Blood Diseases. 145 



It is not improbable that originally the defect, for such 

 it must be considered, had its origin in the hereditary 

 transmission of a weakly constitution, and later in 

 attenuation of form and physical development. The 

 absence of sound judgment in the selection and mating 

 of canine animals is evident in the various deformities 

 of the heavier breeds, as the Mastiff and St. Bernard. 

 The system of feeding also, as inducing weight of body 

 while sacrificing the essentials of the bony skeleton is 

 probably the immediate cause. What we v/ould think of 

 the builder who places his superstructure on an inferior 

 foundation ? The breeding from animals possessing 

 heavy carcases set on inferior legs, composed of deficient 

 osseous material is a practice of similar kind, having the 

 same inevitable results. 



Leuchsemia or Leucocythsemia, otherwise ivhite 

 b/ood, or white cell bloody is described as occuring in canine 

 and other animals, as well as the human subject. As its 

 name implies, the corpuscles of the blood are white, the 

 characteristic red or crimson colour being absent as a 

 result of disease in the blood-producing organs — viz., 

 the spleen, lymphatic glands, or spinal marrow. 



Dogs and cats suffer most of all domestic animals, 

 usually at or about the middle, or in advanced life. The 

 cause appears to be due to engorgement of the spleen 

 with blood, and later to its becoming thickened, hard, 

 and anaemic, finally involving other organs as the liver, 

 kidneys, etc., and ending in death. 



The disease is identified with difficulty, examination 

 of the blood during life being the only reliable test. 

 The outlines of a cure have not yet been defined. 



Jaundice or Icterus, is essentially a disease of the blood 

 owing to retention of bile products, and indicated by a 

 deep yellow colour of the tissues. As the original cause 

 is disease of the liver, the subject will be suitably con- 

 sidered in connection with the several maladies of that 

 rgan. (See Chapter XIII.) 



Ursemia is the state of blood poisoning by retention 

 of elements which should be expelled by the kidneys. 

 The skin exhales a strong and sickly odour of urine in 



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