The Sun.
London, England, 1865-09-04 00:00:00

The Cattle Disease.

MISS BURDETT COUTTS'S HERD OF
COWS.

The fine herd of Ayrshire cows at Holly Lodge,
Highgate, the property of Miss Burdett Coutts, has
been literally swept away during the last week or
so by the disease which is now so prevalent amongst
cattle. This herd numbered 20 cows of the purest
Ayrshire breed, and an Alderney bull. One cow
has recovered from the disease, and the bull was
unaffected by it. The cow that has survived was
condemned by Mr. Mayor, the veterinary surgeon
who examined the herd ; and, strange to relate,
the surviving animal, according to the testimony of
Roach, the herdsman, was pronounced to be in the
very worst condition, and the medium through
which the disease was communicated to the other
animals.

The destruction of this herd by the cattle disease
suggests one or two reflections as to its origin and
nature. Every one of the presumed causes of the
disease was absent, and yet it attacked the animals
with the utmost virulence, and no amount of reme-
dial skill could allay its severity or arrest its pro-
gress. We need scarcely remark that Miss Coutts,
on being apprised of the disease manifesting itself
in the herd, gave immediate orders that everything
should be done that could be, not only with the
view of saving her own property, which, by the
bye, was a secondary consideration with that bene-
volent lady, but for the express purpose of bene-
fitting the public, who are anxious to acquire some
knowledge as to the cause and- character of the
disease.

First, let us remark that the herd had been some
time at Holly Lodge, therefore it was not tainted
with any imported cattle. Secondly, the herd was
in excellent condition, and several of the cows were
yielding from 16 to 18 quarts of milk per day.
Thirdly, the sheds in which the animals were milked
are clean, airy, lime-washed, and every kind of
odure removed, besides being also well gravelled. The
pasture on which they fed might be termed not only
good, but rich, and the water which they drank was
as pure as water yell can be. In short, so far as food
and treatment could go to keep a herd of cattle in
first-class condition, they were everything that could
be desired. Yet the animals sank rapidly, and some
of them exhibited the worst characteristics of the
disease. Roach, the herdsman, who was deeply
affected by the loss of his herd, informed us that as
mere stimulants given to the animals, after certain
severe purgations, there had been consumed by two
cows alone (one of which has survived) eight bottles
of whisky, two gallons of brandy, two dozen and a
half of tort wine, and other strong drinks, all of
which were of no avail, except in the solitary in-
, stance named.

The cattle, under the several stages of the dis-
ease, exhibited the usual phenomena of pleuro-pneu-
monia. They appeared, ordinarily speaking, either
excited, with staring gaze, protruding eyeballs, and
watery eyes, or depressed and relaxed, with a dull
dim look, and a flow of mucus from the eyes and
the nose. In all the animals a cold shivering, and
a coolness of the horn, the ear, and the extremities
were apparent, with staring coat, trembling of the
muscles, and increased respiration. Foam and saliva
flowed from the mouth, and the lungs of the ani-
mals exhibited the same appearance, being much be-
yond their natural size in almost every instance.—
Obserrer.