720 DISEASES AND ABNOIUIALITIES OF THE YOUXG AXIMAL. 



It has also been remarked that it often occurs on heath lands which 

 are much exposed, and have been top-dressed with marl ; but the 

 appearance of the malady only when the young creatures are at the 

 teat, rather negatives the idea that exposure has anything to do with it. 

 It has likewise been noted that when Ewes are fed on decaying turnips 

 or mangold-wurtzel, the Lambs are frequently the subjects of effusions 

 of lymph between the muscles — the eifusion being arrested when corn 

 is given to the Ewes. 



Walley insisted upon an altered condition of the milk as the cause of 

 the disease. " That it is due to, and must be associated with, an altered 

 condition of the mother's milk, is proved by the fact that it only attacks 

 young animals Vv'hiie sucking the dam ; that the Ewes coincidentally 

 die from malignant parturient fever (though it must be borne in mind 

 that it is not necessary that the Ewe should exhibit any external 

 symptoms of a diseased condition of the blood) ; and that it is frequently 

 found to disappear on farms which have been heavily limed and drained, 

 and also when a different system of management has been adopted. 

 Again, the general post mortem appearances bear a strong resemblance 

 to those of distemper in the dog, especially of the hepatic form of the 

 disease ; and the enlarged and softened state of the liver, where external 

 symptoms have not been manifested, points to. disease of a typhoid 

 character, brought on by the imbibition of impure milk." He 

 enumerates the exciting causes, as " exposure, cold damp pastures 

 (hence the more frequent localization of the disease in the joints), 

 neglect at birth, allowing the young animals to become covered with 

 mud and dirt, thus preventing the dam licking them, excess of wet 

 weather, etc." 



Eoloff, as just mentioned, thought the development of the disease was 

 due to the insufficient ingestion of calcareous salts ; and as the malady 

 is originated during intra -uterine life or the sucking period, it is evident, 

 he added, that it is in the regime to which the dam is submitted during 

 gestation, when the osseous system of the foetus is being developed, and 

 when suckling, that the cause of the disorder must be especially sought 

 for. Careful analyses have shown that the ash of the herbage or hay 

 in the localities where the malady makes the largest number of victims, 

 does not contain more than six to eight per cent, of lime salts, while 

 that of good quality should have from eleven to thirteen per cent. It is 

 also remarked that this form of arthritis sometimes prevails in those 

 places where osteoclasty of cattle is frequent : and this coincidence, it 

 is affirmed, should indicate a common origin of the two affections — a 

 defective supply of calcareous salts, and particularly of the phosphates. 

 This deficiency is sometimes noticed when the food is relatively of a 

 rich character ; though then the amyloid and proteic constituents are 

 in excessive proportion. 



Bollinger, whose scientific and most valuable researches in compara- 

 tive pathology entitle his opinions to the greatest consideration, enter- 

 tained different views as to the origin of the malady ; and his anatomo- 

 pathological investigations in this direction are of the highest interest 

 and importance. His observations on the disorder commenced in 1869, 

 at the Government Stud at Graditz, Silesia, where it prevailed enzooti- 

 cally and caused considerable loss. In that year forty-seven Foals were 

 attacked, and in 1870 twelve. Nineteen cases were not very serious ; 

 but of the other forty, twenty-nine succumbed — a mortality of 72 per 

 cent, of those affected. The Foals were generally seized with it (75 



