I. Anamnesis. 



Full statements on the part of the owner or attendant, 

 procured by cautious questioning, concerning the previous con- 

 dition of the patient, the beginning and previous course of the 

 disease (anamnesis) are of great importance in diagnostics. In 

 fact there are some diseases, like epilepsy, for example, that 

 can as a rule be diagnosed in no other way because it is only 

 in exceptional cases that we have an opportunity to observe a 

 typical epileptic fit. 



As far as the veterinarian is concerned the anamnesis is 

 limited to the observation of the immediate surroundings of 

 the animal. In questioning attendants speak to them in a 

 pleasant tone and manner and use words and expressions with 

 which they are familiar ; this tends to infuse confidence and 

 the result is that the information thus obtained will be more 

 apt to be reliable. 



Any digression in the testimony of informants should be 

 listened to with patience. One should always remember that 

 every anamnesis, from whomsoever it be obtained, is more or 

 less colored by the personal conceptions of the person offering 

 it. This is quite apart from intentional misrepresentations, 

 which are often encountered. 



A well drawn up anamnesis speaks for the technical 

 ability of the veterinarian as well as for his knowledge of the 

 etiology of the diseases of our domestic animals which are 

 kept under the most variable conditions. 



1. How long has the animal been sick? 

 We may learn by this question whether the disease is an acute 

 or a chronic one, and perhaps also the stage of development 



