GENERAL DISEASES. 235 



SCARLET FEVER 



Is a specific, contagious, and infectious disease, com- 

 municable perhaps even to man by means of the milk 

 and inoculation. It is peculiar to recently calved cows. 

 The disease lasts from five weeks to even three months. 

 It is caused by a micrococcus. 



Symptoms. — Short fever; quick breathing; hacking 

 cough ; sore throat in severe cases ; discharges from nos- 

 trils and eyes; eruption on skin around eyes; also hind 

 quarters; vesicles on teats and udder; teats double in 

 size; vesicles, at first the size of a pea, enlarge to half- 

 inch ulcers, with reddish brown scabs ; scabs may remain 

 25 days or longer ; watery fluid exudes from under scab ; 

 ulcers leave a whitish, flat, indistinct scar, &c. 



Remedy. — Solution acetate ammonium, 4 fluid ounces; 

 spirit nitrous ether, 1 fluid oz., bicarbonate potassium, -J 

 oz., water, Si oz., 3 times a day. Draw off milk with 

 siphon. Feed calf by hand. 



PURPLE FEVER (PURPURA H/EMORRHAGICA), 



Is a specific, eruptive blood fever, of an intermittent 

 type, in which the skin, mucous membranes, connective 

 tissue of the lungs and kidneys and coats of the intesti- 

 nal walls are mainly affected. It seems to result from 

 exposure or foul air, and often follows a disease like 

 catarrhal fever. It runs its course in about a week, and, 

 like anthrax, which it resembles, is often fatal. It is 

 peculiar to calves rather than adults. (See page 47.) 



Symptoms. — Pain and slight swellings in one or more 

 limbs; may be purple or dark red spots in nostrils and 

 pimples on skin ; blood seems to be thinner than usual ; 

 it or red serum, or both, exudes, especially on the mucous 

 and serous membranes ; temperature changeable, but may 

 suddenly reach 106° F. or more ; hot and rather circum- 

 scribed swellings appear on various parts of the body, 



