An extensive inflammation of the erysipelatous kind, appeared without any apparent cause upon the upper part of the thigh of a sucking colt, the property of Mr. Millet, a farmer at Rockhampton, a village near Berkeley. The inflammation continuedseveral weeks, and at length terminated in the formation of three or four small abscesses. The inflamed parts were fomented, and dressings were applied by some of the same persons who were employed in milking the cows. The number of cows milked was twenty-four, and the whole of them had the Cow-pox. The milkers, consisting of the farmer's wife, a man and a maid servant, were infected by the cows. The man servant had previously gone through the Small-pox, and felt but little of the Cow-pox. The servant maid had some years before been infected with the Cow-pox, and she also felt it now in a slight degree: But the farmer's wife who never had gone through either of these diseases, felt its effects very severely.
That the disease produced upon the cows by the colt and from thence conveyed to those who milked them was thetrueand not thespuriousCow-pox[5], there can be scarcely any room for suspicion; yet it would have been more completely satisfactory, had the effects of variolous matter been ascertained on the farmer's wife, but there was a peculiarity in her situation which prevented my making the experiment.
Thus far have I proceeded in an inquiry, founded, as it must appear, on the basis of experiment; in which, however, conjecture has been occasionally admitted in order to present to persons well situated for such discussions, objectsfor a more minute investigation. In the mean time I shall myself continue to prosecute this inquiry, encouraged by the hope of its becoming essentially beneficial to mankind.
1: It is very easy to procure pus from old sores on the heels of horses. This I have often inserted into scratches made with a lancet, on the sound nipples of cows, and have seen no other effects from it than simple inflammation.
2: SeeCase IX.
3: My friend Dr. Hicks, of Bristol, who during the prevalence of this distemper was resident at Gloucester, and Physician to the Hospital there, (where it was seen soon after its first appearance in this country) had opportunities of making numerous observations upon it, which it is his intention to communicate to the Public.
4: I have been informed from respectable authority that in Ireland, although dairies abound in many parts of the Island, the disease is entirely unknown. The reason seems obvious. The business of the dairy is conducted by women only. Were the meanest vassal among the men, employed there as a milker at a dairy, he would feel his situation unpleasant beyond all endurance.
5: SeeNotein Page 7.
FINIS.
Transcriber's NoteFor this e-text, all the errors in the original book's "Errata" section have been corrected, as well as the following:Introductory letter:"C. H PARRY" corrected to "C. H. PARRY".Introduction:Inserted "to" after "But this disease is not".Case XX:"begining" corrected to "beginning".Conclusions:Added full-stop after "on the subject of Inoculation".The following archaic spellings of words were used in the original book and have been retained: head-ach; concuring; delinated.
For this e-text, all the errors in the original book's "Errata" section have been corrected, as well as the following:
The following archaic spellings of words were used in the original book and have been retained: head-ach; concuring; delinated.