MILK SICKNESS. 483 



the buzzard which eats the dog, all in due time contract the 

 same disease.' Dr. Schmidt and others speak in similar terms. 



" This transmission of the disease through a long series of 

 successive victims, which has been shown in ' scores of careful 

 observations,' demonstrates the important fact of the specific 

 nature of the poison and its multiplication within the system ; 

 while any simple mineral or vegetable poison in similar circum- 

 stances would soon have been rendered inert by dilution. 



" The presumption is that all races of domestic animals are 

 susceptible, and may contract the disease, either from the milk, 

 flesh, or other products of the sick, or directly from ingestion 

 of the poison in food and water. Phillips even suggests the air 

 as a possible medium of infection, but adduces no facts in 

 support of the opinion. 



" Symptoms. — In milch coivs these may be so slight that they 

 are entirely overlooked, unless the animal is excited. The outlet 

 for the poison through the mammary secretion appears to protect 

 these, in a great measure, from the graver phenomena. When 

 violently excited, however, and especially when driven fast for 

 some miles, they are seized with a rigor and all the more dan- 

 gerous symptoms of the disease. The breath, too, has at all 

 times that foetid, sweet, mawkish smell which characterises the 

 disease in all animals. 



" In steei's, and other dri/ cattle and sheep, the condition is 

 characteristic, even in decubitus : a position which is maintained 

 by the animal as much as possible, evidently because of the 

 great nervous prostration and extreme muscular weakness. The 

 head resting on the ground, the sweetness of the breath, the 

 blood-shot eyes, and the staring coat, are marked features, though 

 appetite and rumination may be preserved. The worst cases 

 lie prone, with head extended on the ground, and show an utter 

 indifference to all sense of fear or danger ; and the wildest of 

 them whine under the prostrating influences of the disease, 

 and allow themselves to be handled in any way without the 

 slightest effort at resistance or escape. Tlie nervous debility 

 and torpor are not confined to the voluntary muscles, but all 

 the organic functions are largely impaired, the bowels in par- 

 ticular are obstinately constipated, and when death ensues it is 

 by asthenia. 



" The milder cases, those even that present no appreciable 



