The Grand Haven news., 1865-12-13

report upon it. In the n:.jority Of cases
those chosen were known as possessing
no veterinary knowledge; in many in
stances they were not even farmers, but
politicians merely.
The following extracts from the report
Of Professor Simonds better describe the
character Of the disease than any more
recent statement upon it, and in giving
them we have occasionally added in pa.
renthesis an explanation Of the meaning
of some technical woIds.
"Spontaneous origin.--The steppes
(prairies) Of Russia are the home Of the
rinderpest, and here il may be said to hold
almost undisputed sway, little being done
by the imperial government 10 stay its
ravages. Here also, as has been else
where stated, it is alone regarded as bav-
ing spon taneoas origin, but with what
amount of correctness we are unable to
say. Doubtless every disease has had
It's place of origin, and in il there may ex-
ist persistent causes which keep alive, so
TO speak, the cause Of the sin. Such
causes may possibly be found on these
vast plains Of Russia, aud If so, here
would be the natural habitaiion Of the
pest. Be this as it may, it is certain
that 10 these countries which are contig-
uous TO these steppes the malady has no
such origin, and its appearance in them is
Invariably associated with the recent in
PRODUCTION Of steppe cattle, and generally
in the ordinary course Of traffic. ~
General symptoms of the pest
When the animal sickens, the affection
will be recognized by almost continuous
spasmodic twitchings Of the voluntary
muscles Of the body, mere particularly
those Of the neck and shoulders, and Of
the hind quarters. These twitchings are
accompanied by tremors which are more
or less generally diffused, and which in.
terrupt the regularity Of the spasms, and
give to the animal an appearance Of suf-
fering from exposure to cold. The coat
stares, and the patient stands with its back
arched and its legs gathered together un-
der the body, but does not seemingly suf-
fer much acute pain. In the course Of a
few hours rumiuation is suspended, and
the appetite fails, but water will general
ly be partaken Of almost up to the end.
"The temperature cf the body is vari-
able, a slightly increased warmth of the
skin existing at the beginning of the i'll
ness, which soon, however, gives way to
chilliness of the surface, and this again
to death-like coldness of the ears, legs,
and horns, as the malady advances 10 a
fatal termination. The pulse is scarcely
disturbed at first, unless the attack is a
severe one, when il quickly rises to 70 or
more, but wants tone in its action. In
all ordinary cases it becomes gradually
more frequent in number, but less in force,
and in the latter stages can only be felt
at the heart. laa i HH
"The respiration is but very little al
tered at the commencement; il rarely be-
comes difficult, and was never painful in
any Of the cases we witnessed. 1t some
times rises to 80 on the second day. The
contractions Of the abdominal muscles are
often interrupted in their Ebythmical ac-
tion by the spasmodic twiich;ngs which
give singular motion to. the animals
tanks, and has led some observers 10
speak of difficulty of breathing as being
invariably present. A discharge comes
on early from the nostrils, which has
maoy Of the characters of ordinary mu-
Gus, but, when carefully examined, will be
found to contain Aocculi Of lymph, (lakes
Of clear fluid among the thick and whit
ish mucus.) A slight cough is also pres
ent in some cases, but it cannot be heard
except one is near TO the patient, when it
imparts a most singular and indsscribable
sound to the ear.
"The expression of the countenance
does not denote much acute suffering and
the eyes are without any dull appearance
except in the advanced stages Of the NAL
ady, when the lids are found to be droop.
ing as in sleep, and the ears also TO bo q
little Topped. The vessels Of the con,
junctival membrane (the outer and mu'
cous skin Of the eye, and Of the inner
surface of the lids) are almost without
turgesceDce, (superabundance Of the mu'
Gus, but discharge in most cases comes
from the eyes, which accumulates in vel
low jelly-like mass at the inner angle, and
when examined il likewise is found tC
be composed principally Of lymph.
I" The bowels are but little disturbed al
the beginning Of the disease, but the fec
uleut matter, 1.-THE duug,) almost unalter.
ell at first in consistency, is soon passed