On the cattle plague: or, Contagious typhus in horned cattle. Its history, origin, description, and treatment. Bourguignon Honoré

of animals which exists on this deadly and destructive soil is an instrument of incubation for typhus, not in consequence of their peculiar structure, but because the conditions under which they live condemn them to this fate.

III

      Now the breeding of cattle, and the feeding and fattening of them for the market, constitute a branch of industry – a great interest. They all have to be removed, conveyed to various distances, and sold; so that this traffic becomes a new cause to be added to all those which foster, develop and propagate the distemper.

      In prosperous times, when the seasons, conformably with our wishes, have pursued a course which we call regular (for we are fain to believe that the planets turn on their axes on our account), and when the cattle find the ground covered with rich pastures, and limpid streams – conditions which are eminently favourable in themselves, though in Hungary it is necessary to add gum, salt, mineral water, and arsenic acid, before the health of these animals is satisfactory, – then the cattle breeders make their sordid calculations, and select the heads of cattle intended for sale.