The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1868-09-03
CITY INTELLTGENOE
ron Apprr1onAr LocAL ITnMs SEE oprsrpn rAen
THE CATTLE DISEASE.


monthly meeting of the Philadelphia Society
for promoting Agriculture, contained in Jester-
days issue of The TELEGRAPH it will be noticed
that DR.. j. W. Gadsden, celebrated English
veterinary surgeon, presented report upoa
the "Rinderpest" as it existed in England: aud
DR.. Robert Mcclure, veterinary surgeon of
this city, also presented a report upon the
"Catile disease" as itnow exists in this country
We present, in full, the
REPORT OF DR. GADsDEN
will as briefly as possible give you the symp-
toms and post-mortem appearance of fatal
disease in cattle, known as "Rinderpest| or
"Cattle Plague" The disease ] allude 10 is the
one that swept away many thousands of the
cattle from Great Britain DUNG the years 1865
and 1866 was at that time in practice in a
large aeriCultural district, viz, Berkshire, Eng
lanu; and as soon as the disease visited that
county was appointed by the Government as
their Catte-plague Inspector, aud therefore had
ample means OF examining large mbers OF
animals with that fearful malady aud availed
myself of many opportunities in making careful
post mortem examinations in every stage of the
disease.
Tie early symptoms of the disease are usually
remarkably dull and dis pirited condition o
the animal, which will stand with its head
hanging down, ears drawn back, coat staring
and occasionally shivering, refusing all food
or even water. Illumination is suspended. /
made to n owe ii shows great prostratlon
strength, and frequently staggers as if about TO
fall. The skin Is hot in places, and often
remarkably SO between the limbs, the hind ones
in particular; an eXucation very frequently
takes place from these parts, aud is
succeeded by cracks and sores. Tue bair
is staring, especially along the upper part of the
neck, shoulders and back; the extremities are
cold at the commencement OF the disease,
and in q latter stage the increased heat of the
surface Of the body gives place to remarkable
coldDess along the course of the spine. TIE lrs
early trickle from the eyes, which are red and
expressive of suffering, and watery discharge
flows mostly her IL q
tipuous increase OF these secretions which be-
come mo1e or less purulent in the advanced
stage of the maady. The mouth is hot, red,
and .turred," often presenting here and there
raw looking spots, especially on the inner side
of the upper lip and along the roof. The breath
is fetid' the respiration 10 increased, and gene
rally accompanied with moan in the advanced
stages, slight cough is also present in some
cases but not as a rule. The pulse is quick and
weak, and scarcely to be felt excepting at the
heart, even at the commencement OF the
torpid at the outset, but darrhoea,
leading to dysentery mostly follows. The eva
cuatlons are Shiny, liquid, and sometimes of a
dirty, yellow color, or occasionally tinged with
blood The lininglmembrane of the vagina is
generally remarkably red, and viscid mucus
not untrequently hangs about the labia.
Slight tremoIs of the muscles and thighs are to
be observed in some cases. and SO also is an
| emphysematous condition of the skin along the
| upper part of the back. In mich cows the
| secretion Of milk is quickly arrested, re-
| place as one of the earliest indications of the
| attack. AS the disease advances to fatal ter
| minaton, the prostration of the vital powers
becomes more marked, the breathing short,
| quick, and more painful, the alvine evacuations
| tntid, and more Shiny, and the surface Of the
| body deathlY cold. The animal will sometimes
| sink as early as twelve hours from the com
mencement of the attack, but in many cases the
| disease will be protracted to the fifth or sixth,
and occasionally to the eighth or ninth day.
The period OF the disease is found to vary,
| the majority of animals sickening about the
| tenth day after exposure to the infection, but
| some have been attacked on the seventh, or even
| earlier. The poison lies latent in the system
during this period, and the animal gives no in
| dication of being affected. ..-.--
The post-mortem appearances will differ
according to the part of the organism chiefly
affected, and especially according to the time of
| the duration OF the malady. In many cases
| the root of the mouth will be found covered
| with dirty yellow eXudation upon an liberated
| surface. Sometimes the lining of the pharynX
| is OF deep scarlet color, but more frequently
| the mucous membrane OF the larynX, trachea,
and bronchial tubes is injected and covered
| with a layer of eXudation partaking of the
| characters of lymph and pus combined, and
| varying from the finest tilm to quarter OF an
inch in substance. The lungs are often, but
| not always emphysematous, while congestion
| here and there exists. ...
| The heart is frequently fabby, and in the left
ventrice large blood spots are generally present;
| these, however, are not to be looked upon as
specialites of the disease. On opening the alb
| dominal cavity the omentum is frequently oh.
| served to present patches of redness, the intes-
lines are altered in color, from the condition of
| the mucous membrane being partially seen
| through their walls. On cutting into the rumen
| (or pauEch), a quantity OF undigested food Is
| generally found, but besides an occasional tinge
| of redness, there is nothing Of Importance TO be
| looked for here. The omasum (or manyfolds)
affords in the majority OF cases every charac
teIistic indication of the effect of the maady,
its folds being in6aped in patches or liberated,
| and even showing large perforations with claret
| colored edges. From death and sloughing of
The textures the structure of the liver is mostly
unaffected, but the gall bladder is remarkably
full The urinary organs suffer but little change.
The lining membrane of the abomasum Cor rem
metz is infamed in nearly every case and
numerous points OF liberation will often be
seen, especially affecting the openings of the
follicles. The intestiDes show similar morbid
changes particularly in the jeiunum and ilium,
and also the coecum, the last presenting in
many cases, q peculiar notified appearance,
from the accumulation in the follcles OF dirty
white or yellowish secretion. The muscles
have their usual appearance. There is of
course, al absence OF fat in the ANIMAL If an
OK was killed aud properly dressed, in the early
stages of the disease, you could not detect 1t IN
the meat.
It was through the importation OF some cattle
from Russia in June, 1865, which were offered
for sale in the metropolitan market, that the
cows in the London dairies became the first
victims of the plague. 1t soon spread to other
countries in England the attacks gradually
rising until they reached, in the week ending
Feb. IL, 1866, the alarming number of 1906 ~
Many Veterinary Surgeons, and others, tried
every means in their power to arrest the disease
by medicine, nursing, ETC., but all to no par
lipose-it did no good. Vaccination and inocula-
the pesilence. Stamping out the disease by
saughteIing at once all animals affected with it,
and those that had been in contact with them
was the only means that rid England, Ireland,