THE MEANING OF DISEASE 87 



Some Animals More Resistant to Disease. An 



infectious and contagious disease may affect a herd 

 or flock, destroying few or many. Some may never 

 be affected and yet be subjected to exposure and 

 contagion; such are immune and resist this par- 

 ticular disease. Others may suffer a mild attack, 

 but throw it off with no disastrous consequence; 

 such are strong and their organs ably fortified 

 against any injurious inroad by the disease. On 

 the other hand the majority in a flock or herd is not 

 so able to throw off the disease for the reason of 

 being predisposed by nature to such attacks ; their 

 very susceptibiHty invites attack, and if the infec- 

 tion is intensely virulent the affected body will 

 most likely yield and death follow. 



THE COURSE OF DISEASE 



Each disease possesses its own peculiar char- 

 acteristics, which are more or less conspicuous in 

 each individual case. Then, too, some diseases de- 

 velop quickly and end quickly. Others run a course 

 of several weeks; and still others several months 

 or even years. The first class is acute, the second 

 chronic. In both kinds nature is at work endeav- 

 oring always to effect a cure; and, unless other 

 complications arise, the result of improper food, bad 

 sanitary quarters, bad air, or conditions not con- 

 ducive to health, recovery will, in most cases, result. 

 The great drawback to rapid recovery comes from 

 the outside influences that counteract the curative 

 processes of the body itself. Good nursing, good 

 air, proper food, are back of rapid recovery. 



Most diseases have been carefully studied, and 

 their course of development has been mapped out. 

 Our veterinarians know, in a general way, how fever 



