GENKllAL SYMl'TOMS. 83 



on it becomes tremulous and indistinct, even over the 

 region of the heart ; rumination is suspended, and all 

 food refused ; but the patients shew a great disposition 

 to take water, and also to lick earth, which, mingling 

 with the mucus of the nose, assists in clogging up 

 the nasal openings, and renders the respiration more 

 difficult. The alvine evacuations are but little changed 

 in the majority of cases; in some, how'ever, diarrhoea 

 succeeds to a torpid condition of the bow^els, and hastens 

 the fatal termination : the temperature of the body is 

 unequal ; the feet and ears being generally cold, while 

 the skin elsewhere is hot. 



These symptoms, more or less modified, are pre- 

 sent from the commencement of the eruption, and 

 seldom abate until the papular stage gives place to 

 the vesicular, wdien the animals usually experience a 

 relief. In all natural cases the constitutional dis- 

 turbance is gi-eat, and makes the probable termination 

 of the attack doubtful, w'hich is also rendered more 

 uncertain when the confluent form of variola prevails ; 

 for the type of the disease, as elsewhere stated, governs, 

 to a considerable extent, the amount of the fatality. 



Not only is the prognosis unfavourable in confluent 

 variola, but it is equally so if the fever continues 

 unabated; which is certain to be associated with 

 an augmentation of the patient's sufferings. The 

 breathing now becomes rapid and painful ; the inspi- 

 rations frequently, but more often the expirations, 

 are accompanied with a moan ; frothy saliva is dis- 

 charged from the mouth ; the exhalations are fetid ; 

 the wool separates from the skin on the application of 

 the slightest force; ulcerations of the conjunctival 

 membrane occasionafly result, and sometimes the in- 



