DISEASES OF FARM ANIMALS 1 55 



body takes the easiest course and eats through the 

 bones of the face and escapes, causing a chronic 

 discharge. A sternal or breast fistula is caused by 

 some sharp object being run into the breast and 

 striking the breast bone, injuring it and causing 

 decay and pus formation. A salivary fistula is 

 caused by an injury to the tube which carries the 

 saliva from the gland to the mouth. 



Symptoms of Fistulous Withers. — At first a large 

 swelling appears on one or both sides of the withers. 

 In about a week this enlargement becomes soft, and 

 the fluid contained in it can be distinctly felt. If 

 left to itself the swelling gets larger and softer, and 

 in a month or so breaks and discharges the con- 

 tents. The fluid that comes from the swelling is 

 first thin and streaked with blood ; later it contains 

 yellow-appearing masses. The last material is the 

 pus. The sack that formed at the time the fistula 

 was caused is a hard, firm membrane. This keeps 

 the wound from healing. For this reason the dis- 

 charge becomes chronic. The wound may heal and 

 there will be no pus discharged for a month, then 

 the old opening will be broken and the pus will flow 

 out again until the sack is emptied. This healing 

 of the wound and then breaking again may be kept 

 up for years, unless the disease is properly treated. 

 As a general rule, the afifected animal runs down 

 in flesh. 



Treatment for fistulous withers consists of open- 

 ing the swelling and inserting muslin strips that 

 have been dipped into terchloride of antimony. In- 

 sert one and remove, inserting another and leave 

 in the opening for three or four hours. Repeal: 

 this operation every four or five days for a month. 

 In addition rub on the outside of the swelling once 

 every two weeks a mixture made of 2 teaspoonfuls 



