210 ■ ENTERITIS. 



The liver is less than the normal size. In the heart Moussu has 

 seen one case of sclerosis of the auricles and calcareous infiltration of 

 the sub-endothelial lining of the aorta. 



In several instances he has noted calcareous infiltration of the 

 mesenteric lymphatic gland. 



Diagnosis. It is easy to diagnose this condition, and quite possible 

 to distinguish it from the diarrhoea of tuberculous enteritis, infectious 

 hepatitis, and other conditions. 



Prognosis. The prognosis is very grave, and the disease almost 

 always proves fatal. 



Treatment. At the present moment no curative treatment is known. 

 Lignieres' treatment — viz., the injection of physiological salt solution 

 and serum from healthy oxen, and saline solution or defibrinated blood 

 — has never given permanently successful results. 



All the drugs usually employed against diarrhoea, the antiseptics, 

 astringents, etc., fail, or confer merely momentary benefit. Econo- 

 mically, nothing is to be gained by keeping the patients alive. With 

 great care existence may be prolonged for months, or even for several 

 years, but the animals never regain condition, and are never of any use. 



The most rapid and lasting good effects follow the administration of 

 2J to 8 fluid drachms of hydrochloric acid per day, given in two portions 

 and very freely diluted. 



DYSENTERY IN CALVES. 



This disease sometimes appears on the first day after birth, frequently 

 on the second or third. It may be mistaken for septicaemia of umbilical 

 origin. 



Symptoms. The young animal may be born vigorous and in good 

 condition, though this is exceptional. More frequently it is puny and 

 below normal weight. The first evacuation (of meconium) may exhibit 

 the diarrhoeic character ; in other cases this peculiarity only appears on 

 the second or third day, when half- digested milk is passed. The fluid 

 is greyish, extremely foetid, and rapidly becomes brownish and blood- 

 stained. Evacuation is frequent and accompanied by tenesmus. 



The patients at once become very dull, refuse to suck, and resist 

 efforts to feed them by hand. The temperature rises, and the diarrhoea, 

 which at first was of an alimentary character, becomes mucous, serous 

 and blood-stained. The little patients appear " tucked up," the flanks 

 sink in, the strength diminishes, and in twenty-four hours, or two or 

 three days at most, they die of exhaustion. 



Recovery is exceptional, and w^hen the disease assumes this character 

 it usually attacks a considerable proportion of the other animals in 

 ' the byre. 



