EED "WATER. 4G1 



colouring matter of tlie blood in a broken down or disintej^rated 

 condition. The disease is associated with great prostration, 

 febrile excitement, palpitation of the heart, a double, dicro- 

 tonous, or trembling pulse, pallor of the mucous membranes, 

 and diarrhoea, succeeded by obstinate constipation of the 

 bowels. 



The disease is divided into two kinds, namely, parturient and 

 non-parturient red water. The pathology of both is the same, 

 and a description of one will serve for both, except indeed that 

 the parturient form occurs in from eight to fourteen days after 

 parturition. 



Etiologij. — The immediate cause of the disease is to be found 

 in the nature of the food. In the puerperal form the cause is 

 generally traced to the turnips the cows are fed upon. Mr. 

 Cuming of Ellon says that " turnips contain about 10 per cent, 

 of saccharine matter, and 1 or 1| per cent, of vegetable albumen. 

 A liberal allowance of turnips increases the quantity of milk, 

 the sugar of that milk being directly supplied by the turnips ; 

 but the cow cannot make milk out of sugar alone, and the other 

 elements of secretion, namely, the albuminoid casein, not being 

 duly afforded, the tendency is to draw upon the blood, and 

 through that fluid upon the body at large, for what is defi- 

 cient." This theory can only hold good in reference to the 

 puerperal form of the disease. Red water, however, prevails 

 among calves, stirks, oxen, and bulls, and extensive experience 

 has shown that impoverished pastures, heathy moors, and 

 woody districts are subject to have the cattle grazing upon 

 them affected with the disease in an enzootic form, during 

 some seasons. 



On the Continent the disease has been recognised as connected 

 with damp lauds and wet seasons. It occurs in bad weather, 

 and when food is scanty and of inferior quality. It is seen 

 always on pasture lands, and never in stall-fed animals, except 

 in Britain, where it occurs amongst cows fed on turnips grown 

 on damp land. 



All authorities are agreed that the disease is induced by food 

 containing an excess of water and diminished proportions of flesh 

 and fat forming matters. I think ]\Ir. Cuming is wrong when 

 he states that a disproportion of sugar produces it. Turnips 

 only produce it when they are given over-abundantly, and 



