INTERNAL DISEASES. 



Internal diseases are those which are not situated in 

 the organs on the surface of the body, which cannot be per- 

 ceived by our senses (sight, feeling, etc.), and which are 

 cured principally by medicines passing into the blood 

 through the organs of digestion. Although we cannot see 

 a diseased internal organ, we can discover an abnormal 

 condition from the disturbance of its functions and of those 

 of the whole system. The signs by which we can determine 

 the nature, degree and duration of the disease are called 

 its symptoms. They are the language of Nature, which 

 shows its suffering and calls for help through them. If 

 these signs are rightly interpreted, we will be able to judge 

 the disease correctly and to select the proper remedies, but 

 if the signs are misunderstood, a wrong conclusion is ar- 

 rived at, and the consequences are unfavorable. Whenever 

 an abnormal condition is discovered, there is. a diseased 

 action of some organ present, and in order to find the seat 

 of the disturbance it is indispensable to know the functions 

 of each separate organ, in the healthy animal thoroughly. 

 Breeders and owners of animals should therefore endeavor 

 to become acquainted with them by careful observation of 

 healthy animals. 



If an animal is sick — and this is generally easily recog- 

 nized — the next step is to discover from what disease it 

 suffers ; that is, what organ is affected. For this purpose 

 the patient must be examined. The owner of cattle must 



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