JAUNDICE, OR THE YELLCWS. 323 



on the fresh grass in the spring, or the fog in autumn, they are subject 

 to various plethoric or intlammatory complaints. The ravages of 

 apoplexy and inflammatory fever at these times have been described. 

 An undue quantity of blood rapidly formed oppresses the whole 

 system, and, from some cause of determination to it, a particular 

 organ or part becomes violently congested or inflamed, and the ani- 

 mal is destroyed. The liver occasionally suffers in this way. 



A heifer died, and on opening the belly, the cavity was found to 

 contain nearly six gallons of blood, which had escaped from a rup- 

 ture, two inches in length, in one of the lobes of the liver. 



Certain beasts have died of some obscure disease ; it has been rapid 

 in its progress, and not characterized by any symptoms of great in- 

 flammation, or the inflammatory symptoms, if such had appeared, 

 have subsided, and those of evident and extreme exhaustion have 

 succeeded. The pulse has been feeble, or almost indistinct — the 

 mouth has been cold — the membranes of the mouth and nose pale. 

 The breathing has been accelerated, and the weakness extreme. 

 After death, the substance of the liver has been found softened ; it 

 has broken on the slightest handling ; it may be washed away, and 

 the various vessels which permeate it exposed : the peritoneal cover- 

 ing has been loosened — elevated from the liver — and the interval has 

 been occupied by a clot of blood ; and from some rupture in this 

 covering, which has partaken of the softening of the viscus itself, a 

 quantity of blood has been poured out ; or it has oozed through the 

 covering, and partially or almost entirely filled the cavity of the ab- 

 domen. 



In such a case, the resources of medical art would be powerless ; 

 but every instance of haemorrhage from the liver should be regarded 

 as a warning against the adoption of too forcing a system of fatten- 

 ing, especially in young beasts, and in the spring or fall of the 

 year. 



JAUNDICE, OR THE YELLOWS. 



There are few diseases to which cattle are so frequently subject, 

 or which are so difficult to treat, as jaundice, commonly known by 

 the appropriate name of the yellows. It is characterized by a yellow 

 color of the eyes, the skin generally, and the urine. Its appearance 

 is sometimes sudden ; at other times the yellow tint gradually ap- 

 pears and deepens. In some cases it seems to be attended, for a 

 while, by little pain or inconvenience, or impairment of condition ; in 

 others, its commencement is announced by an evident state of gene- 

 ral irritation and fever, and particidarly by quickness and hardness of 

 pulse, heaving of the flanks, excessive thirst, and the suspension ot 

 rumination ; tc these rapidly succeed depression of spirits, and loss 

 of appetite, strength, and condition. The animals can scarcely be 

 induced to move, or they separate themsalves from the herd, and 



