Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1861-02-05
dNortester @ailg Spp.
PLEURo-PNEUMoNIA.

tnlS stite1 was Eeau uelOTe Jle w OfceSler AS
ISOLATION for Medical Improvement, Jan Both,
by DR.. Oramel Martin -
On the I'd Of May, 1860, l read paper to
this society, giving description of several
examinations post norton of animals killed
sick with the disease among cattle, called pleu-
ro.pneumona, in North Brookheld and vicini-
ty. then had seen only cases in their early
acute state. Since that time | have examined
twenty -one animals killed in w. w. Chenerys
herd at Belmont. Twelve Of these animals
had old disease. Nine were free from any
disease or marks of any whatever These
beasts were eating well, and had tine general
appearance of health. Many of them were
sleek and fat. One or two were thin, and
looked worn.
Contrary to the opinions expressed in my
other paper, did not find single case that
had entirely recovered. Nor did L find one
that showed any disposition towards what, in
other diseases, we call recovery. II there was
recovery of any of the nine spoken of above
it was so entire that we could not see see that
there ever had been disease. We found in
the lungs of the twelve animals nodules from
the size of a pea to nearly the size of a mans
head. These nodules were surrounded by
hardened substance resembling the sac found
in the acute cases. But this outer covering
did not appear so much like sac as in the
early cases, having become thinner, brittle, and
was undergoing process that will call degen-
Grafton, for want of a better name There
was no pus or other fluid in these degenerated
sacs. Their contents varied from a soft,
cheesy, yellowish substance, to calcareous
matter, according to its stage of advancement.
The glands about the bronchi were sometimes
enlarged from an inch to nearly foot in
length, and proportionally in thickness.
This enlargement of the glands was only
occasional, not general. These enlarged
glands were filled with the same cheesey cal
careous matter DIR. Ellis informed me that
under the microscope he could detect shreds of
lung tissue in the nodules in the lungs. Other
parts of the lungs had regained their function.
We found adhesions to the diaphragm and
ribs, some extensive, some over only small
surface. Part of the cases that had much dis
ease of the lungs had no plenral adhesions, but
no plearal adhesions were found without some
disease OF the corresponding lung.
The adhesiOns usually correspondent to the
nodules, so that when we found adhesions we
expected to find nodue or nodules in the
lung near by. We found in one or two cases
the same nodules in the liver. In no in
stance did we find water in the chest.
We killed two calves that were dropped in
March and April, both perfectly we'll We
slaughtered both of their mothers and found
their lungs diseased, having a large quantity
of this cheesy matter in them. Either these
calves did not take this disease, in utero, when
their mothers had it, or it left no visible trace
behind. The mother of one of these calves
never appeared sick, but she was taken to Mr..
Cheney's home barn to supply milk to the
family, and did SO, and never was off her feed,
bnt she gave the disease TO the COW that stood
next to her in the barn. AT least, we killed
the cow that stood next to her in the barn,
and her lungs were diseased. The cal es
dropped since last February in Mr. Cheneys
barn have appeared perfectly WELL Whether
they. were protected by their mothers having
the disease previous to their birth, or whether
this herd had lost its power of propagation,
do not know. / guess the herd had lost the
power of communicating the disease Al
though l examined a COW killed in this hcru,
June I'd. that had Inflammation Of one lung.
But cannot tell contagious from sporadic, or
epidemic pneumonia, by an examination post
norton. We have had two or three instances
of lungs of cattle that have died remote from
this disease, in herds where no Others have
been sick, were there was no possible chance
for contagon, where the sacs or eysts were
well marked We can find no well described
difference between contagious and other pneu
monia in either English, French or German
works. hired German to come to my of
pose of settling this question.
The records of the cattle commissioners
give instances where the medical gentlemen
decided cases without number, and the herds
were killed upon those opinions And in one,
after percussion, it was decided the animal had
ordinary lung fever, not pleuro pneumonia,
and it was saved.
When the board of examiners entered upon
their duties they found 1865 animals reported
to the extra session as diseased, expos ed and
suspected, in North Brookfeld and vicinity
Of these 1866 beasts, only 10 have been killed.
On entering upon the duties of the office, the
medical board found that it was believed that
the disease had gone to New Hampshire, to
Holden, Lancaster, and Pepperell, and to many
towns in the vicinity of North Brookfield.
The senior member of the 3ard requested
that no animal should be killed unless at least
one member of the board of examiners should
be present. 1t was necessary to know, if pos,
sible, just show far the disease had gone to
know what measures to take for its eradica
ton. We repaired to Lexington, from whence
the disease was said to have gone to New
Hampshire. 1t was supposed that pair of
oxen, belonging to Mr.. Chenery, that were
sick in October, 1859, and had been working
since November of tie same year, had by
standing in the barn on April 10, 1860 to get
a load OF hay, given the disease to Mr.. We'll
lington's herd of five cattle Two of these
five had gone to New Hampshire But it was
uncertain whether these two animals had been
in the barn with Mr.. Chenery's oxen or not
The three remaining animals that were known
to have been in the barn with these Chenery
oxen, were killed and found sound. And as
these oxen had been in good working order since
November, and as these three animals known
to have been in the barn with these oxen, had
M fhp fxVn tO
Hampshire had none.
The Pepperell COW went from Warren S.
Woods herd of Broukfeld to Pepperel Mr..
Woods herd never was sick there was no
evidence that any animal was ever diseased
in this herd, except DIR. Dadd pronounced one
SO after a post mortem examination, as this
herd is all alive, and well now, and as an ami
NAL was killed in Holden that was supposed
to be sick, and found well, that had been in
contact with an animal killed, AMI ''pro-
nounced" diseased from contagion from the
Pepperell COW, and as other supposed exposed
animals in Holden are alive and well we
presumed that Warren S. Woods herd had
had no disease, Certainly none of conta-
geous kind and that there had been none in
Holden, Lancaster, or Pepperell. Thus ap-
parenty ends the two sources of contagion in
this direction
OF the 1866 animals in North Brookfeld
and vicinity, diseased exposed and suspected
all are alive and well now save ten. Owing
to the unavoidable absence of the member of
the board of examiners, who agreed to be
present July 18th, medical gentleman, who
had examined large numbers before the extra
session, was called in to examine this herd of
ten head, one was killed. examined, and pro-
nounced diseased by him. Upon that opinion
the whole herd was condemned and slaughter
ed. The medical board were unable to find a
particle of disease in any of these nine con-
demned animals. And the presumption is
that they ANnuld hav fiaiind rinnn in the tnnfh