PLEURO-PNEUMONIA. 161 



district, it runs a rapid course, destroying life in the course of 

 a few days, the lungs after death presenting the appearance of a 

 congestive inflammatory change, with embolism and hsemorrhagic 

 infarction. In other cases — and these are the most numerous — 

 the onset, course, and termination of the disease occupy a period 

 of from two to eight weeks, or even longer, the animal becoming 

 much emaciated, and finally succumbing to an exhausting 

 diarrhoea ; imperfect aeration of its blood ; hydrothorax ; the de- 

 pressing influence of degenerated animal matters absorbed into 

 the blood, and anaemia. 



Premonitory symptoms of the Disease. — As in cattle plague, 

 the commencement of the disease is often not observable. 

 Thus attention is only called in many instances to an animal 

 for the first time appearing unwell, but in which an examination 

 brings to light the fact that changes of structure have taken 

 place, to such an extent as to convince the observer that disease 

 has been gradually increasing for a lengthened period. The 

 thermometer is not even a true guide by which we are able to 

 discover the end of the incubative and the beginning of the 

 active stage, as later investigations have proved that extensive 

 pulmonary changes may exist without elevation of temperature, 

 and that the fever is probably concomitant with the invasion 

 of the pleural surfaces. For example, the introduction of 

 the disease into Australia from this country proves that the 

 first manifestation of illness is not at all to be depended upon 

 as a g^^ide to its true commencement; for the carriers of 

 the contagion — bulls for breeding purposes — were three months 

 on the voyage, the disease only breaking out after they 

 were landed ; but it is of great importance that thermometric 

 observations should be made during the prevalence of pleuro- 

 pneumonia, in order that owners of stock might be warned 

 in time, and that measures be taken to isolate or otherwise 

 dispose of all animals in which the temperature is found to be 

 rising. In a suspected herd, all animals showing a temperature 

 above 102° should be carefully watched. If the heat rises 

 above this, there can be little doubt that disease is at work. 

 Wlien the disease is established the temperature may rise to 

 105°, 10G°, and rarely to 107° F. In 134 cases, 61 of which 

 were recorded by ]\Ir. Elpliick, V.S., Newcastle, and the 

 remainder by myself, only in 8 did the temperature reach 107°. 



M 



