56 
GEORGE FLEMING. 
purification on the hedges bounding the meadow; the chaff of the 
child’s bed was thrown into the ditch, and the flock of the de¬ 
ceased woman’s bed was strewed about on the grass over the 
meadow, where it was exposed and turned every night, and for 
several hours during the day. This purification of the clothes 
continued for eleven days. At that time eight milch cows ana 
two young heifers (sturks) were turned into this meadow to graze ; 
they entered it every morning for this purpose, and were driven 
from it every afternoon. Whenever the cows quitted the 
meadow the infected articles were again exposed on the hedges, 
and the flock of the bed was spread out on the grass, and repeat¬ 
edly turned. These tilings remained till the morning, when the 
cows were re-admitted, and the contaminated articles were sup¬ 
posed to be withdrawn. It appears, however, that the icmoval of 
the infected articles was not always accomplished so punctually as 
had been enjoined; so that, on one occasion at least, the cows 
were seen in the midst of them, and licking up the flock of the 
bed which lay on the grass. These cows were in perfect health 
when first put out to graze in this meadow, but in twelve or four¬ 
teen days, five (out of the eight) milch cows appeared to have 
heat and tenderness of the teats. The teats became swollen and 
small, hard pimples cohld be distinctly felt upon them, as if im¬ 
bedded in the skin. These pimples daily increased in magnitude 
and tenderness; and in a week or ten days they rose into blisters 
(vesicles), passing into brown or blackish scabs. When the teats 
were in this condition, and very tender, constitutional symptoms 
of ill-health became developed. Sudden sinking or loss of milk, 
drivelling of saliva from the mouth, frequent inflation and retrac¬ 
tion of the cheeks, staring of the coat, “ tucking of the limbs,” 
“ sticking up the back,” and rapid loss of flesh, were the appear¬ 
ances which even the peasants themselves were able to appreciate. 
By the middle of the third week the pustules were mature, and 
the crusts and loose cuticle began to be detached. The simulta¬ 
neous occurrence of the disease on all the animals increases the 
probability of the operation of one common cause. The whole of 
the cows was certainly affected within less than three days of 
each other; and another circumstance requires particular notice, 
