1 6 The Farmer's Veterinary Admser. 



Symptoms of Fever. Fever is marked by certain definite 

 stages, each of which has its own special manifestations. 

 In the cases due to a specific disease-germ, or contaguim, 

 these are, however, preceded by a period of latency or in- 

 cubation in which no symptoms whatever are manifest, but 

 during this time the germ is rapidly multiplying in the 

 system, and it is only when it has gained a certain increase 

 tliat it disorders the nervous system, wastes the tissues, 

 i-aises the temperature of the body, and induces the other 

 phenomena of fever. The same may be said to hold in the 

 fever attending on inflammation. The slight and circum- 

 scribed inflammation is at first productive of no fever, and 

 it is only when it gains a certain extent that the nerves and 

 nutrition are disordered so as to bring about a feverish 

 condition. 



Premonitory Symptoms. These usually last but a few 

 hours and are often entirely absent or unnoticed. There is 

 a lack of the customary vigor and spirit, an indisposition to 

 exertion, a loss of clearness and vivacity of the eye, a mani- 

 fest dullness, with hanging of the head, and frequent shift- 

 ing of the limbs as if fatigued. Appetite is less sharp and 

 ruminants chew the cud less heartily or persistently. 



Cold Stage. These are soon succeeded by the chill, 

 rigor, or shivering fit, in which the hair, especially that 

 along the back, stands erect (staring coat), the skin is cold 

 and adherent to the structures beneath (hidebound), the ex- 

 tremities (legs, tail, ears, horns, nose) are cold, and the 

 frame is agitated with slight tremors, or even a shivering 

 so violent that a wooden floor or building is made to rattle. 

 The back is arched, the legs brought nearer together (crouch- 

 ing), the mouth is cool and clammy, the breathing hurried, 

 the pulse weak, and it may be rapid, but with a hard beat, 

 the bowels costive, and the urine higher colored than nat- 

 ural. The temperature of the interior of the body, taken 

 by a thermometer in the rectum, is already found above 



