DISEASES AND ABNORMALITIES. 155 
Dysentery. 
(Dysenteria Neonatorum.) 
Dysentery of the newly-born animal is the least 
known of all the infectious diseases which affect our 
subjects. It is observed in the Calf (white dysentery 
or scour), Lamb, Foal, Puppy, and Kitten. This affec- 
tion and pyzmic polyarthritis are the most fatal diseases 
of young age. 
Causes.—Generally, it is developed from the first 
to the third day after birth; after the fourth day it is 
much less frequent ; young animals are often affected 
by it before having sucked ; milk, therefore, has nothing 
to do with the development of the disease. Although 
the infectious element is yet unknown, its exciting cause 
is evidently infection, contained in, and carried by, the 
excrements, It appears to be miasmatico-contagious, 
and seems to be transmissible from one animal species 
to another. It is thought that causal relations exist 
between epizootic abortion and dysentery of Calves, 
Intra-uterine infection may probably occur by trans- 
mission to the digestive mucous membrane of young 
animals of an infectious product of the uterus and 
vagina. 
Symptoms.—Very similar in the different species. 
The Calf stops sucking, shows symptoms of restless- 
ness, bellows, and by violent efforts ejects excrements, 
which may be whitish, mixed with clots of coagulated 
milk, or very often with blood ; later, involuntary evacu- 
ations. Exhaustion, convulsions at intervals; ptyalism ; 
fetid breath, Death takes place often within twenty- 
