770 ANALYSIS OF CONTINENTAL JOURNALS. 
dark colour as the anus. On opening the abdominal cavity, 
the peritoneum was found intensely red, as well as all the 
other organs, principally the jejunum, but this redness did 
not extend to the omasum and the duodenum. On the 
mucous membrane were found lesions which explained the 
dark colour, the blood-vessels being distended and forming a 
series of convolutions some of which had given way under 
the pressure of the blood; neither the glands of Peyer or 
other glandular organs, not even the spleen and the liver, 
showed signs of morbid alterations. The thoracic organs 
showed no lesions to account for the sudden deaths. 
In the incertitude as to the nature of the disease, a report 
was made to the competent authority in case the malady 
might be contagious, and in order to conform to the law, 
up to the 24th of November nothing unusual occurred in the 
sheds of the distiller, but on the 26th of the same month 
eight animals were again suddenly attacked, one of which 
died almost immediately, and there seemed very little chance 
of saving the others. The author was not present at this 
second outbreak, but the proprietor informed him that the 
seven had been saved by the application of vinegar. In the 
evening of the same day, two veterinary surgeons were sent 
from the chief town of the department, as there was an ex¬ 
aggerated report of an outbreak of the cattle plague. On 
visiting the sheds with his two colleagues at feeding time, 
nothing unusual could be detected. All the animals fed 
with good appetite, and examining the residue of the beet¬ 
roots from which the saccharine principles had been extracted, 
it was thought that at times it might undergo some sort of 
fermentation which it was, perhaps, impossible to appreciate, 
but which might have a noxious effect on the health of the 
animals. To the way in which the cattle were lodged no objec¬ 
tion could be made. The autopsy of the cow which had 
died on the 26th was made before coming to a decision. The 
carcase was greatly distended with gas; the visible mucous 
membranes were pale, except those of the anus and vulva, 
which were of a dark red colour. On removing the skin, 
the blood-vessels which were cut through were found filled 
with thick black blood ; the muscles of the skin were speckled 
with black spots. On opening the abdominal cavity, intense 
congestion of the small intestines was the first thing per¬ 
ceived. Through the peritoneum could be seen granulations 
of the same dark colour, about the size of a No. 6 shot. 
These granulations were composed of soft tissue, and not of 
concentric fibrous layers, and were found difficult to cut 
with the scalpel. The alimentary substances were not in 
