe it. At first, there is unsteadiness in locomo¬ 
tion, weakness in the legs, dulness, the coat is staring and dry, 
the appetite is either lost or languid, the excrements are dry and 
expelled with difficulty, in bad cases they are suppressed alto¬ 
gether. The morbid state does not last above two or three days, 
butwhen it reaches thislast period it generallyehds in recovery. 
As a general rule, the malady attacks the animals in the best 
condition, those that are either fat or fattening. Very often 
during the course of the malady vhite tumours appear, called 
by the countiy people jpacJiades. These tumours are more 
particularly situated in the region of the laiynx and the ribs 
and under the belly ; though this condition is very dangerous 
the animals frequently recover afterwards. 
The post-mortem appearances are: an enormous distension 
