122 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



by this designation. In fatty degeneration the elements of the mus- 

 cular tissue are replaced by fatty or oily granules. The muscle be- 

 comes weak, the heart contractions are insufficient and heart weak- 

 ness is shown by general weakness, shortness of breath, and weak, 

 rapid pulse. 



Cyanosis. Owing to the most prominent symptom, this condi- 

 tion is also called blue disease. It is seen occasionally in new-born 

 calves. It is recognized by the blue color of the mucous membrane 

 (easily seen by looking within the mouth and nostrils), the coldness 

 of the surface of the body, and rapid, labored breathing. It is due to 

 nonclosure of the foramen ovale, connecting the right with the left 

 side of the heart, and the consequent mixing of the venous with the 

 arterial blood. Calves so affected live but a short time. 



Wounds of Arteries and Veins. When a blood vessel is opened 

 it may be told at a glance whether it is an artery or a vein by simply 

 bearing in mind that bright-red blood comes from arteries and dark- 

 red from veins. When a vein or a very small artery is severed the 

 blood flows from the vessel in a continuous and even stream, but 

 when one of the larger arteries is severed the blood comes from it in 

 intermitting jets, or spurts, corresponding to the beats of the heart. 

 It is well to call attention to the fact that the dark-red blood which 

 flows or oozes from a wound soon becomes bright-red, because it gives 

 up its carbonic-acid gas to the air, and absorbs oxygen gas from the 

 air, which is exactly the change it undergoes in the capillaries of 

 the lungs. 



The general treatment of wounds will be found in another sec- 

 tion; here it is only necessary to refer briefly to some of the most 

 practical methods used to arrest hemorrhages, as instances occur 

 where an animal may lose much strength from the loss of blood, or 

 even bleed to death unless action is prompt. 



Bleeding (Hemorrhage). The severity of a hemorrhage de- 

 pends upon the size of the vessel from which the blood escapes, 

 though it may be stated that it is more serious when arteries are sev- 

 ered. If the wound in an artery is in the direction of its length, 

 the blood escapes more freely than if the vessel is completely severed, 

 because in the latter instance the severed ends retract, curl in, and 

 may aid very much in arresting the flow. When the blood merely 

 oozes from the wound, and even in cases where it flows in a small 

 stream, the forming of the clot arrests the hemorrhage in a com- 

 paratively short time. 



Slight hemorrhages may be checked by the continuous applica- 

 tion to the wound of cold water, ice, or snow, as cold causes contrac- 

 tion of the small vessels. The water may be thrown on a wound 

 from a hose, or dashed on it from the hand or a cup, or folds of cot- 

 ton cloths may be held on the wound and kept wet. Ice or snow may 

 be held against the wound, or they may be put in a bag and con- 

 veniently secured in position. 



Hot water of an average temperature of 115 to 120 F. in- 

 jected into the vagina or womb is often efficient in arresting hem- 

 orrhages from those organs. Tow, raw cotton, lint, or sponges may 



