DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 35, 



ing. When calves artificially milk fed develop diarrhea, the use of 

 the following treatment has given excellent results in many cases: 

 Immediately after milking, or the separation of the skim milk from 

 the cream, formalin should be added to the milk which is used for 

 feeding in the proportion of 1 to 4,000, which may be closely approxi- 

 mated by adding 4 drops of the formalin to each quart of milk. This 

 medicated milk should be fed to the calf in the usual quantity. When 

 the diarrhea is not controlled by this treatment in three or four days, 

 the additional use of some of the agents recommended above may 

 assist in a recovery. 



INFECTIOUS DIABBHEA ; WHITE SCOUR. 

 [See chapter on Diseases of Young Calves, p. 252.] 



GASTRO-ENTEBinS. 



This consists of an inflammation of the walls of the stomachs and 

 of the bowel. 



Gastro-enteritis, or inflammation of the walls of the stomachs and 

 intestinas, follows upon irritations more severe or longer continued 

 than those that j^roduced gastro-intestinal catarrh. 



Causes. — Severe indigestion may be followed by gastro-enteritis, or 

 it may be caused by swallowing irritant poisons, such as arsenic or 

 corrosive sublimate or irritant plants. Exposure to cold or inclement 

 weather may produce this disease, especially in debilitated animals 

 or animals fed improperly. It is claimed that if cattle feed on vege- 

 tation infested with some kinds of caterpillars this disease may rasult. 



Symptoms. — Dullness; drooping of the ears; diynessof the muzzle; 

 dry skin; staring coat; loins morbidly sensitive to pressure; fullness 

 of the left flank, which is owing to the distention of the fourth 

 stomach by gas. The pulse is small, the gait is feeble and staggering; 

 each step the animal makes is accompanied by a grunt, and this 

 symptom is especially marked if the animal happens to walk in a 

 downward direction. There is loss of appetite, and rumination is 

 suspended. The passages at first are few in number, hard, and are 

 sometimes coated with mucus or with blood. Later a severe diarrhea 

 sets in, when the passages contain mucus and blood and have an 

 offensive odor. There is evidence of colicky pain, and the abdomen is 

 sensitive to pressure. Pain may be continuous. There is fever and 

 acceleration of pulse rate and respirations. Mental depression and 

 even insensibility occur before death. The disease is always severe 

 and often fatal. 



Past-rtwrtem appeai^ances. — The mucous membrane of the fourth 

 stomach has a well-marked red color and sometimes presents ulcera- 

 tions. The wall is thickened and softened, and similar conditions 

 are found in the walls of the intestines. The red discoloration ex- 



