The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-13 00:00:00

infected by diseased cattle should be carefully cleaned of all
dung, by burying each dropping on the spot where it lies,
cutting out the round piece of turf with the dropping on
it, and turning it upside down. The grass on the entire
meadow should then be cut and burned. It should then
be left without any cattle for at least a month, including at
least two wet days.
2. All roads, paths, streets of towns, or villages should
be carefully and frequently scavenged. All carts, vans, or
waggons, used for carrying manure, should be water-tight,
caulked, and painted, and should not be permitted to ooze
and drop their fluid or semi-fluid eontents on the road over
which they are drawn. They should be kept clean and dis-
infected, as a precautionary measure by the proceedings
above described.
lII.—GENERAL RECOMMENDATIONS.

In conclusion, it must be pointed out to farmers, dairy-
men, and all persons having charge of cattle, that the
same great measures which are known to maintain and re-
store the health of human beings will also maintain and
restore the health of cattle Pure air; dry, spacious, well-
ventilated and well-drained clean sheds ; clean and dry
meadows; plenty of pure water; frequent currying and
washing ; the prevention by the development, by the de-
struction of the germs of internal and external parasites,
particularly entozia ; proper food in suitable quantities, and
at proper times ; protection from inclement weather; the
utmost cleanliness in the removal of manure ; the storing
of the manure at a great distance from the cattle shed, and,
in addition, the most conscientious observance of the pre-
cautionary and disinfecting measures above described—all
these measures and agents together will secure the utmost
possible health of stock, and the prosperity of the agricul-
turist and dairyman. But the neglect of any one of them
will make the stock liable to become infected, and the more
so the more several or all collateral conditions of the healthy
existence of animals are neglected. The negligent man is
therefore certain to lose, to injure his neighbour by defeat-
ing his precautions, and to damage society ; but the watch-
ful and painstaking man will be rewarded, not only by the
preservation of his property, but particularly by the con-
sciousness that it has been preserved by his own care and
attention, and that thereby he has also benefited the state.
THE CATTLE MURRAIN AT HOLLY LODGE.

On the 27th of June, an Alderney bull was purchased at
Bushey, near Watford, and placed with the rest of the herd,
then consisting of 11 cows, 5 sucking calves, 3 yearling
heifers, and 1 bull. The bull had been imported from
Alderney for several months. About a month after—
namely, on the 29th July—a cow in calf was attacked with
unusual symptoms. She was separated from the rest,
nourishing drinks were administered ; but having calved,
she died 48 hours after the first symptoms were observed.
This led to the belief that she died of the disease, which
then began to prevail. This cow had been pastured with
the others in a field occasionally used forgrazing sheep that
were taken to the Metropolitan Cattle-market, and, if not
sold, brought back again until the next market day ; the
sheep were separated from the cows by iron hurdles. The
Holly Lodge Estate is partly bounded on the east by the
route taken by drovers with foreign and other cattle to
and from the market, some of which are also occasionally
brought back to neighbouring fields. The high road forms
the western boundary within a few yards of the cattle
sheds and pastures. These facts are stated to show that
the contagion might have been easily communicated to the
animals. A. few days later three calves were attacked
with cold shivering and twitching of the muscles. The
previous nights having become suddenly andunusually cold
and wet, the symptoms were at first attributed to that cause.
Although these calves had been pastured quite apart from
the cow which first died, the cow had been driven across
the field where the calves lay, to the shed in which it died,
the calves having been placed in the next shed, where
two of them died on the 6th of August, unmistakably of
the cattle plague. The third calf was sent to the Royal
Veterinary College, where it also died. By the 9th of
August four cows and the bull were seized with the disease
so virulently that it was thought necessary to kill them
after three days' illness. On the 12th a cow and a heifer
were also destroyed ; and on the 14th one of the suckling
calves died. Thus out of a herd of nineteen animals,
twelve had died within a fortnight. The malady had taken
so strong and sudden a hold upon them, that no systematic
means of remedy could be applied except separation, heat,
stimulants, and the medicines ordinarily given in cases of
cold and fever. On the 13th of August two more cows
were pronounced incurable by two of the veterinary sur-
geons who had been called in ; but it was determined, upon
further advice, to try a mode of treatment upon them not
hitherto adopted ; one drachm of calomel was administered
in gruel ; four hours afterwards one pint of castor oil, and
three hours later one quart of yeast. About two quarts of
warm porter were added to a gruel of yeast and oatmeal,
and given at intervals. These remedies acted most effi-
ciently, and in one case gave much encouragement. The
next day the cow began to eat hay, to chew her cud,
and to yield a good quantity of milk. These remedies,
together with bi-sulphate of soda, which invariably pro-
duced a return of the milk, and quinine, wore then tried
upon four other patients with varied success. But in the
end all those cows died, not, it is believed, of the cattle
murrain, but of exhaustion occasioned by the activity of
the drugs administered to them. This belief was strength-
ened by the healthy appearance presented by tha
dissected. after death. The eamaininz cow thus treated is
on its being partially
medical man who kindly gave his attention to those ani-
t4,hme, firstalor wive.
thus,ls i
me xpp:srsi::::a avoid upon,
believing that had the
ani-
mals been better acquainted with the constitution of the
creatures, or had those who tended them had any know-
ledge of medicine, three of the cows treated in this manner
might and probably would have recovered ; and even
when the animals succumbed, the consequences were
less serious, the virulence of the poison being expelled,
at least it was undiscernible to those who dissected them.
During the fortnight that the murrain was raging, one cow
in calf and one calf remained perfectly healthy apparently,
until both were seized within a day of each other ; these
had always been kept separate from the sick animals, and
tended by other men. The calf died, and the cow was de-
stroyed, in consequence of the symptoms being so violent.
In this case very little calomel was given. As it may be as
well to mention all particulars, it may be stated here that
the men who tended the animals were provided with a
dress, and that it was found desirable that a certain quan-
tity of stimulants, brandy, coffee, and strong soup, should
be given to prevent nausea and other uncomfortable feelings
from which the men suffered. All the directions respecting
the burying of the animals issued by the Privy Council
have been strictly complied with ; clothes, &c., have been
burnt, chloride of limo (Macdougall's disinfectant) was
used with others to destroy insects and flies,with abundance
of whitewashing. The men were recommended to use as a
wash for the mouth manganate of potash. The first crop
of grass in the field where the cattle lay before their sick-
ness, and during it, has been destroyed also ; and it is in-
tended to use some disinfectant, such as charcoal or lime,
to spread over the field. Miss B. C. feels so persuaded that
some mode of treatment could be found to alleviate, if not
to save life, that she has determined to employ a-medical
gentleman, who kindly offers his services, and to take also
the advice of a good cow or veterinary surgeon, and to try
the effects of various remedies in some of the cowsheds
where persons will be glad to let such experiments be tried ;
and it is also her intention to ask the Privy Council to
allow one of the Government inspectors to assist and report
upon the cases. It may not be altogether unimportant to
add that the state of the atmosphere seemed to have some
effect upon the health of the animals, as upon those occa-
sions the symptoms were more severe during the thunder
storms which then occurred. The milk, which returned,
was found to be rather watery, and the cream had a pecu-
liar appearance. At first the pigs declined it, and it was
not thought advisable to continue to give it at all to any
animals for about a week. It is now perfectly good.