RACHITIS. 7 



Diagnosis. Diagnosis presents no difficulty except in the early stages 

 before deformity has occurred. 



Eachitis can scarcely be mistaken for any other condition except 

 perhaps infectious rheumatism, but the rapid course of the disease in the 

 latter case, the persistence of fever and the swelling of the joint cavities 

 sufficiently differentiate the conditions provided care is exercised. 



Prognosis. From an economic point of view the prognosis is very 

 grave for if the lesions are extensive there is nothing to be gained by 

 keeping the animal. 



Treatment. Treatment differs very little, whether the animals are 

 still being suckled or have been weaned. In the former case it is 

 necessary to improve the quality and chemical constitution of the 

 mother's milk by giving food, richer both in mineral salts and in 

 nitrogenous material. 



Cooked grains, milk, and forage of good quality should be given freely. 

 When the mothers are exhausted and anaemic it is better to feed the 

 little animals artificially or to change them to a foster-mother. Those 

 already w^eaned should be given good rich milk, eggs, boiled gruel, and 

 drugs, such as the phospho-chlorate of lime, 1 to IJ drachms per day (for 

 a calf) ; lacto-phosphate of lime, 1 to 1^ drachms ; bi-phosphate of lime, 

 1 drachm, or simply ordinary phosphate of lime. Oil containing 1 per 

 cent, of dissolved phosphorus may be given in doses of 1 to 2^ drachms, 

 according to the size of the calves, but its use calls for much care, and it 

 should only be given for alternate periods of a fortnight. The glycero- 

 phosphates are not very active. Beef meal in doses of 6 drachms to 

 1^ ounces and chloride of ammonium in doses of 30 to 60 grains have 

 also been used advantageously. The above drugs, but particularly the 

 bi-phosphate of lime and chloride of ammonium, stimulate nutrition and 

 diminish the quantity of phosphoric acid eliminated. 



OSSEOUS CACHEXIA. 



" Osseous cachexia " is a general disease which develops slowly and 

 progressively, producing its most marked effects on the bony tissues. 

 It has received a great many different names, such as osteoporosis, 

 osteoclastia, osteomalacia, fragilitas ossium, enzootic ostitis, bone 

 softening, etc., but none of these ajDpears so appropriate as the term 

 osseous cachexia, suggested by Cantiget. 



All the above-mentioned names are applicable to some phase of the 

 disease, but none to the disease in its complete development. Thus the 

 name "osteoporosis," accepted by German authors, is quite applicable 

 to the phase of rarefying ostitis seen at the commencement, but this 

 condition occurs in other diseases. The expressions *' osteoclastia " and 



