Of the twenty which were in the barn where the calf died, in the early part of July, all were apparently well in the November following, but in the month of April were found to be diseased; whether the disease had commenced just previously to its discovery, as in the first cases which occurred, does not appear. If these cattle were well in November, and there is no evidence to the contrary, the disease was in the state of incubation at least four months; but the longest term, according to the statistical account of a contagionist above given, was sixty days. If, on the other hand, we assume that the animal had gone through the active stage unobserved, and the disease was then in a chronic condition, we are met with the statement of the Commissioners, that an animal that was not diseased until the 20th of January ceased to be able to communicate Pleuro-pneumonia before the 28th of the next March, about sixty days. We can only say, that such variations are unknown in other contagious diseases of men or animals, and besides do not correspond with the facts collected by those who have had more ample means of investigating the disease in Europe, and in whose opinions so much confidence is placed. Another point is worthy of notice. When any of the diseased cattle came in contact with a herd in Brookfield, the contact was said to be followed by disease in some of the herd; but when diseased animals were driven to other towns, and in the course of their journey "exposed " those they met, the exposure was not followed by disease. The number was sufficiently large to constitute a fair experiment; in one instance, fifty head, and in others several were in the same pasture, and yet almost no disease followed. The disappearance of the disease was peculiar, and certainly not such as would have been expected if the contagious element was as active and the number of the exposed as great as was represented. At Mr. Chenery's it appears to have accomplished its work in about two months, and to have been confined almost exclusively to the barn in which it first appeared. It was not communicated by the diseased calves in the pasture to other animals in the same pasture, although they were together during the whole disease until it terminated in death; it was not communicated by animals transferred from the barn to another containing animals apparently in proper condition for its reception if contagious. In Brookfield, the "infected district" was more extensive, and the disappearance here also quite peculiar. The Commissioners had attempted to destroy it by destroying every case which had the disease, or which had been exposed to it. In this they were disappointed; they found it spreading wider and wider; they ceased slaughtering and commenced a certain amount of isolation. One thousand head of cattle were believed to have been exposed, and application was made to the Legislature for greater power to meet this increase. On the 12th of June the power was granted, but the disease had already ceased two months before, and has not as yet reappeared. From this it may be inferred, that the eight hundred and forty cattle were killed to very little purpose, or, at least, that slaughtering was inferior to isolation, and the cattle could have been saved. It may also be inferred, that either the disease was not contagious, or that the conditions constituting exposure were not understood, and consequently the facts for determining its contagious nature wanting. It seems to be quite certain, that those circumstances which in the commencement were considered abundant evidence of exposure to contagion, and were believed to be almost invariably followed by disease, in about a thousand similarly situated cases towards the decline produced no effect. It would be difficult to explain this upon purely contagious grounds, unless we adopt the theory, quite unsupported by facts, that the contagious element constantly diminished, and at each transmission was transmitted constantly in a feebler degree, until too weak to affect the system. Whether contagious or not, in other countries it has passed from place to place in the manner of an epidemic, and has not been controlled by those measures which usually control diseases resembling small-pox, with