DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS 1 53 



day. Externally bathe the wound with the follow- 

 ing mixture : Tincture of chloride of iron, 4 table- 

 spoonfuls, and alcohol one pint. Another good 

 ointment is sugar of lead 4 tablespoonfuls in a 

 pint of water. This should be applied with a wet 

 cloth to the diseased parts. 



FARCY.— See Glanders. 



FEVER. — Any rise in temperature above the 

 normal. It is, as a rule, a symptom of the body's 

 reaction to some form of infection. It is, there- 

 fore, not a disease in itself, but an indication of 

 some disorder occasioned by infection or poison. 

 To treat fever is not so necessary as to remove the 

 cause that brought about the disturbance in the first 

 place. It follows from this that fever is not a 

 cause, but a result. Germs come first, and fever 

 is only a sign that tells of their presence. Another 

 thing brought to light in reference to fever is this : 

 Germs are less active, their vital energy is weakened 

 and their power lessened when the heat in the body 

 is increased. Consequently they are less active in 

 their destructive tendencies as the temperature rises. 

 Fever is, therefore, a provision of self-defense, and 

 the body's plan of bringing its forces together to 

 battle against the germ foes that have invaded it. 



Just what degree of temperature is to be con- 

 sidered is difficult to establish. Many things enter 

 into the problem, like exercise, age, food, and mode 

 of living. In general, however, any special rise 

 above the normal, whatever that may be, is the 

 signal of danger and infection. A rise of a degree 

 or two indicates a mild disturbance, hence a mild 

 fever; an elevation of two or three degrees in- 

 dicates a slight fever; of four or five, of consider- 

 able fever ; and if six or seven, of high fever. When 

 the elevation reaches 108 degrees, the limit of life 



