Like small-pox, measles, and other eruptive fevers in man, rinderpest runs a definite course which cannot safely be interfered with. Rational treatment is therefore limited to warding off untoward symptoms, to careful nursing, and husbanding the failing strength. It must, however, be remembered that throughout the progress of the disease there is constantly given off from the sick body minute particles, which are capable of developing the disorder in healthy cattle. Hence plague-subjects, by the orders in 'council, are very properly desired to be immediately destroyed. Except, therefore, for purely scientific purposes, and with careful precautions to prevent the spread of the poison, it is unwise to attempt remedial treatment. Where, however, a beast is to have a chance of recovery, so soon as the elevated temperature indicates the accession of the disease, solid indigestible food should be withheld, and the patient restricted to mashes, gruel, boiled linseed, malt, and other food, which can be digested without the necessity for rumination. The paramount importance of such a dietary is clearly demonstrated in the returns of the Edinburgh cattle-plague committee to the govern ment commissioners. The recoveries amongst 310 cattle "fed with dry food, and treated medicinally with drugs," were 13.6. Amongst 303 cattle treated with mixed food and hay, 22.2 recovered. Where mashes were ,given during sickness, but dry food supplied during convalescence, the recoveries reached 51.5; whilst in 95 cottagers' cows, whose chief ordinary dietary consisted of mashed food, and which were fed in the same manner throughout both sickness and convalescence, and were besides carefully nursed but not doctored, the recoveries reached 73.7. Where the bowels at the outset are costive, a dose of oil, or a very small quantity of some saline purgative, may be required. Cold water, gruel, mashes, or stale bread soaked either in water or beer, should be offered at short intervals throughout the attack. The animal, kept in an atmosphere of about 60', should be comfortably clothed, and have its legs bandaged. The hot-air bath and wet-packing has been repeatedly tried, but although probably useful in the earlier stages, appear, when the disease is fully established, to harass and weaken the patient. Small and repeated doses of sulphite of soda have in some cases proved useful, and may be conjoined with carefully regulated moderate doses of such stimulants as ale, whisky and water, sweet spirit of niter, spirit of ammonia, or strong coffee. It is most important, however, that these and other such medicines should be drunk by the animal of its own accord in its gruel, water, or mashes, as the forcible horning over of drenches always disturbs the patient. The inhalation of chloroform, although tem porarily relieving the distressed breathing, does not appear to exert any permanent benefit.
Prerention.—From what has been stated regarding the nature of cattle-plague, it must be evident that its prevention can only be effected by the destruction of the specific virus, or by removing beyond its influence all animals on which it might fasten. Sparks fall harmless where no inflammable materials lie within reach, and there are many such materials. Neither should sheep, fresh hides, nor any other fodder and litter from countries where this ruinous plague exists, or has recently visited, he allowed to enter British ports. This very obvious precaution took strong hold of the public mind, and the practical result is, that importations of cattle-plague are guarded against by the pro visions of the contagious diseases (animals) acts, 1869 and 1878. Neither cattle, sheep, nor pigs, fodder, litter, or hides, can be landed from countries where the plague exists, or from places in direct communication with such infected countries. All foreign stock is inspected at the ports of debarkation, and inspectors have orders for the immediate slaughter and disinfection of cattle-plague subjects, and of any animals with which they have been in contact. But even with such precautions, foreign cattle frequently bring with them catching disorders, notably foot-and-mouth disease. Since they con stitute, however, less than 5 per cent of the total cattle stock of the country, such risks should be removed by converting the foreign cattle traffic into a dead-meat trade.
Rinderpest found to resemble smallpox in men and sheep, it was thought that its propagation and virulence might be abated by vaccination with cowpox lymph; but cattle, even when effectually vaccinated, which is often a difficult task. readily take rinderpest, often in its most mortal forms. Inoculation with the discharges from mild cases and from young calves has been tried as a palliative; but the disease, thus artifi cially developed, loses nothing either of its severity or of its dangerous contagious Character. Cattle in Oxfordshire receiving for several weeks daily doses of sulphite of soda are stated to have had the plague in a mild form.
Where an outbreak occurs, the diseased animals must be promptly destroyed, and all cattle in immediate contact with them should likewise be slaughtered. This "stamp ing-out system " prevents the multiplication and diffusion of the virus, and hence saves still further losses. It is rigidly and successfully carried out in many continental coun tries. By stamping out and strict isolation, eight or ten outbreaks in Aberdeenshire were got rid of without serious loss. A French outbreak on the Belgian frontier in Sept., 1865, was stamped out with the sacrifice of forty-three animals. The disease was imported to Paris in Nov. by two gazelles purchased in London by the French Accli matization society. Before it was stayed by slaughter and segregation, thirty-four ani mals, including yaks, antelopes, deer, gazelles, goats, and peccari, or were destroyed. The determined slaughter of diseased and infected animals, and the restrictions on the movement of all stock, were the only means that reduced the number of attacks dur ing the British outbreak of 1865-66. As is officially recorded in the commissioners' report, No. IV., p. 6, "where the percentage of killed is high, the ratio of increase of the disease is low, and rice versa. This has generally been noticed under each county and district." When plague is in the neighborhood, it is desirable daily to sprinkle the walls, wood work, and floor of the sheds and hovellings with carbolic acid solution, and to keep up throughout the premises a continual odor of this useful antiseptic, and with a diluted solution of the acid, or with M'Dougall's disinfecting soap, to wash over the cattle daily. The animals should be carefully fed on digestible soft food; receive daily about an ounce of sulphite of soda in a mash; and, in order to note the first access of the disease, should have their temperature examined by the thermometer every night and morning.
The recommendations of the cattle-plague commissioners for the purifying of infected sheds, litter, and manure must receive careful attention. In whatever premises infected beasts have stood, the walls should be lime-washed, a pint of carbolic acid being added to each pailful of the whitewash. The floors and wood-work, after being washed and scrubbed with boiling water, should be sprinkled with a strong solution of carbolic acid. The sheds being emptied of their living inhabitants, and the doors and windows closed, sulphur should be burned, and the vapors allowed to float about for a couple of hours before the sheds are again thrown open to the purifying influences of abundance of fresh air. A pound of sulphur placed on n shovel of burning coals suffices for a twelve-stalled shed or byre. Where cattle plague has raged, this cleaning and fumigation should be repeated, and, if possible, several weeks allowed to elapse before the premises are again occupied by sound animals. All shovels, forks, buckets, or brooms, that have either directly or indirectly come in contact with diseased or infected animals, should be witched with carbolic acid solution. The clothes and boots of attendants, inspectors, and others coming in contact with plague-stricken animals must be similarly cleansed. The manure should be sprinkled with carbolic acid at intervals of a few days, and then covered over with a foot of earth, freely mixed with soil. or carted away and plowed in. It is safer thus to put the manure on the arable land than to use it as a top-dressing for the pastures.
Authoritiee.—Official reports of commissioners, Nos. I., II., III., and IV.; The Cat tle Plague, by prof. Gamgee; Die Rinderpest, by Roloff (2c1 ed., 1877); and numerous monographs by German authorities.