302 Veterinary Medicine. 



poisoning by the ptomaines ar.d toxins. Tiiere are however 

 certain protective conditions. Accnstomed as this class of 

 animals is to the consnmption of such food, they have by 

 selective evolution acquired an insusceptibility to many such 

 poi.sons which would prove deadly to the herbivora. Again the 

 mature dog or cat has already been subjected to many of these 

 poisons and having survived them has acquired an immunity 

 which renders it comparatively safe for the future. The anti- 

 ■septic power of the gastric secretion of the dog may be ea.sily 

 shown, by letting him bolt a moderate piece of putrid meat, and 

 killing him ten or fifteen minutes later when the mass will be 

 found in the stomach without odor of decomposition. He suc- 

 cumbs to the poison either when the quantity ingested is too 

 large, or when the digestion is from any cause deranged and the 

 ga.stric secretion impaired. Anthrax flesh may produce pharyn- 

 geal or intestinal anthrax in the dog. In the animal with tem- 

 porarily impaired immunity the more virulent septicaemias may 

 prove infecting. From putrid beef the following pathogenic 

 bacteria have been i.solated : i. Gartner and Basenau have in- 

 dependently isolated bacillus bovis morbificans which forms 

 clear colonies on the surface of peptonized gelatine, and brownish 

 ones beneath the surface, and coagulates milk in 24 hours. 

 This is .short with rounded ends, very motile, non- liquefying, 

 and capable of surviving the freezing temperature. Its toxins 

 are not destroyed by boiling. It causes enteritis, or, subcutem, 

 debility, somnolence, and stupor. This bacillus was pathogenic 

 to mice, rats, guinea-pigs, rabbits, goats and calves but had little 

 effect on dogs or cats. 2. The bacillus of Poels which pro- 

 duces paraly,sis. 3. The bacillus of Gatky which performs 

 very rapid gyratory movements only, and is not found in the 

 mu.scles. 



Old Brine is as poisonous for the dog as for pigs. Six to nine 

 ounces proved fatal, (Reynal). 



Stale Fish has been known to prove poi.sonous in the .same 

 way. 



Three dogs that were made to breathe the air over a foul privy 

 were seized with vomiting, fever and diarrhoea. 



Symptoms. These usually develop six or more hours after a 

 feed. The earlier .symptoms are those of digestive disorder. 



