Cirrhosis in Cattle, Sheep and Horses fed on Senecio. 521 



with the weed that the two must be cropped together. While 

 acute cases may occur from an overdose of Senecio, yet the 

 disease is essentially chronic and progressive, and what appear 

 to be sudden and fatal attacks are but instances of recrudescence 

 under the action of a large toxic dose on a liver already degener- 

 ated and incapable of healthy function. 



Among the first observed symptoms are dullness, sluggishness, 

 and apathy, so that the animal fails to promptly follow the herd 

 and may be found lying apart. At this date and even from the 

 start the skin exhales a peculiar offensive odor rendered more 

 manifest by actively rubbing it with the palm or between the 

 fingers. The same odor is present in the milk, and intensified 

 by rubbing it between the hands (Paterson). The milk shrinks 

 and has a peculiar acrid flavor, rendering it absolutely useless for 

 buttermaking. The calf often declines to suck though the dam 

 bellows for it. The function of the bowels is imperfect, the 

 early tendency being to torpor and constipation, yet relaxation 

 and diarrhoea, usually supervene. The head and ears drop, the 

 eyes lack lustre, the coat stares, and progressive, often rapid, 

 emaciation sets in. Temperature and breathing are usually 

 normal and pulse variable (about 68). Appetite may be vora- 

 cious, or absent. Icterus may be present though not always 

 strongly marked. 



As emaciation advances, the diarrhoea becomes more marked, 

 the faeces black, and the belly pendent (pot belly), with some 

 drooping of the loins and hollowness of the flank, and fluctua- 

 tion in the lower part from ascites and this may encrease to 

 tension. Muscular weakness is marked especially in the hind 

 quarters, by swaying or distinct staggering. The urine like the 

 mucosae may become yellow or brownish. With the acute 

 disease of the liver or extensive ascites, pulse and breathing are 

 encreased, and temperature may be raised two or three degrees, 

 but only when sepsis has supervened (Johnson). 



In advanced cases there may be nervous disorder, the patient 

 even making helpless efforts to rush the visitor, or there is com- 

 plete apathy and prostration, trembling of the hind limbs, and 

 utter indifference to loud bawling in the ears, switching with a 

 cane, or even twisting of the tail (Paterson). 



Feeding cattle and cows kept for breeding only show less pro- 



