56 



DISEASES OF THE DIGESTIVE APPARATUS. 



nearer the truth in ascribing the trouble, at least in the larger 

 number of cases, to a special and as yet undetermined nervous 

 condition. 



4. It is incontestable that the disease is sometimes under the in- 

 fluence of an affection of the digestive organs; this relation is 

 especially striking when, in a healthy and well-fed flock, certain 

 aflected subjects lose flesh, and finally succumb to marasmus. At 

 the same time, if we succeed in stopping the licking by means of 

 anti-dyspeptics and antiphlogistics, we can safely conclude that it 

 was produced by dyspepsia, or by catarrh of the gastro-intestinal 

 mucous membrane. Already the old veterinary school has pointed 

 out acidity of the stomach " as the cause of licking ; this acidity 

 is undoubtedly connected with a gastro-intestinal aflection. 



5. Haubner ascribes it to defective and badly kept stables, 

 irregular food, and lack of hygienic precautions. But Lemcke 

 very judiciously observes that the disease is quite as frequent in 

 the best kept stables as in those where the elementary principles 

 of hygiene are unobserved. 



6. Are there really any etiological relations existing between 

 osteomalacia and licking-disease ? The opinions of authors vary 

 very considerably in regard to this. According to Rolofl" and 

 Roll, licking-disease would not be an essential aflfection, a special 

 morbid state, but really the first symptom of osteomalacia, and in 

 certain cases in which this last should end in a cure it would be 

 the only manifestation of it. Other authors consider these latter 

 cases as aflbrding precisely the criterion establishing for the dis- 

 ease an independent entity. 



According to Rychner, Nessler, Anacker, and Lemke, licking- 

 disease and osteomalacia constitute two essentially diflerent affec- 

 tions, having each their particular causes. Nessler bases his 

 opinion upon this fact : that fractures, which are very common in 

 osteomalacia, are exceptional in licking-disease, Hychner and 

 Anacker state that they are often associated, and easily complicate 

 one another. According to Lemke, osteomalacia only complicates 

 the disease of licking when the affected subjects are under the 

 influence of a rheumatic diathesis, or if they are exposed to cold. 

 Finally, according to Haubner, Siedamgrotzky, Spinola, and 

 others, the licking-disease existing as a primary affection is some- 

 times complicated with osteomalacia, which constitutes its termi- 

 nation in such cases. , 



