600 THE DISEASES AND DISORDERS OF THE OX. 



ARTHRITIS. 

 Arthritis is often met with both in this country and on the 

 Continent. It is indicated by a stiffness of movement, a ten- 

 dency to lie down constantly, swellings coupled with heat and 

 pain in the knee, hock, and stifle, joints. Febrile symptoms 

 are manifested, the animal loses appetite, becomes emaciated, 

 suffers from diarrhoea, and may die within a few days. The 

 application of cold, followed by the use of tincture of iodine, 

 are beneficial, and in some cases aperients may be given. Some 

 persons recommend tonics together with plenty of nourishing 

 gruel and other laxative diet. Should the disease be rheumatic 

 in nature, it may be well to apply counter-irritants locally and to 

 administer alkalies and salicylates internally. 



Lambs from two to five weeks of age are very liable to swell 

 at the joints. Most frequently the knee is affected, the fetlock 

 is sometimes involved, while occasionally the hock is the seat 

 of disease. The joints are very much swollen, stiff, hot, and 

 painful. The animal is frequently stiff all over before the actual 

 swellings are seen, and it may crawl about on its knees, or even 

 be unable to rise from the recumbent posture. As a rule the 

 animal does not struggle much, but wastes away, and in most 

 cases either dies or else becomes incurably lame and worthless. 

 The malady is engendered by damp and cold, and the best 

 remedial measure is the application of warmth. The lambs should 

 be sheltered, their little limbs should be well stimulated by means 

 of a suitable embrocation, and also kept quite warm ; their bowels 

 should be kept open by suitable aperients, administered in very 

 small doses, and cordial medicine should be given in hot gruel. 



If the animals are very severely affected, and especially if the 

 knee is attacked, the joint may swell and fill with fluid, which 

 may become purulent. There is a general enlargement of the 

 limb, and eventually a stiffened joint. At or soon after their 

 birth, calves as well as lambs are very apt to suffer from this 

 kind of disease of the joints, which has the character of rheu- 

 matism. This affection must not be mistaken for scrofulous 

 joints. In scrofulous lambs it frequently happens that the 

 joints are diseased at birth, or very soon after birth. If it is 

 decided to treat the case, salicylate of sodium or acetate of 

 ammonium in suitable doses may be tried. Moreover, starch 



