DISEASES OF THE OX AND SHEEP. 381 



man — man, with his highly differentiated mental capacity ; man, 

 designed by his Creator to fulfil a distinct and definite mission 

 on earth, and to accomplish that fixed purpose with which he 

 was sent here to be dominant over the whole animal creation — 

 man, who has but too often little excuse for his wanton 

 recklessness. 



We have not at present, however, to treat of the special dis- 

 eases of the digestive organs, but of five disorders of a general 

 tind, which are not rare in the ox, and owe their origin to 

 dietetic errors. Shortly, we shall speak in detail of the special 

 diseases of the digestive organs ; but our general remarks to-day 

 apply equally to all disorders due to mismanagement of the diet. 

 It is of the first importance to the farmer that he make him- 

 self thoroughly acquainted with the necessary scientific detail* 

 regarding the dieting of animals. 



The first disordered condition, of which we have now to 

 speak, is plethora. By the term " plethora " we understand 

 a condition in which the blood is rich to excess — a state 

 of the body not uncommonly met with in animals fed beyond 

 the limits of healthy nutrition. It is not the actual bulk 

 of the food taken, but the quality, which is the factor likely to- 

 induce the plethoric condition in young, rapidly-growing animals.^ 

 The dangers of this condition are twofold; firstly, an animal 

 over-fed and insufficiently exercised is especially liable to simple 

 acute inflammation, and not very rarely falls a victim to disease 

 depending upon this overloaded state of the blood ; secondly,, 

 we have already shown that calves, when fed with too great aa 

 amount of food, especially of a nitrogenous character, are very 

 prone to become the prey of the germs of black-leg. 



It is said that this disease is especially likely to attack the 

 fattest and best of the herd, and this is due to the remarkable 

 receptivity of a plethoric animal to the growth of the germ. 

 When an over-fed animal shows symptoms of disorder dependent 

 on plethora, the diet should be restricted in amount, and the 

 pasture changed for one less luxuriant. Moderate exercise 

 should be enjoined, and the bowels should be operated upon by a 

 dose of Epsom or Glauber's salts, repeated if necessary. Where 

 the diet has been too nutritious and stimulating, it should be 

 changed for one less so, and it should be restricted in amount if 

 necessary. Never bleed a plethoric animal because he is plethoric : 



