240 THE DISEASES AND DISOEDERS OF THE OX. 



thereby, may yet carry the germs about, as factors in the 

 causation of the malady. 



An OX, smitten with the disease, suddenly ceases to feed, and 

 to chew the cud, shivers, moves stiffly and unsteadily with 

 rigid limbs over which control is lost, and soon falls to the 

 ground exhausted and unable to move. He may stand awhile 

 with back curved ; but, as a rule, the disease soon lays him 

 prostrate on the ground. The pulse, which, in the case of a 

 healthy ox, should number but forty-five, becomes very rapid, 

 feeble, and irregular, the breathing is much hurried and of a 

 sighing character, and the temperature is raised several degrees. 

 The animal may be calmly dejected and look the picture of 

 misery, or may be wildly delirious. 



In most cases the spleen is especially invaded, and hence the 

 disease has been termed " splenic fever," but in some cases the 

 bowels are especially affected, the spleen being comparatively 

 free. Severe convulsions are not uncommonly manifested. 

 From the mouth a tenacious fluid (mucus) flows, and the tongue 

 becomes of a darker hue, purplish or dark red. The belly is 

 blown up, the bowels are freely open and discharge liquid and 

 blood-stained excreta, and sometimes a large amount of dark 

 blood. Blood sometimes flows from the nostrils. The white 

 portion of the eyes becomes dark red, the eyes sink into their 

 orbits, and tears flow over the face. If the tissues under the 

 skin of the back and sides be pressed upon, a crackling or 

 crepitation may be felt, a state of things which is known as 

 emphysema. Death may ensue even in the course of a few 

 minutes or a day or longer, and it is only very seldom that 

 recovery can be hoped for. Indeed, as a rule, an animal affected 

 with anthrax soon succumbs owing to the high fever set up by 

 the germs which multiply with incredible rapidity in the blood, 

 and as a result of the general disturbance set up by the enormous 

 quantities of them. An affected ox generally dies suddenly, and 

 frequently in one of those violent fits of convulsions which are 

 common in cases of acute anthrax, or else perhaps calmly in a 

 period of quiet. Sometimes, on the other hand, the animal may 

 be ill for several days, its pulse being rapid and feeble, the 

 breathing hurried and panting, the eyes injected, the mouth hot 

 and clammy, and the bowels irregular. Then these symptoms 

 may subside, the animal may again take its food and chew the 



