MALIGNANT CATARRH OF CATTLE. 



I^ocal causes. Debilitation. Polluted air. Poor diet. Symptoms, gas- 

 trointestinal, fever, lacryniation, turbid aqueous, photophobia, congestion 

 of mucosae, generally disturbed circulation, breathing, depression, heat of 

 forehead, buccal petechiae, epithelial desquamation, abrasions, ulcers, abor- 

 tion, albuminuria, local swellings, shedding of horns, dropsy, . dyspnoea. 

 Lesions, in nasal mucosa, subcutem, cerebral, dark blood. Prognosis. 

 Treatment, antiphlogistic, laxative, diuretic, tonic, locally steam, antisep- 

 tic, astringent, trephining. 



This disease occurs chiefly in cold damp marshy localities where 

 the vital power is impaired or in cold situations exposed to severe 

 north and east winds. In the wet cold seasons of spring and 

 autumn it is especially prevalent. According to J?jckner it raTely 

 attacks old cows but prevails among young cows and oxen. In 

 the south of France on the contrary it appears chiefly in the hot 

 season (June and July) and is attributed to suppressed transpira- 

 tion. It prevails especially however in herds kept in small filthy 

 stables, low in the roof, hot, close and badly aired. (Festal). 

 In New York it appears in cattle on black muck pastures and in 

 Minnesota on the dried up ponds. 



Symptoms. Diarrhoea is a common premonitory symptom aris- 

 ing from the irritation of the intestinal canal as it is soon followed 

 by some degree of costiveness, the dung becoming dark colored, 

 firm and scanty. Diarrhoea reappears later. The coat stares or 

 the beast actually shivers ; the , head is depressed ; the roots of 

 the horns and the forehead are hot ; the eyes are sunken, swollen 

 and red, suffused with tears, turbid in their anterior chamber 

 (aqueous humor) and intolerant of light ; The muzzle dry and 

 hot ; the mouth hot but moi.st with abundant saliva ; the mucous 

 membranes of the mouth, nose and vagina have a bluish red color ; 

 the pulse is rapid and more or less full or hard ; impulse of the 

 heart weak ; the breathing is accelerated, the respiratory sound is 

 heightened in intensity and a cough is frequent. Temperature 

 104° to 107° F. The urine is scanty and high colored. The 

 surface of the body is alternately hot and cold, and after some 

 time a watery fluid begins to distil from the nose. 



At the end of twenty-four hours the symptoms are intensified 



105 



