36 THEORY AND PRACTICE 



tagious diseases, such as glanders, anthrax, tuberculosis, etc. 



An endogenous disease arises within the body, the cause pro- 

 ducing it is within the animal. This includes all non-contagious 

 diseases, such as azoturia, acute constitutional lymphangitis, 

 rheumatism, rickets, etc. 



These constitutional diseases are sometimes spoken of as 

 blood diseases. Local diseases include all the diseases not con- 

 stitutional, and they are classifted according to the part in which 

 they are located. 



RATIONAL TREATMENT OF DISEASE IN GENERAL. 



Rational treatment is that prescribed according to the indi- 

 cations present. It is based upon the pathology of the case. 

 Medicinal indications always should follow the pathological con- 

 ditions. The prescriber should give attention to the individual 

 case, and in order to do this, he must be a pathologist. He must 

 first make a correct diagnosis and then follow the lesions up 

 to the point where the case is presented to him. Rational treat- 

 ment is based on the motto, Vis medicatrix naturae, which means 

 *'the power of nature to heal." Our efforts must be directed 

 toward the assistance of nature, help tide her over the rough 

 places and difficult conditions. 



Along the line of general treatment we divide diseases into 

 acute, subacute, and chronic. Acute diseases require prompt 

 and vigorous treatment what the object of either aborting the 

 disease, or of lessening its severity and giving nature a chance 

 to recover. The acute disease requires heroic treatment es- 

 pecially in its early stages, for it tends to run a rapid course, 

 to develop and terminate quickly. For example, in intestinal 

 flatulence, the horse is tympanitic, there is pressure upon the 

 diaphragm causing interference with respiration, and a result- 

 ing cyanosis; the horse will die from asphyxia if he does not 

 get immediate relief. The treatment must be prompt; if ne- 

 cessary let the gas off with a trocar and canula. This is heroic 

 treatment, and many owners object on account of the possible 

 danger, but it is the only way to save the life of the animal. 



A subacute disease is mild, arises slowly, and is inclined to 



