Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1865-1869, 1866-02-21

tules under the skin, and present 0ther S!"P-
toms of that disease.
DIR. MUEcHIsoN, in a letter to the London
lancet. indicates numerous points OF resem-
blance between the cattle plague and the small
Dox. which our space does not allow us to re-
nroduee. We can only refer to two or three.
smallpox is the only acute contagious exam
them in man that assnmesA j ustular FORM
The eruption in r%inderpest is also pustular-
Anv differences between the two may be
readily accounted for bydiherences in the skin
of man and cattle.
In both diseases, a peculiar, offensive odor is
exhaled from the body, both before and after
death.
In both, the duration of the pyrexical stage
is about seven or eight days.
The two diseases resemble each otheri in their
extreme contagiousness, and in the facility
with which the poison is transmitted by fomities.
Both diseases can be prOpagated by inocula-
ton. This can be said with certainty of no
other human malady than smallpox.
Yaccinated persons are constantly exposed
TO smallpox poison with impunity and with
regard to rinderpeSt, there are numerous in-
stances in which individual cattle, or entire
herds, appear to have borne charmed lives in
the midst Of surrounding pestilence.
DIR. HUTCHINSON does not assert the absolute
identity between rinderpest and smafi-p ox, but
manifeSts a decided inclination to that opinion.
lie recommends as tests" to produce cow
box in cattle by inoculating them on the one
hand with vaccine lymph, and on the other with
the matter of human variola, and Afterwards to
ascertain if they be proof against the prevalent
plague, or if the course of the rinderpest is
thereby modified.
The following facts, stated by Mr. THOMAS
CH4NBERS, Senior, assistant surgeon to the
London Surgical Home, are strongly confrma
tory Of this theory. He says "a week ago,
u December p, had to pay a professional visit
9. to the house of a London dairyman. Before
.. leaving the house, Mr.. b. asked if l should
% like 10 see his stock Of cows, and without
6 waiting for a reply, he led the way to his
sc sheds-two. They were large, roomy build
- luGS, wei NeullLlLcQ ana 9NANFN+ $1,000
50 There I found twenty-seven beautiful cows
4" in the most perfect health. Mr.. B. had not
. a single case of disease of any kind in his
L" sheds, although a n~eighbOr Of his, having
% sheds within a cannon shot of Mr.. BIS, lost
" eighty cows in a fortnight, in October last.
" 1 made particular enquiry as to whether he
" had adopted any prophylactic measures with
" a view to protect his stock from an attack of
" the cattle disease. He replied that, for Sc
" veral years past, he has been in the habit of
" vaccinating every fresh COW on entering his
h" sheds, old or young, and since his adoption
9 of this simple prophylactic measure he has
g not lost 4 single COW from any cause what
Z. ever. These evidences certainly justify a
C. recommendation to the owners of cattle to
81 have their stock vaccinated without loss of
" time
A correspondent of the Birmingham Daily
Post SAYS " After more than six months care
" full and minute treatment of the rinderpest,
- the medical faculty of Crewe and Nantwich,
" in Cheshire, have come TO the unanimous
50 resolution of treating the cattle plague as
6. smallpox. During the week now ending, Mr..
' BELLYsE and DR.. VAUGHAN of Nantwich, and
81 Dr.. LORD Of Crewe, have vaccinated success
&" fully large stocks, amongst which was that OF
" Mr.. D. ~BROUGHToN, of WiStaston Hall, near
Z. Crewe. \ very favorable report has just
&" been made to us of their experiments to
q this we may add the very important fact, that
in the very valuable stock of Mr.. TRICKErT,
" of Rope, Cheshire, not a single case has &C
IS CURED since the vaccination, whereas, previ-
' uuSly there had been fatal cases."
We have thus, at some trouble, thrown into
this article as much Of the history Of the cattle
plague as it is necessary to know, and as much
practical and well authenticated information, as
to its character and treatment, as could well
be compressed into the same space. The sub
ject is interesting in a scientific point Of view !;
it may become important to all farmers and
Stock-owners in this country as well as in Eu-
rope. We trust that it will never derive that
Importance from its prevalence as a pestilence
among us. 1t is well, at all events, tie keep
ourselves nOStCd.