v] Amentaceae 71 
Symptoms. In relation to Maladie des Bois due to leaves, Cornevin 
gives the symptoms as loss of appetite ; less (and more difficult) rumina- 
tion; constipation, which increases; lying down, animals looking at 
their flank as in colic, followed by rising and attempts to urinate, with 
passing of rosy-coloured liquid in jets; loss of milk production, which 
may drop to nothing; fever, trembling, enfeebled condition. 
Three or four days after the commencement of illness rumination 
is completely suspended ; there is stamping of the feet, colic; retracted 
stomach, pulse hard, heart agitated, accelerated respiration, violent 
muscular shocks, and frequent urination. The urine is always dark 
in colour, but varies from clear red to dark black, nut-brown being usual. 
Cases are only serious when a fo3tid, frothy, and abundant dysentery 
succeeds constipation, in which case there is rapid emaciation and death. 
Usually the course of the illness is not rapid ; but occasionally there 
is immediate and bloody urination with violent colic and sometimes 
intestinal haemorrhage, death occurring in 24 hours. 
In poisoning by acorns there is progressive wasting, entire loss of 
appetite, diarrhoea, discharge of an excessive quantity of pale urine, 
sore places inside the mouth, discharge from the nostrils, and also from 
the eyes, which are always sunken, giving the animal a peculiar haggard 
expression. There is no fever ; on the contrary, the temperature is com- 
monly below normal, though in some cases stated to be above normal. 
Miiller remarks on the severe constipation, followed by dysenteric 
diarrhoea, caused by acorns, especially when eaten in the half-ripe 
condition, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats being affected. 
The experimental poisoning of a young steer and a young sheep by 
fully ripe acorns was described in 1871 (Jour. R.A.S.E., 1871). In the 
steer the symptoms were a semi-conscious condition, weak pulse, pallid 
membranes, cold surface of body, torpid bowels, slow breathing, twitch- 
ings of muscles, and a disposition to maintain a recumbent position. 
Inflammation was entirely absent. The symptoms increased in severity 
day by day; there ensued a copious flow of colourless urine; a muco- 
purulent discharge from the eyes and nostrils. No impairment of health 
followed the feeding of acorns to the sheep. 
Thorburn (Veterinary Journal, Feb., 1902) mentions loss of appetite, 
grunting, disinclination to move, prostration, icy coldness of extremities, 
very rapid emaciation (this sometimes was particularly noticeable), 
pulse very small and weak (in some cases almost imperceptible), tem- 
perature high (105 to 107 F.,) and constipation succeeded by watery 
diarrhoea. 
