PROGNOSIS. 



Definition. Demands on the veterinarian, the question of economy. 

 Basis of Prognosis. Cause of the illness, internal or external, vital or non- 

 vital organ, enzootic, fatigue, infection, in one or two symmetrical vital 

 organs, regular or irregular in its course, persistence, relapse, complications, 

 effect of treatment, appetite, temperature, pulse, breathing, youth, age, de- 

 bility, previous disease, breeding, climate, season. 



Prognosis is a more complicated question for the veterinarian 

 than for the ph3\sician. The latter must pronounce on the 

 malady, whether it is likely to follow a regular or irregular 

 course, whether it will last short or long, whether it will be 

 curable or incurable, and if curable whether recovery would 

 be complete or partial. For the veterinarian there is in ad- 

 dition the question of economy. The veterinary patient is, 

 as a rule, of value, only if he can be rendered sound, and a 

 partial recovery may be even worse than a fatal result, since the 

 subject remains as a ruinous charge on his owner. The veterin- 

 arian must pronounce on the prompt and perfect curability of the 

 case, on the outlay that will be requisite for treatment, on the de- 

 preciation which will be entailed on the patient, and whether, in 

 certain lesions that do not harm the carcase, it would not be more 

 judicious to butcher the subject. The physician is expected to 

 do the best he can for life and health, and even a very imperfect 

 recovery brings him a mead of gratitude. The veterinarian on 

 the other hand must be an expert not only on disease, but on 

 animal values, and if his treatment, however skillful it may be. 

 results only in the prolonging of the life of an useless animal, 

 the owner may charge him with imposing upon him an unneces- 

 sary outlay. The soundest judgment and highest skill are often 

 necessary to secure the interests of an employer in such circum- 

 stances. In certain cases the recommendation to destroy is of 

 much more value to the employer than the most skillful, and par- 

 tially effective, curative treatment. On this basis, the reputation 

 of a skillful man may be securely built. He can deceive no one 

 if his prediction of recovery is not justified, while if he advises 

 destruction and the patient recovers, he is at once discredited. 



