320 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



turn interferes with the nutrition of the liver cells and they undergo 

 fatty degeneration and perish. The functions of the liver are thereby 

 completely suspended and death is the result. This enormous de- 

 struction of corpuscles takes place to a large extent in the kidneys, 

 where a great number of corpuscles containing the parasites are al- 

 ways found in acute cases. This accounts largely for the blood-col- 

 ored urine or red water which is such a characteristic feature of 

 Texas fever. The corpuscles themselves are not found in the urine; 

 it is the red coloring matter, or hemoglobin, which leaves them when 

 they break up and passes into the urine. 



Symptoms. After a period of exposure to infected soil, which 

 may vary from thirteen to ninety days, and which will be more fully 

 discussed further on under the subject of cattle ticks as bearers of 

 the Texas-fever parasite, the disease first shows itself in dullness, loss 

 of appetite, and a tendency to leave the herd and stand or lie down 

 alone. A few days before these symptoms appear the presence of a 

 high fever may be detected by the clinical thermometer. The tem- 

 perature rises from a normal of 101 to 103 F. to 106 and 107 

 F. There seems to be little or no change in temperature until recov- 

 ery or death ensues. The period of high temperature or fever varies 

 considerably. As it indicates the intensity of the disease process 

 going on within, the higher it is the more rapid the fatal end. When 

 it does not rise above 104 F. the disease is milder and more pro- 

 longed. The bowels are mostly constipated during the fever ; near the 

 end the feces may become softer and rather deeply tinged with bile. 

 The urine shows nothing abnormal during the course of the disease 

 until near the fatal termination, when it may be deeply stained with 

 the coloring matter of the blood. (Hemoglobinuria.) Although 

 this symptom is occasionally observed in animals which recover, yet 

 it may generally be regarded as an indication of approaching death. 

 The pulse and respiration are usually much more rapid than during 

 health. 



Other symptoms in addition to those mentioned have been de- 

 scribed by observers, but they do not seem to be constant, and only 

 the above are nearly always present. As the end approaches emacia- 

 tion becomes very marked, the blood is very thin and watery, and the 

 closing of any wound of the skin by clots is retarded. The animal 

 manifests increasing stupor and may lie down much of the time. 

 Signs of delirium have been observed in some cases. Death occurs 

 most frequently in the night. 



The course of the disease is very variable in duration. Death 

 may ensue in from three days to several weeks after the beginning of 

 the fever. Those that recover ultimately do so very slowly, owing to 

 the great poverty of the blood in red corpuscles. The flesh is re- 

 gained but very gradually, and the animal may be subjected to a 

 second though mild attack later on in the autumn, which pushes the 

 full recovery onward to the beginning of winter. 



In the mild type of the disease, wnich occurs in October and No- 

 vember, symptoms of disease are well-nigh absent. There is little if 

 any fever* and if it were not for loss of flesh and more or less dull- 



