CONTAGIOUS DISEASES 105 



Qiet should be restricted to very small quan- 

 tities of albumin and water, beef tea or jelly, 

 diluted milk, etc., until the acute stage is 

 passed, when the quantities may be cautiously 

 increased. 



During convalescence an iron and quinine 

 tonic may be given with advantage and the diet 

 should be of easily digested and highly nutri- 

 tious aliment. 



Throughout the course of the disease the pa- 

 tient should be kept clean and comfortable^ and 

 the infectivity of the affection should never be 

 lostjsight of, every effort being made to prevent 

 the spread of infection to other cats. 



Seeing the serious and treacherous nature of 

 this disease and the losses sustained by owners 

 of high-priced cats, it is hoped that more atten- 

 tion will be paid to this disease in the future 

 and that investigations will result in a biologic 

 agent of prophylactic or curative properties 

 that will enable the practitioner to treat it with 

 more confidence than is possible at the present 

 time. 



Feline Diphtheria 



This is an infective disease of cats character- 

 ized by inflammation of the pharynx, with the 

 formation of false membranes, and profound 

 toxemia. This disease, one of the most fatal 

 that affects cats, the mortality being about 

 ninety percent in some outbreaks, has the char- 



