DISEASES OP THE DIGESTIVE ORGANS. 35 



Calves artificially fed on whole or skim milk should receive only- 

 such milk as is sweet and has been handled in a sanitary manner. 

 Milk should always be warmed to the body temperature before feed- 

 ing. When calves artificially milk fed develop diarrhea, the use of 

 the following treatment has given excellent results in many cases. 

 Immediately after milking, or the separation of the skim milk from 

 the cream, formalin should be added to the milk which is used for 

 feeding in the proportion of 1 to 4,000, which may be closely approxi- 

 mated by adding 4 drops of the formalin to each quart of milk. This 

 medicated milk should be fed to the calf in the usual 'quantity. 

 When the diarrhea is not controlled by this treatment in three or 

 four days, the additional use of some of the agents recommended 

 above may assist in a recovery. 



INFECTIOUS DIARRHEA; WHITE SCOUR. 



[See chapter on Diseases of Young Calves, p. 244.] 



GASTRO-ENTERITIS. 



This consists of an inflammation of the walls of the stomachs and 

 of the bowel. 



Gastro-enteritis, or .inflammation of the walls of the stomachs and 

 intestines, follows upon irritations more severe or longer continued 

 than those that producd gastro-intestinal catarrh. 



Causes. — Severe indigestion may be followed by gastro-enteritis, or 

 it may be caused by swallowing irritant poisons, such as arsenic or 

 corrosive sublimate or irritant plants. Exposure to cold or inclement 

 weather may produce this disease, especially in debilitated animals 

 or animals fed improperly. It is claimed that if cattle feed on vege- 

 tation infested with some kinds of caterpillars this disease may result. 



Symptoms. — Dullness; drooping of the ears; dryness of the muzzle; 

 dry skin; staring coat; loins morbidly sensitive to pressure; fullness 

 of the left flank, which is owing to the distention of the fourth stomach 

 by gas. The pulse is small, the gait is feeble and staggering; each 

 step the animal makes is accompanied by a grunt, and this symptom 

 is especially marked if the animal happens to walk in a downward 

 direction. There is loss of appetite, and rumination is suspended. 

 The passages at first are few in number, hard, and are sometimes 

 coated with mucus or with blood. Later a severe diarrhea sets in, 

 when the passages contain mucus and blood and have an offensive 

 odor. There is evidence of colicky pain, and the abdomen is sensitive 

 to pressure. Pain may be continuous. There is fever and accelera- 

 tion of pulse rate and respirations. Mental depression and even 

 insensibility occur before death. The disease is always severe and 

 often fatal. 



Post-mortem appearances. — The mucous membrane of the fourth 