which it is so frequently compared. Contagious diseases are often epidemic, and the outbreak of those which are usually considered epidemic sometimes occurs as an endemic, immediately upon the introduction of an active cause; as in cholera. It is probable that the two classes gradually shade into each other, and that here, as elsewhere in nature, there are no great leaps. On the whole, the Massachusetts disease appears to have followed the law of other epidemics, spreading for a time, while the epidemic influence lasted, and then disappearing without the apparent circumstances under which it arose being materially changed. If such be the case, it is obvious that we cannot expect any more good from indiscriminate slaughter of all deemed to be exposed to its influence than can be obtained by simply removing, even to a moderate distance, the well from the sick. We say removing the well from the sick, for in this way all causes of a local nature are removed as well as the emanations from the diseased. Especially should overcrowding be avoided; for if there is anything well established, it is that overcrowding tends to produce disease among the healthy and increases its severity where it already exists. These precautions, with free ventilation, good nourishment, and a very moderate use of drugs, appear at present the principal measures we can bring to bear upon this exceedingly fatal epidemic, and with the judicious use of them, we have the testimony of distinguished veterinarians that a herd may be rid of it. The following is a summary of the facts and inferences with regard to contagion: 1. Contagionists admit that Pleuro-pneumonia often arises spontaneously in widely separated places; it has thus appeared on the continent of Europe and in England, where the duties prevented importation. 2. The most stringent measures of slaughtering and isolation have not prevented its spread. 3. It has disappeared after a limited period without change of measures. 4. No Pleuro-pneumonia of man or animals is known to be contagious; it has been and is now prevalent among swine without evidence of contagion. 5. Two forms of Pleuro-pneumonia are admitted by contagionists; one contagious and the other non-contagious; but these two diseases cannot be distinguished during life or after death. 6. The limits of the period of incubation are greater than those of contagious diseases. 7. It is believed possible by contagionists to eliminate by treatment the contagious influence during the period of incubation. 8. Animals purposely and fully exposed to the disease have not contracted it. 9. Experiments have not proved that it can be communicated by inoculation. 10. In Europe the question of contagion is still undecided. 11. The great majority of diseases the contagiousness of which has been fairly questioned have proved non-contagious. 12. Upon the grounds assumed by contagionists, the appearance of the disease in Belmont was probably spontaneous. 13. The disease may have been introduced into Brookfield, but disappeared spontaneously. 14. The evidence of contagion is similar in character and not greater in degree than that for the contagion of Cholera, and in both respects very different from that of small-pox. Months. I. METEOROLOGICAL TABLES FOR PORTLAND, ME. For the Year ending December 31st, 1859. By HENRY WILLIS. Lat. 43° 39' 24".48 N., Long. 70° 15' 24" W. the mean level of the sea. Barometer 8.75 feet above April, inch. inch. inch. inch. 21 30.59 30 55 30 53 30.56 inch inch. inch. inch. inch. inch. inch. inch. January, 7 29.87 29.49 29.20 29.52 30.068 30.039 30.047 30.051 February, 7 30.06 30.20 30.31 30.19 20 29.46 29 17 29 09 29 24 29.936 29.879 29.916 29.910 March, 230.35 30 34 30 38 30 36 19 28 93 29.02 29.09 29.01 29.816 29.766 29.782 29.788 28 30.13 30.15 30.12 30.14 24 29.15 29.34 29.63 29.37 29.752 29.712 29.755 29.740 May, 11 30.22 30.26 30 31 30.26 8 29.70 29.59 29.55 29.61 30.024 30.021 30.009 30.018 June,* 12 30 27 30 20 30.13 30.20 30 29.57 29.78 29.88 29.74 29 949 29.909 29 913 29 924 July, 5 30.31 30 29 30 31 30 34 22 29.65 29.53 29.44 29.54 29 883 29.865 29.868 29.872 August, 23 30.15 30.12 30 12 30 13 19 29.64, 29.58 29.78 29.67 29.891 29.856 29 885 29.877 September, 30 30.36 30 25 30 22 30.28 13 29.36 29.27 29 34 29 32 29 932 29.916 29.937 29.928 October, 16 30.1030.22 30 30 30 21 27 29.36 29.26 29.31 29.31 29.833 29.786 29.826 29.815 November, 730.55 30.54 30.51 30 53 13 29.66 29.30 29.17 29.38 30.045 30.016 30.028 30.030 December, 330 36 30.55 30.70 30.53 20 29.87 29.72 29.31 29.63 29.996 29.957 29.983 29.979) An. Mean, 130.29 30.31 30.33 30.31 29.52 29 42 29.40 29.45 29.927 29.893 29.912 29.911 Range (inches) 1.68; 1858, 1.76. Highest temperature by Self-Registering Thermometer in 1859, June 29th, 87°.5; 1858, Sept. 9th, 89°. Lowest in 1859, Jan. 11th, 23°; 1858, Feb. 12th, 7°. *Seven days omitted. 