INOCULATION FOR PLEURO-PNEUMONIA IN CATTLE.

Otago Witness, Issue 554, 12 July 1862, Page 2

INOCULATION FOR PLEURO-PNEU-MONIA IN CATTLE.

(To the Editor of The Argus.) — Simple as the above operation hag appeared to eftect any good in this formidable, destructive, and contaminating malady amongst the bovine tvibe, nevertheless facts of an important consideration too, 11 owners of slock have come within my experience since 21sfc ult., and these, taken in connexion with the recent report of the benefits conferred on the owners of stock at Port Natal, and again, more I'ecently still, in New South Wales, are the reasons I send you a brief report of the experiment, ruinous as the circumstances of the ease ramt have been to the owners previously to its trial, as the following will but too plainly show. The Mes«rs. Plant an.l Dungate, dairy farmer*, ue.vr Broad meadows, had on the 13th ult., about 180 head of splendid milking cattle.most of which cost about £10 per head. They were from a clean herd ; and after the disease broke out, Mr. Plant applied to the authorities fruitlessly for help, and at thj end ot one short month, what with the sick, dying, and the dead cattle on his farm, it looked very much like the valley of death at Inkermann. I think you will agree with me that when the number amounted to sixty, it was time to try something new. Up to the period of innoculation the catlle were tal.ing the disease at about six per day, and dying, or had to be killed, at the rate of three or four per day. Since then there has 'died about that number per week. This last week only one has died, and no more are falling sick, the spreading is stayed, but not before the poor fellows are ruined. The matter to inoculate with should bo taken from the lungs of a recently-slaughtered beast that had been suffering (of course) from this complaint, in the middle stages in this manner : — By means of a spoon, scrape, the liquid exudation from out of the air- j presages, and from off the surface of the face of a consolidated lung, out through the hardest (but not dark green or putrid) portion, and mix it on a plate, and it is now ready for use. The knifepoint should not wound the bone or sinew, it should penetrate only the skin, and extend about half an inch in length, at the under and lower portion of the tail, immediately above the buttcnd. In from two to three days after this, the mischievous currently reported large swellings, fevers, discharge of matter, &c, arc apt to mislead ns ai a sure criterion as to whether the inocul ition has succeeded or not, as inoculation attains its peculiar influence apparently over the system of the animal before these, which arc mjerely local and lemedial symptoms, appear. However, as I am still watching the progress of the experiment, and as it is of some worth to the colony, I will send you further report in due com be, «hould you deem this worthy of space in your valuable journal. I am sir, your very obdt. servf., .Tons Mjscamjile, M.R.C.V.S. Melbourne, May 0.