42 VETERINARY PATIKILOGY. 



of the various types of bullets and wounds inflicted by same 

 is of considerable importance to army veterinarians. 



Powdered glass, which is sometimes maliciously incorporated 

 in food for the purpose of destruction of life, may excite gastric 

 and intestinal inflammation. Sand is sometimes consumed in suf- 

 ficient quantities, by animals, grazing upon sandy soil, to mechan- 

 ically interfere with digestive functions, and mechanically injure 

 the gastric and intestinal membrane. Nails, wire, staples, etc., 

 are frequently ingested with food by animals, especially cattle, 

 which objects mav abraid and cause injury by producing abra- 

 sions of the mucous membrane or even l)y puncturing the wall 

 of the digestive tract, thus establishing such inflammatory dis- 

 turbances as peritonitis, pleurisy, pericarditis, etc. 



\'ariuus mechanical contrivances such as operating tables, 

 throwing harness and hobbles, used in suliduing fractious ani- 

 mals or confining animals for operative procedure may produce 

 injury. 



1. Physic. — Temperature variations, not only predispose to 

 disease, but ma\' also Ijecome an exciting cause. Excessi\'el_v high 

 temperature is likely to produce overheat, (insolation, heat 

 prostration). (J'verheat or heat prostration is frequently ob- 

 ser\ ed in fat hogs having little or no shelter in the summer 

 time, or in hogs being hauled in Avag<.)ns or cars, or being dri\'en 

 in herds to market. It is also frequently observed in horses 

 worked on pavements in cities during the summer months. 



Local application of excessive heat produces burns. The 

 lesions produced in local burns, varv according to the degree 

 of tem]K'rature, the length of time applied and the tissue resis- 

 tance. Three grades of lesions, of local 1)urns, determined by 

 the degree of temperature, ma\- be describod. First, short expos- 

 ure to a temperature of from 50° to 60° C. produces an hyper- 

 emia or a 1)urn of tine first degree; second, exposure to a tem- 

 perature of Go" to so° C. for a shi^-t time produces inflamma- 

 tion, characterized 1)y a serous exudate that accumulates in the 

 malpighian la}'ers i:if the epidermis forming vesicles or blisters; 

 third, an exprisure to a temperature above S0° C. for a brief 

 period, produces necrosis, the dead tissue becoming drv and 

 hard. Thirns irn-oh-ing one-fourth t(T one-tliird of the cutaneous 

 surface frerpiently terminate fatally as a result of excessive heat, 

 hcmolvsis of the red corpuscles, increased lieat dissipation and 

 other disturbed cutaneous functions. 



Excessively low temperature may diminish the bodv tem- 

 perature, of warm blooded animals, to the extent that the func- 

 tioning is modified or inhibited sufficiently to result in death. 



