v] Amentaceas 71 



Symptoms. In relation to Maladie des Bois due to leaves, Cornevin 

 gives the symptoms as loss of appetite ; less (and more difficult) rumina- 

 tion; constipation, which increases; lying down, animals looking at 

 their flank as in colic, followed by rising and attempts to urinate, with 

 passing of rosy-coloured liquid in jets; loss of milk production, which 

 may drop to nothing ; fever, trembling, enfeebled condition. 



Three or four days after the commencement of illness rumination 

 is completely suspended ; there is stamping of the feet, colic, retracted 

 stomach, pulse hard, heart agitated, accelerated respiration, violent 

 muscular shocks, and frequent urination. The urine is always dark 

 in colour, but varies from clear red to dark black, nut-brown being usual. 

 Cases are only serious when a foetid, frothy, and abundant dysentery 

 succeeds constipation, in which case there is rapid emaciation and death. 



Usually the course of the illness is not rapid ; but occasionally there 

 is immediate and bloody urination with violent colic and sometimes 

 intestinal haemorrhage, death occurring in 24 hours. 



In poisoning by acorns there is progressive wasting, entire loss of 

 appetite, diarrhoea, discharge of an excessive quantity of pale urine, 

 sore places inside the mouth, discharge from the nostrils, and also from 

 the eyes, which are always sunken, giving the animal a peculiar haggard 

 expression. There is no fever ; on the contrary, the temperature is com- 

 monly below normal, though in some cases stated to be above normal. 



Miiller remarks on the severe constipation, followed by dysenteric 

 diarrhoea, caused by acorns, especially when eaten in the half-ripe 

 condition, horses, cattle, sheep, and goats being afEected. 



The experimental poisoning of a young steer and a young sheep by 

 fully ripe acorns was described in 1871 [Jour. R.A.S.E., 1871). In the 

 steer the symptoms were a semi-conscious condition, weak pulse, pallid 

 membranes, cold surface of body, torpid bowels, slow breathing, twitch- 

 ings of muscles, and a disposition to maintain a recumbent position. 

 Inflammation was entirely absent. The symptoms increased in severity 

 day by day; there ensued a copious flow of colourless urine; a muco- 

 purulent discharge from the eyes and nostrils. No impairment of health 

 followed the feeding of acorns to the sheep. 



Thorburn {Veterinary Journal, Feb., 1902) mentions loss of appetite, 

 grunting, disinclination to move, prostration, icy coldness of extremities, 

 very rapid emaciation (this sometimes was particularly noticeable), 

 pulse very small and weak (in some cases almost imperceptible), tem- 

 perature high (105° to 107° F.,) and constipation succeeded by watery 

 diarrhoea. 



