VETERINARY SCIENCE AND PRACTICE. 93 



Bassett (Wlseonsin Sta. Rpt. 1899^ j>P- 19Jr-20^). — The authors con- 

 ducted experiments for the purpose of determining- the effect of inges- 

 tion of cold water upon the temperature of cattle. In a herd of 45 

 cows, 30 were allowed to remain out of doors for from 20 to 60 min- 

 utes where they had access to cold w^ater. The other 6 cows of the 

 herd were kept in the barn and were not watered. The cows were 

 watered at 9 a. m. At 10 a. m. the average temperature of the cows 

 which were watered was 100.19^ F., and the average temperature of 

 the cows which were not watered was 102.12^ F. The average differ- 

 ence in temperature before and after watering was 2.17^, a fall of 

 temperatui-e being noticed in ever}' case except two. The individual 

 variation ranged from 0.9 to 5.1°. In order to determine the influence 

 of the size of the animal upon the fall of temperature after drinking 

 cold water, the herd was divided into 2 sections, the one composed of 

 animals weighing 900 lbs. or more and the other of animals weighing 

 less than 900 lbs. The average fall of temperature after watering in 

 the first section was 2.02 and in the second section 2.3-'. 



An experiment was conducted with 15 cows for the purpose of 

 determining whether the observed fall in temperature after watering 

 could be attributed to exposure to the cold outside atmosphere. Eight 

 of these 15 cows were watered in the barn and 7 were watered out of 

 doors, the temperature of water in both cases ])eing the same. The 

 average fall of temperature in the cows which were watered in the 

 barn was 1.66^ and of those which were watered out of doors, 1.5°. 

 It appears from this experiment that the fall in temperature is to be 

 attiibuted solely to the ingestion of cold water. 



In order to approach the problem from another side, an experiment 

 was conducted in watering cows with water heated to a temperature of 

 101- F. The results showed that the variation in temperature after 

 drinking this water was practically nothing. It is thus apparent that 

 the ingestion of a large quantity of cold water during the reaction 

 fever to the tuberculin test might lower the temperature of the animal 

 to such an extent as to obscure the reaction and lead to a faulty 

 diagnosis. 



Experiments were conducted for the purpose of determining what 

 influence, if an}", thirst has upon the temperature of cattle. Obser- 

 vations on this point were made both in the winter and summer. The 

 animals were allowed to thirst for 2-4 hours and their temperatures 

 were then taken. The variation in temperature was so slight that it 

 could be safely neglected in making tuberculin tests. Oestrum and 

 parturition were observed to have only a A'eiy slight effect in elevat- 

 ing the temperature of cows. Dehorning caused a general rise in 

 temperature in all the animals observed. 



The general results of these experiments may l>e stated as follows: 

 The ingestion of large quantities of cold water may produce a marked 



