136 THE DISTEMPER. 



bowels, in addition to the other symptoms. It commenced 

 suddenly, like spasmodic cholic, appeared to give great pain, 

 but neither constipated nor relaxed the bowels. It usually 

 continued acute two or three days, and then terminated fa- 

 tally. In such cases as did recover, active purgatives of 

 calomel and aloes appeared beneficial. It may be remarked, 

 that, whenever distemper rages as an epidemic, it commonly 

 assumes some characteristic type. One year shall be remark- 

 able for the harassing and obstinate diarrhaea that appears ; 

 another from the more than usual tendency to convulsive fits ; 

 while in a third, a malignant putrid type will sweep oflT 

 many. I have likewise noticed, that convulsions are most 

 prevalent in winter, and purging in summer. As a general 

 rule, this, however, like others, is subject to variation. 



The distemper has now become so naturalized among our 

 dogs, that very few escape the disease altogether. A con- 

 stitutional liability to it is inherent in every individual of the 

 canine race*, which predisposition is usually acted upon by 

 some occasional cause. The predisposition itself, in some 

 breeds, seems sufficient to produce it, and such have it fre- 

 quently very soon after birth t ; but the predisposition is 

 more frequently acted on by some occasional cause, of which 

 there are many. Contagion may be regarded as the princi- 

 pal of these : few dogs who have not passed through the 

 disease escape it when exposed to either the effluvia, or to 

 the contact of the morbid secretions received on a mucous or 

 an ulcerated surface:|: ; yet inoculation with distemper virus 



* I am not aware whether the other members of the canine genus, the 

 ■wolf, fox, and jackal, are subject to the distemper : I believe no proof 

 exists that either of them are so ; and, as I should suppose the disease to 

 he of factitious origin, so I would consider them as exempt. 



t This appears particularly in the diminutive breeds, as pugs, fancy 

 spaniels, pigmy terriers, Italian greyhounds, and other varieties arti- 

 ficially reared and treated. 



I The general transpiration or effluvia from the surface of the body is 

 of a particular kind in distemper : to those acquainted with the disease, 

 it is impossible to mistake the peculiar odour O'Ccasioned by it. This 



