INFLUENZA. 503 



than ordinary healthy animals. With a temperature already ele- 

 vated, with the heart's action driving the blood in increased quantity 

 into the distended blood vessels, which become dilated and lose their 

 contractility, with a congestion of all of the vascular organs already 

 established, it takes but little additional irritation to carry the con- 

 gestion one step further and produce inflammation. 



Complication of the intestines. — ^When any cause acts as an irritant 

 to the intestinal tract during the course of this specific fever it may 

 produce inflammation of the organs belonging to it. This cause may 

 be constipation, which can find relief only in a congestion which offers 

 to increase the function of the glands and relieve the inertia caused by 

 a temporary cessation of activity; or irritant medicines, especially 

 any increased use of antimony, turpentine, or the more active reme- 

 dies ; the taking of indigestible food, or of food in too great quantities, 

 or food altered in any way by fungus or other injurious alterations; 

 the swallowing of too cold water; or any other irritant may cause 

 congestion. This complication is ushered in by colics. The animal 

 paws with the fore feet and evinces a great sensibility of the belly ; it 

 looks with the head from side to side, and may lie down and get up, 

 not with violence, but with care for itself, perfectly protecting the sur- 

 face of the belly from any violence. At first we find a decided con- 

 stipation ; the droppings if passed are small and hard, coated with a 

 viscous varnish or even with false membranes. In from thirty-six 

 to forty hours the constipation is followed by diarrhea. The alimen- 

 tary discharge becomes mixed with a seromucous exudation, which is 

 followed by a certain amount of suppurative matter. The animal be- 

 comes rapidly exhausted and unstable, staggers on movement, losing 

 the little appetite which may have remained, and has exacerbations of 

 fever. The pulse becomes softer and weaker, the respiration becomes 

 gradually more rapid, the temperature is about 1° to 1.5° F. higher. 

 If a fatal result is not produced by the extensive diarrhea the dis- 

 charge becomes arrested in from five to ten days and a rapid recovery 

 takes place. 



OompUcation of the lungs. — If at any time during the course of the 

 fever the animal is exposed to cold or drafts of air, or in any other 

 way to the causes of repercussion, the lungs may become affected. In 

 the majority of cases, however, after three, four, or five days of the 

 fever, congestion of the lungs commences without any exposure or 

 apparent exciting cause. Unless this congestion of the lungs is 

 soon relieved it is followed by an inflammation constituting pneumo- 

 nia. This pneumonia, while it is in its essence the same, differs from 

 an ordinary pneumonia at the commencement by an insidious course. 

 The animal commences to breathe heavily, which becomes distinctly 

 visible in the heaving of the flanks, the dilatation of the nostrils, and 

 frequently in the swaying movement of the unsteady body. The res- 



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