PROGNOSIS. 



Definition. Demands on the veterinarian, the question of economy. 

 Basis of Prognosis. Cause of the illness, internal or external, vital or non- 

 vital organ, enzootic, fatigue, infection, in one or two symmetrical vital 

 organs, regular or irregular in its course, persistence, relapse, complications, 

 effect oi treatment, appetite, temperature, pulse, breathing, youth, age, de- 

 bility, previous disease, breeding, climate, season. 



Prognosis is a more complicated question for the veterinarian 

 than for the physician. The latter must pronounce on the mal- 

 ady, whether it is likely to follow a regular or irregular course, 

 whether it will last short or long, whether it will be curable or 

 incurable, and if curable whether recovery would be complete or 

 partial. For the veterinarian there is in addition the question of 

 economy. The veterinary patient is, as a rule, of value, only if 

 he can be rendered sound, and a partial recovery may be even 

 worse than a fatal result, since the subject remains as a ruinous 

 charge on his owner. The veterinarian must pronounce on the 

 prompt and perfect curability of the case, on the outlay that will 

 be requisite for treatment, on the depreciation which will be en- 

 tailed on the patient, and whether, in certain lesions that do not 

 harm the carcase, it would not be more judicious to butcher the 

 subject. The physician is expected to do the best he can for life 

 and health, and even a very imperfect recovery brings him a 

 mead of gratitude. The veterinarian on the other hand must be 

 an expert not only on disease, but on animal values, and if his 

 treatment, however skillful it may be, results only in the pro- 

 longing of the life of a useless animal, the owner may charge 

 him with imposing upon him an unnecessary outlay. The 

 soundest judgment and highest skill are often necessary to se- 

 cure the interests of an employer in such circumstances. In cer- 

 tain cases the recommendation to destroy is of much more value 

 to the employer than the most skillful, and partially effective, 

 curative treatment. On this basis, the reputation of a skillful 

 man may be securely built. He can deceive no one if his pre- 

 diction of recovery is not justified, while if he advises destruc- 

 tion and the patient recovers, he is at once discredited. 

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