148 Specific and Contagious Diseases. 
valuable, should be treated, as great risk is imminent 
from the conveyance of fatal blood-poisoning. The care 
of the patient properly rests with a qualified veterinary 
surgeon. ‘‘Sanitas” disinfectants should be largely made 
use of for purifying the litter, floor, &c., fouled by the 
discharges, and as a wash for the mouth, nothing answers 
better than ‘“Sanitas” fluid diluted with an equal bulk of 
water. One or two fluid drachms with one ounce of cold 
water will form an excellent medicine, which may be 
given several times daily ; and a fluid injection, say two 
to four ounces of tepid water containing one teaspoonful, 
will materially aid in correcting the offensive dejections. 
Otherwise the warmth and general comfort of the animals 
must be ensured. 
Cholera.—The communication of cholera to the dog 
or cat may not be improbable. Both these animals in their 
association with mankind run serious risk during an 
outbreak of the disease. They may partake of the malady 
by their disposition to seek delicate morsels from the 
evacuations or vomited matters; they may also become 
carriers of contagion, and spread the disease far and wide 
among the population of the district. With regard to the 
first, the evidences of cholera in either dog or cat are by 
no means clear. During visitations of the plague in 
certain countries, cats and dogs have suffered extensively 
from an epizootic form of disease which has been recog- 
nised at the least as of a choleraic nature, and exceedingly - 
fatal even after a few hours. The chief symptoms were 
severe vomiting, &c., with violent as well as profuse 
diarrhcea ; the animal appeared to be suddenly reduced, 
having a “pinched” or wasted appearance, and the eyes, 
sunk deep in the orbits, added considerably to the woe- 
begone or dejected condition. After death the internal 
evidences very closely agreed with those witnessed in the 
human subject. It has, however, been carefully ascer- 
tained that notwithstanding the great similarity in the 
post-mortem appearances, the true choleraic poison was 
probably not present. 
Diphtheria.—Prominently among the discoveries of 
