8 OSSEOUS CACHEXIA. 



'' fragilitas ossium " suggest the fragility of the bones and the common- 

 ness of fracture. The term " osteomalacia " is warranted during the 

 period of bone softening. The term "gout," though in practice confusing, 

 has been held to be justified by the frequent appearance of synovitis and 

 arthritis ; while that of " enzootic ostitis " indicates the appearance of 

 the disease in all the stables in 'one district, without however pointing 

 to its nature. It is possible that under certain circumstances the train 

 of symptoms might be incomplete, and then the terms above indicated 

 would be quite inappropriate. "Osseous cachexia," on the other hand, 

 is very comprehensive, and appears to cover the entire development of 

 the disease, for which reason it here receives preference. 



Law defines the disease as " a softening and fragility of the bones of 

 adult animals, in connection w^ith solution and removal of the earthy 

 salts." He describes it as an enzootic disease of mature animals — mainly 

 cows — in which the decalcifying process proceeds most actively in the 

 walls of the Haversian canals and cancelli of the affected bones. In 

 consequence of the removal of the earthy salts the bones become soft 

 and more or less fragile. 



The disease has been observed in England, Scotland, United States, 

 France, Belgium, and Jutland, and generally in districts with low- 

 lying damp pastures. It attacks cows which are heavy milkers. 

 Susceptibility appears to increase with advancing age. 



History. Having been described by Vegetius, the disease was again 

 observed about 1650 in Norway where it was treated by the administra- 

 tion of crushed bones. It is fairly frequent in some parts of Germany 

 and Belgium. In France it was studied in 1825 by Roux, and in 1846 

 by Dupont, but Zundel in 1870 was the first who gave a good description 

 of it, founded partly on the authority of German authors and partly on 

 observations made by himself in the Valley of the Lower Ehine. Since 

 that time it has successively been reported in the Yonne by Thierry, in 

 the Nievre by Vernant, in the Aube by Collard and Henriot (1893), in 

 the Indre by Cantiget, as well as in La Vendee by Taj)on in 1893. In 

 that and the succeeding year Moussu also saw numerous cases in the 

 districts of Indre-et-Loire, Loire-et-Cher, Berry, Sologne, and in some 

 parts of Beauce. 



Symptoms. The first symptoms are difficult to detect and interpret, 

 especially at the commencement of an outbreak and in parts where the 

 disease is rare they may lead to confusion and errors in diagnosis. On 

 the other hand, in regions where the disease is common the practitioner 

 will be able to form his diagnosis from the appearance of the first signs. 



To render clear the mode in which the symj^toms develop we may 

 divide the progress of the disease into four phases, though this grouping 

 is somewhat arbitrary, 



