. In one case, the acute
character of the disease changed to chronic, and the animal lived six or
eight weeks, until the whole texture of the lungs had become destroyed.
She had become much emaciated, and finally died with the ordinary
consumption.

"At the time the first case appeared, I had a herd of thirty-one
animals, all valuable Ayrshires, in fine condition and healthy. In all
the first cases, I had a veterinary surgeon of considerable celebrity
and experience, and every ordinary approved method of treatment was
resorted to and persevered in. The last cases--as before intimated--we
only strove to make comfortable.

"After I had paid the third or fourth forfeit, I began to awake up to
the idea that the disease was, in a high degree, contagious, whether I
would have it so or not; and that my future security was in prevention,
and not in remedy. I therefore separated all the remaining animals; in
no instance having more than two together, and generally but one in a
place.

"All were removed from the infected stalls, and put into quarantine.
Isolated cases continued to occur after this for some weeks, but the
spread of the disease was stayed; nor did a single case occur after
this, which we did not think we traced directly to previous contact.

"It is impossible to account for the first case of which I have spoken.
But, as the cow in that case was put into a sale-stable in New York
while waiting for the boat,--though there were no cattle then
present,--yet I have supposed it not unlikely that diseased animals had
been there, and had left the seeds of the disease.

"But, account for this case as we may,--and I have no doubt it is
sometimes spontaneous,--I feel convinced it is very highly contagious;
and that the only safety to a herd into which it has been introduced, is
in complete isolation,--and in this I feel as convinced that there is
safety. My cattle were not suffered to return to the barnyard or to any
part of the cattle-barns, except as invalids were sent to 'the hospital'
to die, until late the next fall, _i.e._, the fall of 1854. In the mean
time, the hay and straw had all been removed; the stables, stalls, cribs
and all thoroughly scrubbed with ashes and water, fumigated, and white
washed with quicklime. I have had no case since, and am persuaded I
should have avoided most of those I had before, if I had reasonably
admitted the evidence of my senses in the second and third cases.