1 10 Diseases of the Dog, 



vast amount of usefulness. In ignorant hands medicines 

 often prove as so many violent poisons ; great care and 

 sound judgment are therefore essential in all cases, but 

 especially when the amateur aspires to the office of 

 physician and surgeon. 



As a preliminary to the study of general diseases, we 

 turn to a consideration oi fever, inflammation, &c. 



Fever, as understood by the practitioner, consists of a 

 general disturbance of the vital functions, in which the 

 system is bordering on a state of more serious derange- 

 ment, which, if not checked, is eventually located in 

 some important organ, and confirmed disease is the inevit- 

 able result. Three kinds of fever are recognised — viz., 

 Simple or ephe?7ieral, Symptomatic or sympathetic, and 

 Specific. 



Simple Fever is defined as the short-lived, or ephe- 

 meral disturbance common to highly-fed and pampered 

 animals, taking little or no out-door exercise, and sub- 

 jected to a close, warm atmosphere, and soft downy beds. 

 All the animal functions, as respiration, circulation, 

 temperature, &c., are accelerated, and a hot, dry mouth 

 is associated with constipation and diminished secretions 

 generally. Such conditions are by continuous occurrence 

 developed into serious diseases, and should be met with 

 the needful remedies, as more frequent exercise in the 

 open air, a less stimulating diet, and the substitution of 

 laxative materials. This form of disorder is too fre- 

 quently neglected, the result being that local or general 

 states of a congestive nature are induced, followed by 

 slow and insidious structural changes in important organs, 

 which finally end in serious disease or death. 



Sympathetic or Symptomatic Fever is a form ot 

 aggravated disturbance of the system consequent upon 

 the development of disease in some important organ, or 

 set of organs, and may be thus defined : severe accidents, 

 such as fracture of one or more limbs, ribs, &c., produc- 

 ing violent shock, the whole system is seriously disturbed, 

 and by nervous sympathy the functions are deranged or 

 suspended. In such cases the lungs as a rule suffer 

 acutely by congestion or engorgement with blood, or they 



