784 EASTERN COUNTIES VETERINARY MEDICAL ASSOCIATION. 
CONTAGIOUS PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN CATTLE. 
By E. Lowe, M.R.C.V.S., Norwich. 
So much has been said and written upon the subject of pleuro¬ 
pneumonia, that some may exclaim against my selection of it. I 
have not done so with the idea of bringing before your notice any¬ 
thing new, either in its cause, pathology, or treatment, but with a 
view to elicit an interchange of ideas, and a closer study of it, so 
that by a combination of our energies we may be enabled to devise 
some means by which to lessen the annual loss by this formidable 
disease. And I really think, when the matter of contagious diseases 
is being discussed by our legislature and by the country, as it is at 
the present day, it behoves us, as veterinary surgeons, to be up and 
doing, as I think it would be the means of considerably elevating 
the status of our profession, and raising ourselves in the estimation 
of the public. Let me ask, who should take a lead in the ventila¬ 
tion of these subjects if we do not. It is perfectly true, that up to 
the present time but little heed has been taken when we have en¬ 
deavoured to benefit the country by our advice. Instance the late 
outbreak of cattle plague; it was early pointed out to the autho¬ 
rities the impropriety as well as danger of allowing the free traflSc 
of cattle throughout the country, by which means the disease was 
spread. This might easily have been stopped or regulated, without 
much injury to any class of trade ; yet the idea was ridiculed, and 
nothing done until the malady had made its appearance in almost 
every county in England. Then, as the only means of arresting its 
progress, came the slaughter or stamping out system, so well re¬ 
membered by us all. Having learnt by experience that our know¬ 
ledge is of some value, I think we have a chance in future of being 
more readily heard, if we will only take the trouble to raise our 
voices. 
The term “pleuro-pneumonia” is, I think, particularly inappro¬ 
priate to the disease, inasmuch as it implies an inflammatory afiec- 
tion of the pleura, extending to the structure of the lungs, whence 
it is not inflammatory in its nature, but a dropsical condition of 
lungs; consequently, I am of opinion that the term giving the best 
definition of its character is that of “exudative pleuro-pneumonia,” 
used on the Continent. 
It is generally believed that the disease made its first appearance 
in this country in 1841, although it did not become generally 
known until the following year, when our ports were thrown open 
to the introduction of foreign cattle. Upon the Continent it had 
been known for many years, and it is the opinion of some, founded 
upon the description of a disease given in a work by a Hr. Barker, 
and the analogy between it and the present pleuro-pneumonia, that 
it existed here in the year 1745. This, however, is of little import¬ 
ance to us to-night, as we shall do more good by discussing the 
best means of ridding ourselves of it or controlling its ravages, than 
