110 Diseases of the Dog. 
vast amount of usefulness. In ignorant hands medicines 
often prove as so many violent poisons ; great care and 
sound judgment are therefore essential in all cases, but 
especially when the amateur aspires to the office of 
physician and surgeon. 
As a preliminary to the study of general diseases, we 
turn to a consideration of fever, inflammation, &c. 
Fever, as understood by the practitioner, consists of a 
general disturbance of the vital functions, in which the 
system is bordering on a state of more serious derange- 
ment, which, if not checked, is eventually located in 
some important organ, and confirmed disease is the inevit- 
able result. Three kinds of fever are recognised—viz., 
Simple or ephemeral, Symptomatic or sympathetic, and 
Specific. 
Simple Fever is defined as the short-lived, or ephe- 
meral disturbance common to highly-fed and pampered 
animals, taking little or no out-door exercise, and sub- 
jected to a close, warm atmosphere, and soft downy beds. 
All the animal functions, as respiration, circulation, 
temperature, &c., are accelerated, and a hot, dry mouth 
is associated with constipation and diminished secretions 
generally. Such conditions are by continuous occurrence 
developed into serious diseases, and should be met with 
the needful remedies, as more frequent exercise in the 
open air, a less stimulating diet, and the substitution of 
laxative materials. This form of disorder is too fre- 
quently neglected, the result being that local or general 
states of a congestive nature are induced, followed by 
slow and insidious structural changes in important organs, 
which finally end in serious disease or death. 
Sympathetic or Symptomatic Fever is a form ot 
aggravated disturbance of the system consequent upon 
the development of disease in some important organ, or 
set of organs, and may be thus defined: severe accidents, 
such as fracture of one or more limbs, ribs, &c., produc- 
ing violent shock, the whole system is seriously disturbed, 
and by nervous sympathy the functions are deranged or 
suspended. In such cases the lungs as a rule suffer 
acutely by congestion or engorgement with blood, or they 
