75° Journal of Agriculture. [lo Dec, 1908. 



DISEASES OF THE 13L00D AND CIRCULATORY 



ORUAiNS. 



S. S. Cameron, M .R.C.WS., Chief Veterinary Officer. 



Anemia — Plethora — Leukemia-— Hvper^bmia or r'oN&ESTiox — Apoplexy — Ixelammation —Thrombosis — 

 Emuolism — Dropsy, lEcleiiia, Anasaiea, Ascites, &e. — Tox.emia or Blood Poisoxino, Sapritmia, 

 SeiJUCcemia, Pjiemia — Ukeami a— Jaundice or ItTERcs — Kiieumatism — Heart Afkkctioxs — Anelkisii — 

 Phlebitis. 



There are many diseases in which alteration of the blood is a feature, 

 but there are singularly few affections of the blood per se, that is few 

 diseases in which the blood alone is concerned, or in which it is concerned 

 except as a result of other diseases or extraneous influence. Such diseases 

 as tick fe^er (piroplasmosis) and the various trypanosomiases (surra, nagana, 

 or tse-tse fly disease, &c.) produce their most marked features on or in 

 the blood, but as they are due to the introduction of a "contagium" they 

 will be more fittingly considered in the chapter on contagious and infectious 

 diseases. 



There are however many non-specific and abnormal conditions of the 

 blood and blood vessels, a knowledge of which is essential to the under- 

 st.mding of the diseases with which they are associated. To these ab- 

 normal conditions reference will therefore be advantageous. 



Anaamia. 



This term means literally "bloodlessness" and indicates a deficiency 

 of blood ; not necessarily a deficiency in amount but rather a defect in 

 quality — a diminution in number of blood cells (red or white or both) or 

 in amount of the oxygen-carrying element, hsemoglobin. After severe 

 hsemorrhage and during convalescence from acute fevers the blood is 

 deficient in quality ; it quickly regains normality in quantity, even after 

 great loss of blood, owing to absorption into it of the required fluid from 

 the tissues or cavities of the body. 



Anaemia is usually accompanied bv a decrease in vital energy. The 

 pulse and heart's action is feeble and irregular; the visible mucous mem- 

 branes are pallid ; coldness of the extremities and surface of the body 

 with a harsh staring coat and tight skin are common features. There 

 may be loss of appetite and there is more or less wasting of the tissues 

 so that the animal becomes poor in condition and languid or excitable in 

 temperament. If there is excess of watery fluid in the blood dropsical 

 effusions into the skin (called anasarca) or into the cavities and most 

 depending parts of the bodv (called ascites or drops\ ) mav occ'ir. Such 

 dropsical conditions associated with anaemia are common in sheep when 

 affected with " fluke." 



Blood tonics consisting of iron compounds (sulphate or citrate of iron) 

 and vegetable bitters (gentian or cinchona) are appropriate and useful 

 medicaments in anaemia. 



Plethora. 



This is the opposite condition to anaemia ; one in which there is increase 

 of the red and white corpuscles and excess of nutriti^e mater'al. It results 

 from excess of assimilation of food over waste, accompanied bv high 

 activity of the blood forming organs. There is fulness of blood, denoted 



