634 DISEASES OF CATTLE, SHEEP, GOATS, ETC. 



pasturing on low ground. The natural goat pasture is high dry 

 land. The animal is weak, readily exhausted, breathes rapidly, and 

 its heart palpitates. The mucous membranes of the eyes, nose, and 

 mouth are pale and swollen. The edema which is present about the 

 head, neck, and abdomen will serve to differentiate this disease from 

 takosis. This edema of the head disappears when the animal lies 

 down. Icterus may accompany the disease when the discoloration 

 of the mucous membrane easily establishes the nature of the affec- 

 tion. A change of pasture and a more nutritious diet are accom- 

 panied by a return of health to the flock. 



CONTAGIOUS PNEUMONIA. 



There have been several instances recorded in which flocks of 

 goats have been affected with a contagious pneumonia. Hutcheon 

 nas met with this epidemic in South Africa ; Steel has seen it in East 

 India; and it has also been brought to the attention of French and 

 Italian veterinarians. 



Soon after the outbreak of this disease in the flock many of the 

 animals will become affected with a cough. The temperature rap- 

 idly rises until occasionally as high as 107 F. is recorded. The 

 appetite becomes disturbed or disappears altogether, and there is 

 slight nasal discharge. The conjunctiva appears brownish or 

 bronzed, the vesicular murmur of the lungs becomes modified, the 

 pulse quickened, apd the breathing accelerated, labored, and pain- 

 ful. The affected animals always evince pain when pressure is ap- 

 plied between their ribs. 



The post-mortem examination of these cases shows the lesions to 

 be chiefly confined to the thoracic cavity. The visceral pleura is 

 usually adherent to the thoracic walls. The diseased lung is solidi- 

 fied and enlarged throughout one-half to three-fourths of its sub- 

 stance. It is covered with a firm elastic fibrinous membrane. 



Respecting the nature of the disease, Dr. Hutcheon writes : It 

 was a specific infectious form of pleuro-pneumonia, affecting goats 

 only, cattle and sheep remaining free from infection, although con- 

 stantly exposed to it. The disease was introduced into the Cape 

 Colony by a shipment of Angora goats from Asia Minor, where the 

 disease is represented as being indigenous. 



At the present time contagious bovine pleuro-pneumonia has no 

 existence among the flocks or herds of America, but since the goats 

 of other countries have been proved susceptible to an analogous dis- 

 ease, the above mention of its leading characteristics may not be 

 out of place. 



TREATMENT. 



Prevention. It has been shown that the most destructive out- 

 breaks have occurred among the goats that just previously have been 

 shipped from a southern locality to a more northern latitude, and 

 this fact suggests the need of caution in the removal of animals in 

 this direction. Sudden climatic changes should be avoided so far as 

 possible, and when shipments of goats for breeding purposes are to 

 be made which necessitate their transportation northward over con- 

 siderable distances the changes should be made during the months 



