DISEASES OF CATTLE 137 



oring matter superadded. If due to stone or gravel, gritty particles 

 are usually passed, and may be detected in the bottom of a dish in 

 which the liquid is caught. If due to fracture or severe sprain of the 

 loins, it is likely to be associated not only with some loss of control 

 over the hind limbs and with staggering behind, but also with a more 

 or less perfect paralysis of the tail. The blood-stained urine without 

 red globules results from specific diseases Texas fever, anthrax, spir- 

 illosis, and from eating irritant plants (broom, savin, mercury, helle- 

 bore, ranunculus, convolvulus, colchicum, oak shoots, ash, privet, 

 hazel, hornbeam, and other astringent, acrid, or resinous plants, etc). 

 The maybug or Spanish fly taken with the food or spread over a great 

 extent of skin as a blister has a similar action. Frosted turnips or 

 other roots will bring on the affection in some subjects. Among con- 

 ditions which act by the direct destruction of the globulec in the cir- 

 culating blood may be named an excess of water in that fluid; the 

 use of water from soils rich in decomposing vegetable matter and 

 containing alkaline salts, particularly nitrites; and the presence in 

 the water and food of the ptomaines of bacteria growth. Hence the 

 prevalence of "red water" in marshy districts and on clayey and 

 other impervious soils. Hence, too, the occurrence of bloody urine in 

 the advanced stages of several contagious diseases. Some mineral 

 poisons such as iodin, arsenic, and phosphorus taken to excess 

 may cause hematuria, and finally the symptoms may be the mere 

 result of a constitutional predisposition of the individual or family 

 to bleeding. Exposure of the body to cold or wet will cause th.e affec- 

 tion in some predisposed subjects. 



The specific symptom of bloody or smoky water is a very patent 

 one. It may or may not be associated with fever, with the presence 

 or absence of abdominal tenderness on pressure, with a very frothy 

 state of the milk or even a reddish tinge, with or without marked 

 paleness of the mucous membranes, and general weakness. When 

 direct injury to the kidneys is the immediate cause of the disease the 

 urine will be passed often, in small quantity at a time, and with much 

 straining. When there is bloodlessness (a watery blood) from insuf- 

 ficient nourishment, fever is absent and the red water is at first the 

 only symptom. When the active cause has been irritant plants, ab- 

 dominal tenderness, colics, and other signs of bowel inflammations 

 are marked features. 



Treatment. Treatment will vary according as the cause has 

 been a direct irritant operating on a subject in vigorous health or 

 a microbian poison acting on an animal deficient in blood and 

 vigor. In the first form of red water a smart purgative (1 pound to 

 iy 2 pounds Glauber's salts) will clear away the irritants from the 

 bowels and allay the coexistent high fever. It will also serve to divert 

 to the bowels much of the irritant products already absorbed into the 

 blood, and will thus protect the kidneys. In many such cases a lib- 

 eral supply of wholesome, easily digestible food will be all the addi- 

 tional treatment required. In this connection demulcent food (boiled 

 flaxseed, wheat bran) is especially good. If much blood has been lost, 



