OF THE OX. 145 



nervous system ; soon after, the animal exhibits 

 more decidedly those changes which previously 

 were hardly to be detected ; his want of appe- 

 tite is more marked, his sadness more obvious, 

 and his attention fixes itself more slowly and 

 carelessly on the objects which surround him. 

 When he is in the shed, his usual food is found 

 in excess of his wants, his thirst is much keener 

 and more frequent, and a continual dejection 

 and lowness of spirits or a transitory agitation 

 disturb all his functions. When the farmers 

 or graziers notice these premonitory signs for 

 the first time they pay but little attention 

 thereto ; but if the contagion has found its 

 way into their stalls and sheds they are no 

 longer deceived by them, but begin to appre- 

 hend that in a day or two fresh victims will 

 be added to the number. 



2. Period of Initiation. Soon the elabora- 

 tion of the virulent miasma in the organic 

 structure changes the quality of the blood and 

 humours, the functions of assimilation and se- 

 cretion are modified, the nervous centres receive 

 vitiated organic elements and are disturbed in 

 their physiological conditions, and the smitten 

 animal displays that state of latent uneasiness 



L 



