QUARTER-ILL. 129 



374 cases in animals aged between 6 and 12 months. 



439 „ „ 1 and 2 years. 



83 „ „ 2 and 3 ' „ 



65 „ „ 3 and 4 „ 



10 „ „ 4 and 5 „ 



18 „ „ 5 and 6 „ 



Not only is it less frequent in old animals, but it is also less 

 fatal to them. Animals affected under two years old almost 

 invariably die, but animals over that age frequently recover ; so 

 much is this so, that many affirm all animals over three years 

 of age to be free from danger of contracting this disease. 



But this conclusion, however, must not be implicitly believed 

 in, as the following statements by Hess show there is even 

 danger though the animals are beyond the stated age. 



Out of 36,000 animals, from six to twelve months old, 350 

 died of the disease ; of 13,000 animals, from one to three years 

 old, 500 died ; and of 135,000 from three to six years of age, 

 120 died ; giving us the following percentages of total 

 mortality : — 



Between 6 and 12 months, "972 per cent. died. 

 „ 1 and 3 years, 3*845 „ „ 



„ 3 and 6 „ '08 „ „ 



The disease is never, or hardly ever, seen in calves under six 

 months old, unless they are fed on a diet which is not an 

 exclusively milk one. 



Quarter-ill, like many other diseases, has periods at which it 

 is rife in the country, and other periods when it seems to be 

 dormant. 



It is most frequently seen when animals are changed from 

 one pasturage to another, or from one condition of living to 

 another, more particularly when the change is from poor feeding 

 to rich pasturage. The disease is also most prevalent in low- 

 lying pastures, and when there is rain and humid heat, though 

 it may occur on any lands and in all kinds of weather. 



Symptoms. — The symptoms of the disease are usually mostly 

 as follows, but occasionally the initiatory ones do not indicate 

 it very clearly, and may readily be taken for those of some 

 other affection, and perhaps one which may be cured by treat- 

 ment, and so consequently are apt sometimes to mislead even 

 the expert : — Loss of appetite, dulness, listlessness, cessation of 

 rumination, harshness and staring of the coat, elevation of 

 temperature, rigors and local tremblings, coldness of the 

 extremities, then lameness or stiffness when moved, arching 

 of the back, and on examination of the skin a tumour is found 

 forming under it in some part of the body. It may be on the 

 head, neck, shoulders, dewlap, loins, genital organs, or mammary 



VOL. XX. I 



