DISEASES OP THE DIGESTIVE OBGAN8. 4.7 



Symptoms.— The symptoms are sometimes obscure, and their real 

 significance is frequently overlooked. The most prominent symp- 

 toms are yellowness of the white of the eye and of the membrane 

 lining the mouth, the appetite is poor, the body presents an emaci- 

 ated appearance, the feces are light colored, while the urine is likely 

 to be unusually dark; there is thirst, and pain is caused by pressing 

 over the liver. The gait is weak, and the animal lies down more 

 than usual, and while doing so frequently has its head turned round 

 resting on the side of its chest. 



Treatment. — Give a purge of Glauber's salts, and after it has operated 

 give artificial Carlsbad salts in each feed, as advised under "Jaun- 

 dice. " Give green food and plenty of water. Oil of turpentine should 

 be rubbed in well once a day over the region of the liver. The skin 

 on which it should be applied extends from the false ribs on the right 

 side to 6 inches in front of the last one, and from the backbone to 12 

 inches on the right side of it. 



THE FLUKE DISEASE. 

 [See chapter on " The animal parasites of cattle."] 

 SPLENITIS (INFLAMMATION OF THE SPLEEN). 



This disease occurs almost solely as a result of the existence of 

 some infectious disease, and the symptoms caused by it merge with 

 the symptoms of the accompanying causative disease. The spleen is 

 seriously involved, and becomes enlarged and soft in Texas fever, 

 anthrax, and blood poisoning. 



DISEASES OF THE PERITONEUM. 



PERITONITIS. 



Peritonitis consists in an inflammation of the peritoneum, which is 

 the thin, delicate membrane that lines the abdomen and covers the 

 abdominal organs. 



Causes. — Wounds are the usual cause in cattle. The wound may 

 be of the abdominal wall or of the intestines, stomach, or uterus ; or 

 inflammation may extend from one of the organs of the abdominal 

 cavity to the peritoneum ; so this disease may complicate enteritis or 

 inflamed womb. A sharp metal body may perforate the second 

 stomach and allow the gastric contents to escape, irritating the peri- 

 toneum. This disease may follow castration or operation for hernia. 



Symptoms. — A continuous or occasional shivering; the animal lies 

 down, but appears uneasy; it frequently turns its head toward its 

 belly and lows plaintively; pressure on the. flanks produces pain; has 

 no appetite; muzzle is dry and no rumination; while standing its legs 

 are placed well under its body; pulse small and hard. The evacua- 

 tions from the bowels are dry and hard. If this disease is complicated 

 by the presence of inflammation of the bowels, the pain is more severe 



