144 THEORY AND PRACTICE 



In a chronic case you will usually find the heart, liver or kidney 

 diseased. 



Treatment. — We can prescribe for this condition in a ration- 

 al manner. Control the fever with acetanilid, keep it down be- 

 low two. Apply counter-irritants freely and repeat. A sina- 

 pism 2 or 3 times a day is the best local application. Give mor- 

 phine hypodermically and give a stimulant with liberal doses of 

 aconite, quinine and belladonna. Keep the animal quiet ; bear in 

 mind that motion aggravates the trouble as well as increases the 

 pain. 



Death from castration is usually due to septic peritonitis. 

 Following a case of this kind you will usually have a swelling of 

 the sheath and extreme redness of the wound. In addition to 

 internal treatment and mustard on the belly, bathe the swollen 

 parts freely and insert a disinfected hand up into the inguinal 

 canal twice a day or so to make sure it is kept open. 



DYSENTERY. 



Dysentery is known as bloody flux. It is an inflammatory 

 disease affecting the intestines and floating colon. The fever is 

 of the same character as typhoid — a low prostrating form of 

 fever. The discharges from the bowels are fluid, and contain 

 an excess of mucous with some blood and pus and much fetor. 

 These evacuations are accompanied by tenesmus of the rectum. 



Etiology. — The animal has a predisposition, i. e., is weak con- 

 stitutionally. The cause is probably specific. Some think that 

 malaria is a cause. Dysentery is most commonly seen in cattle 

 which are pastured on land overflowed with water or on hay cut 

 from such land. The hay contains much sand and no doubt 

 many germs, some of a specific character and these may be the 

 cause of the dysentery. The feed should be examined for 

 molds, animal parasites, and bacteria. 



Semciology. — Dysentery starts as a diarrhoea, but with a 

 temperature of about 2 degrees. The prostration is greater than 

 in diarrhoea. The coat is staring; almost complete loss of ap- 

 petite ; excessive thirst ; tenesmus of the rectum ; back arched, 

 all four feet brought nearer each other; tail cocked, head low- 



