DISEASES OF THE BOWELS. 721 



of such invasion from any cause inducing deficiency of albumen 

 in the blood. It also occurs in some forms of septicoemia — 

 braxy — and is looked upon as a condition of " crisis," or an 

 endeavour to excrete the morbid material from the circulation. 

 In sheep and lambs a sanguineous form of ascites is not 

 rarely met with, variously termed red water, water braxy, 

 and "maladie rouge," or diarrhtemia, by the French, In this 

 latter condition, not only is there a transudation of the fluid of 

 the blood, but also of the colouring material (see Purpura), the 

 globules being sometimes dissolved, sometimes entire, and more 

 or less altered in appearance in the serosity. Ascites is also 

 witnessed as a complication in hydrothorax and dropsy of the 

 pericardium. 



In the dog, dropsy of the belly is generally caused by disease 

 of the liver, induced by over-feeding and want of exercise. 



SYMPTOMS. 



These are denoted by enlargement of the belly, sheath, and 

 sometimes the legs, the enlargement being due to effusion, as 

 indicated by fluctuation, and a dull sound on percussion. As 

 the fluid increases, the breathing becomes thoracic ; and in the 

 sheep and ox oedema of the submaxillary areolar tissue and in- 

 ferior cervical region, with emaciation, feeble pulse, irregularity 

 of the bowels, looseness of the hair and wool, and other symp- 

 toms common to exhausting diseases, supervene. 



TREATMENT. 



When arising from a removeable cause — as improper food — 

 an improvement in the health and a disappearance of the col- 

 lected serosity may be efiected by generous diet, occasional 

 aperients, and by tonics, more particularly the salts of iron. 

 When associated with deficiency of albumen in the blood, it 

 may be useful to introduce albumen into the economy by 

 administering eggs to . those in which the appetite is absent, 

 and to those which still eat, by feeding on oil-cake and other 

 nutritious diets, the efiect of common salt as an aid to healthy 

 digestion not being lost sight of. When ascites is due to organic 

 diseases of the liver, heart, or other organ, treatment is of no 

 use, except to palliate the symptoms, and in all cases it is better 

 to put the animal out of its suffering. Paracentesis abdominis, 

 or tapping, gives temporary, but seldom permanent relief. 



3 A 



