DISEASES OF CATTLE. 257 



quarter evil, quarter ill, showing of blood, joint murrain, striking 

 in of the blood, &c. Various causes may bring this on. It is some- 

 times epidemic, and at others it seems occasioned by a sudden 

 change from low to very full keeping. Over driving has brought it on. 

 No age is exempt from it, but the young oftener have it than the 

 mature. Its inflammatory stage continues but a few days, and 

 shows itself by a dull heavy countenance, red eyes and eyelids : the 

 nostrils are also red, and a slight mucus flows from them. Ths 

 pulse is peculiarly quick ; the animal is sometimes stupid, at others 

 watchful, particularly at first ; and in some instances irritable. 

 The appetite is usually entirely lost at the end of the second day, 

 and the dung and urine either stop altogether, or the one is hard 

 and the other is red. About the third day a critical deposit takes 

 place, which terminates the inflammatory action : and it is to the 

 various parts on which this occurs, that the disease receives its 

 various names. The deposit is, however, sometimes universal, in 

 the form of a bloody suffusion throughout the whole skin lu 

 others, swellings from the joints, or on the back or belly ; and in 

 fact, no part is exempt from their attack. Sometimes the animal 

 swells generally or partially, and the air being suffused under the 

 skin, crackles to the feel. After any of these appearances have 

 come on, the disease assumes a very malignant type, and is highly 

 contagious. 



176. Treatment of inflammatory fever. Before the critical abscess 

 form, or at the very outset of the disease, bleed liberally, and purge 

 also : give likewise a fever drink (158.) If, however, the disease be 

 not attended to, in this early stage, carefully abstain from bleeding 

 or even purging : but instead, throw up clysters of warm water and 

 salt to empty the bowels, and in other respects treat as detailed 

 under malignant epidemic. (15.) It may be added, that four drachms 

 of muriatic acid, in three pints of oak bark decoction, given twice 

 a day, has proved useful. The swellings themselves may be washed 

 with warm vinegar both before and after they burst. 



177. Catarrh or influenza in cattle, also known by the name of 

 felon, is only a more mild form of the next disease. Even in this 

 mild form it is sometimes epidemic, or prevalent among numbers ; 

 or endemical by being local. Very stormy wet weather, changing 

 frequently, and greatly also in its temperature, are common causes. 

 We have seen it brought on by change of food from good to bad , 

 nnd from too close pasturage. It first appears by a defluxion from 

 the nose ; the nostrils and the eyelids are red ; the animal heaves, 

 is tucked up in the flanks, and on the third day ho loses the cud. 



