476 REPORT OF THE COMMISSIONER OF AGRICULTURE 



and tlie general cliaracter and i)rogress of the malady during the life of 

 the affected animal, saj'S that it is an essential or general fever, and 

 that it can be shown, more clearly than in any human disease of the 

 same class, that the disturbance of the system which is understood by 

 the term fever may exist independently of local changes occurring in 

 particular organs ; and iii this respect a fact new to pathology has been 

 discovered, i. e., tliat the increase of the temperature of the body, which 

 is the one and only symptom which all fevers have in common, exists 

 for several days before any other derangement of health can be observed. 

 Although constitutional or general in its origin, the disease is attended 

 with local alterations of structure, some of which are so constant and 

 invariable that no definition of the malady can be complete which fails 

 to recognize and include them. Dr. Sanderson says : 



The observations and experiments which have been made, so far as they have been 

 carried out, relating to the phenomena of the disease during life, lead to the conclu- 

 Bion that, with reference to the constitutioval effects, the disease consists in (1) increase 

 in temperature of the body ; (2) increase in the elimination of urea by the kidneys, 

 indicating increased disintegration of tissue ; (3) alteration of the physical and chem- 

 ical qualities of the blood, manifesting itself in impairment of its coagulability and in 

 a marked tendency to capillary hemorrage ; and, lastly, (4) a general septic condition 

 of the fluids and tissues, in virtue of wMch they are unnaturally prone to decomposi- 

 tion even during life. 



With reference to its local manifestations, the disease appears to be distinguished- 

 by an alteration of the superficial structures of the skin and mucous membranes, con- 

 sisting (1) of minute capillary congestion (hypercemia) of the vascular layer (corpus 

 papillare, membra prop7-ia) ; (2) of increased as well as perverted growth of the struct- 

 ural elements, naturally developed at its free surface, this change leading to thicken- 

 ing, softening, disintegration, or detachment of the epidermis or epithelium respect- 

 ively, but very rarely, if ever, to ulceration or loss of substance in the deeper tissue ; 

 and, lastly, (3) of increased and perverted activity of the secreting glands of the akin 

 and mucous membrane, resulting in mucus or sebaceous discharges. 



Cattle plaCTie belongs to that class of fevers which is distinguished by marked uni- 

 formity in their development and duration. In this respect it resemijles small-pox 

 more than any other disease which affects man. The resemblance is, however, generic 

 rather than si^ecific, for in cattle plague the essential phenomenon of small-pox — tlie 

 eruption — is wanting. • 



In fatal cases the progress of the disease is divided into three stages. The first 

 stage, comprising the first and second day, is marked by no appreciable change in the 

 condition of the affected animal, excepting increase of temperature. During Ihe 

 second stage, which comprises the third, fourth, and fifth days of the disease, its 

 B}^nptom8 develop themselves in quick succession. The appetite fails, rnmination 

 ceases, the daily excretion of urea by the kidneys is augmented, while the animal 

 loses strength and weight. The last stage, that which immediately precedes the fatal 

 termination, is characterized by the rapid decline and cessation of the vital functions, 

 and, above all, by sudden sinking of the temperature of the body. 



The leading phenomena of the disease may be described as follows, according to 

 the order of time in which they occur; 



During the first two days, as has been already stated, there are no symptoms except- 

 ing elevation of temperature, so that the time of commencement of the disease can be 

 determined only by the Lhi niiometer. But on the third day an eruption, exactly re- 

 sembling that of thrush, appears on the gums and inside of the lip. The ernj>tion 

 usually commences by the formation of groups of very minute raised points or dots 

 on the surface of the mucous membrane, which are usually first seen a little below 

 the comer tooth on each side. This appearance is in many cases neither preceded nor 

 accompanied by any redness of the surrounding surface, but occasionally a slight blush 

 is pecreptible near the elevation. The animal continues to ruminate, and its appetite, 

 pulse, and breathing are unaffected. 



On the next day the eruption above described on the mucous membrane of the mouth 

 is found to have extended. The whole of the surface between the lower lip and the 

 gum is studded with raised groups of elevations, while those previously observed be- 

 low the comer teeth have coalesced, so as to form patches. The animal is listless, 

 takes less food than usual, and ruminates irregularly, but the pulse and respiration 

 are unaltered. On this day alterations may often be observed on the cutaneous sur- 

 face. In the neighborhood of the vulva and on the inside of the thighs the skin is 

 found to be grea.sy, as if smeared with an unctuous substance. 



On the fifth day the animal is obviously ill. The head hangs down, the ears are 

 thrown back, and the attitude and movements are suggestive of depression. The 



