470 
DEATH OF THREE HEIFERS. 
property of W. Mundy, Esq., M.P., ofMarkeaton Hall, near 
Derby, which w T as thought to be giving evidence of an attack 
of the “ foot and mouth disease.” Upon my arrival I found 
that the animal in question, w r ith four others, had been kept 
in a good pasture during the winter; and as they had been 
liberally supplied with hay and turnips, they were all in 
good condition. This heifer had, however, been noticed to 
purge considerably the night before my visit, and was now 
evidently very much out of health. That something more 
than the ordinary 6< foot andjnouth disease ” was the cause of 
her illness was at once apparent from the violent rigors and 
spadmodic twitching of the muscles which existed. Besides 
these, the following symptoms were present, viz., arched 
back, staring coat, and a copious flow of saliva from the mouth. 
She was also in a semi-comatose state, and when aroused 
from it she v T ould become very violent and rush against any¬ 
thing, or dash her head violently against the wall, occasionally 
bellowing as if in great pain. From having previously met 
with cases of the kind, I w r as convinced that the animal was 
labouring under a narcotico-irritant poison. This induced 
me at once to go into the pasture to look at the remainder of 
the animals, when I found two of them to be slightly affected 
in the same manner. I commenced my treatment, although 
with but little hope of success, by bleeding and administering 
large doses of oil, combined with other purgatives. All how¬ 
ever proved of no avail, as the first heifer rapidly sank and 
died the next morning. With the second heifer similar treat¬ 
ment was attempted, w T hich, however, could be only partially 
carried out, as she became so violent that the united strength 
of five or six men could not hold her. During the night she 
broke down the doors of the shed in which she was placed, 
and rushed to the bottom of the field, where she fell and died. 
The third case was similar in its progress, with the exception 
that the symptoms were less violent, and that the animal 
lived for three days. Such being the state of things, I of 
course took care that the two remaining heifers were at once 
removed from the field, and I also gave to each some purgative 
medicine. 
By the consent of Mr. Mundy, I requested Mr. Watson, 
M.R.C.V.S., of Rugby—to whom the profession are so much 
indebted for his valuable contributions on botany in the 
Veterinarian —to come over and assist me in a post-mortem 
examination of the last-named heifer, and examine the herbage, 
&c., in the pasture. With his usual kindness, Mr. Watson 
promptly attended, and for the great assistance he gave me 
in the investigation it is only right that I should offer him 
