64 THE FARM DOCTOR. 



hind limbs or knuckling forward at the fetlocks. Death may 

 ensue in a few hours or days, or the affection may become 

 chronic, the patient remaining with variable appetite, but 

 getting no good of his food, with spasms of the pharynx, 

 vomiting or diarrhoea. He usually passes off in a convulsion. 



Symptoms of the Abortion Form do not differ from those of 

 abortion from other causes (See Abortion.) 



Symptoms of the Ga?igrenous Form. — Nervous symptoms may 

 or may not usher in the disease. Then follow swelling, heat, 

 and tenderness of the extremities, usually the hind feet, but 

 sometimes the fore, or the tail, ears, or roots of the horns. 

 Lameness usually first draws attention to this condition. Soon 

 the extremity becomes cold, insensible, of a deep brownish-red 

 appearance and dry, hard or almost horny. The swelling, 

 heat, and tenderness persist higher up, but the lower part is 

 dead, including even the bone up to a given point. At this 

 level a red, circular crack appears in the skin separating the 

 dead from the living, and if the patient should survive long 

 enough the whole gangrenous part drops off. 



It usually occurs in winter from the dry hay fodder, but is 

 distinguished from frost-bite by implicating the deep as well as 

 the superficial parts, and attacking the feet in preference to the 

 more exposed tail and ears. 



Treatment is*only successful in the mildest cases, and the 

 earliest stages. Change to wholesome diet, including plenty of 

 roots or potatoes. Clear offensive matter from the bowels 

 by laxatives, and give tonics (cinchona, gentian), stimulants 

 (ammonia, valerian, angelica, musk), and anti-spasmodics 

 (opium, chloral-hydrate, chloroform, or nitrite of amyle). Use 

 soft, warm poultices containing camphor. 



Frevetition. — Ergoted hay, known by the black, spur-like 

 growths out of the husks, should be withheld, or fed only in 

 limited quantity in conjunction with roots and potatoes. Be 

 careful in selecting seed clear of ergot. Seed may be protected 



