36 



evident!}^ directed to rerooval of symptoms^ Gilchrist advises the 

 withdrawal of from ^-1 gallon of blood from the jugular and purg- 

 ing with five drachms of aloes and two of calomel made into a bolus 

 with jaggery. Hei'e we see a noteworthy absence of recommenda- 

 tion for use of febrifuges and one hesitates considerably before 

 following either method ; experience tends to the support of the 

 native S3'steni, that of sustaininr/ the strength of the animal as much 

 as possible, which will be found a rule of great value in dealing 

 with all diseases of the camel. The tendency of medical science in 

 the present day is to throw considerable doubt on the alleged 

 occurrence of fever as a disease per se especially in quadrupeds. 

 Irritative fever the result of extensive wounds and injuries, and 

 symptomatic fever in blood diseases and severe internal phlegmons 

 is very common but the general term fever is losing its original 

 meaning and becoming the name for a collection of symptoms, 

 just as dropsy, diarrhoea, and colic are they no longer convey- 

 ing so precise a meaning as to meet the accurate diagnostic 

 requirements of the present day. 



The PULSE, taken at the heart, averages 54 beats per minute 

 according to Gilchrist, but Colin puts the pulse of the camel at 

 25 to 32. The beats of the central circulatory organ may best be 

 felt, " though not always distinctly, when pressure is made with 

 the hand between the top of forelegs in front of the chest * * * 

 no artery about head, neck, or extremities is to be found possess- 

 ing a distinct aud easily recognisable pulse." This fact seriously 

 diminishes the value of pulse records for diagnostic purposes, but 

 it must be remembered that the pulse of ruminants is so affected 

 by physiological processes, especially digestion and pregnancy, 

 as to render its indications but little reliable. 



The internal temperature is a much more reliable and ex- 

 act method of determination of the presence of Fever than is the 

 pulse. The results afforded by my observations, as published in 

 Vol. XX, of the Veterinary Journal, p. 80, are that the average 

 internal temperature taken at the rectum in the morning is 99°F. ; 

 the maximum reading obtained was 102"6°F. "but the animal 

 was probably the subject of some fever (he died the following 

 day of Anthrax) since only in two other cases was the temperature 

 over 100°F," The minimum reading obtained was 98-2°F. I 

 should put the health limits at 98°F. to 101°F. The camels are 



