THE DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



DISEASES OF THE ORGANS OF RESPIRATION. 



CROUP. 



This disease is generally supposed to occur among young 

 animals, but Claude relates a case of false membranes in a nine 

 years old ox ; young calves are frequently attacked with 

 " laryngitis,^^ and very many die from obstruction in the air- 

 passages ; these, after death, are found to be occupied by semi- 

 organized lymph ; such cases are known to veterinary^^nrgeons 

 as membraneous croup, and in the latter stages of the disease the 

 false membranes are found to occupy the intestinal canal, as 

 well as the air passages. 



Symptoms of Croup. — The animal is observed to be in im- 

 minent danger of suffocation : there is some discharge of mor- 

 , bid matter from the nostrils ; yet it is evident that the respira- 

 tory passages are fast filling up with the morbid secretion. The 

 only chance of saving the animal is to perform the operation 

 of tracheotomy; but this operation, in order to be successful,, 

 must be performed in the early stage of the disease, or when 

 false membranes are confined above the point selected for the 

 operation ; for, when the obstruction exists at or about the lower 

 end of the trachae, in the vicinity of the bronchial tubes, the 

 case is hopeless. The only medicine of any value, in the early 

 stage of this affection, is : — 



Glycerine, 2 ounces. 



Tincture of Lobelia, 2 drachms. 



A second dose may be given at an interval of two hours. If 



