Diseases of Cattle. 



CHAPTER I. 



GENERAL PRINCIPLES. 



I. IMPORTANCE OF THIS DEPARTMENT OF PRACTICE. II. PATHOLOGY OF CATTLE 



AND OF THE HORSE COMPARED. III. ACTION OF REMEDIES IN CATTLE. IV. 



THE ONLY SAFE PRINCIPLES FOR MOST CATTLE OWNERS. V. FAMILIARIZE 



YOURSELF WITH THE PHENOMENA OF HEALTH. VI. THE PULSE, RESPIRATION 



AND TEMPERATURE. VII. OTHER SPECIAL SIGNS OF DISEASE. 



As cattle occupy a foremost place in the wealth and resources of the 

 country, furnishing its beef, milk, butter and cheese, and, as secondary 

 products, its hides, tallow, glue, animal charcoal, etc., the prevention of 

 disease among thorn — especially of contagious diseases — and their treat- 

 ment when sick become very important, not only from a financial 

 standpoint, but also from considerations of the public health and com- 

 fort. 



II. Pathology of Cattle and of the Horse Compared. 



Cattle are a phlegmatic, plethoric race of animals, intended by nature 

 to eat large quantities of bulky food, to be prepared for digestion while 

 quietly lying down, by the process of rumination, and to take but little 

 exi^rcise. This f:it, plethoric condition of the system renders them more 

 susceptible to certain classes of diseases than the horse, especially to the 

 blood poisons, that witli them are so rapidly and certainly fatal, such as 

 rinderpest, anthrax and Texa:^ fever. On the other hand, their nervous 

 organization being much less sensitive, they are not nearly so liable to 

 attacks of such disorders r.s tetanus, r.aralysis, etCo 



Cattle not being fed to produce muscle without fat, are not subject to 

 lameness and disease of the :ur=-pa8Sc.ges to the same extent as the horse, 

 with whom speed and endurance arc the main points. In fact, soundness 

 or unsoundness, as the terms arc used by horsemen, is of little importance 

 to tho cattle owner, so long as the animal ca:^ move w th any degree of 

 comfort at all; while such affections of wind-pr\csages as roaring, 

 whist'ing anl heaves are to him nnknowno Still, that distressing, .ncur- 

 able diseas:, so common in the human rf.ce, pulmonary consumption 



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