THE COW IN HEALTH AND DISEASE 79 



mal, as this has a very material bearing many 

 times, in arriving at a diagnosis. 



When the mucous membrane lining the 

 eyes, nose and mouth is paler than usual, it 

 indicates that the animal is illy nourished or 

 has lost blood from disease or from hemor- 

 rhage. In other cases where this membrane 

 is very red, it indicates that the animal has 

 a fever or an inflammation. When the mem- 

 brane is bluish it is an indication that the 

 blood is not receiving enough oxygen. This 

 condition is found in severe pneumonia or 

 weak heart. 



Cough may be either a primary symptom of 

 disease when it is due to the irritation of the 

 mucous membranes lining the respiratory or- 

 gans, or it may be secondary when it is the 

 result of some derangement of the intestines 

 or stomach or other parts of the body that 

 have a nervous communication with the res- 

 piratory apparatus. A cough has special char- 

 acteristics and are known as dry, harsh, moist, 

 difficult, sympathetic, and hollow, and each 

 of them has a special significance to the 

 trained observer. 



The respiratory acts or the breathing, has 

 an important part in the determining of this 

 class of conditions. We may have labored, 

 intermittent, accelerated, slow, deep, shallow, 

 irregular and imperfect respirations. The act 

 of respiration consists of taking the air into 

 the lungs or inspiration, and throwing the air 



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