DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS 73 



Diarrhoea and Dysentery. 



The former is characterized by fluid, or semi- 

 fluid evacuations, and, in the latter, blood ac- 

 companies these evacuations. The former is 

 symptomatic, but the latter not necessarily so, 

 in fact, often purely representative of disease at 

 the lower end of the bowel. The causes of diarrhoea 

 are, practically, too numerous to mention, but the 

 following may be taken as typical of a class : 

 sudden changes of food ; too much sloppy food ; 

 prolonged use of liver ; presence of worms ; 

 distemper ; exposure to cold, etc. 



In some cases prolonged diarrhoea may provoke 

 an attack of dysentery, though the latter is generally 

 caused by some specific agency. 



Treatment. 



House the cat and keep it warm and comfortable. 

 Feed it very carefully, preferably on some farina- 

 ceous food, for some few days, such as a little 

 milk and arrowroot, or Horlick's malted milk. 



Begin treatment with a mild laxative, such as a 

 teaspoonful each of linseed oil and castor oil, to 

 which 6 drops of chlorodyne has been added. 



Follow on with 5 grains of powdered cinchona 

 bark, 3 drops of Rubini's essence of camphor in 

 a teaspoonful of milk ; or 10 drops of paregoric 



