Mexico weekly ledger. (Mexico, Mo.) 1855-1956, 1885-04-23

PLEUR0.PNEUMONIA.

HLEUhOsfNEUMUNl
We take the following notice of
this epizootic from Chambers Euro
pean Encyclopedias:
ITS HISTORY.
"Pleuro- pneumonia in an epizootic
form first appeared amongst the
horned cattle of Great Britain and
Ireland in 1s41. From time imme-
mortal it had, however, been known
in the great cattle-breeding plains of
Central and Northern Europe"
THIS DISEASE
consists in q suh-acute Inflammation
of the structure Of the lungs and
their investing membrane, shows q
great tendency to early exudation
(sweating out) and is accompanied
by low fever 1t is contagious but
like many other contagious disorders
it occasionally occurs independently
of contagion and is fostered by over
crowding, exposure to cold, wet and
dirty novels and other such causes as
depress the vital powers.
THE SYMPTOMS
come on insiduously. Appetite and
rumenation (cud-chewing) are irreg-
ular. There is fever, dullness, a
short half involuntary cough with
quickened breathing and pulse. In
cows the yield of milk is early dimin-
ished. After three or four days large
portions of the lungs become filed
with the products of Inflammation.
Hence labored breathing, quick indis-
tinct pulse, wasting and fatal weak
ness. Death generally occurs in
from ten to twenty days. When
pleuro-pneumonia first occurred in
Great Britain and Ireland it was
greatly more fatal than it has since
become and fully four-fifths of the
cattle attacked died. With prompt
and rational treatment more than
one-half of the affected cases now
recover, but as a favorable result is
uncertain and much flesh is lost even
during slight attack it is still advis-
able when pleuro-pneumonia breaks
out in herd to conslgn to the sham
bles any of the cattle in good condi-
ton that have mixed with those dis
eased.
| TREATMENT.
The best treatment consists in
avoiding bleeding and all reducing
remedies, supporting strength and
keeping up the action of the skin
bowels and kidneys in order that the
poisonous products of the disease
may be rapidly got rid of. To thi:
end the patient should be provided
with a cool, comfortable house, cloth
ing for the body, bandages for th'
legs, dose of each Of two ounces O.
nitre and common salt given in mo
lasses and water. When the bowels
are costive gentle laxatives are re
quired. By the second or third da,
counter-irritants may be applied tt
one or both sides, which should b,
first bathed with hot water and thin
mustard paste Or mixture Of can
tharides and luphorbium ointment
we'll rubbed in. By the third o
fourth day or earlier, if there is weak
ness, arrested secretion and coldnes
of the skin, give several times dali.
some stimulant such as quart o
, warm ale with an ounce or two o
, ginger or other stomachic, some goo'
whiskey toddy, three ounce doses o
sweet spirit of nitre or of spirit o
ammonia. Whilst the disease cor
; tinues and even during early conva
lescence all food requiring rumena
ton (cud-chewing) must be inter
, dicted and mashes, -four and molas
ses, bruised grain or any lgh
dlgestible article substituted for OF
dinary hay, straw or roots. A
. pleuro-pneumonia is in many case
/. propagated by eontagion the sic
< should be separated from the SCUM
stock, and any premises they ma
have occupied carefully cleansed b
, whitewashing and the use of disinfet
. tants. When pleuro-pneumonia pre-
walls in neighborhood all fres
. purchases should be placed in qua
9 antine and kept perfectly away fro1
+ the home stock for at least thrt
weeks. Attention to this simple pr
a caution has preserved many farmer
4 from pleuro-pneumonia even while
n has ragged all around them.
/ A Ready. Witted Boy.