TEXAS 



light attack later on in the autumn, 

 which pushes the full recovery onward 

 to the beginning of winter. 



In the mild type of the disease which 

 occurs in October and November, symp- 

 toms of the disease are well nigh absent. 

 There is little if any fever, and if itnvere 

 not for the loss of flesh and more or less 

 dullness, the disease might pass un- 

 noticed, as it undoubtedly does in the 

 majority of cases. If, however, the 

 blood corpuscles are counted from time 

 to tin e a gradual diminishing number 

 will be found and after several weeks 

 only about one-fifth or one-sixth of the 

 normal number are present. 



POST-MORTEM LESIONS. The first 

 thing noticed when the skin is cut 

 through, is the absence of blood in the 

 superficial blood vessels. When the 

 abdominal cavity is laid open, the first 

 thing to attract attention is the uniform- 

 ly enlarged spleen which weighs from 2 

 o 10 pounds, its pulp is soft and degen- j 

 crated, when it is incised its contents 

 are found to be pulpy and blackish, and 

 may even ooze out as a disintegrated 

 mass. The markings of the healthy 

 spleen are all effaced by an enormous 

 number of blood corpusclas which have i 

 collected in that oryan and to which 

 the enlargement is due. 



The liver IH larger than in the healthy 

 state, and has on its surface a pale yel- 

 lowish hue, when it is incised the yel- 

 lowish tinge is still more prominent. 

 This is due to the large amount of bile 

 in the bile ducts, which produces in 

 most cases degeneration of the liver 

 cells, which makes the organ lighter in 

 color. 



The gall bladder is usually found dis- { 

 tended and filled with a viscid fluid. 



The urinary bladder, invariably, in 

 acute cases contains urine which varies 

 in colors from a deep port wine to a light 

 claret. The kidneys are always found 

 congested in the acute attack. 



FEVER ; 7 



The lung, stomach and intestines are 

 as a rule not diseased. The heart us- 

 usally shows patches of blood extravasa- 

 tion on the inside, usually in the left 

 ventricle, and sometimes, but less mark- 

 ed on the outside suface. 



TREATMENT. With regard to the cur- 

 ative treatment of Texas fever very little 

 need be said, as so far no successful 

 remedies has been discovered, but 

 should any one desire to apply treat- 

 ment I should recommend large doaesof 

 qunine and stimulants. 



Preventitive treatment, however, is 

 of the utmost importance and is 

 easily considered. When we recall 

 what has been said with regard 

 to the cause of the disease, viz.: 

 That the boophilus bovi or cattle 

 tick is the only medium through 

 which the pyrosoma bigemium can 

 be transmitted, the methods towards 

 the prevention of this disease are 

 easily determined. Kill the tick and 

 no further trouble will be experienced. 



In the first place cattle infested with 

 ticks should be dipped in an oily solu- 

 tion, as the oil is much more effective 

 than chemicals, and in the second place 

 disinfect the pastures. This is much 

 more difficult than destroying the ticks 

 on cattle. The following suggestions, 

 however, may be tried with a reasonable 

 hope of success, but of course only ap- 

 plies to localities that are permanently 

 affected with the tick. That is to say 

 localities in which it does not get cold 

 enough in the wint.er time to destroy 

 the tick. 



Place no cattle on infested pastures. 

 Let the grass grow until of sufficient 

 length, when it may be mowed and 

 when dead and drv enough may be 

 burned. Let the burning take place 

 when the ground is thoroughly dry, so 

 that everything, including the old man- 

 ure and decayed vegetable matter may 

 be consumed. This, if properly done 



