Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1860-06-04

| "A yearilng helter ana COW were Killed and
examined, DR.. Oramel Martin of this city,
who was present, has prepared an account of
these cases, which will be communicated to
| the committee We print here some extracts
from his report, He says of the first case =
Examined beautiful black and white
! Dutch heifer, one wear old. She was taken
| quite sick in September, 1859, and continued
! very sick about six weeks then she commence
| ed recovering. Her eyes row looked bright,
/ her hair glossy and smooth, and her appetite
was good. She presented to the eye OF all the
appearances of healthy animal. She had
coughed some ever since the first attack. Per-
cussion dull over the right chest On apply
ing the ear, coarse mucous rattle could be
heard at the base OF the right lung. Nothing
unnatural appeared on exernal examination of
the left chest
AUToPsIE.
Strong adhesions of the right lung to the
whole inside of the chest, ribs, diaphragm
hease, sc. The lung showed the effect of Sc.
we're compression by the etiuson of water,
which water had been absorbed in the process
OF cure. On opening the lung, we found a
large cyst big enough to hold quart or two.
But in this cyst we found no lump no pus, but
we found an opening from il into the bronchial
tubes. The question will be asked, what did
that cyst contain No large cyst of this kind,
III the early stage of the disease, has ever
been seen by the writer without having for its
contents large lump of detached lung, sur
rounded by pus; and is it not fair inference
that this originally contained the same
Which lump had undergone decomposition
and been discharged with the pus into the
mouth by coughing, and swallowed into the
stomach. That being tie way discharges
from the lungs of cattle go. The lung itself
| lighter WA hpQinninU n
be pervious to air all around the cyst, and had
nearly regained its original pink color, the
color in the sound state being dark liver. The
sac i'll this case was smooth, and seemed to be
lined by a mucous membrane, and perform.
ing its functions, as we found mucus secreted
from it. In that condition, it 1.-THE sac might
remain without great injury, often being push
ed into much smaller space by the reflling
and charging of the lung sufficient TO fill that
side of the chest, the cyst performing the du
ties of diated bronchial tube, showing the
| divine wisdom and power which preside over
| the laws that govern diseased action.
The lung showed no less ability to admit
air than is seen i'll numerous cases of pleurisy
in children, who die from the compression of
etfused water, and who would have been saved
by tapping as others have been who presented
like symptoms, the lung and chest being a
year or two in regaining their full functions.
out experience, would be likely to say, on see
ing mans lung compressed to the size of his
| fist, and appear hard, that it would never get
well, when nothing is more frequent in dis
| ease
If this yearling's lung contained lump in
its cyst, the lump in this case did not go off
by absorption, but by decomposition and dis
charge through the bronchial tubes. But the
writer expects to find in Mr. Chenery' herd
| q p1c ar f,,al
has commenced recovering, and ceased cough
ing, which will show an air tight cyst, with
| the lump dissolved in pus and carried off by
! absorption; but at present he has no proof
but Inference, this case not being in point.
But those of the medical faculty, who have
carefully investigated the disease, think the
cures are TO take place in this way; but the
writer hopes and expects that some will get
well i'll this way and some by absorption. In
the two cases examined to-day, the heart was
thin and fabby, as usual, the left ventce
thinner than the right"
The next animal killed was a COW which
was brought into Mr.. Chenery's herd in De-
cember last. She had never exhibited any
signs of disease beyond slight cough and an
external examination before death failed to
discover any indications OF disease. AS the
animal had been exposed in the infected herd,
1t was matter OF curiosity to ascertain wheth
dissection OF the lungs, the disease was found
to exist in an incipient stage. The heart was
soft and t1a3by, as in all cases of this kind, and
there were other indications of the prevailing
contagion. This closed the investigation. The
committee and medical men seemed to be d.
vlded in opinion as to the nature of the disease
and the best means of Graduating it, There
was a strong disposition on the part of many
to establish theory of their own, and several
tn
course adopted by the commissioners
DR.. Martin concludes his report with the
following very sensible remarks on the charac-
ter Of the disease, the proper method of treat
ing it, and CHANCES of cure =
"The attention of the committee and the
commissioners is especially called to the fol-
lowing conclusions, based upon the personal
observation of the writer
All that die, die from the quantity, not from
the quality, of the disease-trom the local, not
from the general effect. They die either from
the lung being hardened so as to be imperviOus
to air, or from its being compressed by the effu-
sion Of water, so that the air cannot enter it.
The death may be from absorption of pus, but
that is accidental, and not the law of the dis
ease. All that do not die during the acute
stage of the disease go On regularly, step by
step, towards recovery.
That the healthy lung Will take on the dis
case, after the sick one has begun to recover,
do not believe. 1t might as well be pretend
ed that the skin in small pox which had re-
manned sound, would take on the peculiar
| diseased action, after the first eruption had
commenced healing. A COW that hast had the
disease once, is probably forever protected
from it afterwards, as much so as the man who
has had the small pox. And the belief that
Que lung may be having the incipient, and the
| other the advanced stage Of the disease at the
same time, may be owing to the fact that the
observer is not sufficiently acquainted with
disease 10 recognize the return to health.
All the diseased animals which the writer
has examined have died, or were near death
when killed, and all cases that have been de-
scribed in the public prints showed harden
ing OF one or both lungs, and an effusion in
one or both sides of the chest, and wherever
there is effusion there is hardening of that
lung, the effuslon being the effect of contin-
uation OF the original lung difficulty. Of
course, where there is effuson in both sides
OF the chest, the animal must die, for there is
no sound lung TO carry ON the function of res
piration. just as in continent small pox no
healthy skin is left for perspiration, and the
patient dies. But, as a rule, where the har-
denng and effusion are confined to one side
if the animal dies, it dies from compression
OF the healthy lung by the water from the
other side. Such animals might and ought to
be saved by tapping"
DIR. Martin strongly recommends the APP
pointment of a scientific commission, with full
powers and ample means, to have charge of
the whole matter.