The cattle plague : with official reports of the International Veterinary Congresses, held in Hamburg, 1863, and in Vienna, 1865 / by John Gamgee.

  • Gamgee, John, 1831-1894.
Date:
1866
Catalogue details

Licence: Public Domain Mark

Credit: The cattle plague : with official reports of the International Veterinary Congresses, held in Hamburg, 1863, and in Vienna, 1865 / by John Gamgee. Source: Wellcome Collection.

Provider: This material has been provided by The University of Glasgow Library. The original may be consulted at The University of Glasgow Library.

    131/902 (page 109)
    clieaper. We have just as much reason, and no more, to expect these substances to cure the Cattle Plague, as the Spanish Pil- grims had, three centuries ago, to expect the bark to cure the Countess of Chinchon's ague. It was a fail- experiment, which succeeded. Certainly, large doses of these alkaloids ought to be well tried. If we give six doses, of ten grains each, to a man weighing 160 lbs., we ought to give in the same proportion per weight to a cow. Mr. John Eliot Howard, quinine manufactm-er, London, E., should be written to, for the cheaper and amorphous varieties of the chinchona alkaloids. Secondly, there are various combinations of bitters, astrin- gents, and aromatics, with stimulants. AVhen they could get no PeiTivian bark on the Continent, during the war with France, combinations of alum, oak bark, gentian, and aromatics were used, with more or less success, for their malarious fevers. Thirdly, there are certain saline matters—such as nitrate of potass and chlorate of potass, antimony, purgatives, &c.,— which have more or less vii-tue in allaying some feverish symptoms, but which are not to be relied on in any zymotic or malarious disease. Lastly, there are stimulants which may be tried in tlie commencement of the attack with the hope of enabling the animal to sliake off the disease, even as a glass of hot brandy-and-water, Turldsh bath, and other excitants, may, as I believe, enable man to shake off the earliest stage of influenza. So far then as remedies are concerned, which tend to cut the disease short, experience bids us look for specifics amongst the quinine group. And it is experience only that can teach us: a priori reasoning gives a very feeble glimmer. But, confessing that we are unable to deal with the disease in its essence, there is a very gi-eat deal we can do in the way of mitigating its local effects; of keeping up tlie strength - of