ANALYSIS OF CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
767 
of the carcase_, with mephitic gas immediately after death, 
the subcutaneous veins are gorged with black blood; the 
muscular tissue is of an unnatural colour, as if partly 
cooked, the peritoneum is injected, the ganglia are tume¬ 
fied, the epithelium of the three first stomachs becomes 
easily detached, and in parts remains on the injesta, show¬ 
ing traces of violent inflammation on the subjacent mem¬ 
brane ; the mucous membrane of the intestines is of a dark 
red, almost black, and in a pulpy state, can be easily scraped 
off, and muscular membrane with it, leaving only the peri¬ 
toneal; gangrenous ecchymoses are seen on some parts ; the 
abdominal organs usually contain a quantity of half digested 
aliments; sometimes, however, they are filled with bloody 
effusion, which easily explains the cases of sudden death. 
The spleen is of an enormous size and filled with black blood 
the consistence of treacle ; the veins are also filled with black 
disorganised blood. In the cavity of the chest the lymphatic 
ganglions present the same alterations as those of the ab¬ 
dominal cavity. The lungs are healthy but injected; the 
parietes of the heart are friable, its cavities are filled with 
black coagulated blood. The cranial cavity presents nothing 
particular except the special injection which pervades the 
whole vascular system. 
In reference to treatment, M. Marcet expresses himself as 
follows : 
The prophylatic treatment consists in removing the ani¬ 
mals from the influence of the cause, when the malady will 
cease as if by a charm; unfortunately, this cannot always be 
done, as the owners may have no other pasture to feed their 
cattle on, and fas or nefas, are compelled to have them exposed 
to the baneful influence. The curative treatment is mostly 
impotent; this is easy to understand, the cause being perma¬ 
nent, acting constantly on the organism. Nevertheless, the 
medication which seems to have had the most chances of 
success, has been the abstraction of blood at the commence¬ 
ment (that moment gone by, it becomes detrimental), setons 
with the root of black hellebore, bichloride of mercury, or 
cantharides and purgatives ; phosphorated oil, recommended 
recently in carbonaceous fever, in doses from fifty to fifty-five 
minims in an aromatic infusion has been attended with some 
favorable results.'’^ 
The summary of M. Marcet is, 1st, that the malady is 
enzootic but not contagious; 2nd, that the cause is in the 
nature of the herbage, either that there are poisonous plants, 
or that they are too nutritious in certain seasons; 3rd, that 
the water has no influence, except inasmuch as it tends to 
XLIT. 53 
