DISEASES OF CATTLE 113 



mal is often advisable, from a humane as well as from a financial 

 point of view. 



PULMONARY CONGESTION. 



Cattle that are overdriven or overworked are liable to pul- 

 monary congestion in an acute form, and sometimes pulmonary 

 apoplexy. In such cases the animal should be allowed to rest, and 

 if the weather be hot put in a shady place. Give stimulants inter- 

 nally, unload the venous side of the heart 'by bleeding, and apply 

 stimulating applications to the legs, and bandage. 



HEMOPTYSIS. 



This is a term used to signify bleeding from the lungs. The 

 trouble may result from a previous congestion of the lungs, or from 

 a breaking down of the lung substance, or from specific disorders. 



Bleeding from the lungs comes from both nostrils and from 

 the mouth. The blood is bright red, frothy, and accompanied by 

 a cough, the flow being somewhat profuse and intermingled with 

 mucus. It may cease of its own accord. Internally hemostatics 

 are indicated, and locally over the sides cold applications have a 

 tendency to check the hemorrhage. Give the animal a drench 

 composed of 1^ drams of gallic acid dissolved in a pint of water. 



ABSCESS OF THE LUNG. 



Abscesses of the lung sometimes form during the course of or 

 subsequent to tuberculosis or other diseases. An animal affected 

 with abscess of the lung usually has a protracted, feeble cough 

 and a general appearance of emaciation and anemia. The pulse 

 is feeble and the breath foul. An offensive discharge from the 

 lungs frequently occurs. Percussion and auscultation will aid in 

 making a diagnosis in this condition. The appetite is poor. Such 

 animals go from bad to worse, and their prompt destruction would, 

 as a rule, be to the interest of the owner. 



HYDROTHORAX. 



Hydrothorax, or dropsy of the chest, is not a disease in itself, 

 but is simply a condition where an effusion takes place in the chest 

 cavity, and is the result or effect of some disease, mostly pleurisy. 

 This condition can be easily diagnosed by physical signs. A loss 

 of the respiratory murmur will be noticed on auscultation, and on 

 percussion dullness or flatness on a line as high as the effusion 

 has taken place. When there is a large amount of effusion present, 

 tapping with the trocar and canula is generally resorted to. The 

 proper method of performing this operation will be found under 

 the head of Pleurisy. 



PNEUMOTHORAX. 



An accumulation of gas in the pleural sac is known as pneu- 

 mothorax. The presence of air may either result from an injury 

 of the lung or a wound communicating from the exterior. The 

 indications for treatment are to remove any foreign body that may 

 have penetrated, to exclude the further entrance of the air into the 

 cavity by the closure of the external opening, and to employ anti- 

 septics and adhesive dressings. The air already in the cavity will 

 in most cases be absorbed. 



