DISEASES OF THE OX AND SHEEP. 395 



I also found that the cattle had been out at grass for some three -weeks or so, 

 and that the owner's father had for the past ten years lost a number of beasts 

 from time to time, all of -which, as nearly as could be remembered, manifested 

 similar symptoms. 



The owner informed me that his father had in the past employed several 

 veterinarj' surgeons, but that all remedies had proved unavailing. 



The first beast I saw was a two-year-old heifer. It had been brought up from 

 grass on the 30th, and was noticed to be straining. I found the temperature 

 to be 102° F. The pulse numbered 126 per minute, and the beats were feeble, 

 irregular, and intermittent. There was much straining and tenesmus with 

 excessive fluid evacuations. 



The next beast, a three-year-old cow was evidently in the last stage of the dis- 

 order. The pulse was quite imperceptible. The temperature was 103*2°. She was 

 quite incapable of standing, and moaned and strained heavily. The conjunctival 

 mucous membranes were of a deep brick-red colour, and the pupils widely 

 dilated. Yesterday this cow was so -wild and delirious that no one dared to go 

 near her. 



The third case I saw was a calf aged ten months. The pulse was rapid 

 and feeble, the temperature 101 -S". The eye-lids were highly injected and the 

 pupils dilated. This animal had been ill for three days, and had strained so 

 -violently as to eject about four inches of the rectum. 



A fourth beast, a two-year-old heifer, had been killed. The symptoms, as near 

 as I could ascertain, were almost identically similar to those presented by all the 

 others. A careful post-mortem examination revealed the following lesions: — 



In the abdomen there were about four pints of peritoneal effusion of a light 

 yellowish tinge. The omentum and mesentery were much swollen, and contained 

 a quantity of light-coloured gelatinous effusion. 



The mesenteric glands were slightly enlarged. The contents of the rumen and 

 reticulum had been thoroughly re-masticated. The contents of the omasum 

 were very dry and caked. The mucous lining of the abomasum and along the 

 length of the bowels was of a pinkish hue in patches. The lungs were very 

 slightly congested. Beyond this, the contents of the thorax were quite 

 healthy. 



The membranes of the brain were congested. There was slight extravasation 

 of blood in the lateral ventricles of the brain. 



"When I had finished this post-mortem examination, we found that the second 

 cow was dead. The autopsy was in this instance much similar to the one above 

 named. 



My diagnosis of these cases is poisoning by some vegetable which grows in 

 these paddocks : either Solanum dulcamara or Bryonica Dioica. An enormous 

 quantity of this latter grows in the paddocks. 



There is a total absence of any symptoms of any infectious or contagious 

 disease. 



I am. Gentlemen, 



Your obedient servant, 



James B. Grkss-well. 



We now pass on to the consideration of one of the most 

 important of all the poisons of the ox and sheep, and with this 

 we conclude our review of the vegetal toxic agents. Ergot, the 

 poison to which we allude, is caused by the growth of a fungoid 

 parasite which iufests most of the grasses and cereals. Its 



