DICTIONARY OF THE VETERINARY ART. 217 



and the horse becomes almost, delirious, throwing himself 

 about the stall, so that it is dangerous to come near him. 



Condition. The term is used to imply a horse being in 

 perfect health. 



Conjunctiva. The external coat or membrane of the eye. 

 (See Eye, part first.) 



Consumption. In consumption there is a gradual loss of 

 flesh and strength, while the appetite is seldom impaired in 

 the early stages. It is sometimes accompanied by a discharge 

 from one or both nostrils, and a swelling of the glands under 

 the jaw ; such cases are often mistaken for glanders. Consump- 

 tion does not often take place suddenly, but is very insidious 

 in its attack ; and it often happens, that the complaint is not 

 much noticed till tubercles are formed in the lungs, and the 

 mesenteric glands are diseased. When a horse is observed to 

 lose flesh, his coat staring, his skin feeling as if fast to the 

 ribs, he should be warmly clothed, and fed on scalded shorts, 

 oats, and boiled carrots ; by proper attention to stable man- 

 agement, he may gain flesh and strength, his coat will become 

 smoother, and his skin looser. Should it now be the season 

 of the year when good grass can be procured, this will perfect 

 the recovery. 



Contagion. The mode in which a disease is communicated 

 from one animal to another. It is derived from the word 

 contact, or touch, and is used in contradistinction to infection, 

 which implies the communication of disease by unwholesome 

 miasmata, sometimes spreading to a very considerable dis- 

 tance. 



Contraction. (See Contraction, part first.) 



Convalescence. A state of recovery from illness, or an 

 approach to a state of health. 



Convulsions. Under this name Gibson has classed lock- 

 jaw and staggers. Modern writers treat of these diseases 

 under their respective heads. Calves are subject to convul- 

 sive diseases, from indigestion, and the consequent formation 

 of acid in the stomach. It is often occasioned by some bad 

 quality in the milk they drink, when fed by hand. Taking 

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