522 Veterinary Medicine. 



the system Bollinger found the blood but 2.2 per cent, of the- 

 body weight in a fat pig, whilst it was 13.5 per cent, in a draft 

 horse. Colin found it 2.4 per cent, in the fat ox instead of the 

 usual 3.4 per cent. 



The excess of red globules and usually also of albumins is seen 

 as a temporary condition, in lean but vigorous animals put sud- 

 denly on an abumdant diet, rich in assimilable albuminoids, in 

 working animals, put in confinement to feed, and above all in 

 high conditioned cows after an easy parturition, when the uterine 

 blood has been suddenly thrown on the general circulation and 

 the emunctories have failed to establish a balance. Also in the 

 lymphangitis occuring after a day or two of rest, in a horse that 

 has been hard worked and heavily fed. 



It should be borne in mind that the number of red globules 

 varies considerably in the different animals. In the dog it was 

 by weight 148.3 grammes per 1000; in the pig 105.7; iii the 

 horse 102.9; ^'^ the ox 99.71 and in the sheep 98.2 (Andral, 

 Gavarret, Delafond). By count the horse has about 7,500,000 

 per cubic millimeter and the dog 5,000,000 to 8,000,000. 



Symptoms. Under a sudden dangerous increase of the volume 

 or the organic elements of the blood, there are usually dullness, 

 lassitude, dropping of the head, strong, full, hard pulse, extra 

 force in the heart beats, thirst, elevated temperature, and redness 

 of the visible mucous membranes. At first there is no indication 

 of local disease, but unless relief comes by free secretion some 

 local complication is likely to ensue. This may be epistaxis, con- 

 gestion or apoplexy of the brain, parturition fever, lymphangitis, 

 or congestion of some internal organ, etc. A drop of blood 

 colors deeply the finger or other object, it clots firmly in three to- 

 five minutes, and shows more than usual of a buffy coat. 



Treatment. As dangerous plethora is usually a very transient 

 condition the main attention should be given to prevention, in 

 keeping the diet low and the emunctories active in high condi- 

 tioned animals thrown idle ; in lowering the diet and securing 

 free secretion, or in giving exercise to high fed, hard worked 

 horses that have been laid off work ; in changing only by slow 

 gradations thin, vigorous animals to a rich diet, etc. When the 

 danger is imminent prompt relief can be secured by the liberal 

 abstraction of blood. Purgatives, diuretics, and restricted diet- 

 may be applied to less urgent cases. 