66.5 52.0 49.0 68.0 57.0 38.0 50.5 42.0 22.5 33.5 24.0 31.0 -8.0 6.0 25.0 -9.0-100-14.00 16.32 24.09 19.65 20.02 12.0 8.66 19.39 28.02 23.71 23.62 10.83 29.74 37.33 33.24 33.44 31.00 35.95 45.02 38.02 39.61 43.66 51.37 59.74 51.16 54.09 48.66 59.28 65.18 57.66 60.48 58 66 64.73 73.21 63.48 67.19 58.00 61.67 72.75 62.48 65.71 43.50 51.88 62.52 54.12 56.62 27.00 40.48 49.67 42.21 43.76 29.00 35.55 41.73 36.65 37.85 0.50 16.79 22.71 18.34 19.23 23.3 34.4 28.4 28.71 40.26 48 50 41.73 43.47 7 A. M. 2 P. M. 9 P. M. Mean for the Month. REMARKS. Jan. 10th, 11th, and 12th were severely cold days; the mean temperature of the three days being 9°.44 below zero, the mercury standing at least 5° below zero for 63 consecutive hours. Jan. 11th, 1859. - The harbor was frozen from Fish Point to the breakwater this morning; free the next day. Feb. 22d and 23d.- Auroral light each evening. March 4th.- Wild geese seen passing north. 13th. First appearance of robins. 19th.-Sleighing ended, there having been sleighing from Dec. 5, 1858, 104 days. April 2d. Parhelia or sun-dogs observed from 44 P. M. till sunset. 21st, 28th, and 29th. Auroral light each evening. 29th.- Last ice made in the spring. May 30th. - Frost in the neighboring country, A. M. June 3d. Sky illuminated with lightning in the evening. 6th, 10th, 11th, and 12th. Frost in the neighboring country, A. M. 15th.— Tornado at Embden, Me. July 6th.-Three meteors observed this evening. 2d, 25th, and 26th. Thunder and lightning. Aug. 7th, 27th, and 31st. - Thunder and lightning. 28th. Brilliant aurora. Sept. 1st to 9th, inclusive, and 27th and 28th. Aurora each evening. Oct. 2d, 7th, and 20th.- Aurora observed each evening. Several meteors observed during the month. 10th and 11th. White frost in the morning. 21st.- First ice; first snow, 10.45 A. M. Nov. 8th.- Brilliant meteor in the southeast. 13th. — Wild geese passing south. 19th. Lightning in south, at 54 P. M. March 30th.- Penobscot River freed from ice at Bangor; Dec. 10th, closed with ice at Bangor. Mean annual temperature at Portland for 37 years, 43°.14. Highest temperature recorded in that time, 100°.5; the lowest, Jan. 24th, 1857, 25°. The mean temperatures of the different seasons for 37 years are as follows:- Spring, 40°.21; Summer, 63°.22; Autumn, 46°.51; Winter, 210.77. The "force of vapor" is the inches of a column of mercury in the Barometer that would be supported by the pressure of the vapor in the atmosphere, alone. The "mean relative moisture" indicates, in hundredths, the fraction of saturation of the air with water; one hundred being taken to represent full saturation. The "temperature of evaporation" is the dew point, and shows at what temperature the air would be saturated with the moisture present in the air at the time of observation. *Entirely clear, no clouds to be seen at three daily observations. + Entirely cloudy, no clear sky to be seen at three daily observations. Melted snow included. Three daily observations, 7 A. M., 2 P. M., and 9 P. M. II. METEOROLOGICAL TABLES FOR CAMBRIDGE, MASS. Summary of the Meteorological Tables made at the Observatory of Harvard College during the Year commencing Junuary 1st, 1859, and ending December 31st, 1859. By G. P. BOND, Director. Lat. 42° 22' 48" N., Long. 71° 7′ 40′′ W. 1. MEAN BAROMETRIC PRESSURE AND EXTERNAL TEMPERATUre. Mean Height of the Barometer. External Thermometer. The indications of the Barometer are given corrected for capillary action, and reduced to the temperature of 320 Fahrenheit, but are not corrected for its height above the sea-level, which is 71 feet. 2. RAIN, WINDS, AND CLOUDS, Monthly Means of Observations. 7 A. M. 9 A. M. 2 P. M. |