PRINCIPLES OF VETERINARY SURGERY 597 



V 



are excellent remedies. Recently, animaline has been highly 

 recommended. 



OSSEOUS CACHEXIA. 



SYNONYMS. — Osteomalacia, Osteoclasis, Osteoporo- 

 sis. 



DEFINITION. — Osseous cachexia is a disease of adult 

 bovids, characterized chiefly by an altered nutrition that re- 

 flects on the osseous tissue and ends in the resorption of cal- 

 careous salts and dissolution of the osseous reticula. It is 

 cachexia accompanied with softening and fragility of the 

 bones, resulting in deformities and multiple fractures. It is 

 entirely different from rachitis, which disease, although 

 characterized by modifications of the osseous system, at- 

 tacks only the young during the development of the skele- 

 ton. 



Osseous cachexia is a disease that has received various 

 names. Its numerous synonyms are sufficient to show that 

 the opinions relative to its nature have been varied. The 

 term "osteomalacia," frequently applied, is hardly suitable, 

 because the softening of the bones is but the ultimate phase 

 of the disease. The word "osteoclasis," suggested by Zun- 

 del in 1870, only applies to a series of symptoms — the frac- 

 tures. The Germans have named it "osteoporosis" which 

 refers to an important character of the lesions — rarefying 

 osteitis; but this alteration is also observed in other dis- 

 eases. It has also been described by the name of "enzootic 

 osteitis" because it has been observed to afifect a number of 

 animals simultaneously; by that of "milk-cow disease," al- 

 though it also attacks males, and by that of "gout" and 

 "muscular rheumatism" when complicated with synovitis 

 and osteitis. These improper designations must be re- 

 jected for the better term "osseous cachexia" suggested by 

 Cantiget. This term indicates the general characteristics 



