DISEASES OF DOMESTIC ANIMALS. 175 



Symptoms — It is said that the animal thrives for some time after the 

 worms are deposited. After a time the wool is easily pulled and an 

 odematbus swelling takes place under the throat ; yellowness of the eyes, 

 etc. The shepherds in Britain can determine it just by the appearance 

 of the eye. It is usually the result of pasturing upon wet lands. 



Treatment. — Prevention is better than cure. Move the animals from 

 low to high lands, and give hypo-sulphite of soda and plenty of common 

 salt ; and the giving of turpentine is worthy of trial. This disease is 

 more common in wet years. 



Spleen. — This is the largest ductless gland in the body, and its func- 

 tion is not very well known. It may be removed from the lower animals, 

 and the animal live and enjoy pretty good health. The spleen, as other 

 organs, is liable to inflammation, but is more liable to congestion. 

 Splenic apoplexy occurs in cattle, and the horse sometimes suffers from 

 conjestion of the spleen, which may be followed by inflammation. 



Splenitis. — Diseases of the spleen are hard to diagnose correctly. An 

 animal may suffer severe pain internally for several days, and then death 

 takes place ; and a post mortem may reveal an inflamed or gangrenous 

 condition of the spleen. I think it is more common in malarial districts, 

 and I think that the horse suffers frcm malarial fever. I knew one horse 

 in particular, that was owned down near New Orleans, showed slight 

 indigestion, dulness, could not stand work, etc , and was sold very cheap : 

 was taken to Minnesota, and became one of the best horses in America. 



Symptoms are similar to colic, and when a horse shows slight sj'mp- 

 toms of colic, rolls, etc., and gets up apparently well, it may be that he is 

 suffering from irritation of some or,her part In diseases of the spleen, 

 the pulse is quick, and I think tolerably weak ; and in some cases, before 

 the acute symptoms appear, the animal is dull and languid, showing that 

 the disease was coming on gradually ; the animal has a great tendency 

 to hang the head and lop the ears ; but this is symptomatic of any debil- 

 ity. Inflammation of the spleen is supposed to be more common during 

 summer. I have never seen a well marked case of it. If you suspect it, 

 give opiates and a gentle laxative, and use counter-irritation, and after 

 the acute symptoms are allayed, give iodine and iodide of potassium. In 

 any case of abdominal pain you cannot make any great mistake in giving 

 opium or hyj^odermic injections. I believe the spleen is more liable to 

 chronic than acute diseases, except in apoplexy. It is liable to hypertro- 

 phy, I believe, in malarial fever, as in the ague. It is difficult to detect, 

 and is determined by negative symptoms ; the animal pines away without 

 showing disease of any organ. There may be softening, rupture and mela- 

 notic deposits. The spleen has been found enlarged and varying in weight 

 from twenty to eighty-eight and a half pounds. It is also liable to a kind 

 of ossification or cartilaginous change, and the symptoms are similar to 

 the foregoing ; the horse becomes weak ; the appetite impaired, but not 

 entirely gone ; gradual emaciation ensues ; the circulation not much dis- 

 turbed ; the pulse perhaps forty or forty-four, and weak ; and although the 

 animal gradually falls off in condition, the coat will remain as sleek as in 

 health, which is an exception in debility ; the bowels are irregular, 

 and the horse is not able to do much work. If you examine the lungs, 

 they are regular, and there are no abdominal sounds ; you examine the 

 urine, and find the kidneys all right ; there is no yellowness of the mem- 

 branes, and the symptoms which I have mentioned are present, then you 

 may conclude that it is the spleen. Enlargement has been detected by 

 e^Q,XQ.\n\ng per rectum ; but to do this, give a slight laxative, and then 

 try iodide of potassium — one or two drachms once or twice a day ; or, 

 give iodide itself. You may have dropsy in connection with this. 



