The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1860-06-22
LOUIS o. COWAN,
VOLUME XVI.

/ u
covered, one or both lungs have been found,
on slaughtering them, to be little else than a
mas OF disease.
That il is both malignant and fatal unhap-
PLY needs no proof. Nearly one thousand
animals have already fallen victims, either
TO the disease, or to the efforts made with u
view to its cxtirpation; and more than an
additional thousand are either known to be
sick, or from having been exposed arc under
the ban of suspicion. Ii is not true that
the distemper is universally fatal, for not
few survive which have been its subjects -
but il is not vet positively known that even
one has been absolutely cured. They often
come 10 eat well, drink well, and thrive toll
erably; thus exhibiting the ordinary charac'
tcristics Of health, and yet, post mortem
examination has, within our own ooser'a.
tion, shown how utterly fallacious were all
these indications in such a case.
Regarding the term of incubation, ana OF
propayation. OF the length OF time when
elapses between exposure and the Appearances
of disease and also during what period the
animal is capable of conveying the disease
to Others, we greatly regret our nab,ii'y W
arrive at definite or satisfactory conclusions
In some cases the diseases is apparent WITHIN
ten days after exposure in Others, twenty
thirty, sixty, ninety days, or even more' are
supposed TO elapse. One case is rePorted
where the exposure was seven months previ-
Gus. The more usual period appears to DO
not far from twenty days. When the capa-
bility of the animal to convey disease to 9TH
crs begins or ends, we have no knowledge.-
This is most important point, but all we
kROtc is, that il may and does do 30 before
any symptoms of illness appear; and, as the
lungs of some which have been slaughtered
exhibit evidence of the later stages OF the
disease in one portion and Of the earlier IN
another, there seems reason to fear that the
term may sometimes be indefinitely pro-
longed.
As already remarked, this lung mnrrain,
or by whatever other pane it be called, is oil
the most insidious nature. Any disturbance
Of the animals health is rarely noticed until
the disease is fully established, and eiiuslon
into the chest has made some progress. The
ordinary rule, that not much ails an animal
until 1t refuses 10 eat, docs not hold good
with this disease. The early symptoms are
80 faint and obscure US to excite neither anx-
\ iety nor attention. By-and-bye the animal
gets dull and detected look; il at pasture,
il may be found in the morning apart from
the herd; the back arched, the lore legs
rather wide apart, the hair staring, little
uneasy and don't eat well but later in the
day, il looks better, joins the herd and eats
us usual. A slight, but husky cough is oc-
casionally heard, and sometimes quicker
breathing as if from extra exertion. IL a
COW, the milk dimnishes, accompanied with
heat and tenderness of the udder.
As the disease progresses, the eyes look
duller, the head is lowered, the nose protrud-
ed, the cough more frequent and husky, the
appetite lessons, rumination is suspended,
the limbs and surface cold, the skin tight
over the ribs, the spine becomes tender, and
pressure upon it, or between the RIBS, pro-
duces evident pain. As the disease ap'
| proaches an uniayorable termination, the
breathing becomes iearfully laborous, and is
accompanied with moans and sometimes with
grunts the eyes sink, the extrcmitics cold,
I the mouth is covered with froth, the strength
fails, and the poor beast falls and dies; or,
If the animh is to recover, the severity OF
the symptoms abates, il looks better, eats
some-if cow. the milk returns, the hair
becomes sleek, &c.
| Percussion and auscultation furnish the
most reliable means Of judging, in the living
animal, of the state Of the disease. Upon
striking with the ends Of the fingers upon
the affected side, dull sound is usually elic-
tied, proportionate. to the consolidation OF
the lung, or to the presence or absence oil
luid in the cavity Of the chest. Upon ap-
plying the ear 10 the sides of the chest, one
or the other, and sometimes, though rarely,
both are found To be affected. The various
sounds cannot be easily or exactly described,
but practiced ear viii judge with great ac-
curacy between the natural sound OF healthy
lungs, and the different sounds recognized IN
the several stages Uf the disease.
In what manner, and through what chan
uwl, the disease enters the system-whether
it makes its attack directly upon the solids,
or begins by corrupting the blood,-these
aud other Kindred points, are ut present,
matters OF pure conjecture. 49,,
| With regard To the treatment, little OF n
satisfactory cha0eter can be offered. The
severity or mildncss of the attack and Its ter
mination, whether favorable or fatal. may,
not improbably, depend more upon the sus-
ecptibility Of the individual, and upon the
amount or intensity Of the contaSion taken
into the system, than upon treatment be-
slowed.
Whether subjected to a course of medical
tion, or trusted wholly to the recuperatiye
powers OF Nature, some will recover in whole
or in part, but we have but little reason To
believe that any will 80 recover as to be Sc
cure from a second attack, or become able
bodied and sound, or valuable for the ordin-
ary purposes for which domestic animals are
kept. Considering the probable unsound-
ness Of those which survive, bearing also in
mind the exceeding Importance OF active and
healthy lungs, and the expense neccssarily
involved in the treatment and isolation ot
those which are lost, as well as those which
are saved. the conviction is forced upon us,
that attempts to cure this disease will rarely,
| IL ever pay. We may remark, however, that
counter irritation, by diverting diseased ae-
ton from the vital organs To the surface,
nroniscs beneficial results, and the applica-
ton of highly stimulating lmiments, blisters,
setons and the like, is understood to have
been Of more service than aught else.
The appearances after death vary greatly
but there are usually extensive adhesions -
, consolidation of a portion Of the lung tissue
marked by peculiar marbled appearance, Is
one Of the most striking and uniform accom-
I paniments Of this disease. In some cases an
immense cavity Is found in one Of the lungs,
and enclosd in that cavity OF cyst, chccsy
substance or lump, having no attachment 10,
or connection with the adjacent lung. In
. others, the proccss OF detachment had not
been fully completed. Some lungs were
. found to be so hypcrtrophicd as to weigh
I three or four times as much as in health, and
in one the estimated weight was from so to
GO pounds!
, As, in our present relation to this disease,
. we deem prevention u be Of incomparably
. greater importance than either knowledge
. OF the symptoms attending II, the treatment
best adapted to mitigate its results, or the
: / ..-A.l ta1 aft.~