94 DISEASES OF CATTLE. 



ATROPHY. 



Atrophy is the technical term for wasting of the muscular tissue. 

 Atrophy of the heart is very rare among cattle, aud is usually a result 

 of other diseases. 



FATTY DEGENERATION OF THE HEART. 



This condition of the heart is met with in cattle, but it must be un- 

 derstood that the accumulation of fat around the heart is not referred 

 to by this designation. In fatty degeneration the elements of the mus- 

 cular tissue are replaced by fatty or oily granules. 



CYANOSIS. 



Owing to the most prominent symptom, this condition is also called 

 " blue disease/' It is seen occasionally in new-born calves. It is rec- 

 ognized by the blue color of the mucus membrane (easily seen by look- 

 ing within the mouth and nostrils), the coldness of the surface of the 

 body, and rapid, labored breathing. It is due to nonclosure of the 

 foramen ovale (see description of the heart) and the consequent mixing 

 of the venous with the arterial blood. Calves so affected live but a 

 short time. 



MISPLACEMENT OF THE HEART. 



- Cases are recorded in which the heart has been found out of its 

 natural position, sometimes located outside of the chest. This is a con- 

 genital condition, for which there is no remedy. 



WOUNDS OF ARTERIES AND VEINS. 



When a blood-vessel is opened it may be told at a glance whether 

 it is an artery or a vein by simply bearing in mind that bright red blood 

 comes from arteries and dark red from veins. When a vein or a very 

 small artery is severed the blood flows from the vessel in a continuous 

 aisd even stream, but when one of the larger arteries is severed the 

 blood comes from it in intermitting jets or spurts, corresponding to the 

 beats of the heart. It is well to call attention to the fact that the dark 

 red blood which flows or oozes from a wound soon becomes bright red, 

 because it gives up its carbonic acid gas to the air, and absorbs oxygen 

 gas from the air, which is exactly the change it undergoes in the cap- 

 illaries of the lungs. 



The general treatment of wounds will be found in another section ; 

 here it is only necessary to refer briefly to some of the most practical 

 methods used to arrest hemorrhages, as instances occur where an 

 animal may lose much strength from the loss of blood, or even bleed to 

 death unless action is prompt. 



